Just Breathe
Someone shared with me once that she does not have time to nurture friendships. Because she does not see that as a priority, I don't really have much interaction with her.
I know another lady who is a "self proclaimed" loner! The times that I have spent with her she has mentioned to me several times that she doesn't really need friends. Because of the way that both of these women view friendships, our relationship does not go very deep.
I have another friend who is very busy home schooling 4 children and is busy with activities and church-but she is a wonderful example of what it means to nurture friendships. I can remember one day she called me on her cell phone while she was standing in line at a department store, just to see how I was and to let me know she was thinking of me. We didn't talk for long. Neither of us really had the time. But she was just touching base...she was nurturing.
Relationships need to be nurtured.
I have heard people say, and I have probably said it myself, that I "just don't have time" to have a "quiet time". When we say that, we are saying that we don't have time to nurture our relationship with God. In the back of our minds we know that God will always be there if we have a need. We talk ABOUT Him. We may "wave hello" occasionally. But how much do we do to NURTURE our relationship with Him? Nurturing our relationship with God should not be reduced to something we do for 15 minutes each day, and check off our list. (I don't know of many friendships that would grow deeper if they were approached that way!) It should be a part of who we are!
When I think about walking with God, I think about how our relationship with God can become as natural as breathing! This is how I picture walking....breathing...with God. Nurturing our relationship. (It is what I STRIVE TO DO. It is not something I have mastered!)
BREATHE IN...
I wake up. I say, "good morning, Lord." I thank Him for a good nights rest. I sit up and prop myself up on my pillows, and open my Bible. I read and pray through whatever I am reading. I get up and check my e-mail. Any prayer requests? I pray. I help get breakfast, we thank the Lord for the food. I get on the treadmill or walk outside. I pray through my prayer list or for whatever comes to mind. I listen to praise and worship music. I lift it up to the Lord, and worship Him.
BREATHE OUT...
I take a shower and get dressed. When I look in the mirror I ask, "Lord, is this outfit okay? Does it honor You? Is it modest?" I straighten up the house, and do my chores. While doing whatever I do in the morning, I have a conversation with God...I pray...I help my kids with school, or through whatever is bothering them...I pray for wisdom. I thank Him. I decide to not eat lunch....I decide to fast...in order to pray that I would "hunger for God"....to focus on Him.
BREATHE IN...
In the afternoon if I am running errands and I turn on some worshipful music. I listen for a God's message in the music. I sing really loud, and worship God. I pray for those I come in contact with. I pray that God would open my eyes to needs. If someone comes over and we are talking or I am able to serve, I try to remember that I am serving God...not the person..."as much as you have done unto the least of these..you've done it unto me!!!
BREATHE OUT...
I make meals for my family and whoever happens to be at my house. I pray to be flexible, to be aware of God's schedule and not mine! I ask God to make me sensitive to His voice that I would speak when I should speak and know when not to speak! I ask for Him to give me the words to say to whoever I am with. I listen...I serve. I hug. I seek to encourage. I laugh. I ask for forgiveness when I ignore His prompting! I thank Him for guiding me!
BREATHE IN...
We sit down to relax for the evening. Me. My family. Whoever is here...and God! I turn to God and ask, "Is this TV show okay?" "Should we do something else with our time?" I go to the computer and I ask, "What do you want me to write on my blog, Lord?" I thank Him.
BREATHE OUT...
I get ready for bed. I thank the Lord for another day. I crawl under the covers. I pick up whatever book I'm reading, or the Bible, I seek the Lord. I learn. I pray. I say goodnight to my family. I thank the Lord for them. I turn out the lights.
This is what I want my day to look like! A day of breathing and walking with God. Of nurturing our relationship. Of making time.
"Father, Please cause me to LOOK FOR all the ways I can breathe with YOU, and never be too busy to nurture the most important relationship in MY life!"
I know another lady who is a "self proclaimed" loner! The times that I have spent with her she has mentioned to me several times that she doesn't really need friends. Because of the way that both of these women view friendships, our relationship does not go very deep.
I have another friend who is very busy home schooling 4 children and is busy with activities and church-but she is a wonderful example of what it means to nurture friendships. I can remember one day she called me on her cell phone while she was standing in line at a department store, just to see how I was and to let me know she was thinking of me. We didn't talk for long. Neither of us really had the time. But she was just touching base...she was nurturing.
Relationships need to be nurtured.
I have heard people say, and I have probably said it myself, that I "just don't have time" to have a "quiet time". When we say that, we are saying that we don't have time to nurture our relationship with God. In the back of our minds we know that God will always be there if we have a need. We talk ABOUT Him. We may "wave hello" occasionally. But how much do we do to NURTURE our relationship with Him? Nurturing our relationship with God should not be reduced to something we do for 15 minutes each day, and check off our list. (I don't know of many friendships that would grow deeper if they were approached that way!) It should be a part of who we are!
When I think about walking with God, I think about how our relationship with God can become as natural as breathing! This is how I picture walking....breathing...with God. Nurturing our relationship. (It is what I STRIVE TO DO. It is not something I have mastered!)
BREATHE IN...
I wake up. I say, "good morning, Lord." I thank Him for a good nights rest. I sit up and prop myself up on my pillows, and open my Bible. I read and pray through whatever I am reading. I get up and check my e-mail. Any prayer requests? I pray. I help get breakfast, we thank the Lord for the food. I get on the treadmill or walk outside. I pray through my prayer list or for whatever comes to mind. I listen to praise and worship music. I lift it up to the Lord, and worship Him.
BREATHE OUT...
I take a shower and get dressed. When I look in the mirror I ask, "Lord, is this outfit okay? Does it honor You? Is it modest?" I straighten up the house, and do my chores. While doing whatever I do in the morning, I have a conversation with God...I pray...I help my kids with school, or through whatever is bothering them...I pray for wisdom. I thank Him. I decide to not eat lunch....I decide to fast...in order to pray that I would "hunger for God"....to focus on Him.
BREATHE IN...
In the afternoon if I am running errands and I turn on some worshipful music. I listen for a God's message in the music. I sing really loud, and worship God. I pray for those I come in contact with. I pray that God would open my eyes to needs. If someone comes over and we are talking or I am able to serve, I try to remember that I am serving God...not the person..."as much as you have done unto the least of these..you've done it unto me!!!
BREATHE OUT...
I make meals for my family and whoever happens to be at my house. I pray to be flexible, to be aware of God's schedule and not mine! I ask God to make me sensitive to His voice that I would speak when I should speak and know when not to speak! I ask for Him to give me the words to say to whoever I am with. I listen...I serve. I hug. I seek to encourage. I laugh. I ask for forgiveness when I ignore His prompting! I thank Him for guiding me!
BREATHE IN...
We sit down to relax for the evening. Me. My family. Whoever is here...and God! I turn to God and ask, "Is this TV show okay?" "Should we do something else with our time?" I go to the computer and I ask, "What do you want me to write on my blog, Lord?" I thank Him.
BREATHE OUT...
I get ready for bed. I thank the Lord for another day. I crawl under the covers. I pick up whatever book I'm reading, or the Bible, I seek the Lord. I learn. I pray. I say goodnight to my family. I thank the Lord for them. I turn out the lights.
This is what I want my day to look like! A day of breathing and walking with God. Of nurturing our relationship. Of making time.
"Father, Please cause me to LOOK FOR all the ways I can breathe with YOU, and never be too busy to nurture the most important relationship in MY life!"
(Gina has begun writing again after taking a few months off. She has some fresh, new perspective after going through some very dark times. She would love it if you stopped by for a chat and some coffee! You can find her at her personal blog: Chats With An Old Lady.)
Labels: Christian walk, Gina's articles, Relationships
posted by Unknown @ 12:03 AM
5 Comments:
Wow. That was absolutely beautiful and honestly, makes me feel a little better about how I handle my 'time with God.' So many times I feel pressure to do a set time or else it is all lost. But this is how I do things too (maybe not so eloquently as you!)and I love being connected to Him all day long. :)
Nurturing.
Great word
Awesome post.
Happy New Year!
Wonderful post going into the new year and a great remind that things can't just happen, but has to be actively sought and nurture and grown.
I heard Shane Willard explain that the original meaning of the Lord's Prayer gets lost in our English translation. A more accurate translation would be:
Our Father in the air we breathe.....
Great post. xoxo
Love the breath in, breath out visual! I'm encouraged by the words on nurturing friendships. I know that is one of the things God is asking me to step up and do better. I'm an introvert, which means I am energized by solitude and drained by interactions with people (doesn't mean I don't like people...just the best definition of an introvert I have found)...However, my husband is an extrovert, which means he is energized by interacting with people and drained by solitude. For sometime now God has been pointing out the ways my husband nurtures relationships, saying to me "see how he picked up the phone and had a quick conversation just to check on so and so" (just like you blogged :-D) And then God encourages me "I know you covet and cling to all the quiet time you can get since I have called you out into a career that requires lots of extroverted activity...but I want you to watch and learn and grow in this now"
So...thanks for asking God what to blog about today. And thanks for listening. I asked God what I should read today...and He showed me the way to this!
Wow Gina, this is really beautiful!
What you said about the first 'friends' who don't have time to nurture friendships...it made me sad (and gave me a great opportunity to pray for them because God knows their names) - no one is exempt from the need of relationships. No one can do without the love of others and investing in others is the only way to have them invest in you. :)
This is so true too, about God. We need to nurture our time with Him, our relationship with Him...and grow in Him always - all ways.
Thank you for taking the time to invest in me today, with this post. May God bless you richly dear friend.
Hugs from Canada
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