Sweet woman, this week I’m thinking of you and how your responsibilities and obligations may have you running from here to there, jumping through hoops that are constantly changing. I know any given day can be hectic, demanding and, at times, overwhelming—especially when there are attached expectations. Instead of being saturated in stress, let me share one of my ways of releasing anxiety: be saturated in the presence of God.
One of the best ways I love spending time with God is with Christian soaking music. There are quite a few options when it comes to the kind of soaking music you can choose, but I like the instrumental music … no singing. When I’m in need of a little self-care, I’ll find a quiet place, including my car because you know, sunglasses are good for hiding what you’re doing. Besides, we do so much life in our cars that people just assume we’re on a lunch break or making a phone call.
I’ll turn the music on, take a deep inhale and exhale, quiet my mind, and focus on God. I like to think about His goodness, His promises, how kind He’s been to me, and I’ll look for Him in the details of my life.
Those few minutes of focused attention remind me of His greatness in every facet of my existence. I think about His love for me and His ability to oversee His creation. He’s never overwhelmed, surprised, or offended. I love that joy and delight are the essence of who He is.
He’s the best adventurer, full of courage, and has a thing for out-of-the-box thinking. He finds creating one-of-a-kind memories exhilarating! Everything He has created are the very things He wants to share with us. He’s the One who wants to show His beloved all the amazing things He has access to.
I ponder my gifts and talents and dream about what He has in mind. I think about the visions He’s given me that He has yet to fulfill. I love seeing Him through the eyes of a parent because I can most relate to that role. I know how I feel about my children and remember it’s merely a shadow of how He feels about me. I want to be an amazing parent, but He is an amazing parent to us.
Spending time with Him has grown my ability to look first to Him as my source, and I want more of Him. More of knowing Him, experiencing Him, and more of His love and presence. I want more of His grace and mercy, more of His wisdom and discernment. I want to be rich in the extravagance of knowing and experiencing Him more every single day.
Even a tiny bit of time with God gives me a renewed sense of purpose. I’m more aligned with what is important, and I’m better able to discern what adjustments I need to make in my life.
He knows me inside and out and He knows my words before I speak them. He has answers and solutions before I need them so I want to know Him more and explore what He’s created me for.
The more I understand who He is the more clarity I have about who I am and how to walk confidently into all He has for me. I want to experience all He has written on His tablets about me. I know some of it is hard, like when I lost my husband. The fact remains that none of us will be without heartache, yet the beauty is that we will never be alone in it.
Below are links for some soaking music on YouTube. I listen to this when I’m writing (like right now), because it helps me relax into being creative and I feel the words flow.
Set aside some self-care time, listen to this music or find soaking music you like, invite God and see what you get to experience. Keep paper and pen handy so you can make note of the details and reflect on them later. Or simply take a break and let your whole frame relax into the presence of God.
Here are 3 versions of soaking music (there are so many more):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdk-gR1Ca_w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wLOTibOCI0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GPbhnLk61Q
Allow me to close by sharing the simple prayer I just said for you. You’ll see it’s just a one minute prayer and yet, spending that tiny bit of time with God will be the best investment of your day! Love you, sweet woman! xoxo
Daddy (I call God, Daddy), the woman reading this is my sweet friend. Thank You that You will give her an extra hug today. Show her again how You love to take even the tiniest investment she makes in spending time with You and multiply it double. Give her Your Fatherly kiss, and hug her tight. Let her know how proud You are of her and how much You love to spend time with her. Thank you, Daddy, for what You have done, what You are doing, and what You are yet to do. I ask these things based on who You are, Jesus, and how much You love her. Amen.
NOW LIVE LOVED and THRIVE!
Self-Reflection
These questions are in no way a substitute for healthcare professionals or any level of professional counseling. I’m an advocate for taking care of oneself mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. These questions reflect my heart, NOT my profession.
This questionnaire is an opportunity to journal your thoughts and feelings. It can serve as a launching pad on which to evaluate your heart condition as you understand it. My hope is that you will take the truths you discover about yourself and hold them up to the Light to evaluate them against who God says you are.
- Do you think you’re worth some self-care time alone?
- What are you currently doing that helps you renew your mind and heart?
- Do you have a practice that helps you spend quiet time with Jesus?
- What is something you’d be willing to swap out and replace with spending quiet time with God?
- Find and write out a scripture on what the Holy Bible says about rest and quiet time with God.
- What is one thing you want to take away from spending time with God?
Talk to God about your answers. Give Him praise, ask Him questions and then listen for His gentle response.
Take Action
Use God’s word to take control over the traumas in your life. Whenever you feel terrorized by your thoughts take them captive by replacing them with the truth of God’s promises in His word.
Here is a scripture for you to print, cut and carry with you and/or post in places where you will see it often. Ground yourself in God’s truths not Satan’s attacks. Encourage your heart and mind every time you are reminded of His great love for YOU!
Here is what God’s Word says about His unfailing, relentless, unending love for you:
“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6 (NIV)
Translation: If I do nothing but spend time in the world, I will not have time, energy, nor a heart for the things of God. Spending time with Christ engages the Holy Spirit and in Him I have life and peace.
