Intentional Worship: Part 1: When Busyness Gets In the Way

Do you make plans to go out with the girls?

How about to watch the game or fight with the guys, wings, and cheese dip?

Do you make plans to go out to eat as a couple, finding a babysitter and all? 

...what about praise and worship? Do you make plans for that or do you sing a few songs on Sunday and maybe Wednesday?

...what about reading your Bible? Again, Sunday, Wednesday and maybe a few other days when you have free time or start to feel convicted?

...And prayer? Before a meal, bed, or when things get bad in your life? Do you ever just purposefully sit on the couch and talk to God about your day or say nothing at all, waiting for his still small voice to appear? 

Think long and hard about that. Figure out what your priorities are right now. You may be thinking that you are to busy to have 30 minutes a day to sit down and read. I used to be one of those people, being told I need to re-prioritize and put prayer and Bible reading first but I seriously could not find the time between my commute back and forth to work and day care for my son, carting a baby to every errand I had to run because my husband was deployed, and then the demands of a mom and the large amount of work I had to take home. Where was I to cut back? Not go grocery shopping so I could read my Bible? Not get my work ready for the next day? Or maybe God wanted to cut back on my already 5-6 hours (on a good night) of sleep I was getting a night. 

So when I say that I know how you are feeling, I truly know. It is hard. You can't spare anytime. But the enemy is tricky like that. I once heard a pastor say, "If the devil can't make you bad, he will make you BUSY!" 

Boy ain't that the truth?! I had a solid foundation Christ and I was very careful to not be 'bad' (although, yes, I sin everyday) but one thing I failed to protect myself against and the busyness the enemy would throw my way. 

So instead of my telling you that you need to really consider your priorities, I will ask something of you. Please say a short prayer. Can you take the time to do that, please?

Lord, forgive me of my business. I know now it is a scheme of the enemy. Help me to fight against this attack. I want more of you. In you I find rest.

Say that prayer daily, hourly if you need to. I said that prayer for a long time until I finally realized that my business was a state of mind. Yes, I am (for only 3 more days!) a stay at home mom now and have been for over a year, but it was before I made the transition from working full-time to momming full-time that I found an even balance in my life, that God helped me find time. I had to decide that enough was enough and I was going to be devoted to God. Was it easy at first? No. But boy was I blessed by it. God recognizes your sacrifices and He will bless you for it. Don't believe me...give it a go. :)

Keep a look out for Part 2 on how to be intentional with your worship. Better yet, subscribe so you won't miss it!

Are you busy? Does your life relate a lot to how mine used to be? Or maybe you have found way to overcome the busyness. Let me know!

Are You Worth the Anticipation?

(Original photo from http://www.rollsscaffold.com/)

While waiting for that release of the sequel to your favorite movie or book, what/how were you feeling? How about wait for the arrival of your first child? Anticipation right? I drove through a small city last week and I saw many new buildings with scaffolding all around, just waiting for completion, the grand reveal. 

Perhaps you have created a product, put together an activity, or planned an event and you are waiting for the launch of it. You are giddy with excitement right? Growing up, I remember waiting each year for summer to arrive not because of the break from school (I liked school. I'm a nerd :)  but because the snow cone stand would open. As we drove by that sugar inducing shack day after day I would imagine standing in line and smelling familiar smell of fresh ice and sugar toppings. I could feel the cool air coming out of the small shack. I could feel the cold sensation of my first bite. I was anticipating the day I could once again get a snow cone. And who am I kidding, I still get excited to get one when we visit home in the summer time so I can get a snow cone!

Jeremiah 1:5 says, "Before I formed you in your mother's womb I knew you..." When God created Adam and Eve He knew that one day you would be born; He knew of the things you would accomplish, every time you would need comfort, every tear you would shed, and all the laughter you would produce. You know that excitement and anticipation you had for your child, summer vacation, going to pick up your new puppy? God has that same excitement and anticipation for you, ya...YOU!

The idea for this post came to mind right after I drove through city and saw the building  being constructed. During that time the song "Architecture" came on and it was like a light went off in my head. Here are the lyrics to the song:

                                               There are a million mountains that I'd like to climb 

to get a glimpse at the heart of your design

so here I stand here I stand on what you built 

you are surrounding me and the walls

will never ever ever come down