The Beef & the Bread

If you’re looking for fun ways to get your kids to open up, check out this post. It ties right into a great lesson about communion.

What’s your beef?

I recently heard a friend describe an activity that another family used to get their kids talking about hard things. It was dubbed ‘What’s your beef’ night and specifically aimed at the parents.

On this night, everyone in the house picked what they wanted for dinner from any fast food place. If everyone wanted something different, that was okay! Once the meals were all collected, they came back and ate together. While eating the kids would tell the parents about anything in the home, that they ‘had a beef’ with. The parents could only listen. They were not allowed to defend, get mad, or explain. 

The goals of this activity are to help children practice hard conversations while they are young, but also to instill the habit of coming to their parents to talk.

Colin and I have an open door with our kids already, but one of our children, in particular, has a difficult time opening up. I’m always up for new ideas and loved the regularity and the habit behind this one. Especially the deliberateness of asking them and not waiting for them to come to us. 

–And any time the kids get to pick whatever they want, they enjoy it. So, it sounded like a fun thing to try.

I went back and forth about when to start this and how frequently. Quarterly seemed about right, but I am so forgetful; how on earth would I remember or keep it up? I thought about it for a while and then remembered a sermon that I once heard during a communion service.

Many churches do communion on the first Sunday of the month. The more I let those details swirl, the more they stirred my heart. So, the Saturday before that service is our night.

About that communion sermon

So how does this activity line up with communion? I’m totally paraphrasing here but in the sermon that I heard, the Pastor reminded the congregation that our anger is something that should be dealt with. Since we accept communion in remembrance of what Christ has done for each of us, we need to right our relationships with others before accepting it. 

While I can’t remember the exact verses referenced then, the ones below are what I used. They speak to the same tone.

“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First, go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.”  Matthew 5:23-24

Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 1 Cor. 11:28-29

In our relationships, sometimes it can be easier to say we’re sorry for something done wrong than to admit or confront someone else who has made us angry. Unity, love, and grace are at the heart of Christianity and how can we accept it for ourselves from God ‘in remembrance of me’ yet not extend that same grace and mercy to someone else when the time arrives.

Even if monthly seemed too much at first, the Saturday before communion has to be the perfect time to have this conversation! The more that we can implement this attitude in our home, the more that it will benefit our relationships, including those outside the home.

Prep

So, I announced to the kids a month in advance. Then reminded them a few times here and there. I expected some funny remarks about discipline but wanted to give them the extra time to think of other things that came up.

I also asked them to think of suggestions for anything that they didn’t like. With each reminder, the boys would giggle, and Sophie would ask me if I was sure that they could say anything.

The night we talked, I reminded them of what was expected of them. (Their frustrations and suggestions.) Also, that Colin and I would only listen. If they wanted us to address something, they'd need to ask us to do so. Then each child had their turn to speak.

The results

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had this perfect vision of how some family activity would go, only to have the kids destroy it (and I think secretly laugh in my face. Haha). So, I expected that it would take months for us to get a serious answer from them. To my surprise, if I had of envisioned it, this first go went as good as I possibly could have possibly hoped for. They gave some real answers and didn’t have as many as you might expect (from a child).

• We went to three different places for dinner.
• Sophie [age 8] asked me what the word was for not liking to be in small spaces [Claustrophobic]. Then she said that when she was upset about something, she didn’t like it when I tried to hug her to console her. She felt claustrophobic and closed in like she couldn’t breathe. She preferred me to hold her hand. It makes sense; she has never really liked being touched closely or for very long. Haha. And Gosh, that’s a personal space thing. Good for her!
• Jackson [age 5] listed every form of discipline that he remembered receiving. This I did expect but wish I thought to ask him for his alternatives. I am sure that they would have been amusing.
• He also asked me not to hit any more squirrels. Which I didn’t mean to do in the first place. Agreed!
• Ethan [age 11] said that he would like us to give him a few minutes of time when he starts something before asking him to do something else. –What he means is that often I will ask him to do something, like take out the trash and it never fails, he [in another room] just started a show or a game. He’d like five minutes of what he was doing before he has to do whatever it is we’re asking. Sounds fair... I'll think about that.
• He also brought up yelling. While we have all come a long way on this one, it’s still an issue that we’re working on. It bothers all of us.
• Then he asked if we could bring back a particular chore/consequence for cleaning up the room. (A friend did sweeps of the kid’s rooms and if laundry was found on the floor, it was confiscated, and the offender had to pay .25 to get a piece back.) We didn’t mean to get out of that habit, but summer threw us all off. We agreed to get back on track.
• They also all like the most recent chore list better than all of our other previous attempts.

When they were finished, we talked about the verses seen earlier in this post. While the first verse mentions anger, we didn’t spend much time there. After all, the goal is to find out what upsets them. You don’t want to shut them down for being upset. Besides, anger happens to all of us. We did talk about how it’s just as important for us to restore unity when we’re the one who has been offended as it is to repent when something was brought to light. We told them that we were proud of them for speaking up!

Then Ethan read the Last Supper and we discussed it. (pick one: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John).

Then we prayed.

Now it’s your turn!

If you’re looking for new ways to talk to your kids or ways to incorporate faith into your conversations. I dare you to try this! Even though this attempt came out of the gate the way that I had hoped, that doesn’t mean it will be the same the next time that either of us tries. There might be many times that there are no answers too! Don’t give up. Do it again and again. Learn from it as you go and tweak it.

Also, if you have some parenting/faith activities that you’ve done that came out well, I’d love to hear them. Let’s swap notes!

You might also be interested in this site:

If you like props, ‘kidsfriendly.org’ has some interesting tools, like a power point that you can edit for a communion hangman activity, a checklist, and more.

Photo credit: stainedglass.com

Standing On A Promise

I started riding my bicycle the year before last. I must admit that this is my favorite way to exercise. I feel like a kid again, racing through the neighborhoods; wind blowing through my hair. The early morning is my favorite time too. It's easier to slip away before the routine is in full swing. It's still cooler and darker outside, and because it's so early, no one is out yet. It is just so peaceful!

In the fall, two years ago. Funny angle.

I'll never forget that first morning though. I was given an old beach cruiser. It had a rusty fender and made a little squeak every time the wheel passed a certain spot or anytime that I hit a bump. Having a sound effect to my pedaling made the intensity of it pick up. I felt a little like the witch from the Wizard of Oz. Except, replace her pretty little hat for my spotlight. haha.

A scene from the Wizard of Oz.

Anyway...

It had been years since I had touched a bike- as in, I am not even sure I rode a one in high school. I can't forget standing up to pick up the pace, and my thighs started quivering as if my legs weren't familiar with supporting me. How quickly the bike seemed to pick up the unstable rhythm... So, I just as quickly sat back down. It was obvious that certain muscles hadn't been used in a long time. If I hadn't been in my own childhood, I might not believe that there was ever a time that you could not get me off of one.

Yet, I practiced standing and riding; cruising and speeding. Then one arm free at a time. As it turns out "hands-free" had been forgotten too. My mind wandered through the air, and I thought of a statement that I've heard by preachers, about how faith is a muscle, and it's up to us to work it. But more so, I thought about how similarly with the bike, when you're going uphill, and things get hard, you need to put a bit more muscle into it and stand up.

...or stand on the promise....

I let that linger a day.... a week.... almost a year...  then two. In fact, I think about it often when I ride. And since that time, I have gotten stronger and more stable too. Sometimes our spiritual life is just as 'shaky' and difficult to work out, isn't it?

I mean, you can practice prayer and even meditation on scripture. While you are growing in these areas, there can still be 'chatter' happening behind the scenes or around the new lines. You know the stories we tell ourselves. Before or after- whether or not we realize it, we're bookending both sides of the verses that are supposed to set us free.

That chatter can be anything; questions, doubts, self-righteousness, self-condemnation, fears, and judgments. There's so much noise happening inside our head, discernment can be a true mind bender when we need instruction, can't it?!

New exercises can always reveal a place of instability. Which voice is the one you're supposed to pay attention to? How often do you apply it? How can you say you ARE one thing when you feel completely opposite. The way we listen to and respond to each is also an exercise. The one you practice is the one you strengthen.

Take heart, I'd like to also give you a few examples. -But brace yourself. This might sting a little.

1. Worry - The minute you start to worry about 'how YOU will do this or say that'- put your eyes on God. Don't get so caught up in 'how you,' that you can't see 'how HE.' I don't mean you shouldn't consider your words, prayerfully plan, or take a step of action. YES, PLEASE DO! But fear, anxiety, and worry will grow rapidly if you let it. Then it can immobilize you. You have to practice using that muscle of what God says and practice looking at who He IS, more than who you think you are and what you are not.

He must become greater. I must become less. John 3:30

2. Weakness - Life happens. Any given circumstance can feel too big. When you want to crumble and feel overwhelmed. I dare you to worship. Scripture tells us that HE is our strength. I will let you do your own research here, but it's been said that our praise will usher the Holy Spirit's presence. If that is true, and if He brings strength, why wouldn't we want to fill ourselves with Him?

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. Psalm 28:7 

3. Emotions - Emotions can get the best of us, can't they? Things break in our home, and we get frustrated. Someone wrongs us, and we get angry. Someone gets something you want and there's jealousy. What about the 'I don't wannas'? They might be the worst of all! Even unexpected and thrilling 'whims' can get us so excited that we lose our focus. Each situation like this that comes along may not be anything that you care about in 20 years or in the new creation. So why let your emotions get the best of you now?

Be on your guard. Stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13

4. Insecurity - When you feel like you can’t do something or when someone criticizes you or when you’re reminded of your past, don't shrink back, CLING to your future. What about when you're given an opportunity to try something that you've never done or to reinvent yourself? Your initial thought might be, "I can't..." or "I've never..."

BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE will live by faith. I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back. - Hebrews 10:38

That's a tough one, isn't it?!

5. Words - Can we just talk about what we talk about for a minute? We might tell God what we hope for, but we tell all of our friends what we're afraid of. Or we don't even try to see what God might be doing in the situation that seems too big for us. So, we just keep repeating the same old, worn out story. I mean really- the things that we don't want can get more attention in our conversations and in our captions, than the God that we say that we believe in. I could quote verses like Proverbs 18:21 that tell you that there is the power of life and death in our tongue. But something else has recently struck me in my study time.

In the beginning, when God created everything, we see that He spoke it into existence. If you go back to read those verses, a few lines later you will also see, "and it was so" or you will see a summary of what was created. I am still trying to absorb why we see that. But because it made it to scripture, I know that there's a significance there. He first calls it out. Then he restates it. So, I'm asking you to challenge your own words. If you know that there is a Godly solution. Maybe you even know what that solution is. Call it out and/or restate about your life or situation. Give your words to that solution only and act accordingly. Thus bringing glory to our Father.

-
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You know, we could go on naming things like this. As I scan back down that list, each area that I have named is an issue of trust. And most of these issues start in our mind! You know Proverbs 23:7 says as a man thinks in his heart, so he is.

That's probably why 2 Corinthians 10:5 says that we are to take EVERY thought captive and make it obedient to Christ!

Hebrews 2:5 also tells us that we are only a little lower than angels; crowned with glory and honor and EVERYTHING has been put under our feet. (Like a pedal. haha)

And it doesn't say only the men or the women. It doesn't say only the left-handed people instead of the right-handed people (no matter what they might tell you.) **wink-wink** The verse says mankind.

and

Jesus died on a cross so that WHOEVER was willing to believe in Him, could be saved. John 3:16

AND (This might feel like a tangent but hang in there.) You don't have to die first to see the benefit of having Jesus in your life now.

Have you ever noticed in the Lord's prayer that it says 'On earth as it is in Heaven." And at the end of that same chapter in verse 33, it says 'Seek first HIS kingdom, and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well."  That part appears in the section titled 'Do not worry, ' and it's about basic living needs.

And again, it doesn't say only for black or for white. East coasters or West coasters.

If YOU are willing to believe in Him. By making Him Lord of your life, that means you put his commands, and even his whispers, his righteousness, his power, before your ___________.

When YOU lift the Son of Man, you will find the boldness of our heavenly Father- not just in your life but also the peace and comfort and certainty that he promises, IN YOU. -On this earth. In the life you're living now.

[end tangent]
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_

Much like getting on a bike again or for the first time, you have to push through the tremble.

My thighs were shaking when I pushed on those pedals and going uphill made it so much more obvious that I didn't have the strength that I thought I did or hoped to have. Practicing faith has so much felt the same way. These examples that I give to you are some of my most private lessons.

It will feel wobbly and even uncomfortable. You might feel like a fraud, or like your boasting (and sometimes you might even do that by accident). There will even be times that you might wonder if you've moved over to la-la land because this is not what you're used to practicing.

But as you PUSH through, that muscle of faith will grow. You will find strength and perseverance in Him. -And alas, freedom!

Friend, my testimony is this. YOU CAN trust what the Word says. - That in itself is a promise.

You can practice anything you like. Whether you choose to sit down or stand up and ride, is up to you.

What Do We Glorify

Throughout the Bible we see that our purpose, and also the purpose of our circumstance, is to reveal God and give Him Glory. 

As I think about those verses, it's got me wondering-

How many times do we have a bad day and we only speak of the things that made it bad; instead of the mini-miracles or the high-lights that are folded in- that made it good?

When we allow fear and dread of a coming event steal our focus, does it blind us also to the glimpses of God's Glory along the way?

What about the physical activities that we take part in that keep us from getting to be a part of His goodness to others?

If we let those things get the best of us each day, are we glorifying them instead of our heavenly Father?

***

Many of us at times have said or thought, "I don't see God" or "What is glorifying about this circumstance". There are many examples that we could list here in order to back up those statements. I admit that I too struggle to see what can be good about some of our trials.

But Romans 1:21 says:

"For although they knew God they neither glorified God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened." 

In fact, if you read the rest of that passage; I count eight times where there is some variation of they "exchanged" and "abandoned" their faith and God's glory or "were given over" to what they had they're heart set on.

Three times alone it says "God gave them over" to their own depravity and then he lists for us what that looks like in verses 29-31.

It's not just sexual sin or hate crimes like we're inundated with on T.V. that we're given to- it says every kind of corruption- which means we can also be given over to strife, the gossip of our own lips, and lacks of love or mercy.

I know that you'll agree that life is hard enough. We don't need anything "darker".

Let's set our hearts on Him today. I pray that our eyes, ears, lips and mind follow. I challenge you to take note and look for the ways that God is good and dwelling amongst our very presence.

Imagine what that will do to your own faith and possibly the faith of another! <3






Photo Credit: Taken by Mr. Hotpants

It's Okay To Ask For Thirst

It's okay to ask for thirst…

When the Samaritan woman came out to the well Jesus told her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” (John 4:10)

If you don’t yet know God that passage might not make sense to you. Sometimes it just doesn’t occur to us to ask for basic things… Maybe you don’t like to read your Bible. –You don’t get it. How is it relevant? Reading it is like torture. You don’t like to pray. –Why ask for something he should already know? You don’t even know who you’re talking to so what exactly are you supposed to say? You don’t like to go to church. You hate to sing. You’re not even sure you want to be bothered with a God or the people that surround him.

But IF YOU KNEW the gift of God, YOU WOULD ASK him and HE WOULD GIVE it to you. So maybe today start smaller. Ask him to simply make you thirsty. Go ahead and try praying today; but this time instead of making it sound like a prayer, just tell him the truth about how you feel about all of the things pertaining to him. (He knows it anyway. So, go ahead and admit it to yourself and be honest.) Then ask him to not only make you thirsty but to help you love it. Ask him to give you an appetite for more of him in the place you need it now.

Then take a drink anyway.

Then come back and do it again.

Because “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)


I know because I've been there.

Photo Credit:  Found on GregToDiffer.com

Bright Spots

So yelling at my kids has always been one of those things that really bothered me about my parenting. For some reason as the kids got older, I got louder. As if, their ears being bigger, meant they needed more to hear. You’ll see me nitpick that occasionally when I write.  (If you're starting to squirm a little relax, this is a good post. In fact, it could be life changing. Hang in there.) The funny thing is, it was one of those unpleasant things that I gave the power to isolate me or define me. -Wait, that's not funny at all. -It's not for you either!

Don’t get me wrong. It can be damaging and unhealthy. I get it. But there’s a lot of good that can come from it. Say…. If your child is running in front of a car or if they need to know they got your attention. But I see a lot of posts and mommy blogs and classes online about not yelling. I hear parents on the next isles over at the grocery store, trying to “whisper-yell” because we’re all in “public”.  Which leads me to believe that there are a lot of private yellers and TO any of us in that clique… you’re not alone. 

**God bless you quiet, patient, sweet, types is all that I can say.  You’re very encouraging and inspiring to the rest of us. -Even if some of us just can’t admit it yet.**

Thankfully, I can say that when I stopped trying to micromanage it or condemn myself about it, the yelling finally started to slow down in my life. (Hallelujah!) –Kind of like when your own mom advice comes ringing back in your ears. “Stop picking the scab, it will heal.” “Just leave it alone.”

That’s good, right?! ;) Surprisingly, it has a lot of healing power!

But yesterday, I had this epiphany while I was running.  If yelling was such a fear of mine, like people might only remember the loud things that I said…. Why not make sure that the things that I am going to yell are worth remembering. WHY NOT YELL THE GOOD STUFF LOUDER?!

So as I stroll back into my yard and see my husband sitting on the porch. I remember how much he has lovingly teased me about not crying when he proposed.  So I yell coming into the yard “IF YOU ASKED ME TO MARRY YOU AGAIN TODAY, I WOULD AND THIS TIME I MIGHT EVEN CRY!”  Never mind it’s 6:00am and he just woke up. (You’re welcome neighbor.)

When I get the kids up for school, I calmly ask them to get up but then YELL everything else (not immediately) within feet of their face throughout the morning. “YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE AN AMAZING DAY AT SCHOOL TODAY. YOU KNOW HOW I KNOW?!?! 

[wide eyed-blank stares back]

-BECAUSE YOU ARE SO AMAZING... THE DAY WON’T BE ABLE TO HANDLE YOU!  Then later I yelled about how awesomely they brush hair and how sparkly their teeth are and how they have the best kisses ever! GIMME SOME MORE!

After the initial shock, we were all giggling and they were yelling crazy good things back. Well, except for Colin, who had to go to work before they got up. –And who has probably just resolved himself to the fact that after 15 years of marriage he is never going to know who he will wake up with in the morning. (Oh the suspense of it!) HOW EXCITING!!!

It was a funny a little exercise. I thought about yelling at grocery store clerks and even maybe some of my co-workers. –Still only with ridiculous goodness. I giggled more at the thought of it. I CRACK MYSELF UP.  This might have to become a new regular practice. It is a genius idea after all. My test group mostly proved it.

The point is-

You might not be a yeller. Maybe you are… Who knows. Whether or not it’s yelling, we’ve all got a little something that we just can’t shake (YET).  Stop picking your boo-boo and leave it alone. How about today instead of worrying with your dark spot, just make sure your bright spots are BRIGHTER!

Picture Credit: http://romax.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Shout-Out.jpg

Setting the Mind and Mouth | Thoughts About Worship

Life is crazy and at any point each of us will be in some sort of struggle. More likely, we’ll have a great number of struggles in varying degrees throughout our lifetime. In each, when it becomes our turn, there’s often another underlying free and annoying companion that invites a whole separate not-so-fun party of its own. The struggle of the mind.

I’d like to share with you a little glimpse from Jehoshaphat’s life that I’ve been meditating on lately. Jehoshaphat is a King of Judah that you can read about in 2 Chronicles. For the most part he was a good King. He was usually quick to seek the Lord and he has been marked as a powerful prayer warrior. So grab your Bible and follow along.

In 2 Chronicles 20 we see that the Moabites and Ammonites came to wage war on Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat goes straight to the Lord full of praise and faith that the Lord will save him and his people. (v6)

In (v10) He reminds God of what the Lord asked of him and his people and how they obeyed.

And I have to stop here for a second because there’s another nugget that I’ve gleaned recently from Philippians 4:6 that says “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Petition as in defending why and why not something should happen. And here we see one of the most powerful pray-ers of the Bible doing this very thing.

Read (v10) again.

Okay moving along.

(v11) He explains what he can’t handle and doesn’t understand. Then he tells God, “we don’t know that to do but our eyes are on you!” They have an encounter with the Lord (v13) and he tells them not to be afraid and this is where the popular verse “the battle is not yours, it’s the Lord” comes from.

(v18) Jehoshaphat bows down and then goes into praise. Then watch what happens the next day when they go into war against the Moabites. (v20)

Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.”

Then in (v21) as they go into battle, “Jehoshaphat appoints his men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army saying Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.”

(v22) As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seri who were invading Judah and they were defeated.

I don’t know how those verses strike you but who sings going into battle? In all seriousness, aren't we usually trying to get everything to quiet down just so we can concentrate, ahem think! hmmm. Could dying to the mind and singing instead be our very best weapon; a song of worship in praise, in any battle that we face of our own?

If that’s not thought provoking enough, check out this link to 7 Reasons Why Singing Matters.

And let me switch to another popular scene in the Bible. Do you remember when Jesus tells the Samaritan Woman “that true believers worship in Spirit and in Truth”? I don’t know about you but I believe that every single one of us has “that worship song” even if you haven’t found it yet. 

I'm talking about the song that you connect with in an intensely personal way and when it gets your eyes on our Father and all that he’s done for you, SUDDENLY you feel his presence all over! The sensation is so strong and so moving, it is easy to walk in love and be patient and “believe” in the power of God or his plan for you. It’s easy to just act in all the ways that you know that you’re supposed to. And heck that's another struggle in itself, walking in love, in all situations. Am I right?

Talk about power!

Anyway, so hold that thought and let me switch gears again.

I am currently leading an online group and we're studying the book, “The Power of a Praying Wife”. This week’s chapter is about the mind. Each week we also pick a verse to meditate on. By the end of the week, I make a few notes and I am trying to practice tying the topic and verse together, in the way that each speak to me.

Our verse this week is on Romans 8:12-13 “Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”

As I sit down to study the mind and how we can live "by the spirit", I can see in the passage just above it that it says we must first set our mind. But how? I can barely walk into one room to get something without forgetting why I walked in there.

Certainly spending time in the Word will be the best way to do this. Knowing what the Word says and getting it in your mind should be first and foremost. 

Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double edged sword. It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, it judges thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

If you’re a fairly new believer that verse might be a hard one to follow. A glimpse of how it breaks down in my life, is that when I am thinking something that I shouldn’t be thinking, if I can find the right scripture, the conviction from it comes along like a sword and completely cuts off the things that don’t line up with the Lord. It helps me divide right and wrong, separating my soul (flesh) from my spirit.

That’s where the power of memorization comes in. Making sure that even when you are not with your Bible, the Words of God are still inside of you. Scripture that you didn’t even realize you knew can surface at just the right time!

I know, I know…. Your mind is fried already. How can you force in one.more.thing? You’re exhausted. I get it. Me too.  –But check this out.

I attended a prayer class last winter and the speaker brought her guitar and before every session she sang a few songs. Several of which were scripture songs.  Some of them seemed kind of corny but there was still something about them.  Especially the little one that she did on “Greater than He that is in me.” It was just so catchy and I found myself singing it even by accident.

AH-HA YES! Singing!

But not just any singing. Singing worship, praise and scripture! Genius! And isn't memorization easier when there is a rhythm to it, like a song?!

So I googled it.

I must first confess that I am more into folk and blue grass than pop or anything else. I’d also prefer traditional hymns to a full flavor worship song. So, if you don’t like these links please search for yourself scripture and the genre that you prefer. Also know that my search is just getting started!

I’ve been listening to them this week and I believe that they’re already making a difference. I’m not really in any sort of struggle right now but they are SO relaxing. My personal favorite (so far) is found on Spotify by Sherri Youngward. Just search scripture songs. Heck get your Bible and read along. 

Anyway, If you’re new to Spotify, just sign up for the free Basic trial (not premium) and it will stay a free account. Then you can simply search for Scripture Songs.

But if singing and worship is your best weapon in battle and if scripture is the best weapon of your mind…. I’d say that once you marry the two and put them into practice, you might just have a life changing “cocktail”.

Finally, if you just can’t get into Christian music, know that there is hope. I was very much like you. In fact I couldn't listen to the local station in big doses. I cringed. I prayed that God would show me something that I could listen to and he answered. Again, googling different genres helped and so did Spotify. There are even a couple of Christian Coffeehouse stations on there, if you're into the same mellow sounds as I am. Eventually, after a little practice of listening to the songs and even the same local station, I grew to love it. -But I also realized that there was a heart problem. My taste for the music had to be driven by my desire to grow closer to the Lord, not the musicians. -And before I knew it, I was acclimating nicely. **Praise**

If you can only find one song that really moves you for the Lord, I encourage you to wear it out while you are searching for more. When all else fails, make up your own. I am sure Jehoshaphat didn’t have a station, he just “tuned in” from his heart and his mind.

May this be a blessing to you.

P.S. If you've come back to re-read this post, thanks! I had to tweak the end...  :)

Photo Credit: http://thevirtuousgirl.tumblr.com/post/68284264020/colossians-316