Come let us tell of the Lord’s goodness;
let us exalt His name together.
Psalm 34: 3 (NLT)
Summer is in full swing, and I pray that wherever you find yourself today that you will discover fresh insights and inspiration along the way.
Longer days and abundant sunshine has a way of filling my heart with gratitude, and enlivens my spirit. In fact walking outside is one of my favorite things to do, but like with anything I must be intentional and prioritize my day to make it happen. For me, a meditative walk on the beach awakens and recharges my soul no matter what I am going through.
However, women I know from all walks of life have confided that to ‘be’ in God’s presence by themselves for a meditative walk can be just as difficult as making the time to reach out to others.
Knowing this to be true, I have come to realize that ordinary opportunities often fall into our laps that often go unnoticed.
Here are three ways to make an impact this summer.
Put your “Songlasses” on.
This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118: 24 (NKJV)
The first secret to nourish your soul is to look with your heart. As you raise your heart and mind to God, you discover how essential relaxation is to awaken your divine nature within. Focusing on God’s powerful presence, this first secret teaches you to pull the weeds of distractions and to plant seeds of awareness. Viewing life from the outside in, you stop in your tracks at the awesomeness of a morning sunrise. You marvel at the beauty in everything around you, embark on an adventure to live in the moment, and to appreciate each day as if it were your last.
Looking with your heart is a life changing behavior that shifts you to pray, and experience life in new and exciting ways. You will find yourself being more present to those around you.
Reach for your “Songlasses” along with your sunhat and sunscreen to view the vulnerable, worn out, teary eyed person before you and let go of preconceived notions and judgements as you converse with family, friends, strangers, and all you interact with on a regular basis.
Remember the words of Jesus, I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. (John 8: 12 NKJV).
Listen with your heart.
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but by everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4: 4-7 (NKJV)
The second secret for nourishing your soul is to listen with your heart. You lean inward to seek heavenly guidance and discover how to give thoughtful attention to the Holy Spirit’s wisdom emerging from your soul. You begin to retrain your brain by digging deep within your heart to listen from the inside-out. You no longer are boxed in and confined to receiving only earthly views. Listening with your heart, you are inspired and assured by God. You are uplifted to envision life with limitless possibilities.
You no longer scroll online for answers. Hearing with your heart to envision life with limitless opportunities is a behavior that makes you fully present to a higher dimension. You walk forward in confidence because you no longer walk alone.
You thirst to connect to God’s gift of the Holy Spirit within. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, three-hundred-sixty-five days a year–whenever you stop long enough to avoid your own distractions, you believe help is just a prayer away.
You access your direct line to the Almighty. Listening to his voice on the other end transforms your life and as you live according to his Word you become a holy listener for others.
Listening with your heart you are more equipped to lean in to keenly listen with interest, and carry on a conversation without worrying about what you will say next. Like Jesus, you are in tune to any broken words spoken, or the silent tears of deafening silence from a friend, as well as praises shared enabling you to offer affirming words, support and encouragement wherever you may be.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2: 10 NKJV).
Serve by blessing yourself and others through prayer.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3: 16 (NKJV)
The third secret to nourish your soul is to love with your heart and uncover ways to bless yourself and others through prayer. Here, through powerful Gospel promises, you will discover what unconditional love looks and feels like. You will reflect upon the unconditional love and forgiveness God has for all people. You will become equipped to accept the immensity and intensity found in our forgiving Father, who has loved you since the day He danced when you were born.
Loving with your heart, you are encouraged to acknowledge and accept the unconditional love and forgiveness at work in your life. Looking back through time, you see how you were carried when you could not stand alone. You hear in your heart how those in your midst whom you had hurt forgave you anyway and moved on. You learn that with an established prayer life, you have access to the gift of divine wisdom, which will help you strive to love and forgive like that, too.
Through daily conversations in your sacred space, you are inspired to walk each day with Christ. You become a difference maker. You are freer from Earthly trappings than you ever have been before. God is speaking to you. You are confiding in him, and for the first time you truly believe He is listening. You view Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice and discover the love He shared means we have love and forgiveness to offer, too.
As an ambassador of Christ, you model the love Christ has for you. You love because He first loved us (1 John 4: 19 NKJV). You become vulnerable, transparent, and extend grace and mercy just as Jesus continues to do today. This my friend is true discipleship.
Come now, my compassionate sister, consciously aware of God’s grace, allow his blanket of love and forgiveness to embrace and encourage you as you extend this same gift to others.
Whether it’s a spontaneous prayer from the heart for your children as you drive them to school, words of blessing offered for the stressed-out woman at the grocery store, or healing words prayed over someone with a difficult diagnosis, you are called to be a blessing. The transformative power of prayer can change lives.
So go forth “confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5: 16 NKJV).
Let’s pray.
Heavenly Father,
I praise you and thank you for the gift of your Son, and for the guidance from the Holy Spirit. “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law” (Psalm 119: 18), guide me to listen from my heart, and to respond in patience, and love as you mold me into the daughter I am called to be. Thank you for your call to discipleship as you bless my conversations with others as I pray in thy holy name.
Amen.
I thank God for you, my friend.
Reach for your ‘Songlasses’ and have a beautiful day!
Until next time…
May the Spirit of God lead you, the Word of God sustain you, and the promises of God grant you the gift of everlasting peace.
With love and prayers.
Thank you for being such a special part of the Faith First Women community. To share what has made an impact in your life, or to send praises and prayer requests email sue@faithfirstwomen.com and you will hear back from me soon.
Today’s action prompts are to:
-Grab your ‘Songlasses’ and take a leisurely prayer walk outside. What did you notice? Go home and journal about it.
-In your prayer time reflect on Psalm 46: 10: “Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
What did you hear? Share your concerns, hopes, and give thanks to God in prayer, and listen throughout the week for his response.
-Look for opportunities to be a difference maker. Bless others with a kind word, pray over them, and thank God for placing these people in your path.
A portion of this reflection was first published in Nourish Your Soul: 7 Secrets for Women Seeking Peace. https://amzn.to/3xuddZw
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Sue Dick, Author of Nourish Your Soul: 7 Secrets for Women Seeking Peace
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