My husband and I recently
led a marriage small group at our church.
We had a blast! We shared from
the wealth of our twenty years experience being married. Our method of teaching was very entertaining
to say the least. Al is more spontaneous
and unpredictable, while I have everything laid out in an organized
fashion. I think our expressions to each
other in the middle of our discussing topics said it all.
During the small group
semester we gave the group several challenges to help them take what they were
learning and put it into practice.
Cherish Challenge:
For the next 30 days do not say anything NEGATIVE about your spouse.
(To him or her or to anyone else about them)
The Six-Second Kiss
Challenge:
How you say
goodbye as you and your spouse begin your day can help you build a lifelong
romance.
Before you go out
to face your day, find each other, wrap up in a warm embrace, and begin your
day with an intimate, very
married, six-second kiss.
Go ahead. Try it!
Your young children will grow up feeling secure in the love between their
parents. They will blush and groan hoping their friends don’t see you, but you
will be building a life-long romance between you.
15 minute challenge:
Find just 15
minutes each day to be a couple instead of parents, employees, or whatever
other roles you play. It’s
just 15 min. each day (1% of the time you have available each day). YOU can do this and it will change
your marriage!!!!
Many in the group took the
challenges we gave them. It was kind of
fun to try new things. I will have to
say that Al really liked doing the “Six-Second Kiss Challenge”. He felt we needed to be faithful every day to
be examples for the group.
The Challenge…
I was thinking
recently. If taking time out to be together
and communicate is vital for our marriages, wouldn’t it be just as essential
for our relationship with God?
How could
spending 15 minutes a day with God change things? Maybe that is too much for you. I’m sure you are busy. That is a lot of time to carve out in a day
with 24 hours. I know the couples in our
class had to get creative to find their special time together. How about 14 minutes? I challenge you to spend 14 minutes a day
with God in 2014. It’s the “14/14 Challenge.”
What would it look like to
spend 14 minutes a day with God?
For those who know God…
I’m talking about 14
minutes of personal time set aside for you and God each day. It’s a date with Him. It’s not about clocking time at church,
listening to Christian music or radio, watching preachers on TV, or sitting in
on a Bible class at a Christian school or church. It’s personal and private alone time with the
God of the universe. This kind of 14
minutes carved out of each day in 2014 could definitely change things!
For those who don’t know God…
You may be reading this
and thinking… “What on earth are you talking about? That sounds a little creepy… reading a book,
talking to yourself, and listening for what?”
I know, I know. It may sound
weird, but I challenge you to try it and see what happens. Don’t just read any book; read God’s love
letter to you…The Bible. Don’t
just talk to yourself; tell God what’s going on in your life… the good, the
bad, and the ugly. What are you
concerned with? What are you excited
about? Let Him know. Then just sit and wait… listen. Sometimes it is in these moments He brings
peace, wraps us in His love, or we feel His presence near. I dare you to try it and see what happens. 2014 may never be the same for you. God just might
rock your world!
I’m in, now what?
Okay, so I roped you in…
now what? What could 14 minutes a day
look like?
Here are some ideas for you…
Break it up or keep it all
together. It’s up to you. My suggestion is…
5 minutes reading your
Bible and 9 minutes talking & listening to God.
Take 5 plan…
Let’s just keep it
simple. I found a Bible reading plan
that takes just 5 minutes a day. I’m
committing myself to do this for 2014.
If it’s not enough, read it and more.
Nothing is holding you back, but YOU.
You can find the Bible reading link here. Just print it out, fold it up, and put it in
your Bible. If you prefer reading online
or on your phone, I love this website for online reading. It’s www.biblegateway.com. My favorite versions of the Bible are: New Living, New Century Version, or the
Message. It helps in reading if we can
understand it. Sometimes reading in different
versions can bring things out more to us that we may have missed otherwise in
reading. Try it!
Another way to help you
get more out of your reading is to write things down. Here is a suggestion for you. As you read… S.O.A.P.
Which stands for…
S- Scripture (write down the verse or phrase that stands out to you)
O- Observation (write down what you think this verse means)
A- Application (write down how it affects you or applies to your life)
P- Prayer (write down any
prayer needs you may want to remember for the day)
Take time 5 minutes a day
to read God’s love letter to you and it will be life-changing! The Bible reading plan I provided only covers
5 days a week. So… what should you do on
the off days? You could read other scriptures
of your choice or you could talk to God longer that day. It’s totally up to YOU!
Say what?
Okay… I know you might be
thinking. I get the Bible reading thing,
but what
on earth am I supposed to talk to God about for 9 minutes? That’s a LONG time! We are talking about an awkward silence. Don’t worry.
God isn’t worried. He just wants
to spend time with YOU. Tell Him out
loud or in your head what you are learning as you read, what might be bothering
you, or what you are excited about that day.
Just talk and then sit in the silence and give God a chance to respond
in His way. That may be with giving you
a sense of peace, filling you with hope, overwhelming you with His love, or
bringing something to light that you had no idea about. He is faithful to respond.
Where do I do this?
Find a quiet place where
you can be alone with God and interruptions will be limited. Maybe it’s a special chair to read in, a
special room you like, or at the kitchen table.
For prayer it may be in the shower, driving to work or school, on a walk
or run, or in your room. Do what works
best for you. It’s okay if it isn’t the
same place every day or the same time.
You might have to be creative to carve out time with God, but I
guarantee it will be worth it!
I want to hear the results…
I am taking this challenge
with you and I want to hear your results.
Who is joining me and how you are growing? Is it really making a difference? Is God showing up when you listen to
Him? How are you getting creative at
carving out time to be with Him? Don’t
leave me hanging. I want to hear it
all! Here is to growing closer to God in
2014! Are you with me?
Living to leave a legacy,
Julie
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