Chapter 13 – Behavior 10 – The Hurry Habit - Get Started Right

So what does Joyce mean by Getting started right? She means that everyday we need to start our day right.  How do we do that? By spending time with God.

Everyone's devotional/quiet time may look a little different. I recently had the privilege of inviting the Women's Ministry director of my old church in Pittsburgh to my new church in Erie for our MOPS retreat. The subject we asked her to speak  on was quiet time. She really gave me a new perspective and I'd like to share it with you now.

First thing I like to say is when we hurry what is the first thing we are likely to hurry through? That's right our time with God. Please take time each day to lay your cares at the foot of the cross. Your perspective will be so much better for the rest of the day. Trials will seem less horrific when your eyes were already focused on God that day. It is easier to turn to someone you know in both good times a bad.

Here is the method that we were told to try for quiet time at my MOPS retreat. Pick a verse. Sometimes you pray for a specific need and God may give you a verse. Other times you may want to study a particular word like love and may be using a concordance to look up verses with love in them. Other times you may be reading straight though the Bible and are in a particular section. Other times you may be working out of a devotional or bible study book with specific verses for the day. Either way you should ask the following things:
1. What attributes of God does this verse give me?
2. What is God's will for me?
3. What is my daily need?
4. Forgive me for...

Here is an example.
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12 NIV
Attributes of God - Teacher, Wisdom, Eternal
His will for me - To be aware of the now/present
Daily need - To enjoy today and not worry about tomorrow
Forgive me for - not enjoying today

Another wise lady told me to keep a post it note next to me while I did my quiet time. When you think I need to change the laundry loads, write it down and go back to your quiet time. Don't get up and do it. Give God your undivided attention.

Another thing that I was taught that will help in bringing us closer to God is to try one act of discipleship each week. This goes back to the Generous Habit we learned last week. Call a friend who may need to hear a friendly voice. Take someone a meal. Send someone a card. Invite a neighbor over for dinner.

Lastly, let's hold each other accountable. Find an accountability partner who will not only ask about your food and exercise habits, but will also ask about your God habit.

So here is my goal for you this week. Spend at least five minutes each morning with God in quiet time. Slowly increase as you are comfortable. Remember it takes 21days to make a habit. Complete at least one act of discipleship the week. Report back what you did and how your quiet to went. Also report how life went on the days that you fully committed to your quiet time.

Dear God,
Thank you that we have the privilege to be your friend and daughter. Thank you that you created each one of us and brought us to this study. Thank you that we get to be surrounded by incredible women who each want one thing, to lose weight. Please help each one of us to make our quiet time a priority this week. Phase help each women to find verses that she needs for her particular struggle this week. Please open each woman's eyes to an act of discipleship they can do this week. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Until next week. Agape, Kara