Day 5 Devotion: Prayer "Whispers with God"

Day 5: Prayer

I begin the new year with reading the Power of a Praying Women by Stormie Omartian and I’m simply reminded more each time how God wants our first thought to be communication through prayer. He created communication for our relationships, they are based upon talking to one another and as I read through this book every year my heart craves talking with Him in the most simplest ways, but as the year went on I used to fall back into a boring selfish routine of coffee and social media or mindless activities, but this year I made it a point to have endless devotions and scripture right with me that I could read and dive into before the kids would wake up and sometimes they cuddle next to me, as I read and I have seen a difference when I spend my time with Jesus and when I simply put Him aside when I awake. Prayer is the most intimate and personal way in which we have to communicate with our God, there is a direct line of communication that we take for granted in our day to day activities. My children and I do the ACTS prayer in the car A-adoration C-confession T-thanksgiving S-supplication and although they choose crazy things or sometimes all the same things it gets Jesus real in their life and in our day. Think about ways you can make Jesus real in your life today through prayer not just over food, a big decision or at bedtime, but over a tough car ride, traffic, bills, vacations parties etc.in all things bring Him along in your everyday life, don’t allow the devotion or bible to close without inviting Him to join you in your ongoing life.

Verse: Evening and morning and at noon I will pray; and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice Psalm 55:16

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we come to you today in Adoration for you alone are worthy of all of our praise, We Confess we get busy our minds get filled with nonessential thoughts and day to day struggles that we think we must handle on our own and we forget about you and your promises. We Thank you for never walking away from us, for your protection, steadfast love and your forgiveness. Lastly Lord, We bring our Supplications before you, asking that you guide us from day to day, that we learn to seek your will and purpose for our lives and in so doing we shine a light into this dark world that would be a representation of your Great Love. Thank you Lord for your word that we can read it, study it, and rely on it to bring us closer to you, Amen.

Joy Bracero: Daily Devotions for Women- Aligning Your Everyday Life According to His Plan and Design

Day 1: Thoughts, Prayers, Fitness and Cravings - Loving His Masterpiece

Day 1: Thoughts, Prayers and Cravings

OK, so I made it through my first day of competition eating plan and waking up at 5:25am to press play, Oh my goodness I don't know but I bet you can relate tell me I can't have something and I think about it all day long. I was not hungry, but my kids have left over Valentines hearts with chocolate candy in them I literally wanted to toss them out because I wanted them so badly, but honestly I didn't my mind thought I deserved just 1 right! Mind over Matter for sure.

My devotion today was focused on Solomon in Ecclesiastes 1:12 - 2:11 searching for more that he had, a man full of wisdom and treasures untold, anything He wanted he had except that one thing the thing that made everything else in his life feel empty and lonely. To look around and continually seek something you can't see but earn for greatly makes one live in that place of here but not here, my mind is reaching and thinking of more of the empty space that is inside I know who wants to fill it but I am still searching and I feel I need to seek more to be more and to do more I feel I was made for more. I guess my question is what will truly fill this space of more and will I be satisfied when I find that thing I'm looking for or is it really nothing and I should stop trying.

My prayer: Lord, I want to seek You in all things my desire is to understand and be thankful that everything is a blessing from You to show your love to me and as I continue to seek and search for something more my prayer is that I do not place my hope or future in my work, money, others, positions or my surroundings but I continually seek You and follow Your will that I will find true happiness in You.

Fitness: Today was ok it was a Plyo with weights day my legs hurt my head lightheaded but I made it through because I'm determined to push past excuses, for too long I just go through motions of most everything thinking of the next thing on the list. My goal is to focus on my muscles, my heart, my mind and truly see our cool God's creation is and how much I limited myself due to my thoughts and whispers of "I Can't"

Nutrition: I touched on this earlier, I thought it would be harder than it was I understood it was a mind over matter. When I saw something I would have normally grabbed and taken a bite or I drank more water  and when I was hungry I ate my portioned containers. I felt good I felt energized all day and I was proud that not one thing was off even on day 1. I know I have 20 more days of this and it will test me but I also know this is help me CRAVE HIM more and the desire to grab things my body doesn't want nor need will be replaced with HIM. Cravings? No! Desires yes! we don't tell ourselves NO enough, do you agree?


I do like this idea of pushing past all of my excuses and limitations that I place on myself and I look forward to taking this one day at a day #21DFE 

Renew your goals: Success or Failure It's Your Choice

Happy 1st day of Summer

So today I'm going to do a 6 month check-up on my 2014 goals. I invite you to do the same, because the hype of the New Year and resolutions are just a few faded memories that sounded good at the time, we dreamed of the what if's. The I'd be debt free, I'd be fit for summer, I'd have my degree, I'd be off my medications, I'd have enough money for our family vacation, I'd be in a church family. I'd be married, I'd be starting a family.

First step of my review: Do my goals align with what God is showing me He wants for my life?

I know this is my hardest questions because I tend to have the "I'll do it myself thought" and then God says "hello, I'm still here and in control and this is not the time, the situation, or your choice, it's mine" So first and foremost bring your goals and dreams to prayer and ask for God to guide and direct you in your life. He wants the best for you, but he always wants your complete obedience along the way. I have to tell myself He wants to give me the desires of my heart, but only when my desires begin and end with Him as the center of my life. I can not expect Him to bless my life if I only sit and ask things of Him without asking Him to take part in my daily life.

Secondly I must ask if they are what I feel God wants me to do, my calling and mission than why am I not giving it my all?

I can sit here and blame so many things, someone told me I couldn't, I don't like being told no, I'm not good at this, I don't have the right people in my life, I'm not good enough, I'm too busy, I'm not creative, I thought I was outgoing...I'm not, too many upsets.

You might want to blame the world, blame your job, blame the busy gym, blame the church for making you "feel unwelcomed" or the school for not having classes that "fit" into our schedule, our family situation was not ideal to make things happen, we ran out of money before the month. Yes, all those are real life situations, so ask yourself how did you use those inconveniences and feelings, as excuses to throw in the towel? or as a catalyst to get out and get it done, to find a new way?

Making things happen is usually inconvenient why? because we take ourselves out of our comfort zone and it's not a popular place to be. To succeed you must reach failure, not to throw in the towel and give up, but to make the choices to push through and make it happen to get up and move past your failures. I've had more failures in my life than I can even get on here, but I'm learning that with each failure I turn to love it and push pass the urge to give up and change my goals, .If I did that I would be choosing to keep myself wishing, hoping and dreaming for the "What Ifs". God will Bless the path you chose if you are walking it with him by your side, if it's not the path for you He will start putting of road blocks, I didn't say inconveniences or a few pebbles to step over. I mean real hard road blocks that will leave you with no other choice but to say "I need a new direction God". You will find that a different path might lead you to your goal but it's with a new purpose at the end. All we do should point to Him; His love, His Compassion, His Salvation, His Guidance and His strength for we can do nothing truly well without Him.

Today think back on your 2014 goals and resolutions are you even close to checking off 1? if not why? Renew yourself today first to God ask Him to be your leader and your partner on this path and allow yourself to fall and fail, but get back up and keep pushing forward for in the pushing you will succeed. you will fall, you will fail and you will be tempted to give up but if you don't you will be stronger and on your way to success, you're future self with thank you.

JoyForFitness - Glorifying God through faith, family & fitness