Are you close to God?

Where are you in your relationship?

How well do you know God?

Do you spend time with Him?

Is God a regular part of your life or saved for emergencies only?

I have attended church regularly for the last 10 years, but it wasn’t until recently that I really started to develop a relationship with God. There is a big difference. After a few years of routine, I have found what works best for me. I hope these tips help you to grow in your own faith.

Read the Bible

There is no way around it – reading the Bible is vital in your growth.

I spent years reading devotionals, which are great, but I spent very little time reading the Bible. Sometimes I would even skim the Bible verses in the devotionals.

Oops.

I started a reading plan a little over 6 months ago and I have really noticed a difference.

You can read my post about reaching day 101 here. This method works well for me. There is no right or wrong way. Simply open your Bible and read. Stick with it. Some parts are more interesting than others, but they are all important. The benefit of this habit is immeasurable.

Pray

Of equal importance…prayer!

It can be a challenge for me because I get easily distracted. I am guessing many of you can relate. Some days are easier than others. Again, there is no right or wrong way to pray. God is always available and isn’t concerned with fancy prayers. He already knows what is in your heart and your head, so just say it. He won’t be surprised or upset. If anyone can handle, it, He can! I think honest prayers are the best. If prayer is a new thing for you, just talk to God. It is truly that simple.

Bookend your day

The way you start and end your day is very important. Over the years I have transformed into a morning person, which now works well for my life. I get up early to have some quiet time and avoid rushing out the door. About 30 minutes before bed, I try to unplug. Sometimes this is HARD. But it is well worth it. If I don’t spend a few minutes each morning prepping from my day and a few minutes at night unwinding from my day, I suffer. I will be less patient (I am not the most patient person in the world to begin with, so this is a biggie for me) I will be less tolerant – little things become big things and irritate me.

Finding a few minutes each morning and night to remember the things you are thankful for is an important part of the book-ends.

Re-evaluate your morning and evening routine to see what you can change. If you are not currently book-ending your day, be realistic and start small – add 5 minutes of deep breathing, thankful reflection, quiet time, or reading to your morning and evening.

Get quiet

Get quiet.

What does that mean?

Set aside a few minutes each day to be quiet with God. Remove distractions and noise, and just be still. This one is a toughie for restless people like me. So I am starting VERY small on this one and still working to develop this habit. I like to do this in conjunction with reading my Bible and prayer. Morning works best for me, because once the distractions of the day take over, I have a hard time clearing my head. I tried this in the evening, but it was a fail. I ended up replaying the day in my head, thinking about the next day, or falling asleep! So I adjusted to what works best for me. Consider what works best for you before implementing this. I suggest having a paper and pen handy to make notes on anything that comes to mind. Without the ability to write things down, I end up trying too hard to remember them, and then I struggle even more to just BE.

Any positive changes you can make are a step in the right direction!

Don’t make a change too complicated. Just begin.