IDareToHope

There’s a song that came out in 2020 by Elevation Worship called Graves Into Gardens.

You turn graves into gardens
You turn bones into armies
You turn seas into highways
You’re the only One Who can
…
Oh there’s nothing better than You!

Graves into Gardens, Elevation Worship

It feels like my life is coming into a fresh new season, completely unconnected to the “January” motivation. As I read back through my prayer journal from most of the last 5 years (yes, a singular journal, belying my next point) it’s often been used as repentance prayer journal, interspersed with infrequent devotional notes and punctuated with joyful travel logs. Rarely is there consistent writing on a day-to-day basis.

I have never been a morning person. For as long as I can remember I’ve stayed up far later than my appropriate bedtime, reading as a child, watching television, crafting, or playing a game as an adult, or staying over at a friend’s till the wee hours, etc. I’ve loved to sleep in or hit the snooze button, rolling out of bed just on time to do the bare minimum to prep for work in the biggest rush. It hasn’t been very healthy, but just how I’ve operated. I’ve always told myself “I don’t function well on less than 7-8hrs of sleep,” but have never been willing to get a third of those hours on the night side of midnight. 😉

O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

Psalm 63:1-5

I’ve recently dipped my toes into the intimidating “online dating” pool and felt gently challenged to ask myself the following question: Am I the type of person that the person I’m looking for is looking for? Yikes. Some girls dream of successful men, funny men, goodlooking men, of providers, knights, and “fine specimens.” I dream of one whose Bible is falling apart because of how much time he’s spent in it. One who is mentored and is mentoring others in pursuit of Christ. One who serves in his home church and… well, you get the picture. When I look at my Bible, it is falling apart, but that’s because I’ve owned it for literally half of my life, not because I’ve pored over the pages on a very regular basis.

Now, before you start to shake your finger at me, of course I know that pursuing Jesus in order to meet a man is obviously the wrong motivation. But I’m just sharing the catalyst for my fresh habit, my new routine. These last few weeks have involved a sweet start to my day that I hope and pray continues as a lifelong habit.

In trying something new (online dating site) I felt a little out of my depth. A little freaked out to put myself out there, sort of saying “here I am, like me!” I turned to my Heavenly Father in slight panic when someone actually responded to my online profile, and God and I have been chatting ever since. ❤

I’ve been reading through 1 Corinthians this month and really enjoying it. Every weekday morning for the last two weeks I’ve woken up between 6-6:30am, wiped the sleep from my eyes, trudged out to the kitchen and turned the coffee machine on, and climbed onto the couch and opened my Bible. What?!? Am I a morning person, just like that?

Going back to my fav new quote from last post, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” My free time has often been filled with self-entertainment via games, media, fiction books, crafts, etc. While none of those things are bad per se, they’ve managed to fill my days, and therefore my years. Yikes! Who wants to look back on their life and realize “I’ve wasted it, I’ve wasted it watching, reading and doing things that didn’t matter?!” Not me. I’ve always had time for media, and rarely taken time to spend in the Word. May this no longer be the case in my life. 🙏

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?

Mark 8:36

Things that have helped me develop a better morning routine:
1. The Holy Spirit and his fruit of self-control. Totally not my doing.
2. Jesus and his redemptive work on the cross so that I could be in right relationship with the Father.
3. Father God and his drawing me to himself.
4. Plugging my smartphone in for the night outside my bedroom and away from my devo spot on the couch.
5. Crawling into bed before 11pm on weeknights or midnight on weekends.
6. Working out at the gym makes me a bit more tired when evening comes around. 😉

In spending time with God every morning, my soul is feeling refreshed. There’s a passage in Isaiah where God talks about creating a way in the wilderness, forming rivers in the wasteland to give drink to his people, out of his great mercy. I’m reminded of that as I open his Word.
What once was parched is now being replenished.
What once was empty is being filled up again.

I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all that you have done;
I ponder the work of your hands.
I stretch out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. 

Psalms 143:5,6

Maybe, if you’ve managed to read this forever-long blog, you’re feeling a bit inspired to develop your own morning routine. Or perhaps amend it.
Are there areas in your life thirsting for the Living Water?
What parts of your everyday life could do with a spring cleaning from the Holy Spirit?
Whatever you chose to do, I hope it is good for your soul.

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31, taken slightly out of context. 😉

Watch out, these dry bones just might start dancing next.