Prayer is the first line of communication with God. He WANTS to hear from you. He WANTS to know everything that is bothering you, exciting you, and going on with you. In Phillippians 4:6-7 it says “in everything by prayer…”

Prayer is the MOST important part of your life! Let me reiterate, prayer is SO incredibly important. The more you know God personally, the better your prayer life will be.

Pray before a crisis happens, pray in the morning before your day starts, and pray at night before your body, heart, and mind rest. Stand firm in Christ.

When you pray, find a place that is your secret place to pray, where there are NO distractions. A place where you can be your total and true self. Your prayer place is a place where you can cry, sob, yell, and sing without the world looking at you and judging you.

Invite the Holy Spirit to come and guide your prayer. Playing soft instrumental music in the background helps me welcome the Holy Spirit.

To close your eyes or keep them open? It doesn’t matter. I do both. The Bible doesn’t say you have to close your eyes.

To go deeper in prayer, memorize scripture and recite it back to God in your prayer.

When I pray I like to go in this kind of order:

1. Praising God and telling Him how great He is.
2. Thanking Him for everything big and small that comes to mind.
3. Confessing my sin and asking for forgiveness, getting right with God.
4. Asking for the Holy Spirit to come into my heart and help me pray.
5. Asking for protection over the Enemy, and using God’s armor to stand firm next to Christ.
6. Other prayer requests, praying for people, situations, and myself according to His will.
7. Asking all in Jesus’ name. Sealing the prayer in and through Jesus. For instance, I end the prayer something like this… “Thank you Jesus, I ask all this in your name, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Sometimes, on challenging days, my order goes out the window and I simply talk to Him, lament, cry, and get it all out. He is full of truth, love, mercy, and hope. He is the only One. Pour into Him, trust Him. Ask Him. Love Him.

This is a HUGE topic. It can be an extremely complicated process based on the level of hurt involved. First and foremost, I am sorry for the pain and trauma that someone caused you. Secondly, you are not alone. We all have our wounds, and because we are different, we are affected by those wounds differently. Thirdly, your healing begins today, right now, in this very moment.

We are commanded to love. “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.”Romans 13:8 (NIV) Love is a choice.

There is no clearer way to explain forgiveness as my Pastor did. He said it like this: Forgiveness is giving up the right to get revenge. He went on to say, forgiveness is giving your anger against them to Jesus and letting Jesus deal with them. The sooner we give them to Jesus, the sooner we heal and move forward in the love of Jesus.

Let me make something very clear. Forgiveness is not trusting again. Forgiveness is putting Jesus between you and that person and meeting in the middle.

We exist because God is Love. God made us because He is love. LOVE made you! One way to love God back is to do more than exist! To love HIM back by responding to His love for you.

He gave us thousands of promises. It’s unknown for the exact amount. What is a promise? A promise is a declaration or assurance that one will do a particular thing (Oxford Languages).

God’s promises not only promise something for you, but they also reveal to you who God is. You learn about Him and His heart through His promises.

How do you respond to His promises? For starters: Learn what some are. Meditate on them (fill your mind). Memorize them. Recite them back to Him in your prayers.

Here are 36 Promises you can memorize.

Loving God by singing His praises is a great way to love Him. There is power in music. Simply dedicate a song you want to sing to Him. Sing in church. Turn on the radio and sing in your car. He gave everyone a voice, a unique voice. Showing Him you’re not afraid to sing is a way to show Him you love Him. Colossians 3:16 emphasises the importance and power of singing.

As with playing music. Rock out your talent on your instrument of choice. Everyone can play an instrument. For example, pencils hitting a desk…is an instrument. Use your talent to love Him. Psalms 150:1-5 says to praise Him with musical instruments.

The thing with serving others is to serve JOYFULLY. When you help others when you want to and are happy about doing so, it honors and loves God deeply. However, if you grumble about helping a person pick up their groceries that just spilled over, then don’t do it. The person doesn’t want help from a grumpy grump. No one needs to hear you complain about doing it. Helping others with the right heart is what God loves! In Romans 12:11 it says to be enthusiastic to serve the Lord (TPT).

Gratitude goes a long way. “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever” (1 Chronicles16:34). Recognizing the things God does for us, for the opportunities He presents, for the coincidences, the people He puts in our paths, for the answered prayers, the nice day, and for the miracles to name a few is a form of worship. Thank our Heavenly Father for not just the big things, but for the small details. Thank Him for your family, time, clean water, food, shelter, all the people who have brought you closer to Him, for His son Jesus, for the Holy Spirit, for your work, for your talents and abilities, for the healing He has done in your body, and for the healing that is yet to come. Thank Him in advance for things you are praying for that haven’t happened yet! Thanking Him is so precious to His heart. Don’t you like it when your children recognize all you do for them? There is so much power in the simple act of thanksgiving. “Thank You”.

hen you take the time and effort to learn more about your Heavenly Father that shows Him you love Him. Getting to know God on a personal level will change your world for the better, words can’t describe. How do you do this? Study His promises…there are a lot of them! (PDF coming soon). He gave us the Bible for many reasons, but one reason is to learn more about Him, His character, His heart, His power, His grace, and so much more. Dig into the Truth. Find a Bible study on the YouVersion Bible App, RightNowMedia or through your church.

Spending time in nature, His creation is another way to learn more about Him. Studying the Gospels (Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John) will get you closer to Him. He will reveal to you his love, power, and emotion.

Go to church. Actually go in-person. Find a church that focuses on Jesus.

The Lord blessed you with a family, love them! Love them respectfully. Have fun with them. Become a close-knit team. Pray with your family. God is entrusting you (the parent) to teach your family about Him, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

For ideas on how to have a happy family, check out this post.

That beautiful sunset you just witnessed. Give the glory to God! He did that. Those tingles you get when you hear a song or see something moving, recognize that the Holy Spirit (which is also God) is probably near. Part of our purpose on this planet is to restore the Glory of God or in other words, for the glory of God to be restored. Give HIM credit. Psalm 115:1

When prayers are answered…give the glory to God. When you speak something powerful and not sure where that came from, that’s right, give the glory to God. In your acts, give Him the glory. “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and florigy your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16 NIV).

Memorizing Bible verses is an excellent way to love God. There is power in His Word and He wants to give that to you. Reciting His words back to Him love Him dearly. Those words also love you back at the same time.

Psalm 27:1 was the first Bible verse I memorized. Memorizing one scripture at a time is fantastic! Some people memorize a group of them or an entire chapter or book! Do what you can. Little by little will reap BIG benefits.

His Word gives you bravery, courage, and confidence. The power of His word makes evil spirits flee. His power heals and His word protects.

I use scripture all the time when I feel the Enemy is messing with me or when I have a nightmare. Here’s a post about Spiritual Warfare to learn a little more.

The Lord loves it when you use scripture in your prayers. Try it. Feel it. Love Him.

In 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, Paul clearly states: “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

As for how much to give, give what your heart says…remember to be cheerful.

In Leviticus 27:30 it talks about the 10% tithe. This is in the Old Testament. Christ’s sacrifice of himself removed this mandate. It’s a great guide, but ultimately God wants a cheerful giver whether it’s 10%, 2%, or 110%.

Jesus told his followers to give to everyone who asks you (Luke 6:30).

For more information on what the Bible says about giving, visit theNIVBible.com site.  

You can’t earn your salvation by works. You’re already saved! This happened when Jesus died on the cross for YOU, then rose again three days later!

Listen up. Jesus didn’t save you to be a doormat. He didn’t save you so you could sit on the couch and be comfortable. And he didn’t save you so you could complain all the time. Jesus saved you because he loves you. He knows you are capable of a lot more than you think! Why? Because the Lord knit you in your mother’s womb and gave you gifts, talents, and abilities to be used for His glory. His will.

Those acts in which we use our gifts, talents, and abilities are not acts so that we can be saved, they are acts in response to being saved. I like to look at it as loving Him back, as a “thank you” to our Heavenly Father for giving us His one and only Son, for what His Son did for us, and for eternity. Your life could be one big thank-you note to God. Show Him you love Him by using what He gave you for His glory.

Learning the heart of Jesus is an extremely great way to love God. Dive into the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. Read them over and over again. If you have a Study Bible, read the notes too. There are some pretty good shows to watch too, one that I would recommend is The Chosen.

Taking care of what God gave you is an amazing way to love God. Give your body what it needs to function at its best. Fill your mind with goodness and positive things. Philippians 4:8. Get enough sleep. Take a day of rest…it doesn’t have to be Sunday.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, our body is a temple for the Holy Spirit, we are to honor God with our bodies. Show God you love Him by taking care of the vessel He gave you. Eat cleaner foods, drink water, get some sunshine, exercise and sweat, sleep, and lose weight if you need to.

Do your part to help heal your body and/or mental well-being. God gave you a vessel, take care of it by doing your homework, pursue health, and keep moving forward! The body is mysterious, just like God who created it.

Check out this post on how to heal your body.

This is not complicated. Use what God gave you and love your neighbor. Jesus, son of God, said this in John 13:34, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

Here are some ideas on how to love your neighbor. 

This is a life-saving act you can do for yourself right now. Not only does this make it right with God, but through Jesus, you will have eternal life. Asking for forgiveness of your sins (repenting) is a huge way to love yourself and love Him. 

Ask for forgiveness for your sins daily, in Jesus’ name. Don’t allow the Enemy to have a foothold and mess with you. For there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2).

Jesus didn’t die on the cross for you to be a doormat. Ask to be forgiven and change your ways. Keep moving forward, even if you take a step back, ask to be forgiven, and keep doing so every day. 

Love God back by doing some small acts in caring for His creation.

1. Pick up trash. Please. This little act of picking up trash impacts the community. When the community is picked up and looks nice, people feel better about where they live. Hence, better moods, friendliness, and lower crime.

2. Manage invasive species. Yes, there are invasive plants, trees, and shrubs out there that are overtaking our woods and green spaces. Some may look pretty but don’t be deceived! These invasive plants will take everything in their path. A few to name are Autumn Olive, Garlic Mustard, Glossy Buckthorn, Purple Loosestrife, Honeysuckle, Kudzu, Oriental Bittersweet, Japanese Knotweed, Baby’s Breath, Spotted Knapweed, and Prairie Fen. What you can do: The Nature Conservancy

3. Pay attention to your usage of water and resources, again, pick up trash even if it isn’t yours, and recycle as much as you can. Take responsibility for what you have…acreage, yard, city and state parks.

4. We can reverse global warming by planting more trees. Trees are what we need. There are numerous ways you can contribute to reviving the earth. check out Arbor Day Foundation, Trees for the Future, One Tree Planted, National Forest Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, and American Forests. You can make a big impact with a simple donation or service of planting trees. 

4 Tree Planting Tips + Earth Day & Arbor Day Activities

Be gentle with his creation: 7 Firefly Facts, plus free Firefly Fun Printable

In Mark 16:16 Jesus says, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved…” Baptism by water expresses an identification with Christ’s death and resurrection. 

When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist it was when God announced he was His Son and the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus (Mark 1:9-11) 

In Acts 2:38 Peter says, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Everyone enjoys getting flowers, even God! Plant some beautiful flowers for Him. Simply plant them in your garden or pot and dedicate them to your Heavenly Father. Don’t have a yard or patio/deck? Give flowers to someone else in Jesus Name. Some great flowers to plant in your garden or garden box are Daffodils, Zinnias, Sunflowers, Dahlias, Cosmos, Poppies, Marigold, Daisy, Blackeye Susan, or Snap Dragons. Download this “In the Garden” color sheet compliments of Do More Than Exist!

You can love God by loving yourself; not selfishly, but by taking care of all He has given you. Think of it as caring for your body, accepting your body, feeding your body healthy food, and exercising. Put time into nurturing your heart and soul, and learning more about your talents, abilities, and Spiritual gifts He has blessed you with. This includes your mental health too. What inspires you? Take a time out and spend time with your Creator. Ask Him to show you what you need to do for Him. 

Romans 12:2 says this: Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

For more ideas on how to love yourself, go to this page.

To learn more about yourself check out this post.

Prayer is the first line of communication with God. He WANTS to hear from you. He WANTS to know everything that is bothering you, exciting you, and going on with you. In Phillippians 4:6-7 it says “in everything by prayer…”

Prayer is the MOST important part of your life! Let me reiterate, prayer is SO incredibly important. The more you know God personally, the better your prayer life will be.

Pray before a crisis happens, pray in the morning before your day starts, and pray at night before your body, heart, and mind rest. Stand firm in Christ.

When you pray, find a place that is your secret place to pray, where there are NO distractions. A place where you can be your total and true self. Your prayer place is a place where you can cry, sob, yell, and sing without the world looking at you and judging you.

Invite the Holy Spirit to come and guide your prayer. Playing soft instrumental music in the background helps me welcome the Holy Spirit.

To close your eyes or keep them open? It doesn’t matter. I do both. The Bible doesn’t say you have to close your eyes.

To go deeper in prayer, memorize scripture and recite it back to God in your prayer.

When I pray I like to go in this kind of order:

1. Praising God and telling Him how great He is.
2. Thanking Him for everything big and small that comes to mind.
3. Confessing my sin and asking for forgiveness, getting right with God.
4. Asking for the Holy Spirit to come into my heart and help me pray.
5. Asking for protection over the Enemy, and using God’s armor to stand firm next to Christ.
6. Other prayer requests, pray for people, situations, and myself according to His will.
7. Asking all in Jesus’ name. Sealing the prayer in and through Jesus. For instance, I end the prayer something like this… “Thank you Jesus, I ask all this in your name, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Sometimes, on challenging days, my order goes out the window and I simply talk to Him, lament, cry, and get it all out. He is full of truth, love, mercy, and hope. He is the only One. Pour into Him, trust Him. Ask Him. Love Him.

One of the BEST books I’ve read on prayer is The Only Answer is Prayer by William McDowell, Jason McMullen & Caleb Grant. Excellent read.