If You Don't Get Anything Out of Your Quiet Time: A Series Introduction

For years, I read my Bible and walked away unaffected.

Even when I wanted to focus, when I tried to focus, I either could not understand what I was reading, or I did not retain God's word in any applicable way.

I could read the same section of scripture over and over and if you had asked me an hour later what I had read I probably would have said something like "well, I read in the book of ____, something about _____, ...I think? I can't really remember. "

I didn't know how to read my Bible. I didn't know how to "hear" God through the black and white and red.

And when I prayed, honestly, it almost always felt like a monologue, not a two-way conversation.

Fast forward several years...

When I became pregnant with Selah at 19, I knew I needed to know the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I wanted to be able to teach her things I didn't yet know myself. I knew that her spiritual life, issues on how she viewed "father", would most likely already be complicated and more difficult for her due to my choices.

But I knew God said He was the Father to the fatherless. Then my questions were... how do I introduce them to each other when I don't even know Him myself? How do I teach her to daily walk with Him and talk to Him? How do I teach her to keep her heart safe in relationship with Him when I haven't done that? 


Because it is a relationship.

And because of that motivation to be able to guide Selah, and because of that beautiful truth... the astounding truth that He longs to be in relationship with us... with even me... I learned through His leadership how to listen for His voice. Through His word. Through prayer. Through nature. Through conversations with other people. Through sermons with "similar" themes I'd heard my whole life. Through books. Through music. Through ugliness. Through sin. Through feelings. Through lack of feelings.

I am still learning. This is a life long relationship.

But I wanted to share some of what He's shown me... because I am so grateful for the countless ways others have helped me through what He has shown them. 


Thus, this series.

I will post some suggestions, thoughts, details on how I walk with God every Saturday for the next few weeks.

In advance, thank you for grace.