Snark & Sensibility

PLEASE WELCOME

LINDA HANNA AND DEBORAH DULWORTH

TO

DEVOTIONAL WEDNESDAY

Early adulthood is the stage of life where everyone is in some sort of transition, from taking a new job, starting a new relationship, or adjusting to parenthood.

It’s difficult for many to find the luxury of time to reflect on and review their spiritual lives. Slipping out of the habit of spending quiet time with God becomes far too easy. Devotional life often takes a backseat to busyness. By the time our “golden years” smack us in the face, we’re out of our spiritual groove. While adapting to a new normal, senior adults can slip into a mental and emotional numbness, feeling like they’re gathering dust on the proverbial shelf. God doesn’t look at His Silver Saints that way. Our existence still has meaning and infinite value to Him.

This older phase of life can be a wonderful time of regrowth and purpose. Workloads and family responsibilities have lessened leaving us with a perfect opportunity to get in touch with our eternal mindset. As faith increases, we develop the habit of trust, praise, and hope. Our heart opens to a deeper spiritual awareness and helps us keep God as the center of our world.

While reaching out to Him, He draws us closer.

In Isaiah 58:9a we read: “Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.”

Here are five steps to deepen your spiritual groove.

• Re-train your brain. As life becomes hectic, our minds are sidetracked and often we push our daily devotions aside. A spiritual drifting follows. We need to develop the habit of reading the Bible and praying, which allows us to draw closer to God.

• Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:8a NIV

• Value/Appreciate what the Lord has done for you. The quickest and most effective way to get your spiritual groove back is to return to a state of love and gratitude. Take a moment to count your blessings. Make this a daily practice. Energy follows thought, so while your mind is filled with God, your thankfulness grows.

I will give thanks to You, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonderful deeds.

I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing the praises of Your name, O Most High. Psalm 9:1-2 NIV

• Relax, Rest, and Renewal. Sometimes we need to take a deep breath and press the reset button mentally, physically, and spiritually. Nothing brings us back into balance better than doing something enjoyable. Once an anxious mind has settled, tension in the body dissipates allowing the heart to commune with God.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16 NIV

• Get Creative With Finding Inspiration. Sometimes in the frantic pace of living, we lose sight of our faith-filled dedication. Revive your soul with a variety of Christian music and listen to the Word on the radio or podcast while commuting. Instead of sitting in your usual chair, try a change of scenery. Sit at a picnic table with the sights and sounds of nature surrounding you. Listen to a message with a friend over coffee and then discuss it. Having someone help you understand is effective for processing, motivation, and accountability.

Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” Acts 8:30-31a NIV

• Realize the Prize! Having devotions shouldn’t be a chore. It’s all about building a relationship with Jesus. Bonding with Him is like being with a best friend. In our earthly friendships, we like to talk and listen to each other. Reading the Bible is God talking to us and when we pray, we’re talking to Him. Your daily conversation with the Lord builds a closeness which continues to grow and develop.

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:15 NIV

Once you’ve found that devotional groove, the reward will be a wonderful sense of joy and a closer relationship with the Savior.

Seek God and ask the Holy Spirit for help to grow in love toward Jesus, yourself, and others. Anything that hinders you can be defeated with His divine help.

ABOUT LINDA HANNA AND DEBORAH DULWORTH

AND SEASONS OF CHANGE SERIES

The writing team of Hanna and Dulworth deliver a story full of love and faith and sprinkled with touches of humor that will have you wondering whether to laugh or cry. Their first novel in the Seasons of Change series, Come Next Winter, released in 2016. Linda and Debbie love to share uplifting messages of faith, family, and love. Their hope is to inspire and encourage readers on their own spiritual journey. Though their paths have unexpected twists and turns, they cling unswervingly to their faith and God continues to bless.

Connect Online:

Website: www.dulworthandhanna.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Thebooknookoflindaanddeb/

ABOUT THE CALL OF INDIAN SUMMER

Recently widowed Sue North leaves her stately Vermont home to work with her daughter and son-in-law caring for orphans near Apache Pointe, Arizona. The last thing Sue wants in her peaceful new life is to catch the eye of another man. Meanwhile, Stuart Drake, the handsome survivor of a loveless marriage, is on the lam from the dogged church ladies keen on his availability. He chooses the tuck-tail-and-run method to guard his battered soul, all the while yearning for affection he’s never known…

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Call-Indian-Summer-Seasons-Change-ebook/dp/B07G3369BT/