When living counter culture means slowing down….

We have watched a lot of football the last few months and now with college basketball picking up…it’s just a good way to spend cold winter evenings.

I can knit….Russ catches up on news and emails … and we watch the games between commercials.

And the commercials.

Oh my…

I realized recently that at the end of them, I am not even sure what company/product/service or ????? they were even trying to get me interested in.

Images flash every second. Music blares. Some announcer is shouting things that sound  like an overly enthusiastic motivational speaker or someone trying to rouse up the opposition forces in a revolution.

And then its over.

For the life of me I don’t know what they were trying to get me to buy. I didn’t catch the brand and often I don’t even understand the product….

Yes, yes…I know…I am getting older and such.

But seriously…

our spiritual feedings can come at us in much the same way.

At times I am taking two Bible studies, preparing for lessons each week, studying God’s Word on my own and coming up with stuff for this little gem here five days a week.

Then there are the multiple emails that come from various ministries each day…all good stuff. But this year I am focusing on quality…not quantity.

It is better to read only ONE thing…

deeply…

slowly…

thoughtfully…

intentionally…

then six things in a hurry.

Prayerfully consider slowing down to read and ABSORB what you are reading.

If the devotion asks a question, take time to think about your answer.

Go back through what you have read and think about how you would respond.

Determine to mull over that question, in communion with the Holy Spirit as your teacher, all that day.

One example from my own emails is a wonderful ministry called TGIF.

Each email has a beautiful prayer and then a devotion.

I rarely have time to read and study the devotion, but the prayer always seems to speak to the very needs on my heart that particular day.

Typically, I would quickly read the prayer and try to cram the devotion in as well.

Since it was such good study material, I would save it to go back to….

I have over 580 emails that I am planning to go back to….

Cue the song…..

LET        IT          GO…

not all of it…of course!

But determine to read and study with intention and focus…praying for wisdom and insight and understanding…

and trusting God to teach you each day what you need to know for that day…

We are so blessed to be surrounded with multiple ways to learn more and to grow spiritually.

Let’s be intentional about letting His Word soak into us as we soak in His Word <3