On a cool evening in September, friends picked me up and took me to the Wesley Foundation at Mississippi State University. This student ministry became a haven for new relationships over the next several months. One of my favorite relationships just celebrated 27 years of marriage with me. Another lifetime relationship was formed in those months, my growing relationship with Christ.
Being reared in a Christian home and in the church, I had known about Jesus Christ. Church attendance, Bible verse memorization, church camp, Sunday school, and youth group were regular events I participated in, but knowing in my head was one thing. I was needing to grow that relationship in my heart more.
A few years before, I had asked Jesus into my heart, but I was quickly derailed on my growing a relationship with Him.
You know the feeling of doing all the right things and being the “good” girl, but I was not in an active growing relationship. Checking off the boxes of the right activities was different than getting to know Him as my Savior and Friend. Philip and I spend many hours studying one another likes and dislikes. We spent every moment that we could together in those early days of our relationship building. I was not connecting my relationship with Jesus would grow that same way-spending time with Jesus, in His Word.
My days at Wesley began to teach me how to study about and spend time with Jesus. I began to not just send up a distress prayer, but I journaled my prayers and talked to God daily. There was time spent with young women who were seeking Him, and challenging me to do the same. Over the last 25 plus years, I have learned to lean into Him in the good and the bad. I hunger for my time with Him each morning.
In my days as a youth minister, I often would tell Philip that what was missing in our Christian education was teaching about a relationship with Christ. As I mentor women, I often share my love for the One Year Bible daily readings and worship music.
These two things keep my heart and mind centered in the place they need to be.
In a world where we hear messages about self and doing what feels good, I would challenge you to daily dig into the Word. We can order self-help and even books by christian authors at the click of one button, but I am saying pick up the Bible.
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12