Taking the Month Off - What - Continued

In Monday's post I discussed why I'm taking the month of December off.

In Tuesday's post I shared what I'll be doing with all my extra time. Well, started to. I spoke specifically about Bible Reading and Prayer.

Now, I want to talk about Bible Memorization and Journaling.

Bible Memorization

Another tool I found in the Bible with the 30 day reading plan I'm gong to use is a list of emotions and verses to read when you feel that way. It included anger, envy, sadness, anxiety, etc. We all feel these various emotions throughout life, so I decided that this would be a very useful list of verses to memorize. I've decided to read each set of verses for each emotion and to memorize at least one. I'm definitely looking forward to adding these to my arsenal for use when my emotions become overwhelming.

Journaling

We've all seen this pic on Pinterest, but if you've clicked on it, you'll find that it doesn't really lead anywhere, or to any instruction.

I've decided to use it anyway. Each day I will record at least one of each: the peaks and pits of my day, praises of Him, and prayer requests. I think this will help more clearly direct my journaling and make it easier for me to look back on in the future. I can't wait to see how God works through this, showing me how He provides for me and hears my pleas. 

Tomorrow is Throw Up Thursday, and on Friday I will conclude this series by discussing Worship and Fasting. Saturday will be a Weekly Wrap Up and also the first day of my Month Off. :) Getting more nervous and excited as it draws closer. Eeek!

Taking the Month Off - What

So I feel the need to take the month of December, 2012 off from as much of life as possible to focus my energy and attention on my spiritual life, which, in all honesty, has almost been non-existent. Let's not go into details at this time, though.

I want to use my time intentionally. And not on organizing and cleaning my house, or even focusing specifically on being a better wife, but on re-establishing the habits of a relationship with God.

I want to be transparent here and tell you that I am highly skeptical of what could possibly happen. Above all, I don't want to be fake. I don't want to pretend any change has occurred if it hasn't. And I don't want to hide any change just to fit in.

I'm also terrified. I'm scared of what may be revealed. Of what He may ask me to do or change.

Change. That's the key word in that sentence. I'm scared to change and to enter the unknown.

But I'm willing to take the risk.



Back to being intentional. I began to think of how I should spend this extra time (funny how we use words like spend in reference to time and money. We can always make more money, but never get more time. But that's another post entirely). I started brainstorming (my new favorite thing) and research various pillars of Christian discipline. [Of course, this is not an exhaustive list. There are many more that could be added. I make no attempt to argue where they fall on the priority list.]

Bible reading.
Prayer.
Bible memorization.
Journaling.
Worship.
Fasting.

I'm going to share with you what I found and what I've chosen to do regarding each of these (two today, two on Wednesday, and the final two on Friday). Please don't regard my choices as a choice for you. You have to listen to what you're being led to do by Him, not me.


Bible Reading

I pulled out every Bible we own and counted.

We have FOURTEEN Bibles in this tiny apartment. I doubt my husband has as many socks without holes in them.

FOURTEEN. That is an obscene amount of Bibles. I digress.

First, I pondered my options.
- I could study a particular book of the Bible (James is my favorite)
- I could do a devotional on a particular topic: Prayer, Missions, Being a biblical wife, having a biblical marriage, etc.

I ultimately chose to use what was available to me and search through what I have in my own little library. I also decided that I want to read the Bible, not about the Bible. Yes, I think there is a place for literature about Christ and Christianity and living that lifestyle, but that's not what this particular season is for.

Next, I started to look through each for any tools to guide me through the month. I found what I want to use in the first one. It is a 30-Day walk through the basics of Christianity and the life of Christ. I think this is the best place for me to spend this time when I am trying to re-invigorate my spiritual life, to re-learn what I have forgotten.


Prayer

Let me start by sharing that this is possibly my biggest struggle among the disciplines listed. Seriously. I can give up food easier than I can pray. Not. even. kidding.

Part of my struggle is the desire for perfection. There is so much that needs to be prayed for. So many requests. I just get overwhelmed because there is not possible way I can pray for everything every. single. day. So I just don't pray at all.

But there is a solution. I found two websites that tackle this issue.

Both Study in Brown and Organizing Made Fun make use of a prayer schedule. On each day of the week, they pray for a different area of their life so that by the end of the week they have had the opportunity to pray for every thing. GENIUS.

I used a little bit of both in the schedule I created. I'm sure I didn't cover everything, but that's ok. It can be flexible. A fact that I LOVE!

So, I am going to set aside a specific amount of time each day dedicated to praying about the area for that day. My goal is to start a habit of scheduled prayer so that it can eventually become something I do without thinking... to pray without ceasing.



Well, that's the first two disciplines or first two foci of my Month Off. Wednesday I'll post about Bible Memorization and Journaling.

Taking the Month Off - Why

I have been burdened with the desire to take a month off from some parts of my life in order to focus on other, more important areas. And I have decided to do this for the month of December.

You see, I spend a lot of too much time on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and here, blogging. I love it. I really do. Communication is one my top 5 values and (this is said humbly) a gift I feel I have. I love being able to communicate in such a variety of ways...

BUT

It can become so consuming. Not just time, but energy as well. These things have taken a higher place in my life than they should, and I know that I need to do something drastic, for a time, to break myself of these unhealthy habits.

SO

I will be taking off the month of December. My desire isn't to get rid of these things completely, but to establish healthier boundaries with them. So, I'll be implementing a Screen Time - Time Limit on myself. I'll visit each site briefly. I'll post rarely.

I still want to keep up with everyone: sis-in-law on Twitter, my brother's family via FB, Heather through her blog, and still be able to pin awesome ideas I find on Pinterest, etc.

Also, I still plan to post a Throw Up Thursday and Weekly Wrap Up each week. I meant it when I said I wanted to use this blog to record our life together, and a month is just too large an amount of time for me not to write something.

All in all, it's not just about removing unhealthy habits, but adding/reinforcing healthy ones.

I want to focus on my spiritual life. I have chosen a religion to follow, that I believe to hold Truth, and I want to live my life according to what I claim is my deepest beliefs.

I've been afraid to whole-heartedly live out my faith for some time now. I'm not sure when or how it started, but I can remember a time when I was completely sold out to Christ, and now, I'm just not. I'm just living life, breathing in and out every day, going to church, trying not to sin, but not really letting Christ change me.

In this vein, I'm also taking the month off from serving with our church's youth group (and yes, I've discussed it with our youth pastor and explained everything). I'll still help administratively and attend social things, but I'll be attending all adult services on Sundays and Wednesdays in an effort to challenge myself at an appropriate level. I love that God meets us at whatever season of life we're in. I love that he doesn't give us challenges that we can't meet, but asks us to stretch and grow as we are able.

And I know I am capable of more than I've been giving. 

So I've covered what I'm giving up, with brief, possibly incoherent, explanations of why. My next post will begin to explain how I'll be spending this precious and dedicated time. Please continue to read this series of Taking the Month Off. I know that I will need your encouragement and support.

Thank you