How Can I Spend More Time with God? 

10…9…5…3…2…1…Happy New Year! The New Year often brings around a time of reflection and thought. What was great about last year…what was maybe not so great. Whether you are a planner or a more spontaneous person, you can’t help but give some thought on what this new year could bring! It is a great time to set new goals, change some things, and re-open our minds to God’s new opportunities! Perhaps, this year you want to grow closer to God, spend more time in your Bible, and learn how to have a beneficial quiet time with God that grows your faith. 

What does “quiet time” mean and look like? 

Quiet Time is a phrase to define the time you are setting aside to spend with God. This could look different for each person, depending on what best fits their style of studying and learning. What is most important is your heart going into your time with God. We can see in Matthew 6:6 what God expects from us when we spend time with Him; He says “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you”. Most importantly, God is wanting to spend time with you to build a stronger relationship. Diving deeper into God’s word and truly knowing Him equips us to handle all the things of this world.  

One of the most important things you can do to begin having a regular quiet time with God is by making an appointment. We are busy people who are involved in a multitude of activities. Therefore, we have to make sure we schedule time for God because this is the most important thing we will do all day! For some people, getting up a touch earlier might be a possibility, or it could become a part of your nightly routine. It is important to find a time that you are present with God and have the ability to focus. If you need, pencil it into your calendar or set an alarm to be sure it happens. 

Finding a spot for your time with God that will aid in keeping distractions to a minimum is another thing to consider. Try to create a space that will be quiet and comfortable. Put your phone on silent or away to avoid being tempted by a notification. Keep any other tasks or things that might draw you away from your quiet time hidden or in a different location. To make sure you have success in a recurring and beneficial quiet time, have accountability. Find someone who cares about your spiritual health and growth to encourage you to keep your appointment with God. Let them know your plan of action and your goals for your quiet time. Having an appointment with God at the same time as your accountability partner is a great way to stay on track as well. 

Quiet Time Resources 

There is a wide variety of resources that can help you with your time with God. There are books, devotionals, interactive devotionals, journals, and much more that can be used. Once you have set up your appointment with God, it is useful to find a way that allows you to learn, study, grow, and connect with God. Every person is different, which is why there are so many resources to find something that works for you. Reading the Bible is a great place to start, and just making sure to get in the Word is fantastic! It could be advantageous to read a book or find a devotional that speaks to something you are walking through or something you want to improve on. Journaling has also been proven to be helpful. This could be about what you are learning, a verse that stood out to you, or your prayers. Journaling is a great study tool in helping you track your prayers and growth or remember what you learned while in your quiet time with God. 

For those of you who are imaginative and creative, there is another way to interact with God during your quiet time. This could be writing a poem about God, writing a letter to God, or even illustrating something that expresses your love and gratitude towards God and/or something you’ve learned.  

When planning out what your quiet time with God will look like, try to make some goals. What are some areas you would like to grow in? What do you want to know more about God? Do you want to read through the whole Bible? Do you want to memorize bible verses? It could be anything, as long as you come humbly to God to spend time with Him. 

There are a lot of benefits that come from having a time set aside for God. It is a great opportunity to come and know our Father so much more. The Bible equips us to share our faith, know the Word, know what we believe and why. James 4:8 tells us to draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Spending time with God makes us stronger and more confident in our faith. 

What are your goals this year to draw nearer to God? 

Who are you turning your ear to? 

Noise. Today there is so much noise surrounding us. It penetrates every thought and any quiet moment we get. The noise comes from social media, peers at school, television, podcasts, music, etc. It distracts us and stops us in our course of thought, but it also has the power to lead us down an unwanted path. When it comes to advice and direction, who are you turning your ear to?  

The Value in a Mentor  

There are so many of us who often have a problem or need some good advice from someone, but do not have a trusted person to turn to. This is where we can find value in a mentor. The dictionary defines a mentor as “an experienced and trusted advisor.” The action of a mentor is advising and guiding someone. Think of the people in your life who have given you thoughtful and trustworthy advice. These are the people that could be your mentor. 

A mentor is a beneficial thing to have in your life because God did not mean for us to do life alone. Provers 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Mentorship and teaching have always been part of God’s plan. We need direction and guidance. He provides people who are wise and faithful to aid in leading younger generations to follow the path that ultimately leads to Him. He knows that minds can be molded, and how valuable it can be to provide teaching from a young age. 

Finding a good mentor is important, but even more so, to find one that is walking along with Christ. These can be people in your church, such as small group leaders, pastors, or people from your bible study or small group. A mentor should seek God first and look to His word for guidance on solving problems. God commands, “what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also (2 Timothy 2:2). God desires for us to share the wisdom gained from him with others. We are called as his children to be aware and look for opportunities to do this. He places people in our lives at the right time to speak the truth we need to hear. We ought to pray for people that will faithfully guide us in our lives as Christians, but also for people to whom we can mentor and offer guidance.  

Our Ultimate Mentor  

Knowledge can come in a multitude of forms in addition to mentors. These sources include speakers, books, podcasts, and music. These have great nuggets to chew on and they have the ability to help grow our faith. These resources are beneficial in helping us seek God first and focus on him throughout the day. However, we must be steadfast in what we listen to and be wary that these resources are not the first thing we run to. Our ultimate mentor is God. He provides us with wisdom and guidance that is pure and leads us to the path he has already set for us. Our Father is the one that teaches us to listen to His voice and learn the ability to discern. When we see a situation or a problem on the horizon, our action should be to first get down on our knees and pray. Ask God for guidance, discernment, and individuals to speak wisdom to our situation. It is then that God gives us mentors and resources that can speak to our problems.  

God will always provide for us, and He knows what we need before we do. Once again, God doesn’t want us walking through life on our own. This is why He has given us the gift of mentors, and the ultimate gift of a relationship with him. 

Are you allowing the everyday noise to drown God out? Do you rely on the media to advise you on how to act and how to fix your problems? Or are you looking to God, our wonderful counselor, who offers truth and life in all situations. 

-Ashlyn 

Sharing Your Story 

I have heard many stories through my life.  Stories that inspire.  Stories that make me sad.  Stories that elicit laughter.  Stories that confuse, hurt, or even shame me.  A well-told story can be a game changer, and there is nothing quite like an impactful story told at the right time.   

It is time to be bold and proclaim what God has done in your life.  Share your story.  Think about the different ways God has impacted your life for His good.  What has He done?  How did He change you?  Who might be impacted by your story?  Every story is different, yet every story can be boiled down to three simple steps. 

First, we must answer the question of what was your life like before Christ?  For me, I knew about Jesus, but I lacked a personal relationship with Him.  Yeah, I did the church thing growing up, but we never talked about religion much outside of Sunday, and my family was consumed by the numerous activities and sports that we participated in.  It was not until my mid 30’s that I really found out who Jesus was. 

I was newly married.  My first son was born, and as I was learning about fatherhood and marriage, I began to believe some dark lies that Satan was whispering to me.  I felt like a failure.  As a father.  As a husband. Even at work as a teacher.  These stresses began to consume me, and I was slowly falling into a dark pit called depression.   

This was totally new to me!  I had never been there before, and the feelings of hopelessness and despair began to spiral me into a dismal, chaotic place.  To make matters worse, I was unable to get my stress out through any physical activity due to severe lower back pain that was torturing my spine.  I tried chiropractic work, physical therapy, and even resorted to attempting surgery where they burned nerve tissue.  None of it worked.      

I came home from work one day, and my wife had a gift laying on the couch for me.  I opened the package to find a onesie that said, “Big Brother.”  That’s right, we were pregnant again!  Except this time it wasn’t necessarily planned that way.  Sure enough, our second child was born, and I thought God was giving me more than I could handle.  I began to drown, and although I knew I needed help, I didn’t know who to turn to.  That was when Jesus stepped in to save me.  

On to part two of my testimony: How did you find Christ?  Well, truth be told, I didn’t find Jesus.  He found me.  I was broken.  Frustrated.  Hopeless.  That precious summer of 2012 Jesus stepped into my life and told me how much He loved me.  I welcomed His healing touch.  There was no specific moment when I threw up my hands and accepted Christ in my heart.  It was more of just a gradual sanctification that led me to begin giving Him pieces of my brokenness.   

God began to remake me into something new.  I began to savor time with Him each morning, praying, opening the Bible, journaling, and reading Christian books to further my relationship with Him.  Before I knew it, I began to enjoy fatherhood.  My marriage began to heal, and my back miraculously felt much better.  The icing on the cake was when God blessed me with the most caring group of students I had ever taught in the fall.  It felt as if I was an entire different person! 

It was winter when I decided I needed to celebrate my new life through baptism.  On February 9, 2013, I was rededicated in front of my closest friends and family.  Pastor Darren Wade led me in taking my confession of faith an immersed me into my new life.  Before I had one foot in the world and one in heaven.  Now I was all in!  This is the most fun part of my story to share.  Part three: What Christ has been doing in my life since?   

God began to open door after door for me following that day.  I joined the Saturday morning men’s Bible study group at Legacy.  I began a prayer group with colleagues at work on Friday mornings.  I started writing a blog for Christian teachers at www.theteachersdevotional.com.  Then there came the morning when I felt called to pray for one of my students.   

I had no idea why I was praying for him, but one hour later I found out.  There was a knock at my door, and the same boy that I had prayed for walked tentatively into my classroom.  He ducked his head shyly and asked me a question that I will never forget.    

“Mr. Daniels?  I was wondering … Do you think I could start a Bible study in your classroom on Monday mornings?” 

I was blown away at God’s timing.  Before I knew it, there was a small group of six or seven boys that infiltrated my room every Monday morning from 7:00 to 7:30 am.  I couldn’t participate in their studies, but I savored watching them grow together, and as they took dynamic spiritual leaps forward, an idea sprung in my head.  What if they could grow their small group into something so much bigger?  What if they could reach out to the entire school? 

That group of boys became something special at my middle school that fall.  They started our first Fellowship of Christian Athletes huddle, and since that storied day, FCA has impacted the lives of hundreds of Indian Trail students.  All because of the courage of one boy who wanted to start a Bible study.  All because Jesus was there for me at my weakest moment. 

All for God’s glory. 

Your testimony can be boiled down to three easy steps: your life before Christ, how you came to meet Christ, and how He has impacted your life since.  Share your story with reckless abandon, giving all the glory to the Lord.