Day 19 – Call a Friend & Ask How You Can Pray for Them Today

How can we focus more on Christ?

A few years ago, I was part of a group and was assigned a prayer partner. Here’s a post I explaining my experience. Who can you call or text today and ask to pray for them?

Nov 15, 2020

A New Sound & A Prayer Partner

My phone made a new sound. I recently installed a new App (Voxer) to communicate with the ladies in my Revelation Wellness instructor training group. This new sound startles me each time a new message is delivered.

Today the message waiting for me as I opened the app from my notification’s menu had more of an impact on me than I anticipated. It was a message from my prayer partner. Here’s what it read:

“Happy Monday Natalie! How can I be praying for you?”

My eyes immediately filled up with tears. Somebody that I barely know wants to pray for me today. This person, my sister in Christ, wants good things for me. This person took time out of her day to pray for me. The love that filled my heart was truly felt.

Can you imagine what a wonderful world this could be if we all treated each other this way?

What if we called each other to ask how we can pray for that person today? What if we messaged our friends and told them how great they are, how loved they are, and how much they mean to us? What if we had time to bake a treat for our neighbor?

I bet we would spend less time in gossip or dwelling on the negative news. I bet our stress would be less. I bet we would speak kinder to our children. I bet we would be happier.

What would it take for love and joy to spread over the world? Maybe a focus on Christ? What if we all focused on Christ? What if we read our Bible and prayed continually? What if we went to church and fellowshipped with those that care for us? What if we spread the good news to those around us?

I would love to challenge us all to try it! A focus on Christ to help change the world. Who is in?

Who are you going to call today?

Day 18 – Eliminate Distractions

How can we focus more on Christ?

The first thing I learned in health coaching school was we must clear the clutter before making changes in our lives. The old sofa must come out of the living room before the new sofa has a place to reside.

Lately, I have been feeling like clutter is all around me. My home is full. There are Christmas presents everywhere, furniture I need to get rid of, and a spare bedroom that I literally cannot walk-in right now. Mentally I am cluttered. There’s a lot on the calendar, it’s year end as an accountant, and there’s so much on my mind I want to write and share.

I need to eliminate the distractions and organize that clutter so I can go and do the things that bring me closer to Christ. But first, I need to pray for help. 😊 Seek Him in all things, Right? Then I am going to tackle the cluttered house and get all the mental things sorted and organized on my planner and calendar.

What about other distractions like our phones? Our phone will tell us how many hours and what apps we used each month. That can be an eye opener. Do we need to limit our screen time? Is our phone a distraction in our quest to get closer to Christ?

What about habits or parts of our daily routine that need to be eliminated? Is there any part of our day where we may be wasting too much time?

Let’s take time today to think about the distractions in our life. God gives us just enough time each day to do the things we are called to do. Are we focusing on God’s list or our own?

Day 17 – Listen & Be Obedient

How can we focus more on Christ?

I like to have a word or words for the upcoming year, like setting a theme for the year. There have been a few words that come to mind for the upcoming 2023 year, Faithful & Obedient and Worship & Praise. Unless something changes between now and December 31st, these are my words for 2023.

I have already written about Worship this month. It’s been on my heart the last few years. I have already been taking actions to spend more time in worship by spending more time in praise and worship in church and in my walks with the music turned up. I will continue that path.

Let’s talk about Faithful and Obedient. God calls us to things, are we doing them? Do you ever get little nudges that tell you to do something? It’s usually something that’s positive, benefits someone else, or just feel like the right thing to do.

Two questions to ponder this day.

1. Do you hear Him?

2. Do you take action?

If we are not hearing Him, then we must spend more time in the Bible and in prayer. Even if we feel lost in what we are reading or just don’t understand, we just must read.

Take Action! I’m much better at reading the Bible than taking action. Sometimes it feels the task or thing we are called to is just too hard. I have learned that God shows up just when you need Him. If He called you to it, He will get you through it.

I put off teaching a Revelation Wellness fitness class for two years after I completed training. I had plenty of excuses. I am out of shape. I am an accountant, not a fitness teacher. I don’t have the space or the time. It’s just not me. But God has other plans. Maybe I’ll wrap up the month of December classes and that will be it. Or maybe He will call me to host more? I don’t know. I have to stay in the Word, pray, and do my best to be obedient. (And BTW, He has helped me through every single class. He's given me the words and the strength to make it through each class. It has been such a blessing to share His word while moving our bodies.)

What is God calling you to today? It can be something as simple as helping a neighbor or assisting with a Sunday School class? What’s on your heart? He is ready to use you!!!