Queenies Little Kingdom

If I were to ask…"How are you doing with your QUIET TIME?"  Would you give me an honest answer?  Or would you ask… "What's a quiet time?".  You know, that special time where you get alone and read your Bible and pray?

OH, THAT QUIET TIME!

Well, uhhh….I'm, working on it!  Or, I'm really busy!  Or, I try but I get distracted!

If you answered (in your head) with any of these answers or even made up a few of your own "excuses"…then you are just who I'm talking to today.

I feel qualified to wrangle with you on the reality of the situation.  I, am a self proclaimed PRAYER SLACKER.  I beebop through many days without even so much as a thought on praying.  Yep, there.  I said it!  I don't do it to be rebellious and I bet you don't either.  I put my own habits first (maybe you do too)–turn on tv, Facebook, check email, read blogs.. and whatever else can steal my attention.  I focus on that instead of making God my first priority.  Sound familiar?

I know what you're thinking…

I can't.  I don't even know where to start.  I would say that you're not alone in feeling awkward when it comes to quiet time.  I didn't grow up doing it and I didn't see anyone in my family praying unless it was out of desperation.  By the way, "God please help me find a good parking space" doesn't count!  I'm talking about relationship building and character shaping time.  If you've ever had a close friendship with someone and loved spending quality time with them….then this is similar to what I'm talking about.

God likes to be with you.

Prayer offers us the chance to speak honestly with God about what we think of Him and what's happening in our life.  It also allows us time to listen and hear directly from Him.  Some of the hardest times in my life were the most blessed because I stuck close to Him by regularly meeting up in prayer.  I've learned some of my most miserable times have been when I've wandered and neglected spending time in prayer.

Prayer changes everything.

I've discovered a special gem of a book on this very subject.  Diane Moody (whom I believe God has directly sent my way) has bravely written down truths from her own heart in CONFESSIONS OF A PRAYER SLACKER.  Listen, Diane doesn't tip-toe around the subject and she doesn't beat you up either.  She simply tells you what God has done in her life and how that change has put her back on the path of obedience!

God created you with fellowship in mind.  He planned it from the get-go.  He also gave you your own free will, you have the right to choose.  For me, I realize that in order for me to live at my prime (and who doesn't want to live at the top?) I have to nurture the relationship I have with my Lord.  I need Him, I need His guidance and I hunger for His mercy.  My life is a wreck when I try to manage it on my own.  Maybe you know what I'm talking about…

Bad attitudes creep in.

Snarky comments slip out.

Gossip seems harmless.

Angry outbursts become regular.

Frustration erupts.

Questionable activities (movies, tv shows, music, places) seem ok.

Whatever slips in and manages your habits and lifestyle.  These are all symptoms of drifting farther away from Christ.  The more you neglect studying God's word and listening to His voice the easier it becomes to fall into these traps.

My challenge for you is to make God a priority EVERY SINGLE MORNING.  I know how difficult this can be but I promise you–if you start your day with prayer and scripture you will soon see a change in your life.  I would also recommend you read Diane's book.  It is available right now on Amazon in Kindle for a whopping 0.00.  Trust me when I say….IT IS WORTH IT! 

One more thing…if you see me out and about I want you to ask me if I've had my quiet time.  It's my own personal challenge and I know that accountability is the best way to success!

Say NO TO SLACKING!