Rooted and Grounded

As a P&W leader, I think it's paramount that you stay grounded in your relationship in God. Here's how I achieve that.

Prayer - I jokingly tell my friends that I can get a prayer through, but it's not a joke. I pray first thing every morning when I enter the bathroom. I used to try to pray at night, but I realize I was going to bed so late that I'd fall asleep before I could get through my prayer, which is sad b/c I don't pray long. Changing to morning prayers works for me. Then throughout the day I continue to pray. I attempt to pray before starting my work, when I talk to my friends and they have issues, etc. Always short prayers, but the Bible says to pray without ceasing, not pray for a long time. I also tune in to the Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church of Chicago prayer line. (209.647.1699 PIN: 781740#) They record the call so you can dial in at any time to listen to a good word and prayer. I frequently attend Angela Martin's Onderful Prayer. This prayer time is especially for women and never disappoints. I leave feeling refreshed every time. As you can see, I have various streams that help me to stay prayerful.

Read - Reading the Bible can seem daunting. What to read? Where to begin? The real problem with me is having the discipline to read period. I have gone to being one who would hardly crack open my Bible during the week to reading at least 4 times week. A HUGE improvement. How did I accomplish this? The Bible app. I read the verse of the day. I signed up for a Bible plan where I read a scripture and passage followed by a prayer starter... Now to handle the question of what to read, I began reading books of the Bible for which I have little knowledge. This helped me to come up with my own interpretation of what is important and what God is trying to say to me/us today through this book of the Bible. I'm currently reading the book of Numbers. I don't read for long periods of time. Frequency is more important to me than duration.(That's my personal belief, but I encourage you to do what works for you.)

Accepting that I'm different. - This is something I struggle with, but am getting better. I used to think I could hang out on Saturday nights and roll into church Sunday morning and do a good job as a P&W leader. I know better now! I need to get to bed at a decent hour Saturday night so that I'm not dragging Sunday morning. I need to stay focused and not be distracted by whatever it is that I could get into Saturday night. Not to say that I don't occasionally go out Saturday nights, but I really watch it. I'm also learning to be comfortable with who I am. I'm not a big ad-libber. My best qualities are that I'm good holding my part, harmonizing w/out being taught parts, and am genuinely excited about the P&W part of service. I love singing back-up! That's just me. Sometimes its difficult to accept your talents and not be envious of others. Thinking "if I could write like so and so or sing like so and so" won't get you anywhere. God has given each of us unique talents and traits. You should always try to learn and improve, but in the end, we have to be happy and content with what we've been given and who we are.

Having the right people in your life is a great way to learn and grow in the Lord. My mother-in-law is that person for me. She knows so many scriptures that I've never heard. She has good insight into practical ways the scriptures apply to our every-day lives. She sends me emails of interesting scriptures and YouTube clips of worship songs. A good mentor can help you grow without feeling like it's hard work. I have sisters in Christ at work that are fabulous prayer partners and encouragers. We share good sermons, books, and study aids with each other.

I don't know if I've ever mentioned this, but my mother is the pastor of our church. I'm also one of the children's church teachers which means that I don't get to hear the Word the Sundays I'm with the kids. While I love and respect my mom's ministry, sometimes I need to hear the word from someone else. That someone else for me is Pastor John Hannah of New Life Covenant Church. He comes on at 2 pm CT on 1390 am in Chicago. He's a beast in Christ! You can literally feel the anointing through the radio waves at times! I think most of his congregation is around my age so I find that his messages are tailored to non-seniors who live an urban lifestyle. He seems in touch with the times, but doesn't compromise God's standards. He challenges me to do it God's way. We all could use that type of advise! Sometimes hearing it from someone else helps. (No disrespect, mom. :)

The last blessing that has been a tremendous support to me as a P&W leader is the #ileadescape by Tasha Cobb. While I have only been the call 2 times, these were the best 2 hours of my P&W life. She has different people share whatever God puts on their hearts for what she calls "front liners." (P&W leaders and teams, praise dancers, etc.) She's having a face-to-face meeting this summer. Check out the monthly call. You will not be disappointed.

So there you have it; all of the things I do to stay connected to God. I encourage everyone to figure how you can do the same.

Blessings!

P.S. Longest post ever!