Creating a Morning "Selah Space"

It's hard to start a new habit. Getting up early to spend time with God takes effort, and it takes time to create a routine. Do you realize there's one simple step that can help you create this habit? Creating a place to meet with God takes only a few minutes, but it can give you an extra boost to get up and start your day.

You probably already have a place for your Bible study and prayer, a place where you meet with God. But do you have a space for it? Even if you have limited room, you can create a "Selah space" - a place to pause, listen, and reflect on God's Word each day.

1. Find a workable space.

What works is different for everyone. It depends on your home, yours and your family's schedules, and what makes you comfortable. Some people have an office area. Others like the kitchen table, so they can spread out their notebooks and study supplies. When my husband and I first got married, we lived in a huge 3,000 square foot parsonage and I used our double walk-in closet for my quiet time. Now we own our own home, and I spend my mornings with God on our living room couch. I don't wake anyone up, it's comfy, and I have space to sprawl out and work. Look at your home and your needs, and use what you have to plan the best area.

2. Gather your supplies.

Get everything you need for your quiet time and put it all together. This can be anything from your Bible, journal, and pens, to a blanket and a candle. Whatever you need to be cozy and spend time with God, take it to your space. For me, it's my Bible, journal, Sharpie pens, colored pencils, sticky notes, and my favorite blanket.

3. Contain your supplies.

This doesn't have to be anything fancy. Grab a pretty basket or your favorite tote bag and stash your Bible, your favorite journal, your Bible reading plan, and whatever else you need. I found a beautiful little Paris trunk at Ross for $11.00 a few months ago. Since I'm kind of obsessed with Paris and it matched our living room decor, I bought it. It sits at the end of our couch, tucked neatly between the couch and a corner table. It's the perfect size for my Bible study stash, and I'm not digging for my Bible in the dark at 5:00 a.m.

4. Decorate.

Keep it simple. Throw a couple of decorative pillows on the couch. Put a candle out. Frame printables of your favorite verses. Take a few minutes to make your space your own.

5. Pray.

Take a few minutes to pray over your Selah space. Ask God to help you as you make time with Him a priority. 

With a few minutes of prep time, you can create a quiet, welcoming place to meet with God. It's a perfect motivator for spending time with Him.

What I'm Reading: February

Many of you know that January didn't go quite as I'd planned. Instead of a restful month recovering from the holidays, it was a month of upheaval and job changes. I fell a little behind on my reading list. I finished two of the books on my January list, and I'm halfway done with a third. 

I'm also planning to dive deep into editing my first novel, a mystery. The rough draft is done, but I want to have it polished and ready for agents and editors later this year. When I'm writing, I can't read in the same genre. (Don't ask why because I can't explain it.) I'm changing things up this month with a contemporary spin on a classic, a YA dystopian, and a memoir that's been on my list for months.

Here's what I'm planning to read during this short month:

1. Lizzy & Jane by Katherine Reay

I love food books. Shauna Niequist is one of my favorite authors, and I had just finished Cold Tangerines when I found Lizzy & Jane on sale. I couldn't resist. Plus, I've heard so many great things about Reay's debut novel, Dear Mr. Knightly that I really wanted to check out her books. 

2. Anomaly by Krista McGee

The Hunger Games hooked me on YA dystopian fiction. Anomaly comes highly recommended by friends who enjoyed Hunger Games, so I'm really looking forward to this one.

3. Atlas Girl by Emily T. Wierenga

Books about travel come in a close second to books about food, and this memoir about faith, travel, and yearning for home has been on my to-read list since it released. This book has received rave reviews. I can't wait to dig into it.

4. Nerve by Bethany Macmanus

I know I said I don't read mysteries when I'm writing one, but for one of my writing critique group members, I'll make an exception. I've already started Bethany's newest release, and it's really good!

So far, I'm on track to hit my reading goal of 36 books this year. I'm hoping to surge ahead a little this month.

(This post contains affiliate links, but all opinions expressed are strictly my own.)

Why Mornings?

My time with God has changed drastically through the years. As a young college student, I started spending time reading my Bible and praying each morning before class. I carried the habit into life as a young newlywed, having quiet time in our walk-in closet so my husband could sleep. (Don’t laugh. It was a huge closet.) Once our boys came along, I pretty much grabbed quiet time whenever I could. Now it’s come full circle, and I’m back to my morning times with God. Experience has taught me that nothing can beat those quiet early morning moments with God.

Why mornings? Technically you have your time with God any time during the day, so why am I focusing on mornings? There are several reasons.

1. It sets the tone.

When I wake up early and start my day with Bible study and prayer, I start my day intentionally. I start with a purpose: focus on God, and build everything else on that foundation. Time after time, God has used my morning time to give me exactly what I need, preparing me for the day ahead. Before I even know what I need, He’s already speaking encouragement to my heart.

2. It puts God first.

Throughout the Bible, when God told His people to bring an offering or a tithe, He told them to bring the first fruits. He didn’t want the leftovers. He didn’t want them to throw in whatever they felt like giving. He wanted the first, the best, the sacrificial giving. When we give God our first time, before the chaos of the day begins, we truly put Him first. We give Him our time before we’re frazzled and exhausted, before our to-do list takes over, before work or family or commitments take our focus.

3. It gives me time to focus.

My family does not like to get up early. After years of rising at 5:00 for college classes or early morning clinicals, I can’t sleep late. My body just won’t let me. I've learned to embrace it and use mornings for time with God. 

Early morning quiet time is perfect because there are few distractions. No one is calling or texting at 5:00 a.m. Everyone is sleeping. I can sit on our couch with my coffee and my Bible and really focus on God.

When do have quiet time with God? 

Romantic Suspense Giveaway

Looking for a great romantic suspense to curl up with? Look no further. You have the chance to win three great romantic suspense novels and two novellas! Entries are now open and will close at 12:00 a.m. CST on Sunday, February 15th. The winner will be announced on February 15th. (Open to U.S. residents only.)

Here are the books you could win:

 

Cade Blackwell never came home from the war, at least not the same version of himself everyone remembers. He'd like nothing more than to be that man again...to be normal, but with physical and mental scars, it may not be possible.

At least he thinks he wants normalcy until he meets Alexandria Holst--cold, blunt, and an absolutely brilliant detective. What begins as nothing but a chance meeting soon rips him from civilian life and thrusts both of them into a murder investigation that has the police baffled and Alex thrilled at the prospect of the puzzle.

He shouldn't tempt death, not after nearly dying in Afghanistan, but he's never felt more alive than when he's running through the streets of Washington D.C. Sometimes toward danger, sometimes away from it, but always with her--a woman who both intrigues and frightens him. The shadows they chase may be nothing compared to the darkness in her head.

Cade knows one thing for certain. If he's a soldier, Alex Holst is definitely a warzone.  

Also by Amryn Cross...

A ghost running for her life...

Emily Fox died ten years ago, but she’s not dead enough for Endriago—head of the Colombian drug cartel who murdered her brother while she looked on.

A past she can't escape...

Now living in Miami as criminalist Kate James and under the protection of the U.S. Marshals, Emily is explosively reunited with her past, propelling her headlong into a web of corruption.

A man who threatens everything...

Two men stand in her way—one threatens her heart, the other her life. Both underestimate her. Because in the race to solve her brother’s murder, she has nothing left to lose.

(Learn more about Amryn on her website.)

Going home again can be deadly.

Suddenly jobless, enterprising Candace Downs returns to the parched and dusty oil-town of Odessa, Texas as a trainee for her cousin's towing company.

Rejecting the romantic obsessions of a maniacal stranger intent on capturing her heart throws her life into a terrifying spiral downward.

As the clock ticks, and her hunter ups the ante, the charismatic, handsome security consultant, Josiah Bradley, is determined to keep her alive – at any cost.

Will they win this harrowing cat-and-mouse game? Or will the unrelenting stalker bury them both deep in the desert?

(Learn more about Marcy on her website) 

There's nothing random about this murder.

When Marcy Farris comes face to face with a murder victim at a high school football game, she's plunged into a game no one wants to play. Despite police conclusions, she knows it wasn't a random murder. Could she be the next victim? To defeat her opponent, she'll have to tackle painful memories of her husband's suicide. He may have made one too many enemies before he died.

Struck down by an injury in his prime, former NFL linebacker, Jack Briggs, wonders if there's life after football. The game changes when he meets Marcy. She's his heart's number-one draft pick. Now, Jack's got to prove to Marcy they're on the same team.

There is no overtime in the game of murder. Marcy and Jack must discover the madman behind the murder before the killer has a chance to score the game-winning drive, and exact his revenge on Marcy.

Sometimes, an athlete's biggest play is made off the field.

(Learn more about Kelli on her website.)

They thought they were going to become reality show stars.
What they got was murder.
When Jacob Mercer is trapped with seven strangers in a series of caves, he determines to seek out the mysterious predator responsible for the hoax which lured them there.
Then, one of the inhabitants is murdered the first night, and Jacob has to play detective.
Will he uncover the killer of Siren Song Caves? Or will the killer find a way out before anybody else?

(Learn more about Bethany and her soon to be released novel, Nerve, on her website.)

Ready to enter? It's easy. Just follow the Rafflecopter instructions below. One person will win all five books:

Warzone (novella) - print copy

Learning to Die (novel) - print copy

Down and Out (novel) - print copy

Red Zone (novel) - Kindle copy

Murdered Between Stalagmites (novella) - print copy

 Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Morning Grace: Why Daily Time With God Matters

Do we really need to add anything else to our schedule? As women, we never quite get through our to-do lists. There's always something more - more dirty dishes, another load of laundry, errands to run. Our hearts and minds are pulled in so many different directions. Some days we feel like Elastagirl from The Incredibles, stretching until we think we're about to snap.

Life has been incredibly stressful for me lately. It's hard to focus. My heart and mind are preoccupied by my job search, worry about the future, planning, and more. I'm working, handing out resumes, writing, editing, planning children's ministry lessons and events, knitting and crocheting and planning to (maybe) open an Etsy shop - there's no room for more. Every day leaves me falling asleep on the couch after dinner, so exhausted that it's a struggle just to take my contacts out and crawl into bed. Can adding one more thing really make life better?

It can make all the difference if it's the right thing.

Spending time with God every day matters. It won't look the same for everyone. When and how I have my time with God has changed with each stage of my life. What hasn't changed is my desperate need for one-on-one time with my Savior. I need Him.

Why does daily time with God matter? He gives us three important things when we spend time with Him:

1. Priority

As Christians, our number one priority is God - but unless we spend with Him, we're not giving him first place. Exodus 33:13 says "...let me know Your ways that I may know You..." Time with God lets us know Him. It teaches us His ways and brings us into a closer relationship with Him. It's a tangible way to put Him in first place by giving Him our time and our attention.

2. Focus

Spending time with God changes our focus. I can't tell you how many times I woke up stressed or upset about something, but during my Bible study, God drew my focus to what really mattered.

3. Peace

There is no way I could have made it through the past few weeks without God's peace. I'm not going to pretend to be super-spiritual. I've been freaking out over my job situation. If you want a picture of peace and trust, you'll have to look somewhere else. Through all the worry and fear, though, God has been there, whispering peace to my frantic heart. Over and over, He's reminded me that He's walking this road with me. He whispers His promises - "I have a plan. You're going to be fine."

John 16:33 keeps coming up in everything I read lately: "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." Time with Him reminds us that He brings peace, regardless of our circumstances.

Over the next few weeks, we're going to walk through every aspect of your time with God - how to set up a Selah space, how to structure your quiet time, types of journals and Bible studies, and more. I'm so excited! I hope you'll join me on this journey. (And if you sign up for my newsletter in the box to the left, you'll get bonus content in my monthly newsletter.)

Technical Difficulties

Today I planned to launch my new series on how to plan and structure your time with God. Unfortunately our internet went down. Not just our internet, but the main service provider to the entire area, which means that most our area can't get online. I'm hoping the problem will be fixed soon. 

For now, I'm working strictly off my phone. As soon as I'm able - hopefully later this week - I'll get the first post in the series up. Thanks for your patience!

What I'm Making: January

Nervous energy may or may not be a good thing. I'm job hunting right now, after getting news that my boss at one of my jobs is getting ready to retire. Handing out resumes is stressful, and I've been busy knitting every evening.

I'm playing around with an idea (probably brought on by stress). Whether anything will come from it remains to be seen, but I'm thinking of starting an Etsy shop to sell my knitting. It's going to be a while - I have to build up my stock, come up with a name, and do quite a bit of prep work - but it's something I'm looking at pretty seriously.

I made my first coffee cozy this week. I love this simple pattern! It knits up quickly, and it's just so cute. I've already started a second cozy. This is something I'd love to carry in my shop.

My boys want me to make blankets for them, but I'm a little nervous about biting off such a big project. I found a great pattern on Ravelry, though. It's a block blanket, with a different pattern for each block. I'm making one for myself first, as a test pattern. If all goes well, I'll make one for each of my boys when I'm done. Here's where I'm at on the first square:

I'm working on a dishcloth, too. This ridge and rib pattern is my favorite for dishcloths so far. Again, I think these would be great for a shop. I've already made several for myself and some for family, too. When it's finished, it will look like this:

My Project Life app is seeing a lot of action, too. My goal is to create one page per week. Not necessarily big events, but just the little pieces of everyday life that are too easily overlooked and forgotten.

Most exciting of all - I spent this week editing my next short story, which will appear in the March crime-themed issue of Splickety Prime magazine. I'm really excited about this story. It's nothing like my first two - sweet stories that tugged at the heartstrings. This one is dark, full of twists, and the style I really want to write. Now that my short story is done, I'm diving back into edits on my novel this weekend. It's hard to believe I'm polishing it and getting it ready for beta readers, then agents. It still feels like a dream.

What are you making right now?