Today while getting ready I was going to text a couple of close friends to pray for my strength and for my body as I have been pushing it straight into exhaustion. It’s that time of year. Then a thought later, I was like. Um, Gina asking for others to send you prayers is nice and great, but you need to make time to pray straight to God. Just you and him. Surrendering yourself to him. Tons of people could be praying for you but if you don’t set the time out to let God take over your body and produce rest and rejuvenation, that asking others to pray for you is just fluff. You don’t have to have a fancy prayer for the Lord, you just need to be still and let the Lord lead your heart. Wake up and spend time with him instead of the snooze button or popping over to get your computer or phone.

Also, I have felt a call to my heart to really look at my prayer for others. So often about a month ago I would find myself saying “I will definitely pray for that” or “I am praying for you” but would get through a day or a week and feel like I haven’t found the time. I feel terrible about it and because it was in my full intentions to pray for them I just never did. Now, if I tell someone I am praying for them I want to set out time to really, dedicate my prayer to them.  I wanted to become more diligent about following through. So I have been trying a couple of new things.

-I found this prayer app on my iPad. It has a whole run down list of prayer so that I can have it all in one place. I can mark when I prayed for it and when God answered it. It’s really helped.

-I have started to text, or write out prayer to others. It helps me really focus my prayer, whether I am sending them directly to the person or just in my journal. Written out, I always seem to be more clear and more intentional. Love this.

-I haven’t started yet,  I want to make some sort of “prayer pail” where people write names on popsicle sticks and pick them up from time to time and pray for who’s name was on the stick.

-I also want to start prayer on my knees more often.

I would love if you have any great prayer tips you want to share. I want to grow in this area. I want to continually turn my heart away from what it normally wants watching tv, or perusing the internet and just spend time in thoughtful prayer and focusing on things from above.

Today’s Challenge :: Take 4 minutes today and make a list of those in your life you want on your prayer list and do it.

Ginaism. You have to put in the work. It’s simple. You have to make the choices. No one else can do it for you. It’s almost embarrassing at the realization you had this morning, but its truth that God put in your brain. Remember how you used to pray & visualize during the national anthem before all of your basketball games? Find that quiet. Pray for what is coming. What’s ahead.  Gina you are such a connector. You want to share and help others so so often. While all of this is great, you really need to slow down and cut out the distractions and spend time quiet time with God. You have set out a want for this in your heart and have been diligent to make it happen the last week and it sets your feet. Psalm 119:105 Choose to be filled up with the words of the LORD. Not the words of approval of the world. Take in and really listen to who God says you are. Choose those thoughts over thoughts of disappointment, not being good enough. Set out 15 minutes of prayer time each day to go through your list. You CAN. YOU CAN. YOU CAN.

It’s that time of year. Yesterday I almost tweeted, “Doomsday has arrived, I had to get the scraper out of the trunk and use it this morning” For my southern friends, that means I had to scrap my car windows because of frost. The cool fall weather has definitely creeped up quickly. While fall is definitely my favorite season, it seems to fly by. I relish in the chai tea, tall boots, warm cider and my north face as long as I can. Yet I am starting to realize my fingers are frozen at the end of sessions and sooner than I might like the (oh please dont’ say it) snow will be here.

So before it becomes unbearable I challenge you to get outside with a warm drink and cuddle underneath a blanket with your loved ones. Make a fort with your lil’ ones. Take a long walk and breath in this air. Physically put into action keeping each other warm and also I challenge you to warm your hearts. Let others love you. Choose to love others even when its hard. Even when that car cuts in front of you, choose to clothe yourself with compassion like we are called to do in Colossians 3:12-14. Choose a fuzzy blanket instead of crabbiness. Because sooner than you know it it will be a different season, outside and in your life.

Choose warmth. I am so so so so so so so so so so  in love with this image. It’s Jamaican me CRAZY!

That I am

I am
I am
The luckiest

The luckiest- Ben Folds (who is a host on one of my favorite shows right now)

Matt I am so incredibly lucky to call you my better half. To have you to laugh and listen with. Thank you for every single thing you do, especially the little things like refilling the ice trays. I want to continue to know you more, to love you more, to experience you in new ways. Thank you for being a patient with me and never making me feel like less during struggles, but lifting me up. You are there to make me laugh and to give me hugs.

Truly. I am the luckiest.