Discover the Best Spiritual Habits to Shine Your Light and Empower Your Life
Develop Good Habits for Spiritual Growth
My Sun & Shade Ministries seeks to encourage and equip believers to develop good habits consistent with spiritual growth and development. Our mission is to help people connect with God in a real and personal way, by reminding them that He is the source of all their strength and joy.
Resources and Tools to Build Faith and Gain Knowledge of God's Ways
We offer a wide range of spiritual resources to help believers grow in their faith and equip them with the tools and knowledge they need to develop their relationship with God. Through our personal blog posts, prayers, articles, encouragement, and Christian lifestyle tips, we strive to help individuals find peace and strength in the Lord.
The Blessings from Spending Time in God's Word
My Sun & Shade Ministries is here to encourage you to develop a daily routine that is devoted to spending time in God's word and in prayer. Whether you are free in the morning versus the evening, it doesn't matter, just find a good time that works for you. Only remember, this new routine is more than just getting up early and making a cup of coffee - it's about setting yourself up for a rewarding spiritual journey. We'll teach you the best practices and tools to help you establish a daily routine of reading your Bible, praying, and rejoicing before the Lord, that will leave you feeling energized, productive, and ready to take on the day. Why? Because God's spirit will be at work within you, revitalizing you, renewing you, and helping you regain lost ground. We believe in the importance of starting your day right and strive to provide you with the resources and support you need to create a morning routine that works for you. But, if you find that your free time is in the evening, then, by all means, apply these principles to that time frame. Maybe both times of day work for your life, if that is the case, then more power to you! There was a time in my life I was able to faithfully give both the morning and evening sacrifice of my time to the Lord, and some days I still do.
Bringing the Truth of God's Word into Focus
It is a honor and pleasure to spend time with the Lord, He has abundantly blessed me with His presence repeatedly, and has blessed my days. Now, my prayer is that you too will grow in wisdom and understanding as you read Scripture, and your spirit will become alive as you pray, and emotional hang ups will fall to the wayside as you sing and rejoice before the Lord! Just as I have experienced. This is the reason why I am sharing these truths with you today. So, you too will be blessed.
Best Practices for Daily Spiritual Care
1. Experience God's Word in New Ways: Read Your Bible Every Day.
Read your Bible every morning to develop a sensitivity to the Word of God. You will develop a heightened sense of what is pleasing to the Lord and He will begin to speak to your heart.
A deeper sense of what God has purposed for your life will become evident as you read the word of God on a daily basis. God's word says that "rest" comes to those who open their heart to hear Him, listen to what He is speaking, and then faithfully obeying to what He has spoken. Dear Friend, listen to what He is speaking to you on this day, then apply those things to your life and reap the benefits of His holy direction.
For a deeper look into this study, I suggest reading this blog post, "3 Things Every Christian Should Do Each Day." In this blog post I dive into the reasons why these "3 Things" are so important to us as Christians. Some people call themselves a Christian and they don't even practice Christianity. So, if you have read this article thus far, you may be very interested in the stories I share that go along with these three practices.
Find a Bible Reading Plan that Works Best for You. A simple search online will give you countless reading plan ideas and printouts you can customize for your schedule. Pick a plan that will help you know where to start. Then, set aside a specific time each day and stick to it. Mornings are the best time, but feel free to use any time that works consistently for your schedule. Read the Bible for the sake of being enlightened, not just for the sake of staying on track with your Bible reading schedule. You may find that you will want to reread a portion of Scripture the next day instead of moving on with your schedule. One great tip, is to pray before you begin, ask the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom and understanding, and then be refreshed in your spirit as you read the anointed words!
Personally, I try to read 2-3 chapters in my Bible a day. Sometimes I only get through 1 chapter if it is a busy morning, or if the Lord is speaking something important to me through the words. Then, I stop and meditate on what the Lord is stirring in my spirit. I love those moments with the Lord, and treasure the times He speaks to me through His written word. Not a day of my life goes by that I do not read and meditate on Scripture.
2. Experience a Rewarding Spiritual Life: Pray Every Day.
Pray daily to increase faith, making a habit of casting all your cares and concerns on the Lord. He cares for you and wants you to trust in Him.
Prayer is your bridge of communication with God and adjusting your daily routine to include time to pray is something that should be of utmost importance to a Christian's life. Especially to people who are in ministry.
-
Prayer is a time where we praise Him for what He has done in our lives, and for Who He is.
-
Prayer is a time where we ask the Lord for forgiveness for our sins and ask Him for help to forgive others.
-
Prayer is a time where we ask the Lord for strength so we don't fall into temptation.
-
Prayer is a time where we make our requests known before God and receive assurance of His listening ear.
Dear Friend, do not overlook this most blessed time with our Savior. Your time is very important, I know, mine is too, and, I don't have much free time as it is. But, I find when I make time to pray, the Lord blesses me with more free time. Somehow, meeting with the Lord in prayer, lifts my spirit in such a way that it causes me to rise above emotional struggles that weigh me down and helps me soar through my day with flying colors. Then, at the end of my day, I can't believe how much I've completed successfully, and how much more free time I have.
I suggest reading my blog post, "The Best Advice Ever." for more insight into developing a prayer life.
3. Experience Freedom of Life and Be Set Free From Bondages: Sing and Rejoice Every Day.
Sing to the Lord and magnify His name with praises. As you rejoice before Him, center your thoughts on Him, and He will give you the oil of joy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
Scripture emphasizes the Lord's desire to hear you worship and praise Him, and this means lifting up your voice in song. When you sing to the Lord, focus on Him and not on your lack or ability. Try humming while you work around the house, or lift up your voice while you are in the car alone. Make use of the moments you can let your spirit freely worship the Lord and praise Him who is most worthy to be praised! The Lord draws near to those who praise Him and He will draw near to you too!