Grow in Faith with My Sun & Shade Ministries – 15 Ways to Shine
My Sun & Shade Ministries is an online platform dedicated to helping Christian women build faith in their hearts and live lives filled with purpose. Through our online resources, we offer 15 ways to instill faith, hope and love, so that you can be inspired by the Word of God, practice the fruits of the Spirit, seek God first, and make a positive impact in your world. Our goal is to help you renew your purpose and live a life of joy and abundance through faith and trust in God.
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Read Your Bible Every Day
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Memorize Scripture
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Study the Bible
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Read a Devotional
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Develop a Prayer Life
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Cultivate Love in Relationships
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Find Joy in Every Day
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Be Patient with Longsuffering
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Be at Peace with God
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Be a Kind and Gentle Woman
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Having a Meek & Quiet Spirit
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Be a Faithful Woman
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Live a Purposeful Life
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Practice Self- Control
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Seek God First in EVERYTHING
1. Read Your Bible Every Day for Wisdom and Understanding of God's Ways.
You cannot overlook this first step when building your faith --you must read your Bible every day in order to grow spiritually strong and have a meaningful Christian life. This intentional action is foundational to your spiritual walk. Discipline yourself to read a few chapters daily and you will begin to see a change within yourself.
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Open your heart.
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Believe what you read.
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Ask for understanding.
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Gain wisdom and understanding.
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Apply Biblical truths to your life.
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Make wise choices.
The word of God is a living source of life, able to divide between your thoughts, motives, and your spirit, giving you direction and lighting your path --thus leading you in the way you should go.
All Scripture is breathed by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV).
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." (Psalm 119:105 KJV).
Ask God to help you make this wise choice of reading your Bible every day, then choose to believe in His power.
2. Make a Habit of Memorizing Scripture and Hiding God's Word in Your Heart.
As you read your Bible, different verses will become more powerful than others and will speak to you in different ways.
Take time to study and understand these Scripture verses. This will help you commit them to memory. One day you may recall certain Bible verses you've memorized, and will be thankful you did.
You may wonder why it is necessary to memorize Scripture when we can search for any Bible reference online at any given moment. The answer may be found in Psalm 119:11, which reads, "Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee."
Hiding God's word in your heart is a sure way to build up your defense and resistance to sin. Search the Bible for specific truths you want written on your hearts. Write these verses down on paper or notecards, then place them strategically around your house, at your desk, or at work. This way, you are bound to come across them throughout the day and can reinforce your memory work.
Ask God to help you discipline your mind in order to retain and memorize his holy word, then begin hiding God's word in your heart.
Visit our FREE Bible Study worksheets that can aid you in memorizing Scripture.
3. Set Aside Special Time to Study the Bible and Meditate on Meaningful Scripture Verses.
Reading your Bible quickly will cause you to forget precious truths left behind in the rush to finish. Adjusting your schedule to allow more time to meditate on truth and memorize Scripture will aid you in many ways and make life more meaningful.
Don't be afraid of re-reading portions of Scripture over and over again. This will build a deposit of truth in your heart and strengthen your inner man, allowing faith to grow and mature.
As you study the Bible, meditate on truth, memorize Scripture, attend church services, and listen to sermons by trusted sources, and treasure of truth will develop in your heart that will bless not only you, but many other lives. You will begin to understand your purpose in life, and noticeably sense the blessings from following God's ways.
Ask God for help in finding time to study the word of God, then remember this request when you suddenly find extra time on your hands.
Visit our FREE Bible Study worksheets that can aid you in learning deeper truths.
4. Read a Devotional or Christian Book that Fuels Your Love for Truth and Righteousness.
Whether it is early in the morning, during a lunch break, or late into the evening --you need to find time to open your favorite devotional or Christian self-help book! There are so many good Christian books for women that renew faith in the Lord!
Remember, the Lord faithfully meets with those who seek to spend time with him. So, make time! This is about sacrificing YOUR time to give to the Lord. It is an offering of yourself. This is what makes it so pleasing to Him. When you choose to make time for Him, you will gain His favor and receive blessings on your life.
You will find there will be days your devotional or Christian book doesn't do anything for you, and on other days it speaks volumes. Don't be discouraged in this, for it is the way of life. When you commit to faithfully devoting time to read, study, memorize or pray, the Lord will bless you with enthusiasm to keep at it.
Something to remember, is to never let other Christian reading material take over the time you should spend reading your Bible. Always, always, always try to read your Bible first before picking up your devotional or other books and devices.
Ask God for wisdom in choosing the right Christian material to read or listen too, and ask Him for help in managing your time wisely.
Visit The READ-PRAY-SING Blog for inspirational blog posts and devotionals.
5. Develop a Fulfilling Prayer Life that Strengthens Your Hope and Trust in the Lord.
Keep prayer at the forefront of your thinking and do not lose hope with unanswered prayer. He promises to hear your prayer from His Holy Hill and will answer you according to His will.
"I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and He heard me out of His Holy Hill." (Psalm 3:4, KJV).
Don't overlook your prayer life. This is a must for any Christian woman. Find time to sit quietly in meditation before the Lord. If your life is too busy for quiet meditation, perhaps it is time for a "schedule re-haul."
Sometimes you will have days where you can't physically sit still and pray for lengths of time. May I suggest praying in the spirit on those days? Your prayers don't have to be audile to be genuine. When life is too busy to sit still, find quiet moments in the car, while working, or making dinner, and lift your thoughts and prayers up to the Lord. Surrender your anxieties and the stresses of the day over to Him, and find peace renewed.
Writing down your prayers is another channel of communication you could entertain. I have found this activity to be a great blessing, and I now have many notebooks full of prayers.
Never lose hope in prayer, and always be objectively looking for answers to your prayers. Sometimes they come in different packages then we had hoped.
Visit the Prayer Journal for Christian women.
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6. Cultivate Love in Your Heart and Inspire Love in Others.
Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God and love your neighbor as yourself. (Mark 12;30-31). Let the love of God flow through your being into all of your relationships. Show the love of God through your words and actions. Forgive others their trespasses and then God can forgive you of your trespasses. As you set your heart to do these things, believe God will give you grace to forgive others. Then, through the power of the Lord, love your enemies and do good to those who hurt you.
Ask the Lord for faith to believe in His power to help you, and be free from the burden of unforgiveness.
Related Blog Post, Let Forgiveness Flow
7. Find Joy in Your Every Day and Become a Woman Filled with Purpose.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say rejoice. (Philippians 4:4 KJV). To be "always rejoicing" is easier said then done sometimes. Especially when things are going opposite the way you had hoped they would go.
When you give thanks to the Lord for ALL things and rejoice before Him always --a supernatural release of divine grace is afforded us! That is because there is so much power behind rejoicing!
When faced with a difficult situation, try rejoicing during your difficulty versus pouting, your faith will only get stronger, and you will be happier. When we rejoice, we are telling ourselves, "I believe in God!" "I trust in the Lord!" and "Nothing will move me!" Exclaiming these proclamations will make our heart happy.
In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you, (1 Thessalonians 5:18, KJV).
Ask God for a heart that rejoices versus a heart that complains, and see how differently you will see the world!
Related Blog Post, My Thankful Project
8. Be at Peace and Enjoy the Life God has Given You.
Training your mind to focus on God instead of the difficulties in your life, is attainable. When this self-discipline is achieved, you can be filled with peace versus dread, worry, or grief. God's word states this in Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”
True peace comes from God. There is nothing in this world that can give us the same peace that comes from our Heavenly Father. This peace from above transcends our understanding and keeps us stable, giving us hope by settling our anxious and hurting heart.
"Be still and know that I Am God." (Psalm 46:10)
Ask the Lord to bless you with the stillness of His spirit, and believe He will give you renewed hope in answered prayer.
Read Prayers for Peace
9. Be Patient and Longsuffering with People by Allowing the Fruits of the Spirit to be Developed in Your Life.
Longsuffering is one of the most difficult fruits of the spirit to become acquainted with. Why? Because it takes a LONG time. You suffer long over an issue, or over a difficult person, or over a heartache. Longsuffering and patience can't be developed in your heart on its own. These fruits of the spirit are developed in one's heart through divine enablement, and long stretches of time functioning under the anointing of grace. The Lord pours out grace to individuals who find His favor. Are you one that finds the favor of the Lord? He blesses those who are upright in conduct, who don't talk badly about people, and who honor people who serve the Lord.
Read Psalm 15 and find a list of attributes the Lord finds pleasing in His people. Those who do the things listed in this chapter of the Old Testament will find the favor and blessing of the Lord. Note: This is a good chapter to commit to memory!
"May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy." (Colossians 1:11, KJV).
The Lord can empower us with patience if we exercise our faith today and believe he can help us! Ask Him to develop these fruits of the spirit in your life.
10. Be a Kind and Gentle Woman, Preferring Others Before Yourself, and Receiving Favor from the Lord.
We can agree to disagree about anything with anyone if we show kindness. It takes a great deal of humility and courage to be kind to others especially in the face of offensive behavior. Note: showing courtesy towards someone is not a weakness, it is being a vessel of God’s love towards another person.
Below are a few verses on the thought of "kindness."
"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ Jesus has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:22 KJV).
"Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy." (Mathew 5:7 KJV).
"To speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people." (Titus 3:2 NIV).
Faith is evident in an individual who has this special gift of gentleness. What better way to build your own faith, but by expressing gentleness to others instead of anger, criticism or hatred.
It takes a great woman to overlook an offensive matter, but if she does, she will cover a multitude of sin. Ask the Lord to give you grace to show kindness in the face of hostility.
Related Blog Post, I Choose Mercy.
11. Pray for a Meek and Quiet Spirit Which is of Great Worth in God's Sight.
When meekness is developed in the heart of a woman, she experiences the peaceful stillness of a heart that is at rest with God. Meekness is a calm confidence, a settled assurance, a total reliance and trust in God.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV).
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path." (Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV).
"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. 4 Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. 5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves." (1 Peter 3:3-5 NIV).
Humbly acknowledge the Lord at the start of each new day, and ask Him to help you have a calm, confident assurance as you place your complete trust in Him.
12. Live Each Day Full of Purpose, Answer God's Call on Your Life, and Minister to Others.
Accepting who you are in Christ is the first step to understanding God's call on your life. Understanding your purpose and call comes after you accept your "lot" in life. Christian women are called to certain tasks as laid out in Scripture and God pours out a special grace for women to fulfill their God-given roles.
Christian women have been appointed to minister. How are you fulfilling this role in your life today? Our God-given role of ministry could be to husbands, families, children, aging parents, schools, co-workers, or church community, each woman should embrace their "ministry" calling as ordained by God.
Find purpose is doing the mundane tasks that cross your path: making meals, grocery shopping, doing the laundry, washing the dishes, cleaning the house.
Find purpose in good works as they present themselves: giving a hug, remembering someone's birthday, calling a friend, sending a text message, making a meal.
Find purpose in ministering to others with your gifting: teaching, playing an instrument, leading youth groups, making meals, sewing, serving, singing, praying, being faithful to attend church services.
Ask God for grace to walk in this faith everyday, believe in your God-given role as a Christian women, and begin ministering to others today.
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13. Be a Faithful Woman in Every Area of Your Life, and Reap the Rewards of a Faithful Spirit.
All of us are called to be faithful followers of Christ, and we can express His character by being faithful in whatever we are given to do. Whether big or small matters, the Lord is always watching and is blessed when we are faithful over all our duties. May our God find us faithfully doing good works when His eyes search the earth for those who love Him.
It is often hard to find a faithful church member. This is something I can speak from experience as I have attended church faithfully for 40 years. If you belong to a church and are apart of a congregation, I encourage you to attend all services and functions. We are admonished not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together:
Hebrews 10:25 says, “… not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”
"A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished." (Proverbs 28:20).
God's word says we will abound in blessings for being faithful in what we set out to do. May we apply this heart attribute to all areas of our life!
Ask God to help you see areas in your life where you lack in faithfulness, then pray for a faithful spirit so you can receive blessings from heaven in this lifetime.
14. Practice Self-Control and Overcome Bad Habits that Steal Our Peace and Open Us Up to Depression.
Self-control is a mark of a great person. Why? For this person believes God is at the helm of their life and nothing can move them. This self-controlled person is anchored to God himself through strong chords of unseen faith.
2 Peter 1:5-7 says, "For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love."
Overcome bad habits of doubt by trusting in the Lord. This will build your faith like nothing else can. When the spirit of the Lord gives you grace to maintain discipline, He will give you power to overcome.
"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." (2 Timothy 1:7 KJV).
Ask God to give you grace to break free from habits that have a negative effect on your life, believe in His power, and make this a matter of prayer.
15. Seek God First in EVERYTHING, and ALL these Things Will Be Added Unto You.
"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33 KJV).
This very popular verse is important because of two things: the first being, we are to SEEK Him first -NOT Google first, but God first. When we turn to God first, He will turn to us. God promises to add so many things to our life IF you seek Him first. So, break the bad habit of searching for answers online and go to God first and foremost for His thoughts on any matter.
His Holy Word can be the source of all life for each one of us every day. Sometimes, Scripture can't specifically answer a question, but Scripture points to the one who knows all things: Jesus Christ.
"Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:14-16 KJV).
Dear friend, if you are looking for answers, or have a desire to build your faith, look no more. Seek God and His righteousness first, He is faithful to meet with all who call upon His name. You will find He is gracious, slow to anger, and full of mercy. If a stronger faith is what you are seeking, He will provide. Trust in Him and let Him be your God.
Ask God for help in this area of self-discipline, and seek God first in every matter. Break the modern habit of searching our smart phones for answers, it only brings distress and anxiety. Go boldly to the throne of God, asking for help in your time of need.
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The Transforming Power of Faith
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From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD'S name should be praised, Psalm 113:3.