Courtnaye Richard
Staying Connected to God When Life Gets Busy
(Photo Credit: Canva)
I know that with the rat race of life, sometimes it can be tough to stay connected to God’s Word on a consistent basis. With the demands of work, trainings, family, chores, church responsibilities, issues of life, and the overload of online information these days, it’s easy to unintentionally begin placing God on the back burner of our busy lives.
I know this from experience because I’ve had times when I have been so engulfed with my work or a special project, that I literally asked God for a “rain check” on spending time with Him. I know that sounds crazy! Right?! But it happened and I'm not proud of it.
I mean think about it. Putting the God of our universe on hold while I’m trying to fulfill His purpose for my life? It's insane! I know. But sis, think again. Have you ever done this before? Have you ever been too busy for God?
If so, thank God He’s a loving and forgiving Father. But guess what? We have to know that this type of attitude (i.e., “mindset”) does not sit well with Him. And why? Because He longs to spend time with us. I think it's fair to say that His love language is definitely "quality time."
So if we're allowing our busy lives to crowd out this precious time with our heavenly Father, we really need to reassess our lives and realign it with what's most important. And that's spending time with Him in prayer and in His Word. That's how we get to know Him better, be instructed and encouraged, and learn how to serve, evangelize, disciple, and live.
We simply cannot afford not to be in God's Word today. With everything happening in our world around us and even in our churches (the decline, tolerance, and growing apostasy), we have to fight to stay connected to the Vine to stand strong, persevere, and continue maturing in our faith until Christ returns for us or calls us home.
For me personally, there is no way I could do what I do or handle the trials of my life without the Lord or without having a consistent diet of prayer and His Word. I talk to Him everyday. Honestly, I wouldn’t be able to respond the right way, live in a way that pleases Him, nor minister (serve) effectively without Him. I love what King David said in Psalm 119:11, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (NLT) Amen!
Now, with all of this being said, before I close this post, I would like to share a few quick tips that can help you stay connected to God’s Word daily:
- Download a Bible App on your phone (i.e., YouVersion, etc.).
- Purchase or bring a small Bible with you wherever you go (keep one in your car, by your bedside, or in your purse).
- Type up or purchase some Scripture cards to keep around you (intentionally read them before you start your day, during lunch or break time, or before going to bed).
- Research or Google search a list of Bible verses in the area and in this season, where you feel the need for personal growth (i.e., overcoming fear or anxiety, sexually immoral thoughts, gossip, servant leadership, giving, controlling anger, etc.).
- Watch Christian films or YouTube videos to teach and encourage you.
- Screenshot encouraging or life-changing Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter quotes or verses that stand out to you and either write them out in your personal journal or go back to them later when you need them.
We need the Word, sis.
I want to encourage you that anything that we face today, there is an answer for it in the Bible. We just have to search the Scriptures and trust that God will give us the answers for our circumstances or needs (read Philippians 4:19). The next step would be to follow through on its instruction. Joshua 1:8 says, “Study this Book of instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.” (NLT) This Word still holds true today. Obedience is key.
Another verse that I love that helps me in keeping God first in my day and life is Matthew 6:33 and it says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
If you already have time carved out in your day for spending time in God’s Word, that's awesome! I love it! Continue in His Word and stand firm at all costs until the end. However, if you find yourself struggling in this area by being too busy to spend unhurried time with the Lord, examine your life and schedule, and begin making this time a new priority in your life. I know you can do it! ;-)
If you do this, I strongly believe that it will not only change your life, but others around you. Connect to God today, sis. Trust me. You'll be so glad that you did!
Remember, Jesus is coming back soon! And those who endure unto the end shall be saved. So let’s be ready from the Inside Out!
~Courtnaye
QUESTION: Are you struggling to stay connected to God's Word in today's busy culture? Let me know. Also if you need prayer, email me directly at insideoutwithcourtnaye@gmail.com.
Check out my audio message on "3 Strategies for Studying God's Word" here. For more resources or to book me for your next LIVE or virtual women's conference, visit www.courtnayerichard.com TODAY!
*If this post has blessed you or ministered to you, please leave a comment below and feel free to share it with others. Thanks so much! And if you haven't subscribed to my email list to receive my blog posts on Mondays, please subscribe below. ;-)
SUBSCRIBE HERE TO RECEIVE MY BLOG EVERY MONDAY!
*ORDER YOUR COPY OF MY NEW 52 WEEK DEVOTIONAL
WITH STUDY GUIDE TODAY!
*Grab my latest book today! Visit www.courtnayerichard.com or Amazon to order! Thanks!
Courtnaye Richard is the founder of Inside Out with Courtnaye, a ministry that helps women grow in their walk with Christ from the heart and equips them to fulfill their God-given purpose. She is also the author of the book, IDENTIFIED: Knowing Who You Are in Christ and Moving Forward in Your Purpose. Courtnaye is married with three beautiful children and is a contributing writer for ibelieve.com, Women’s Ministry Tools, speaker of a host of women’s conferences, and her blog reaches thousands of women across the globe. She resides in the beautiful Texas Hill Country (outside of Austin, Texas).
Staying Focused On Your Own Lane
(Photo Credit: Canva)
Hey there! I am so glad that you clicked onto this post. Get ready to sit back, buckle up, and enjoy this encouraging ride. Are you ready? I hope you said or thought, “Of course! That’s why I clicked on, Courtnaye. Let's go!”
I love it!
Okay, well then, my response to that thought or statement would be, “I'm with you, Sister!" Because guess what? It’s time for you to stay focused on your own lane as you step out to do what God is calling you to do. Now, let's dive in a little more.
Think about when you’re driving your car or truck, you’ve got to stay focused on your lane, right? Either that or you could risk veering over without much attention and getting hurt (or hurting others in the process). Well, it’s the same way as it relates to your purpose. If you step out of your lane and start focusing on what everyone else is doing around you, you can run the risk of getting hurt, emotionally.
How many times have you maybe found yourself looking at other people's lives around you or on social media platforms while thinking to yourself, "I would love to be doing that." Or "How do I get where she is?" Or how about just pausing there for a little too long while suddenly finding yourself getting a little jealous, sad, hopeless, discouraged, or feeling inadequate? Ever been there before?
I have been there!
For me personally, I have to admit (regarding my industry), I've found myself saying, “It’s like a crowded highway. It looks like a lot of us are doing either the same thing or something quite similar.” It just seems jam-packed! I would say, "The Social Media Highway is super crowded right now."
In addition, I know some of us have even compared ourselves one to another with heart-thoughts like, “Lord, why is it taking me so long to get where she is?” And “I don’t have as many followers as her. Will anyone consider me for opportunities based on these social media numbers?”
And I’ve had thoughts like, “Father, it seems like we’re all saying the same thing. Is anyone even paying attention anymore? I feel like many of us are posting the same things, competing for the same audiences, and preaching to the choir.” That was me losing focus.
But God and in His amazing love for me began showing me that I needed to stay focused on my own lane. That I needed to simply trust Him to open doors and opportunities according to His will and plan for my life (which He definitely has). He was showing me that I didn’t need to compare myself to others or be concerned with whether or not the work that I was doing was effective. He just wanted me to focus on what He entrusted me to do and not compare myself to others and He wants the same for you, sis.
One of the passages of Scripture that I absolutely LOVE and has helped me to stay focused on my own lane as I do what God has called me to do is found 1 Corinthians 3:1-7. Starting at verse 4 the apostle Paul states, “When one of you says, ‘I am a follower of Paul,’ and another of you says, ‘I am a follower of Apollos,’ aren’t you acting just like the people of the world.” Ouch! Comparison alert!
He goes on to say in verse 6, “After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.” BOOM! Mic drop!
Paul isn’t finished. He continues in verse 7, “It’s not important who does the planting or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.” And here’s the punchline in verse 8, “The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.” Yes!!!!
Listen. Here’s the truth, sis. We’re all doing our part on this Christian journey. All of us have a calling. And as Christians, it’s important to know that we’re all on the same team. We’re all in this together. We’re all about doing what God has called us to do. But it takes focusing on Him and our own mission, while not being lured into the sneaky game of comparison.
So, if God has called you to be a wife, be the best wife that you can to your husband. If God has called you to be a mother, be the best mother that you can be to your children. If God has called you to be a stay-at-home mom, administrator, nurse, teacher, evangelist, writer, speaker, leader, or entrepreneur, be the best that you can be.
Know that God has made you different. Unique. Special. Valuable. So, just be you, my sister. Remember, stay focused on your own lane and enjoy the ride!
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
~Ephesians 2:10
Remember, Jesus is coming back soon! And those who endure unto the end shall be saved. So let’s be ready from the Inside Out!
~Courtnaye
BONUS: Watch my short video message on "Staying Focused On Your Own Lane."
Question: Are you riding in your own lane right now or starting to veer off? Let me know by emailing me directly at insideoutwithcourtnaye@gmail.com. Also, if you need prayer, let me know and I'll pray for you, too.
*If this post has blessed you or ministered to you, please share it with others. Thanks so much! And if you haven't subscribed to my email list to receive my blog posts on Mondays, please subscribe below. ;-)
Also, discover more resources from my ministry and find out more information about upcoming events and booking for your next conference or event by visiting www.courtnayerichard.com. Let's connect and let me know how this post ministered to you today!
SUBSCRIBE HERE TO RECEIVE MY BLOG EVERY MONDAY!
*ORDER YOUR COPY OF MY NEW 52 WEEK DEVOTIONAL
WITH STUDY GUIDE TODAY!
*Grab my latest book today! Visit www.courtnayerichard.com or Amazon to order! Thanks!
Courtnaye Richard is the founder of Inside Out with Courtnaye, a ministry that helps women grow in their walk with Christ from the heart and equips them to fulfill their God-given purpose. She is also the author of the book, IDENTIFIED: Knowing Who You Are in Christ and Moving Forward in Your Purpose. Courtnaye is married with three beautiful children and is a contributing writer for ibelieve.com, Women’s Ministry Tools, speaker of a host of women’s conferences, and her blog reaches thousands of women across the globe. She resides in the beautiful Texas Hill Country (outside of Austin, Texas).
Diving Deeper in God
Photo Credit: Canva
I want to start off by asking you a few quick questions. How is your walk with God? Are you close to Him right now or do you feel like you are drifting a bit? Do you want to dive deeper into your relationship and knowledge of God? Would you like to learn more about Scripture and how to grow in your calling? If so, let’s talk about how to dive deeper in God in this season and beyond (and I'm giving you a FREE access pass to the DIVE Conference that happened earlier last month - get pass below).
Now, I know what it’s like to hunger and thirst for more of God. Lately, I’ve been very busy doing all-the-things, but I have to say that my quiet time with God has been quick moments in the Word and then suddenly having to dash off to check emails, post and respond to social media posts, meetings, and taking care of the needs of my husband, children, home, business, and ministry responsibilities for my local church.
While all of these things are a part of life, I still long to dive deeper in reading the Bible unhurried. I desire to dive deeper in reading the books on my shelves that will help me go deeper in the knowledge of God, but also grow spiritually, personally, and vocationally.
I also want to pray without having to get sidetracked, thinking about adding one more thing to my list of things to do before I forget it. I want to put on some worship music loud when no one is home and dance like David danced. And I want to have time to watch movies and video teachings that feed my soul.
As I write this, I’m reminded and feel just like King David when he was in the wilderness of Judah. Psalm 63:1 says, “O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!”
This is how I feel, but what about you? If you could dive deeper in your personal walk with God this week, how deep would you like to go? Think about it for a moment and maybe journal it or write it down on a piece of paper. You might even want to talk it out into a voice recorder (sort of like an audio journal). I have to say, lately, I’ve been recording mine because I haven’t had a lot of time to sit down quietly to write it out. But the voice recorder works!
After you’ve thought about it, written it down, or spoken it, act upon it. Begin making the changes necessary to dive deeper in God and grow spiritually and your calling. Implement new systems to draw closer to God if you have to, especially if you feel yourself beginning to drift or fall away. Hebrews 2:1 urges, “Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away.” I tend to say, “Watch the drift. Find your way back to the shore.”
This week, I want to encourage you to dive deeper into the Word of God, prayer, worship, and being still before the Lord for knowledge, provision, wisdom, and peace. And I'll do the same. I also want to encourage you to pay closer attention to your walk and relationship with God, while staying close to the Vine as Jesus instructs. Truth is, the Lord longs to spend time with us. So let’s continue to long to spend time with Him. I think this is a good verse to close out on found in Psalm 143:6, “I stretch out my hands to You; my soul longs for You, as a parched land. Selah.” Dive deep, Sister.
Remember, Jesus is coming back soon! And those who endure unto the end shall be saved. So let’s be ready from the Inside Out! ~Courtnaye
Question: Again, if you could go deeper in God this week, what would that look like for you?
HAPPENINGS:
If you missed the DIVE Conference, it’s okay. I’ve opened it up for a FREE week for viewing for you! That’s right, Sis. For One Week Only. So if you’re interested in getting access to the whole virtual conference (11 speakers with 12 life-changing messages), then go to www.diveconference.com, scroll to the bottom to FREE ACCESS and use the codes for Day 1: dive444 and Day 2: deep444. I pray that you’ll take advantage of it! Also, if you could give a testimonial after you experience the conference, that would be great as well! Thanks Sis! It's time to DIVE in deeper in God!
Also, discover more resources from my ministry and find out more information about upcoming events and booking for your next conference or event by visiting www.courtnayerichard.com. Let's connect and let me know how this post ministered to you today!
SUBSCRIBE HERE TO RECEIVE MY BLOG EVERY MONDAY AT 7:30AM
*ORDER YOUR COPY OF MY NEW 52 WEEK DEVOTIONAL
WITH STUDY GUIDE TODAY!
*Grab my NEW book today! Visit www.courtnayerichard.com or Amazon to order! Thanks!
Courtnaye Richard is the founder of Inside Out with Courtnaye, a ministry that helps women grow in their walk with Christ from the heart and equips them to fulfill their God-given purpose. She is also the author of the book, IDENTIFIED: Knowing Who You Are in Christ and Moving Forward in Your Purpose. Courtnaye is married with three beautiful children and is a contributing writer for ibelieve.com, Women’s Ministry Tools, speaker of a host of women’s conferences, and her blog reaches thousands of women across the globe. She resides in the beautiful Texas Hill Country (outside of Austin, Texas).
