My faith journey has been anything but conventionalāand FAR from perfect.
A little backstory: I attended an Adventist private school until sixth grade but never actively practiced faith at home. I didnāt really question the difference at the timeāpraying and worshiping at lunchtime, but not at home. Iām incredibly grateful for the foundation set and the biblical stories that were ingrained in me at a young age. However, my personal relationship with God didnāt develop until I was in high schoolāand then again after college (but thatās a story for another timeā¦ How I regained my faith).
In high school, I had the privilege of attending youth group on weeknights, church camp in the summer, and, most importantly, mission trips to Ensenada, Mexico, and Napoli, Italy. I will forever be grateful for these experiencesāthey gave me a deeper understanding of the importance of community and expanded my worldview at a young age (I believe traveling is key to developing an open mind!). āļø
Iāll share more of my faith journey in detail at another time, but as I transitioned from high school to college, my faith was a little shaky (as I think it is for many 18-20-year-olds). In those first few years of college, I was the ālost sheep,ā feeling further and further away from Godāeven while sitting through Sunday morning services hungover (Oh, how I donāt miss that feeling!). I remember thinking: How could I ever build a relationship with God?
Now, Iām no expert on faith, and I donāt have a secret formula for drawing closer to God. But I can share my personal testimonyāa journey full of time, failure, and grace. My hope and prayer is that you can develop your own personal relationship with Himāone thatās beautiful, messy, and full of unconditional love. ā¤ļøāš©¹
Here are some of the habits that helped me along the way, and if I could go back, I would have implemented them sooner.
Prioritize God Above All Things āš¼
This may sound simple, and it isābut weāre the ones who make it complicated. Looking back, I struggled with idolatry in ways I didnāt even realize at the time. (No, not golden statues on a shrine like in Old Testament times, but idols nonetheless). I placed different things above and before Godāsocial media, partying, sleep, and even other people. š«
Itās strange to think of these things as idols, but when I reflect on it, I often prioritized them over my relationship with God. Iād scroll endlessly through social media, spending hours without touching my Bible. Iād go out partying all weekend, missing church time and time again, or Iād follow someoneās advice without ever consulting God. No wonder I felt lost!
When I shifted my focus and began putting God first, my life changed for the better. I started a morning devotional and read parts of the Bible each dayāit set my mornings on the right path. I prayed more often, growing more comfortable talking with God. I began attending church weekly, eagerly anticipating what I would learn. It wasnāt easy, and Iām still not perfect, but it makes all the difference.
Pray Often; for the Good, the Bad, the Little, and the Big šš»
Again, it sounds simple, right? But my perfectionism made this harder than it seemed. How do you pray? What if I say the wrong thing? What do I even talk about? I didnāt want to sound needyā¦
Prayer was actually the key to growing my relationship with God. I remember hearing that I should thank God for everything I had as if it could be gone tomorrow. So, I started smallāthanking God for waking me up, for my legs, for the sunshine through my window. Slowly, I started thanking Him for bigger thingsāmy home, my strong marriage, my daughter.
I came to realize that God isnāt grading me on my prayersāHeās just excited to hear from me. Heās excited to hear from you, too.
God is as much our friend as He is our Father, so I talk to Him like a conversation. I update Him on my life (even though He already knows), praise Him for the good things, and cry to Him when things are tough. Just like any relationship, including my marriage, it strengthens when we grow together in the valleysānot just when weāre celebrating on the mountaintops. ā°ļø
Change Your Input; Listen to Sermons, Podcasts, and Worship Music š§
What you take ināwhat you see, hear, and readāaffects where you go in life. It eventually shapes your destiny. Whether it was the music I listened to, the scary movies I used to watch, or the negativity I consumed on social media, it all influenced who I was becoming.
While I donāt regret my past (because it made me who I am today), if I could talk to my younger self, Iād tell her about the power of input. Example A: I used to watch paranormal horror movies at night and didnāt realize how they affected my mind. š¤¦š»
Once I learned the importance of guarding my input, I saw my life shift dramatically. I became more positive, my associations improved, and I felt happier as I started progressing rather than staying stuck. I started listening to sermons and podcasts by my favorite pastor, Joyce Meyer, and playing worship music instead of my usual 90s/2000s R&B/Hip-Hop (donāt worry, I still enjoy it, just not all the time!). The change in my input made a huge differenceāit was like switching from junk food to nourishing meals for my soul.
Start a Devotional š
Before I started a morning routine, I would wake up to my alarm, groggily get dressed, and either go to the gym hungover or rush to class. My āroutineā was basically nonexistent, and I let my emotions dictate my morningsāunless I had somewhere important to be.
Funny enough, I actually love routine. Give me all the color-coded planners and listsāIām organized and thrive on structure (My husband has a love-hate relationship with this, trust me!). When I finally embraced the power of a morning routine, it changed my life. I needed something to guide me and set my day on the right track. š
Starting a devotional book was the perfect solutionāit wasnāt overwhelming, and it helped me focus. Not only did it give me direction, but it also taught me how to pray. After finishing my first devotional, I felt so accomplished. Iāve since found many more to complete, and Iām so grateful I can now pass this knowledge forward by creating my own devotional Ebook.
š” If you’re looking for a simple way to start prioritizing God daily, my 21-Day devotional ebook is designed to help! It’s filled with scripture, reflections, and guided prayers to bring you closer to Him. [Learn more about it here!]
I hope these ideas inspire you to implement some of these habits in your life. Please donāt feel like you need to match my faith journeyāIām still learning, and so are you. Your walk with God is personal, and everything will fall into place in His perfect timing.
Comment below and let me know what you want to start implementing, or how this post inspired youāIād love to hear from you! And if you ever want to chat or ask questions, Iām an open book! Feel free to email me by opting in below. š
And remember: you are worthy, important, and so deeply loved by our Father God. š¤
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