As we finish our month of Fighting for Rest (and it sure has been a fight for some of us) I wanted to share some of the habits - holy habits - that different people in our church implement into our daily, weekly and monthly routines.Even though categories over-lap, I split them up since we have talked about them as separate habits throughout the preaching series. Take a look and experiment. Mix and Match. See what works.

But as I said throughout the whole series, don’t be afraid of discipline. It is a discipline to rest in all that Jesus purchased for us. It is a disacipline to remind ourselves that we have nothing to prove. It is a discipline to cast -- and keep casting - our anxieties onto God. It is is a discipline to fast from the things - food, noise, busyness -- that tend to distract us. And it is even a discipline to celebrate the heavenly party we have been invited into.

“Grace is not opposed to effort. Grace is opposed to earning, but it is not opposed to effort.” - Dallas Willard.

SCRIPTURE READING IDEAS:

1. Try reading through the books of the bible, one at a time

    a. Do an Old Testament book first, then a New Testament book

    b. Read for 15 minutes

    c. Then re-read  that same section of scripture and this time make notations of the things that stick out

    d. Then read over those observations and this time pray about what they mean to you 

2. Use a bible reading plan on the You Version Bible app

3. Get a devotional plan from the You Version Bible app.

SOLITUDE, STILLNESS AND SILENCE IDEAS:

1. Get time alone in the car to read scripture and to pray

2. Use your time in the shower. Read some scripture before jumping in the shower and then pray about what you read; then pray for your daily needs; then give thanks for all God has done. As one person said, “the shower is the only place I know I won’t be disturbed by family.”

3. Use the garage, as one person does.

4. Use the shed.

5. Go for a walk in the morning or in the evening. 

6. Before asking for anything, start your prayer time by meditating on one character aspect of God, like: 

    a. God is sovereign and in control of all things

    b. God is love

    c. God works all things together for good

    d. God is healer

7. As things pop in your mind, things you have to do, don’t get frustrated; just write them down on a notepad and go back to meditating

    a. One person said she uses her Alexa (“Alexa, remind me to do __ later on.”) Then she goes back to meditating

IDEAS FOR CASTING AWAY ANXIETIES:

1. Write down your anxieties. Journal them out until you can identify the specific things you are worried about, anxious about. Then say to God:

     a. “Here, I’m giving this to you. I’m asking you to do ___ (heal this, change that, provide for x).”

     b. “Is there anything for me to do?

     c. If there is something for you to do, do it. If not, move on and trust God. Either way, the results are in his hands. **Repeat as necessary whenever your soul starts to ding-ding-ding with anxiety or worry or frustration.

2. Rebuke Satan: “Satan, I’m not allowing you to steal my joy with this uncertainty. God is in control. I will be present today. I will still rejoice in God's goodness. I will still praise God. I will still love people.” Turn on a worship song and choose to sing it out loud, a song that celebrates the character of God.

3. When the check-engine-lights of your soul start to go off, pause. Don’t respond to that email or text right away; don’t respond to the person who ticked you off. Don’t jump on google right away. Pause. Step outside your office. Go for a walk. Go to the bathroom. Do whatever you need to do in order to pause and ask God, “Why am I so anxious about this? Why does this bother me? Why am I so mad? What am I not trusting you with?”

FASTING IDEAS:

1. Consider doing a weekly fast with others in our church on Thursdays (fasting one or two main meals) and using that time to pray for the needs in our church (email April@truelifenj.com to get on the list).

2. Consider doing a monthly 2-day fast.

3. While fasting, ask God to use your physical hunger to stir your spiritual hunger for Him (“as hungry as I am right now for physical food, I’m more hungry for YOU! As much as I depend on food for physical strength, I'm more dependent on YOU for spiritual strength and wisdom and breakthrough"). 

4. Drink lemon water throughout the day while fasting to help with blood sugar and to flush out toxins.

5. Join Christine Aylett’s new 6-week life group on Fasting (Thursday nights starting Feb. 28th).

CELEBRATION IDEAS:

1. Start your day making a list of things you are thankful for. Be specific. Mention things from the past day, past week, past month, past year.

2. At every meal, use your food and drink to point you upward to God as:

    a. Provider: Just like he is providing sustenance for my body through this food, so he will provide for my other needs tomorrow

    b. Source of Joy: Just like he is giving me joy through the taste of the food and drink, so he will continually fill me with the joy and peace of His Spirit.

3. When doing a hobby or sport that you enjoy, let it point you upward to God. It is a temporary taste of what we will one day experience in the new heavens and new earth. 

4. Take a Sabbath. Use your day off to reflect on how you have nothing to prove, how good God has been to you. Use your day off to do things that point your heart upward to God. Be un-productive as a way of worshipping God. 

5. Pray continually, "God, help me to see you in your creation. Help me to see you on this hike, in this sunset, in this ocean. Help me to see you in these animals. Help me to see you in these people I will be with." 

6. Enjoy art. Art brings out the beauty of creation. It reflects the artistic gifts of the human artist, but it also can point our hearts beyond the human artist to the Ultimate Artist that created all things. 

**Feel free to add comments below and share some of the holy habits that help you rest in God's grace!