An Avenue of Change

If you read my last post, I imagine that you are here because you have admitted that something isn’t working. That’s a big step to take, and I want to acknowledge that you should feel proud for being open to making a pivot. I hope that this post helps you to identify an avenue of change – the Re. in your Re.defined.

I began writing this post in categories but the more I wrote, the more I realized that these activities are most effective when intertwined. A big part of finding your Re. is connecting dots/patterns/habits and finding ways to integrate thoughts, emotions, and actions to best support change. I have included a list of Re. words at the bottom of the post that you might connect with. If one pops out, I encourage you to use the elements below to help you move forward.

You need to see – perspective. You need to act – process. You need to reflect – progress.

Prayer – Invite God into your journey. He will fully love you and be fully for you. He truly is all things to all people: whatever you need, He can supply it. Ask Him. Tell Him. Listen to Him. There is nothing that He cannot handle, and there is nothing that He is not interested in. If you aren’t sure what to say, start with “Jesus, I ask You to help me make a change.” It’s as simple as that. The more that you pray to Him, the more natural it will feel. No formalities are needed, but you can speak to Him however you are comfortable. Just know that He wants a relationship with you and relationships are built through communication.

Scripture – Everything that you need to hear can be found in scripture. It will speak to you if you allow it. There are lots of wonderful study guides and devotionals that can help you to read through the Bible and discover scripture on certain topics, but don’t be afraid to just open your Bible and read. I personally love to recommend Romans and the collection of letters that follow it if you are just starting out, but all scripture is good scripture. I highly suggest writing scripture in your journal, and I often personalize it by changing the pronouns so that it is addressing me directly.

Journal – As you pray and read scripture, write down what God reveals to you. As you write down your thoughts and feelings, pray over your words, and ask God to point you to scripture. Journal your prayers. Journal a scripture and what you learned from it. See how it is all intertwined? My biggest suggestion is to let go of any preconceived notion about what journaling is. No paragraphs needed. No eloquent words needed. No perfectly written story needed. You can read more about a way that I prompt myself to journal in this post. You can also try a journal that includes prompts or a daily devotion that has questions built-in.

Obedience – The most difficult part of implementing change is being obedient. I promise that if you make a habit of praying, reading scripture, and journaling, you will find a new perspective and you will find steps to walk the process. Commitment is obedience. Consistency is obedience. The more that you do these things, the more progress you will make. I’d dare to say that reflecting on your progress is the best part. If you feel like you have a setback, pray to God to remind you of your progress, go to scripture to be reminded of His promises to you, and journal the steps that you have taken and the ones that you hope to take. You can read more about obedience in this post.

There will be many battles in your life. Find your Re. in this fight.

Choose a word. Write it on your journal page. Use these questions, prayer, and scripture to help you figure out how to move forward in obedience.
What does the word mean? What does it make me feel? What do I want it to make me feel? How can I practically apply this word to my life? Where do I want that application to lead me? What are the changes that I hope to see? What does God say about my situation? What does God say about this word? Do I see this word or the concept behind it in scripture? How does that verse or story relate to me? Does it direct me to take any specific action?

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