Friendship with God; A Journey

To please my SEO, I am going to start this post with the title, Friendship with God; A Journey.

Once upon a time, I was a Momma with LOTS of kids.

My own kids. My friends kids. Kids who were friends with my kids.

I spent a lot of time in the kitchen. Feeding kids. Cleaning up after kids. Washing dishes. Preparing more food to feed the kids.

Where I wanted to be most though, was at the Bible studies. In my prayer spot.

I know, I know. That’s exactly where every Momma of kids wants to be. Somewhere they are not sometimes. But not usually at Bible studies or prayer. I will admit, I am a little unusual in that regard. Most Moms would love to just have coffee dates with friends. I did too.

Most Moms would want to be left alone to watch whatever shows they wanted to watch. I did too..

Most Moms would want to go grocery shopping alone or at least without all the kids. I did want that too.

Hungry for Friendship with God:

But, I loved spending time with God. He would talk with me. I loved being at Bible studies and learning more about God and Jesus and Holy Spirit.

Unfortunately, (though, I did so some of that when I could.) I was a Momma with lots of kids, in the kitchen cleaning up after them and feeding them.

Those 2 things don’t always work well together.

While I did cultivate a “quiet time” by using the TV as a distraction for my kids. That gave me a blessed half hour of peace in the morning, I did want more. I should have been happy with that amount of time because not many women are able to do that. Even if it wasn’t a guaranteed every day thing. That I got any time at all was a miracle!!

(Thomas the Tank Engine was PERFECT for a bunch of boys!!)

Journey to be a Friend of God:

At some point, someone gave me a copy of Brother Lawrence’s book, “The Practice of the Presence of God”. It changed my whole perspective.

Up until that point, I believed that if I wasn’t in church or a Bible study, I couldn’t build a friendship with God.

Brother Lawrence was a Monk in the 1600’s who worked in the kitchen. He learned, while feeding and cleaning up after the other monks in the monastery, to talk to God right there where he was. He is one of the most influential mystics because people still are reading his works and learning from him.

Like this Momma who was tired and hungry for God but busy with life.

I realized that I didn’t have to be in my quiet time to talk to God.

I didn’t have to be in Church to worship God.

I could do it right there at my kitchen sink. No matter what I was doing in the kitchen, I could always talk to God. And He heard me.

I am God’s Friend.

He heard me when I prayed and prayed for my kids and their friends.

He heard me when I cried out in my frustrations about being a busy Mommy.

I prayed for one of my daughter’s and God answered.

I prayed for one of my son’s and God answered.

Want to know how? I turned my heart to God. The Bible tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus. I have seen it over and over again in my Bible. (Many of them are marked in my Bible.) So I learned to do that. I simply put my focus on God.

In my heart, I began to talk to God. Sometimes I spoke out loud to God. But mostly, I just turned inward and began to focus my inner voice on God. I told Him about everything and anything.

And He answered me. I became a friend of God’s.

In the middle of the chaos of kids running in and out. Kids needing food or water. Cleaning up after kids eating or whatever was going on, I began to just quietly focus my attention on God. I realized, He wanted to talk to ME!!!

Do I have a “How to Be a Friend of God” script?

Not really. I just have a quiet suggestion for you. No matter what is going on in your life, turn your focus on Him. We all have that “Inner Voice” that is always talking. Take control of that inner voice and start using it to talk to the One who is always listening anyways. Remember, HE LOVES YOU!

If what you are hearing is not loving- it might be critical, demeaning. Sounding like an abusive person in your past.

That is NOT God.

Stop that conversation right there. Yes. You can.

Give it a little bit. Try again. Maybe you need some good worship music. Maybe read the Bible.

Try again. Ask Him to tell you what He thinks of you.

It will take a little practice. And you may need to have someone help you and guide you. If you don’t have someone in your life who can help, message me. I would love to be of service to you.

Remember, He is your FRIEND. A friend who LOVES YOU.

If you would like to meet with me in a Body Code session, click here.