Tag: #pray

Pray

Posted on by Crystal King

At night when you can’t sleep… pray

When you’re tired … pray

When you’re sad … pray

When you’re poor … pray

If you’ve had a bad day … pray

When you’re happy … pray

When you’re on top of the world … pray

When you have it all … pray

Always pray for others.

Working for God

Posted on by Crystal King

Have you ever wondered why you work where you work? Why you do what you do? Why you chose your profession?

Well nothing is never done without God’s approval.

Life tends to direct us in ways that aren’t always pleasant and can be very trying. Going to work everyday, dealing with work issues and then coming home to deal with family life can really add to your stress levels.

I’m here to reassure you that everything you are going through is not by accident, you are suppose to be at this very place, at this very time, however there are ways to make your outlook on life better. IT’S ALL ABOUT HOW YOU THINK.

Have you ever been fed up with your job, felt unappreciated, maybe even felt like your boss or supervisor doesn’t care. Are you constantly complaining about what is wrong all the time? Do you even remember why you started working in the first place. I know for me, it took a life altering event to make me realize the importance of a job. I guess I had the attitude of I’m good at what I do and I knew I could be replaced, however I didn’t actually think that I would be replaced.

If you’ve read my previous blog post, you’ve read how I was unemployed and continued to pray for a new job and how God came through for me. Believe me, I’ve prayed! However this new job had given me a different outlook on how I view my job. I AM the only person that can control how I think about my job, my life, and my decisions.

Having a job is very important, not just for money, but to be able interact with others, to help others and to have a chance to spread God’s word to others. Keep in mind that you aren’t just working….YOU ARE WORKING FOR GOD!

If you’re having trouble with deciding if this job is for you or what you’re suppose to do in life. PRAY ABOUT IT! Ask God what exactly he wants you to do for him. Ask him how he can use you today. Everyday pray about it! And then pray more.

Here are a few thoughts from Joyce Meyer’s Book Power Thoughts to meditate on and can help you get through your tough times at work. It’s all about how you think. Are you going to think positive or think negative? It’s a chose you have to make. Tell yourself theses power thoughts before, during, and after your work day to help focus on why you’re working every day.

  • I am so thankful to have a job.
  • I am going to do my very best every day.
  • I believe that God gives me favor every day with my boss.
  • I am committed to be focused and diligent while I’m on company time.
  • I would like a raise, so I will work to earn it.

Bible Study Supplies and Tips

Posted on by Crystal King

When I first started reading the Bible, I was just reading it. I was retaining the information however I wasn’t quite sure of how to place emphasis on what was really important to me. I’m a pretty organized person, so color coding and making sure the important scriptures I have to memorize really stand out to me.

I have come up with a few tips that have really helped me with my bible study:

  • Bible Pens. I like using micron pens because they do not bleed through the page, they also have a guide on the package to follow that is color coded with the pens. I write a lot of notes in my bible so the pen type is very important so that it doesn’t bleed or smear.
  • Highlight. I really like these gel bible highlights. These highlighters do not bleed through the page, they don’t smear and they glide on smoothly. I also labeled each color highlighter with its category. There are 6 colors in a pack, so you if you have more than one child or have categories you’d rather have, use them to fit you best.
    • Pink: I use pink for verses that pertain to me. How I should be as a mother and future wife.
    • Blue: these are the scriptures that I come across that pertain to my son and how I should teach him.
    • Green: I use green for my future husband. I highlight the verses on how I should be with my husband and how I should pray for him.
    • Yellow: this is for those verses that don’t have a particular category.
  • Tab. I have managed to come up with a key for using tabs. I tab the pages that have a some kind of importance or something I should memorize.
    • Red: Salvation/Blood of Christ
    • Yellow: holy spirit and miracles
    • Purple: prayers and praise
    • Blue: wisdom and discernment
    • Green: word of God, Life, Growth
  • Tab Placement. Tab placement is very important to me as well. I keep a key for this at the front of the Bible.
    • Top of page inner spine: Good to know
    • Top of page center: Memorize
    • Top of page outer Edge: Good to study
    • Side of page center: Stories I love

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  • Journal. Having a journal with you during your bible study can help you a lot. This journal is dedicated to just the Bible. You can write out your prayers, your thoughts, and feelings. Keep track of the date so that you are able to reflect on your writing. The journal is yours to go back and read how far you have come. Also, when writing out your prayers, once your prayer is answered, go back and write the date of when you prayer was answered. It’s great to go back and see how blessed you truly are by God.
  • Note Cards. I use notecards for quick documentation of the scriptures I need to memorize. This way I can take the card with me and keep it on me, and through out the day I can go back and read it over and over.

These are recommendations that I have found very helpful with my studies. If you have any other ideas, please feel free to leave a comment with your idea. I enjoy seeing how others bring the Bible to life.

Be blessed.

Late night talks with God

Posted on by Crystal King

Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night and can't seem to go back to sleep? Has something been on your mind and you can't seem to figure it out or the thoughts just won't let you rest?

I have gotten in the habit of thinking this is the time to talk to God.
I mean to really talk to God.

I used to get really mad and upset when I couldn't go back to sleep. I would toss and turn, think about work or what I have on my to-do list to complete. Then get even more upset because if I don't go back to sleep, then I'll be tired, I won't be productive, I'll have a bad attitude. The upcoming day will be horrible if I don't get back to sleep.

Has that ever been you?

God wants to be in all parts of your life. He wants you to talk to him about your good times and bad. He wants you to lean on him for guidance and to trust in him. When I can't go to sleep or go back to sleep, I PRAY.

God may feel this is the best time to get my attention and this maybe the only time to get my full attention. No, my life isn't so busy that I don't talk to God through out my day, however there are things that bother me that I can't really share with anyone but God and this maybe the only time I can really sit and chat with him. To open my heart and open my ears to really hear from him.

When life was going in all directions for me, I was emotional, felt sorry for myself, felt betrayed, I was asking why me? Why me?

Turns out, that "why me?" was a blessing in disguise. I prayed and prayed, it took a while to understand it, however here I am telling you to take full advantage of God's late night talks because this is the time he knows you're really listening. So what if you're tired, God knows you'll be able to handle the day with lack of sleep if you keep him beside you. He is always with you.

Next time you can't seem to sleep or you're waken in the middle of the night, talk to God, he is always listening.

Be blessed.

It’s not You, it’s Me!

Posted on by Crystal King

At one point in my life the title of this article was a tough pill to swallow. I have to say controlling your emotions really is a huge part of your day. For me having coffee and then reading my bible does prepare me for my day, but thats just the beginning.

I have to remind myself how I react to others through out my day, that’s the difficult part. Putting yourself in someone else’s shoes is also difficult to do. Trying to remind yourself to think then respond is also a difficult, especially if you are the person who has to have the last word. That was me! Still is on some occasions, don’t judge, I’m a work in progress. Thank you for God’s grace.

My experience with this has been to always fall short. I would always react over my emotions then think back to and kick myself for my words. Having to apologize for your words later is so difficult. “The Bible teaches us to always believe the best of every person.” Joyce Meyer I use to have the absolute hardest time to do this. I was so upset and angry with everything in life, I really didn’t know how to manage it all.

From no longer going my path, but having to trust God’s way and not my way. I couldn’t believe it, but I threw an adult tantrum. I was couldn’t believe I had allowed myself to get so worked up and upset and then take it out on others.

BUT GOD!!! 

I started to really focus on my thoughts around March. Yes, it was just a few months ago, I recently obtained a lot of time on my hands, but I can really see a difference in how I think and how I react to people and their attitudes. I don’t let people get to me.

Learning how to think according to the Word of God is harder than you may think, especially when you aren’t used to doing it.

These are the tips I used to get me on track with this hard and difficult task:

  1. “Living Beyond Your Feelings“ by Joyce Meyer, this book really opened my eyes to seeing things a different way. I absolutely love this book and I do refer back to it a lot. Her book outlines how to think about others first, thinking how Christ wants you to think, how making decisions based on your emotions is never a good idea, and it uses the Bible scriptures to show you how God expects you to act as well. I refer to this book because it makes me check my thoughts and what comes out my mouth when something isn’t going my way.
  2. Get a journal Always document your progress, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Make notes on what happened to cause you to act a certain way or say something that you maybe shouldn’t have said. I know when I write my occurrences down and then think how I reacted, it opens my eyes to a whole new attitude. It is much easier to walk away or not say anything at all then to have to apologize later for it. Also it gives you a chance to reflect on your progress and see how far you’ve come. That can be an amazing feeling. Reward yourself, you’re growing and maturing into what God wants you to be.
  3. Schedule your time with God. I can not tell how important it is to keep a time marked on your calendar. This frees up your time to really focus on yourself and your time with God. What better person to talk to about yourself than God? He is always there to listen and offer guidance.
  4. Get you some study cards. Writing out your favorite scriptures and reading them throughout your day really helps, and it gives you a chance to look at your day. I have found that reading scripture always helps me get through my day and it increases my happiness too. I try to reflect on God’s word daily and through out my day even more.
  5. Take one day at a time. We all make mistakes, so don’t be too hard on yourself. Remember to focus on today, tomorrow has its own worries. No one is perfect, and God knows your short comings. Continue to ask God for his forgiveness and he will continue to help you. Remember God will never leave you nor forsake you. Put your trust, hope, worries, difficulties in his hands and you will see a difference in yourself.

Be blessed.

Make time for God

Posted on by Crystal King

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Have you ever been so busy, that you forget to pray? Or maybe that you forget to even just take a few minutes for you? Well it’s time to change that. We have to make time for God to get through this chaotic life. I know over the years I have really tried to keep up with my prayer journal or my morning readings but then life happens; my son is late for school, I woke up late for work, and if you’re like me when my day starts off late, I feel like I am trying to catch up all day long.

Here are a few things to consider when scheduling time with God:

  1. Schedule the time in. Yes, make it that intentional. Write it down in your calendar with the time too. If you schedule the time, you’ll be more likely and willing to spend that time with him. Set the alarm on your phone as well. That always helps too.
  2. Keep your time with God. Have you ever been stood up? Like your date never showed or tried to call and let you know what happen? Well that feeling, I imagine is how God would feel if you didn’t keep your “date” with him. He knows that things happen, but however just forgetting about the “date time” then we are standing him up. Yes, that’s a bit dramatic, however I like to think that if we are able to keep time for anything else, why not keep the time with God. It really is that important.
  3. God is your BFF. I had a talk with one of my friends, and I explained to her that you speak to God like he is your bff. He wants to hear about you day, what you did, how you did it, your good and bad choices. God cares deeply about what you do and how you do it. Since we are made in his image, why wouldn’t God want to know all about how your day was.
  4. Your prayers don’t have to be long. I have gotten in the habit of saying small prayers through out my day. I find it a lot easier to get through a bad day this way. So if the day is good, I really have no problem talking to God about my excitement. A prayer is a prayer whether it’s long or short. Either way, God is very willing to hear everything you have to say.
  5. You will never be an inconvenience to God. Some people think the sometimes they are asking for too much, or when they pray it’s always an issue. That is farthest from the truth. God enjoys hearing everything about you and what you have going on in your life. He cares about your choices and he cares about you.

Spending time with God daily is the most important decision you can make. He will always listen and he always has time for you. I encourage everyone to try it and see how it changes your attitude towards life’s challenges. Don’t tell God how big your challenge is, tell your challenges how big your God is.

Be blessed.

Time for Change

Posted on by Crystal King

Have you ever had life planned out. I mean like really planned out. Where you’ll live, where you’ll work, retirement, marriage, etc. Well I did! I had it all planned out, but you know I forgot one very important thing, something I didn’t give a second thought to…

GOD! I forgot to ask GOD about my plans.

You see the problem with planning your own life is if you don’t take God with you, you’re pretty much riding solo on this trip with no directions, no GPS, no google maps, no Waze, (coolest app ever, it tells you where the cops are) I don’t know about you but I do need a navigator to watch my steps, lend a helping hand and clarity. What better person to watch your steps/direction than God? A friend once told me, “if you put something before God, he will take it away from you.” Now at the time I knew what he meant but I really didn’t feel what he meant until recently. God really changed my world all around, and although I can say I have know clue what I’m doing or where I’m going, I’m so glad that God is my navigator.

Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

This bible verse has never felt so real to me. My favorite bible verses are from the book of Proverbs 3:5-6, believe me I honestly thought I trusted the Lord, but I didn’t trust him enough to keep him first before all things, including my life. When God decided that my life needed a change, I was not ready. I was taken out of my comfort zone, was tugged, pushed, being pruned was even another example thrown at me and the devil had no problem trying to remind me that I was completely lost. BUT GOD!

I can tell you that life is not easy, nor did God every promise that it would be, however he did say he would never leave you or forsake you. He loves you unconditionally and if all you have is God then you have more than enough. Continue to pray and push forward through whatever obstacles you may have in front of you. Rest in the fact that God is right there with you, navigating and watching your steps. You can get through this, and watch how much happier and blessed you are once the change is complete.

Be blessed.

Study these Bible verses, write them down in a journal, memorize them; they will help you to keep a strong, spiritual relationship with God through times of change.

Jeremiah 29:11
Proverbs 3:5-6
Hebrews 13:5
Deuteronomy 31:6

Jesus and Coffee

Posted on by Crystal King

Jesus and Coffee, my two favorites in the world. I have a son and a dog, those are my favorites too, however they are a lot more complicated than Jesus and coffee. I decided to start this “new” blog because the old name I was using just wasn’t doing it for me. Salty Sheala was a name one of my old co-workers gave me. It stuck so I used it for my old blog, saltysheala.com. Salt of the earth, that’s how I took it and she drew some amazing pictures for me too. Well that chapter in the book of life is now over. I decided to become a stay at home mom, and created a new blog.

I was watching a you tube channel of Heather Lindsey, not sure if you know her, but she is an awesome preacher. She said that other people needed to hear my story so that they know they’re not alone. Believe me when I tell you, you are never alone. Jesus is always with you. I hope you find my blog helpful and to the person reading this, I pray that you are blessed.