Pen and Purpose

This week, I have had the incredible opportunity to spend a lot of time in nature while traveling. I’ve gotten to go to two national parks, a few random hikes in the middle of a forest, and to see the top of a mountain. Each time I get to spend extended time outside, I am reminded of the vastness of God. With so few distractions, I can focus on who He is, what He has created, and my relationship with Him. So how does this connect with my writing? For starters, all of my creativity comes from God. He has intentionally created me this way, with the passions that I have. In Ephesians 2:10 (ESV), the Bible says:   "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." God knew in the beginning what each of us would do. When I am more connected with Him, I can be more connected with my purpose. That's where nature ties into my writing.  When I am in nature, experiencing the beauty of God's creation,...

Have you ever wanted to spend intentional time with the Lord, but don’t quite know where to start? You’re in the right place! It has taken me a long time to figure out what works for me when it comes to intentionally making time to learn more about Christ and spend more of my life focused on Him. I am not perfect by any means, but below are some things that can help you get into a quiet time routine of your own.  Prayer If spending time with the Lord is what you’re after, prayer is a powerful place to start. What better way to connect with God than to speak directly to him? For so long, I neglected prayer in my personal life. I like to track things and keep count of “streaks” and prayer wasn’t always  easy to track. Because of this, I didn’t spend near enough time talking to the Lord.  Praying doesn’t have to be elaborate. In fact, the Bible warns us about praying solely for show in Matthew 6:5.