Have you ever asked someone the same question over and over, or even a different question but in the same theme of questions? I have. I find myself asking God, “Lord, how do I…” God loves when we come to Him about everything! It is a joy to Him when we acknowledge Him in all our ways! He even promises to direct our path (Proverbs 3:5-6)! One thing I observed about myself is that I only ask the same or similar questions over and over when I 1. Need clarity; want to have full understanding, or 2. When I do not like the first answer I’m given and think that my asking will in some way cause the person to change their answer (this is most often the case). Can you relate?

Today, I asked God a question. I asked, “Lord, how do I become a better writer?” There was nothing wrong with that question. A month ago I asked a question that I asked before I started the blog, “Lord, how do I come up with good content?” God gave me the same answer for each question, “Intimacy with Me.” I wanted the answers I saw in the blogs I’ve read about people overcoming writers block and so on, but… there was no way around it… intimacy with God is the only way I will become a better writer and have impactful content. How do I know? I know because He did it before!

What you’re reading is built on and from intimacy with God. I read all the books, attended all the webinars, spoke to other bloggers, the whole sha-bang! Those things were good indeed but they did not cause me to produce. God was inviting me to “go back to the first works,” the things that I did when I first fell in love and accepted His pursuit of my heart. Giiiiirrrrlllll, I was rushing home and speeding through homework so I could spend time in the Word! I remember (message! REMEMBER) sitting on my floor with every translation of the Bible I could get my hands on to search out truth and the things of God… and I believed (message sis!!!!! Believe again) everything He said in His word with the level of understanding I had in that season. I used to write and sing songs unto the Lord too! It was a beautiful season. I had things to share and talk to God and others about when I spent time intimately with Him. So, what changed?

1. Wrong research with a right heart. 2. Too many “mentors” as well meaning as the pourers in my life had been, there were too many women speaking into my life. There were too many women offering up suggestions and recommends of what I should do. In taking their suggestions like the little sponge I was, it led me to research wrong information with a right heart. I got stuck on people’s methods of “finding” God and growing in God instead of staying faithful to the process by which I was already growing in Christ Jesus. Thanks be to God though, because HE had been cultivating a right heart in me, when I would go down the rabbit hole, He drew me out. He rescued me from misaligned advice from others, and the opposite extreme of misaligned advice from myself.

Summary

Intimacy with God is the priority of our life. Our mission, ministry, relationships, roles & responsibilities, abilities, and the like all flow out of our intimacy with God or lack thereof. The best of me and all I have to offer in this time He sees fit for me to walk this earth’s surface is wrapped up in my faithfulness in being connected to Jesus Christ, my source. We do not stay connected to Jesus Christ merely to receive from Him, but to become all He needs us to be as His representatives, and to know HIM better. He loves us and wants our desire for Him to be out of love not gain for self.

Question: How has your intimacy with Jesus Christ been today? This week? This month? This year?

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place.” Revelation 2:4-5

It is now and has always been about relationship. Let’s go back to the first works with our First TRUE Love, and let everything else, as good as it may be, flow (message! Flows aren’t forced) out of that love, and not our own works and understanding. Be encouraged sis.

#reflectingonTRUTH #lovingLOVE #relationshipmatters #firstLove #firstworks #itsALWAYSbeenaboutintimacywithGod #refreshhercourse #journeythroughJohn #theLovebook