Ever found yourself in a transition, and all of a sudden, you're not doing the things you love anymore? I've been there! Traveling, moving, rebranding my business, even venturing into a failed book club - these unexpected turns caught me off guard and tested my ability to guard my heart and protect my passions. As I navigated these transitions, I realized I had replaced my love for writing with journaling and scripting podcasts. This revelation led me on a journey of self-discovery and understanding the importance of staying aligned with God's calling, despite life's curveballs.
Resources Mentioned on the Episode and suggested reading & social media handles:
· Sign up for The Me Project Academy Newsletter for resources on developing disciplines to help you grow in Christ, prayer and new releases of the podcast.
Thanks for listening. I pray this episode was a blessing to you. Leave a comment or rate this episode . Then pass it on. Share this link: https://lyvitabrooks.com/
Ever found yourself in a transition, and all of a sudden, you're not doing the things you love anymore? I've been there! Traveling, moving, rebranding my business, even venturing into a failed book club - these unexpected turns caught me off guard and tested my ability to guard my heart and protect my passions. As I navigated these transitions, I realized I had replaced my love for writing with journaling and scripting podcasts. This revelation led me on a journey of self-discovery and understanding the importance of staying aligned with God's calling, despite life's curveballs.
Resources Mentioned on the Episode and suggested reading & social media handles:
· Sign up for The Me Project Academy Newsletter for resources on developing disciplines to help you grow in Christ, prayer and new releases of the podcast.
Thanks for listening. I pray this episode was a blessing to you. Leave a comment or rate this episode . Then pass it on. Share this link: https://lyvitabrooks.com/
Lyvita Brooks:
Welcome to Hanging Out with Jesus Podcast, where we equip the Saints for Ministry by bringing tips, interviews, inspiration and information on how to live intentionally and dealing with Christ. For more resources, including your free newsletter, visit HangingOutWithJesusPodcastcom or click the link in the show notes. Hi, I'm Levita Brooks. Author, bible teacher, founder of the Me Project Academy and your host. Thanks for supporting this ministry and rating and commenting on the blog and whatever podcast platform you're listening to, because then it makes us feel more like a conversation. If this is your first time listening in. Welcome.
Lyvita Brooks:
This is episode 86. Our focus is on how to handle the transitions you know going from one season of your life to another, whether it's unexpected, forced or your choice. Transitions can cause you to lose the love of things you enjoy if you aren't careful and more is coming up. Let's pray Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed is your name. Thank you for this time, this moment of being in your presence. Open our ears to hear what you want us to grab, hold to, and open my mouth to speaking a way that gives you glory and comfort for my brothers and sisters in Christ. Teach us how to guard our hearts so we might not sin against you. It is in the saving name of Jesus Christ that we pray. Amen and amen. Now come walk with me where we intentionally and daily hang out with Jesus.
Lyvita Brooks:
What's happening in the Me Project Academy? Well, there are two things I'd like to share. First and this is something as new business owners and those of you who are just starting out in ministry need to know everything doesn't always go the way you planned it or the way you expected. Sometimes the Lord has other lessons that he needs to teach you. For example, I provided the opportunity for y'all to register for the Nuggets Book Club. I heard cricket no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. The silence was louder than the crickets. Now, saints, I could have gotten all frustrated, mad and teet off, but I didn't, because I've learned this this time. God has you starting things just to get you prepared for when he is about to bring an increase. Now there are other reasons this could have flopped, but for sure I've learned how to set up a book club, the foundation, how to invite others to join in, what software is needed and how to make it Christ-centered. Saints, I'm going to have my monthly meeting with the Lord soon, so I'll find out where he wants me to go with us. I'm going to give up on what God's told you to do or sent you to do. Do it because the increase comes from him, not you. Second, saints, I'm in the process of rebranding the business, giving it a makeover, so look out for the finished work in February 20, 2024.
Lyvita Brooks:
So far, saints, this year I've traveled I-95 at least once a month, and sometimes twice, taking my uncle and aunt back and forth to see each other. Oh, thank God, my cousin was driving also, and at times more than me. So this is the year my nephew is in college for the first time and as an auntie I was so excited for him. I had another transition this year and that's that I moved. Now, that's a lot, y'all. It's a lot that happened this year so far, since you know, january to October.
Lyvita Brooks:
But with so many things changing in my life, so many transitions, nothing got lost in the sauce of life. It was gradual, slowly, unexpectedly, until it stopped and I didn't even know it. This has ever happened to you where something you loved doing you stopped and didn't realize it until something altered or triggered your spirit. Things I stopped writing Dead smacked not happening, because somewhere in my mind. When I write my scripts for podcast episodes, I'm thinking I'm writing. And when I journal at night, well, that's writing. When in actuality it's three different things. Here I'm thinking I'm doing God's will by doing two things he wants me to do, but not all of what he called me to do.
Lyvita Brooks:
For such a time as this, saints, I was being disobedient and didn't know it. This wasn't a writer's block time, nor a major life happening event. Wow, this was a gradual cancelling out of doing something I love, because the transitions were taking up my time. It seemed like when I write in the morning, we'd have to go down south, or it's the only time for doctor's appointments. Then I switched to the night and sleep crept in.
Lyvita Brooks:
But moving that took a lot out of me and there was a lot of organizing, trying to get things just right so everything could run smoothly. Well then, the constant transitioning, changing, changing back and forth, trying to have quiet time in the morning, quiet time at night All this stuff started to turn out to just not doing it at all. And it wasn't because I wasn't trying, it was just. It was because I now replaced it with journaling and writing episodes, so it wasn't like I was missing. It Interesting how I could do those two with intention. You know the journaling and writing episodes, but not the writing. Hmm, this is something we have to watch out for the gradual moving away from what God's called us to do, because life is pushing all these transitional seasons in our life at one time, causing us to make quick and drastic changes, unexpected changes.
Lyvita Brooks:
Do you know what triggered my heart that something was wrong? The lack of quiet time in the morning. I found myself getting irritable because I was missing too much quiet time, or shortening it just so I could take care of going up and down 95 and moving. True, I thought about stories to write, but just didn't write it down. I remember putting one on my phone, but that's as far as a guy.
Lyvita Brooks:
Quiet time with the Lord is important to me. I don't leave my house without saying my morning prayer. It's like my time with the Lord, where I put on a whole armor of God in preparation for today's journey. I put a link in the show notes if you want a copy of that prayer Then. Hanging out with him for praise, worship, devotional journaling, listening, you know, praying over the schedule for the day and prayer Saint all of that is incorporated in my morning time with the Lord. I missed it. Just think the trigger for me not writing was because I wasn't doing a daily spiritual discipline Quiet time, quiet time Isn't that interesting. Quiet time is a routine that helps direct my day, inspiring me to be all God's call me to be, to hang out with him.
Lyvita Brooks:
As a believer, practicing spiritual disciplines are important. It's the meat that makes the sauce taste sweet. Ah. But here's my question to you, saints what do you do that will trigger you that you are off track or have stopped doing what you love to do in the Lord? Psalms 119 says how can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it, according to your word. Proverbs 4.23 says above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Philippians 4.67 says Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your heart and your minds in Christ Jesus. Romans 10.17 says so.
Lyvita Brooks:
Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through a word of Christ. Just from these verses, and there's more. Once you search the scriptures, you will find that the thing that will help you stay on track and trigger you when you have stopped doing. What you love to do is the Bible. Now, saints, what spiritual discipline must you do daily to keep you in God's word?
Lyvita Brooks:
Jeremiah 29.13 says you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Psalm 73.28 says but for me it is good to be near God. I have made the Lord, god my refuge. That I may tell of all your works. Psalms 119.105 says your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Colossians 3.16 says Let the word of Christ dwell in you, richly teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your heart to God.
Lyvita Brooks:
It's clear the spiritual discipline of being in God's presence. For me, that's quiet time in the morning where I feast on his word and listen for his voice. What about you? What spiritual discipline do you practice regularly? Is dwelling on the word of God a part of it? Also? It's time to guard our hearts by simply being intentional about spending time with Jesus. The more words you get in you, the more the Holy Spirit has to work with and the less likely you will stray too far from God's word in his presence. Remember Christ is in your heart, for where your treasure is, there will be your heart also. Now, if Christ is in our heart and our treasure can be found in our heart, wouldn't that stand to reason that the word of God should be in your heart? Isn't the Bible about Christ, our Savior? So, saints, here's an opportunity for growth.
Lyvita Brooks:
Take your daily quiet time more seriously. If you stopped, start again. If you haven't stopped but don't find it exciting anymore, then take that time to examine yourself. Take your Bible, pen and journal to your quiet coffee place. Let the Lord know you've come to hang out with Him and there is something you really, really want His guidance on. Talk to Him about everything you love doing that God's called you to do. Be a gift, talent or skill? He's given you what you enjoy to your heart, inspiration, to your life that you stopped doing or seem to have lost a spark for. Then begin journaling, writing down whatever comes to your mind about 15 minutes. If a Bible verse comes up, then look it up.
Lyvita Brooks:
Think of this time as setting up your foundation, or you're examining yourself, because once you have this foundation of having your Bible, pen, journal and a quiet place where you're asking the Lord questions and you're seeking His face. That's your foundation Thrust, how that expands and grows. Well, that's between you and God. Remember, when you spend time with the Lord, he will spend time with you. Saves, he wants to commune with you. You are the opportunity for God to bring about an increase not just in your life, but in others as well. So be that opportunity by hiding His Word in your heart so you might not sin against Him.
Lyvita Brooks:
Let's pray. Let's pray at night. Blessed are you, o Lord. Teach us your statues Spark in even greater desire to spend time with you and in your Word. Help us to guard our heart according to your Word as we seek you with our whole heart. Let us not wander from your commandments, but store up your Word in our hearts so we might not sin against you. We want our delight to be in your statues so we will not forget your Word. We want to commune with you. In Jesus' name, we pray Amen and Amen. Thanks for listening. This helps in moving it forward to being heard by other believers. Also, if you haven't done so, get your free twice a month newsletter to keep up with new releases of the podcast and monthly opportunities on how to live intentionally and daily in Christ, and much more. All of us. And more can be found, including my contact information on hanging out with JesusPodcastcom or the show notes. So until we meet again on the airway, intentionally and daily hang out with Jesus, shalom.