Can you believe it’s already December? This year has flown by for me. Maybe it has for you too. Maybe you joined us for the study at the beginning of the year where we wrote down dreams and prayers and plans for the year, and you cannot believe you only have 31 days left to conquer the world! Lol

I am an optimist and a dreamer so I tend to believe God to do the impossible, especially where time is concerned. This is a beautiful gift but also a weakness that keeps me close to Jesus asking him to help me with time management regularly, and using a lot of timers!

As I was looking at my Refocused Bible Study with it’s page of plans for the year ahead, I saw my “Word of the Year” written on the center of the back of the page.

DEEPER.

I wanted deeper intimacy with Jesus, with my husband, with my children, family, and those the Lord would have me minster to.

My verse for that this word and desire were based on was Colossians 2:7

“Let your roots grow down (DEEPER) into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”

Colossians 2:7

*My word added (DEEPER) for the emphasis of my vision

With 31 days left, I can say that yes, I have grown deeper in Him in many ways this year. But the year is not over, and I want MORE. I want to know Him more deeply on December 31st than I do today on December 1st. Amen, sister?

So this month I’m sharing my journey into deeper with Jesus.

At our house we are starting 31 days of prayer today, seeking the Father’s face. The first part of that is

Diminishing Distractions.

Oh, Iphone, how you distract me from my Father’s face. You want me to click on Instagram when I’m on my bible app. I scroll mindlessly on Facebook while Jesus is wanting a face to face interaction with me.

But the phone is just a surface level distraction. My heart is distracted from what he would have me focused on.  A deeper level to diminishing distractions to focus on “US” with Jesus is for me to have a greater awareness about the condition of my heart so I can bring that before the Lord and let him help me deal with any anxiety that is there so I can have his peace in all areas.

There is power in verbalizing to the Lord what we are feeling in the moment and letting him shed light on why. Then he can show us what He really desires for us and he will help us move into more freedom and more freedom usually means a deeper relationship with him where we are focused on the things of heaven in light of the things of now.

Documenting His Voice

Another way I’ve grown deeper in my relationship with Jesus this year is by documenting his voice. He is always speaking to His children.

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

John 10:27

How does this work? In the morning, I journal out my heart to the Lord. I ask him questions. I tell him things I’m uncertain, uneasy, or need direction or help with. The next morning, I start my quiet time by reading back through the prayer from the day before and I write in the margins any way I saw him move or answers or possible answers which may need more clarity.

The point is, I write the directions He is leading me. I pray and then I write down his answers. Sisters, he answers! If we ask we should be writing down what He says in response because He is always responding to His children. Many times it is not the next day or week or month, but we keep asking and keep watching and documenting so that we can keep walking into deeper and deeper, more meaningful relationship with the one whose depth is immeasurable. His love for us goes to depths that we cannot not reach, but we can let our roots keep growing that way, making us stronger and more fruitful.

I pray that you grown deeper in Him this December!

Amy