Practicing the way of Jesus has often been told to us, but not practically demonstrated.
​Here are some tools for us to know how to practically abide with Christ, know Christ, and live like Christ.

 

SABBATH

God created us to be human beings, not human do-ers. God has given us an entire day
each week to practice the rest that he made us for and experience the peace he promises us.
​Sabbath is a time to stop - stop working, stop worrying, stop being in control - and rest in Jesus.

Some ideas on how to practice rest:

  • take a nap

  • enjoy creation by hiking, walking, or camping

  • "put the 'gram away"- take a break from technology!

  • share time and a meal with friends & family

  • put that homework off for a day :)

  • celebrate the sabbath by throwing a party Friday night sundown to welcome in God's rest!

  • remember the god who set us free by reading the story of our salvation

SOLITUDE

Jesus took time to be alone, away from the noise and the crowds. Retreating to practice stillness with god,
to meditate on His words and His desires is still an important practice in our walks with Christ.
Solitude, or aloneness with God, allows us to come back to what really matters-
​abiding in the presence of our Father, to be rejuvenated and remade.

Some ideas on how to practice solitude:

  • stop for a few minutes to listen, hearing what God might be saying

  • retreat alone into nature to hear the river flow, the trees whisper, or the wind blow, to simply be and exist in God's presence

  • take a morning alone in bed to read and pray

  • eliminate distractions during your alone time with God, like refraining from using your phone

SERVICE

Serving and giving to this world and the people God loves is a natural response
to being in a loving relationship with Jesus. Consider serving and giving as something we do to God
instead of something we do for God. In serving and giving we allow
​for the kingdom of God to continue it's expansion.

Some ways we can serve:

  • volunteer at your local food bank, homeless shelter, or non-profit organization

  • donate to a cause, such as "Save the Children", which helps feed children across the world

  • randomly buy someone food or give some money to a person in need

  • serve as a music leader, greeter, youth ministries leader, or elder at your local church

  • randomly rake leaves, shovel snow, or discard trash for your neighbor

  • feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and the incarcerated, ​and care for the widow and the orphan

  • recycle, don't litter, and ride a bike more often to serve our wonderful planet :)

SIMPLICITY

Simplicity is the idea of enough. Psalm 23 says, "The Lord is my shepherd, I am in need of nothing."
The more I allow Christ to be my everything, material things will be held more loosely,
​allowing myself to identify less with things and more with Christ.

Some ways to live simply:

  • rid of excess clothing, accessories, shoes, and donate it to those who don't have much

  • spend less time spending and more time fostering deeper relationships with the people around you

  • declutter your desk, room, or bathroom to find more peace in the spaces you inhabit

  • consider minimizing, or even eliminating your social media

STUDY

Studying the scriptures is an important way to know God and His heart.

Here's one way we like to study:

  • P - prayer​: begin with prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to guide your time together

  • S - scripture: choose a passage (any passage!) of no more than 7-10 verses

  • O - observation: read the text over multiple times, perhaps in different versions, and jot down your thoughts/observations about it

  • A - application: consider how this text and what the Spirit is revealing to you might apply to your daily life and the world around you

  • P - prayer: close your time in prayer, thanking the Spirit for communing with you and asking for help to remember what you've learned

  • S - ​share: let others know about what God has spoken to you - what Jesus gives to us is not just for us, but to help others as well

PSALMS

Psalms aren't chapters in a book, they're prayers, songs and poems written to express desperation, need,
worship and praise to God. Psalms weren't meant to just be read, they were meant to be created
​ as a way to grow our relationship with God.

​Some ways to create Psalms:

  • pray in conversation with God, just like you would with a friend

  • write a song to God, or make a painting expressing His greatness and goodness

  • write down your prayers in a journal, or simply journal addressing your needs to God

  • read through some poetry, or even better, write your own about the love of God

CELEBRATION

Our God is the inventor of parties, the creator of celebration. We see throughout the Bible that God
continually celebrates His people. Practicing the art of celebration allows us
​ to experience and encounter the character of God.

Some ways to celebrate:

  • throw a party for the baptism of a friend who has chosen to give their life to Jesus

  • celebrate the birthday of a stranger by throwing them a party and making them feel loved

  • take to eat or make some food for a member who left God who has come back

  • celebrate with cake major and minor accomplishments, remembering and praising the God that brought you through it

  • create opportunities to celebrate anything with friends and family

  • write someone a card sharing your excitement with them for their new job

  • dance and sing a night away because God is good and you have breath!