1. Intentional Worship
I'm putting on worship music at least one evening a week, if not every night, and intentionally positioning myself to hear from God. I love my tv shows, my friend hang outs, my writing, and all the other things, but I feel true freedom when I'm listening to and worshiping via music.
I've been really into new Hillsong album that came out this week, my faves being anchor, closer, where the spirit of the Lord is, and only You. They're worth the money and so good. I've got a solid worship mix going on right now that just gets my heart on the right track.
2. Intentional Honesty
I'm being really honest with God. I'm making sure that I'm consistently going to Him to tell Him how my heart is. Whether I'm feeling really closer or really far from Him, I don't ever want to wonder if I've done my part to seek Him. I'm weeping more, laughing more, and listening more.
Sometimes, amidst my prayers, usually begging Him to let me stop being single, I'll recognize how if He were to answer that prayer, I wouldn't have the same space that I do right now to hear from Him, to cry out loud to Him while I lie in bed, and to simply spend entire evenings lying on my floor.
3. Intentional Study
I'm trying to actually study my Bible. I've been asked to do some writing for a beautiful ministry that I'll share about next week (I think), and it's caused me to have to dig really deep into scripture. And I've been absolutely loving it. It's good for me to quiet myself before God while amidst His word. To cross reference, to read words over and over, to highlight, to underline, to intentionally seek wisdom from the Lord again and again, and to just let Him speak to me.
4. Intentional Scheduling
I'm scheduling alone time. On Monday, outside of two errands, I stayed at home for most of the day. I slept in, layed in bed for a couple hours, went to the bank, went to pick up my laundry, went home, ate lunch, and had a nap. That took me from 8-4. It was so beautiful. I felt so refreshed. My roommate came home and asked me what I'd done all day. I answered with a simple nothing and she told me she was proud of me for doing that. Then we went for a walk. It was lovely. But if I don't schedule time away from people, away from events, away from things that I love, to rest, I don't rest.
If you look in my calendar, about every two weeks or so, you'll see a note on my day off, or in a free evening that will say don't schedule anything, you need some alone time, because I know my tendency to fill fill fill everything up.
I'm also intentionally scheduling my blog a bit better. I shared about this on my sweet friend Ashlee's blog last week.
5. Intentional Self-Awareness
Akin to scheduling time alone, I'm trying to figure out this new more introverted than I've ever been before personality. I've always considered myself an extrovert, but every personality quiz has always put me just into extrovertedness, shying very close to introverted. My roommate, on that same walk on Monday, mentioned that I'm more introverted than she would have thought from social media. I'm trying to learn what it means to sit right in the middle.
To be filled up by people yet also drained by them, filled up by alone time yet also drained by it all at the same time. That's how I feel.
I haven't quite figured it out yet though. This is one area where I really haven't found the right way to live it out well. I'm really interested in learning how to live as an introverted extrovert, because I'm not sure if I've met one before.
6. Intentional Onlineness
It's really easy to put up false fronts online. I really loved what Kim of oh, sweet joy! shared on Monday about fashion posts.
I just added instagram to my life, so I'm trying to use it well, in a way that encourages me and others, instead of causing me to feel frustrated by my lack. I can only follow too many moms, too many happy lovey dovey couples, and too many singles.
While I want to speak life through what I post, I also want to look for life. So don't be surprised if you don't see me following people who don't share an authentic look at life. Too many staged photos, too many filters, it gets overwhelming. Though I am loving getting to make my skin and hair look prettier via filter than they do in real life. SERIOUSLY amazing.
In addition to watching my intake, I'm watching my output. It's tempting to just share the good, or to just share about being single instead of sharing the other things I walk through. I want to learn how to share life better, in a way that is intentionally honest, intentionally heartfelt, but also not just a whole heap of words.
Those are my six ways that I'm intentionally seeking refreshment.
I end with a great quote from the Refresh book by Jessi Connolly and Hayley Morgan, the book that has inspired me to refresh my life, to seek good rest, and to be a bit more intentional with my days. It's this weariness that Jessi speaks of, this weariness that I know very well, too well, that is inspiring me to be intentional in each area of my life.
How about you? How do you refresh? What stops you from feeling refreshed?
P.S. I'm linking up with Amanda for #desiretoinspire
