Six Spring Practices to Cultivate Your Friendship with God
What is it about Spring? Everyone I know is bursting at the seams, itching for something new!
… Is it the sunshine filling the world after the darkness of winter?
… the grass trodden and brown that plumps full and green again?
… the first vivid blooms that impatiently erupt when you’re sure the ground must still be frozen as hard as stone?
… or the birds you hear again as the day dawns, building their nests, and preparing to lay their eggs?
Through creation, you can feel God’s delight in new things!
We may not have hibernated, or been buried deep in the frozen ground, but our human DNA is bulging like the buds outside our window.
Remembering God’s declaration that “It is good!” after each thing he created, I imagine his beaming face; ready to birth new things in our relationship with Him.
With infinite ways to grow closer to Him, let’s never get locked in the rut that says the only way to foster our relationship is to sit with our bible and journal.
Thinking about this in terms of our human relationships, if the only date my husband ever took me on was dinner and a movie I would want to scream!
What about
… going to get ice cream?
… going for a drive?
… to the beach?
… on a hike?
… playing cards with friends?
… or making breakfast for dinner with your favorite music playing and candles on the table?
If the new life of Spring is calling out to you, jump at the chance to play in your friendship with God!
Maybe try one of these practices …
Get your hands in the dirt! Put down new mulch, plant your garden, or fill your pots with flowers, praising Him as the amazing Creator!
Hike through the woods or on a trail, watching for spring wildflowers with the only sound being the birds above, the wind, or your whispered prayers.
Take your camera and choose a small area like your backyard or a nearby park. Ask Him to draw your eyes to what He wants you to see. Stoop down. Sit in the grass. Zoom in to see things up close. Marvel at the wonder.
Find a favorite spot and let the words from Genesis 1 or a nature poem speak to you. Pray with the text and/or write out portions of it. Love on Him, telling Him how wonderful He is and how you long to fellowship with him as Adam and Eve did in the Garden.
Grab your headphones and playlist and worship as you walk in the early morning or evening, drinking in the freshness of the season.
Spend some time outdoors with a child (and if you’re lucky, a grandchild:). Let go of the weight of “adulting”, and let a smile cover your face. Bend over and pick up sticks, rocks, or leaves, just because. Bask in the simple gift of life.
Bonus!
Finding a spot to sit in the sunshine, set a timer for five minutes. Close your eyes. Open your hands. Breathing deeply, receive the gift of air in your lungs. Enjoy the sun’s warmth on your face. Feel God sitting right next to you. If your mind wanders whisper the name of God you are most drawn to, “Abba", “Father”, “Creator”, “Almighty God”, “Jesus”, “Holy Spirit”. Imagine yourself wrapped in His love.
Ahhh, I feel closer to Him, already ❤️
~ Lori
____
In what fresh ways you are feeling drawn to spend time with God this Spring?