These three principles have completely changed my life in the 12 months. Let me explain how.
In March 2022, we started going to a new church, called Atmosphere (we love our church fam)!! Within a couple of months, I attended a women’s conference, and was prompted by the Holy Spirit to dig in deeper with him. I went home and purchased two chairs and end table to place in my bedroom so that I had a specific morning space to meet with God every day.
I told my kids that I was going to read my Bible, and have quiet time with the Lord every morning. If they opened my door and saw me sitting there, they were to quietly shut the door and find something to do. They couldn’t ask me questions or interrupt me. I was so surprised at how well they followed those directions! I don’t think they have ever given me that much obedience with anything else! To this day, 16 months later, they still turn around and quietly leave the room if they peek in and see me sitting in my “God chair.”
I never gave myself any time frame. I read my Bible, pray and sit quietly with God. Sometimes I journal. Sometimes I write my prayers. I have a specific prayer journal that stays on my table for the days I want to write. Now, my quiet time is usually about a half hour. I get my coffee and come back to my special spot every single morning. This has changed my life. My relationship with the Lord has grown deeper. Some days I cry. Some days I am joyful. All days I am thankful. If I skip a day on a weekend, I miss it. I love my time in the Word. It has changed my heart and I feel like a completely different person than I was even one year ago.
Then in June 2023, I received a free book called, Prayers for Your Husband, and I started reading them each day and praying over my husband. It brought new needs to my mind that my husband might need prayer over that I hadn’t even thought of before. It took me about 3 months to get through all the prayers. I have also ready several other books on prayer this last year. You may not realize it, but prayer changes EVERYTHING! It is the way we partner with and unlock God’s power here on earth. I have seen so much change in our lives in this last year and I believe it is because I have been diligent in seeking the Lord and praying. I don’t mean that all my prayers have been answered yet, but even things that I wasn’t specifically praying for have miraculously changed.
In November 2022 my husband had an encounter with Jesus that was unquestionable. I believe it was the result of my prayers. I had no idea what he was going through or what he needed, but God did. As a result of that moment and healing he has gone through, our whole world is changing. I knew it was a big moment for us, and believed God’s power was unleashed in that moment, but I had no idea what was coming. And it is still being revealed.
In January 2023, we started tithing regularly again. Mind you, 2023 has not been a great year in business. It would be easy for me to take that 10% and use it towards other things with the excuse that it is a low year. I have often done that in the past.
But, I knew God was asking for my whole heart. I give my 10% as soon as we receive our paycheck. It is the first thing I pay - our “first fruits.” I am not tithing to receive something back, but I do know that it comes with a promise. It comes with a promise to be provided for, abundantly so. We haven’t received a great income increase or any kind of crazy monetary reward this year, but we have been able to steward our finances appropriately. He provides each month and I am curious to see what other blessings will come of this commitment. In Micah 3:10, the Lord says, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”
So try these three principles. See what happens in your own life. It may not be noticeable in the first month or two, but be consistent and look back over the course of a year and note what the Lord has done.