Sex Is Not Equal To Love
During my freshman year of college, Grinnell was celebrating its sesquicentennial anniversary. 150 years for any institution of higher learning is definitely a reason to celebrate. In an effort to keep successful alumni engaged with the college, an interim session was held between the fall and spring semesters with a curriculum which was taught by alum.
In that the sessions were taught by alum, the teaching styles weren’t always in the lecture format. Often times, when information is presented in a non-traditional manner, it has a greater impact. In one of my sessions two physicians were the instructors and they informed us that the next class would be head early in the morning and we would need to meet them at a designated spot on campus with our running shoes on. Since I was athletic, I was immediately intrigued to see what these doctors had in store for the next class. When I got to the designated spot with the rest of the class, we were instructed to run around the campus. It was during this class that I learned one of the most valuable lessons in life: DO THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS OF YOUR DAY FIRST! One of the doctors told the class that our health should be one of the most important aspects of our lives and we should start the day by putting it first because once the day gets started things will start occurring which you hadn’t planned for.
He was right and I still today workout first thing in the morning after I Start Each Day withSTEP 1. My relationship with God is the most important part of my life. Therefore, I start my day with reading Our Daily Bread Devotionals and praying afterward. I chose Our Daily Bread because the devotionals not only relate to daily issues, trials and tribulations that everyone goes through; but they also have scripture reading that apply to the topics. I go back to the thought that if I can see myself in a given situation, I’m more likely to be able to relate and grasp the concept or message God is trying to convey to me.
It never fails when I’m going through a particular rough patch in my life, I’ll read the morning devotion and it will speak directly to the situation. While this works for me and I would suggest it to anyone looking for a way to start the day with STEP 1, I realize that everybody’s relationship with God is not going to look like mine. However, I do believe that there is something everyone can do to start the day with STEP 1; re/establishing a relationship with God. For some individuals it might mean meditating. For others it might be taking a walk along the beach or in a park. What matters is spending time focusing on connecting with God.
What if you don’t know what exactly works best for you? SEEK GOD’S GUIDANCE! He will tell you. As the Bible says: seek and ye shall find; knock and the door will be opened unto you. You have not because you ask not. Often my biggest stumbling block was not my inability to hear from God, but my lack of patience in hearing Him. Remember this is a relationship; it takes work on both parts. However, I’ve learned God is always willing to do His part. Am I willing to do my part is the real question?
I can’t stress enough how important STEP 1 is in breaking the addictive cycle. Taking the first step always seems difficult because we are creatures of habit. Breaking non-beneficial habits can be uncomfortable and frightening. Yet, God is waiting to comfort you and He’ll send people and messages along the journey to inspire you and keep you on the right path. For resources to help you along the path, look under the Helpful Tools section.
Helping others in the Journey,
A.D. Burks