4 Summer Essentials for Women of Christ

By, Sarah Harris
Director of Administration

I recently hit my one year work anniversary. I graduated from college in May 2016 and started working in June. It’s been a heck of year! I’ve learned so much about myself during this period of transition. One thing I miss the most about being an undergrad is summer vacation! Working 5 days a week during beautiful summer days has me appreciating the few moments of sun that I can get.

I realized a while back that I’m not the type of woman who can open up my bible and study it without any type of guide. I’ve tried. It tends to last about a week, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. So throughout my journey with the Lord, I decided to spend time with Him in multiple ways, to keep our relationship fresh. Just like with a significant other, you have to change things up to keep you relationship lively! We should be treating our relationship with Jesus the same way.
​
I’ve gathered 4 of my favorite things to do to build my relationship with Jesus, and I thought I’d share. Hopefully you can use some of these and create a couple of your own.

A Bible Study: I love challenges and I love logic. When the Oasis Board decided to do a bible study together, I was enthusiastic to dig into the Word. April, the President of Oasis, decided on Entrusted by Beth Moore. And my goodness has it exceeded my expectations. If you really like to understand the logistics of the Bible, this study is for you. But not only the theology of it is impactful, but the way Beth challenges you. She makes you dig for answers, write out verses, and questions your thinking. By the end of each session, I feel empowered to do the Lord’s good works. Do you want to feel empowered? Get into His word (Hebrews 4:12)!

A new hobby with God: I decided to start meditating. I know some of you might think that sounds a little “woohoo” but it’s actually quite beneficial. Meditating is the practice of controlling your thinking. I go through periods where I lack control over my thoughts, where my stress and anxiety get the best of me. So now, I wake up early in the morning, and after my workout I sit down in a quiet place, and turn on my iPhone app Headspace. The app walks you through a 3 minute meditation exercise. This exercise is calming, and creates mindfulness. And when I finish those three minutes I turn my focus towards Christ, and do my best to converse with Him, without drifting into other random thoughts. Since I’ve begun this practice, I’ve now found that I am better able to pray (when praying by myself), whereas I used to wander all over in my head! I highly recommend this hobby for anyone who has a hard time focusing on their alone time with God (Psalm 19:14).

A craft: I have a bit of a gift for crafting, and have learned to be grateful for my two hands that God has given me. It’s easy to blame ourselves for not being able to do certain things, but God has blessed us with a beautiful temple, a temple that is ours, to use for His glory (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)! I just recently started to paint and it feels good to let my mind wander while I work. What do you like to create? Look below at a couple crafts to try and to use the hands that God has gifted you.
Triangle Wreaths: http://thechalkboardmag.com/diy-triangle-wreaths-how-to-design#sl=10
Embroidered Canvas: http://persialou.com/2016/04/diy-embroidered-canvas-wall-art.html

A word: What’s the verse you’re living by this season? A verse may immediately come to mind, and for others, you might not have one. Find one, and hold it close to your heart, meditate on it, and then share it with friends, neighbors, and strangers. I find that one of my favorite ways to spend time with Jesus is with others, and telling people about Him. So, in honor of sharing, here is my verse that I’ll share with you.
We love because He first loved us – 1 John 4:19