🪽Divine Appointments: Scheduling Time to Connect with a Higher Power 🙏🏽

God isn’t a subject I used to talk about much. 😶 I just didn’t feel like a person’s opinion  about religion & what they believe in was anybody’s business. Who are we to tell someone their beliefs are wrong? Honestly, I still feel that way, but I’ve also had a front row seat in viewing the greatness of God in this 46 years of life. Between what I’ve witnessed & maturity, I’ve prioritized my time to connect with a Higher Power more often, & it has worked so well for me! 

The Foundation for Connecting with a Higher Power 🙏🏽

I’ve always been inquisitive. I’ve also always thought deeper than most people on the most trivial subjects. 🤔 I have to unpack it all so I can really understand. And because of that, I was initially skeptical when it came to Christianity.

     Growing up, we went to church most Sundays. Mom used to have us up & ready to go. I remember not wanting to go, & it was all because of the lack of understanding. Old school preachers are going to preach the Word, but sticking to the scriptures went straight over my young head. 🙄 The sermons never applied to what I had going on, so I just sat in church because I had no other choice. 

     On top of that, I questioned the validity of the Bible. 📕 The distrustful person I was just wasn’t sold on everything being true. I wanted to know how any of us knew what was in the current Bible is what was originally written. Who’s to say one of the authors or translators didn’t omit or put their own little spin on things?! My side-eye game was strong when it came to trusting that no one penciled anything in. 😒 Needless to say, there was no prioritizing my relationship with God during those younger years.

The Start of Connecting with a Higher Power 🏁

Once I got deeper into my 20s, my views changed some. I still didn’t quite prioritize my spirituality, but my belief evolved. It just took for me to find a church with a pastor who spoke my language. 🗣️ By that, I mean I could relate to what he or she was speaking about. The scriptures were quoted, but the message also applied to current life situations. Basically, I could understand more when I reached adulthood.

     Life was lifin’ so I had no other option than to turn to faith. I was running the streets HEAVY; I mean “every weekend in the club & sometimes going to work hungover & without having slept” type heavy. 🥴 I was drinking & popping X almost every time I went out. 🍾💊 I was moving recklessly with dope boys. Associates started getting killed & going to jail. And I was struggling trying to balance 2 full time jobs, grad school, & being a single parent. There was a lot on me.

     Reflecting back, I have no clue how I made it through some of those situations. I’d been in clubs while people were getting shot right outside. I heard bullets flying past my head one night in a parking lot. 🔫 There was one time my homegirl & I were parked in the line of fire as a guy we knew started shooting. I spun out across 4 lanes of I-85N in 5 o’clock traffic after a blowout & was literally missed by 2 tractor trailers by maybe 2-3 seconds. 🛞 Only one thing could explain me coming out of these situations untouched: a Higher Power aka God had me.

A Standing Appointment for Connecting with a Higher Power 🙌🏽

God 😇

With each hardship or accomplishment I witnessed either for myself or someone close to me, I became less of a skeptic. Not everything can be explained, especially when you feel trapped in a dilemma. 🪤 The more time I made for spiritual development, the more positively things seemed to go. The more I understood & could relate to the messages, the better person I became.

     This last week really made me thankful for the relationship I’m building & how powerful God is. Husbae got sick, & we’ve stayed at the hospital 6 of the last 7 nights. 🏥 Nothing but God could have allowed that medical staff to explore what was happening despite his labs being within normal range several times. Nothing but a Higher Power gave me a sense of calmness during such a scary time. 🧘🏽‍♀️ I didn’t worry once & had all confidence he’d be healed quickly. And God was definitely in my neighbor & mom swooping in to take care of our daughter, my sister being available to watch my dog, & my neighbor cutting our grass because husbae wasn’t there to do it last weekend. 🏡 The Lord was all up & through this family, honey!

     I have a busy schedule, but I’ve also learned the importance of making time for God. I wake up at 4:30a Monday-Thursday & between 6-6:30a Friday-Sunday just to have quiet time to connect with God. 🌄 When it’s still dark outside, you can see the stars & beginning of the sun coming over the horizon, & it’s super quiet, it’s the perfect time for me to tap into my spiritual self-care. Reading scriptures & devotionals sets my day on a calm path, something I need more days than not. 

     Every week (as long as nothing last minute comes up or I’m out of the country), I have a Bible study, watch HOHATL live on YouTube, & Zoom into a JW meeting. On the weeks I miss one of these, I feel like my week starts off wrong. Now I’ve also started attending a church in-person or online near my house. 🛐 Thankfully each one of these services sends me a positive, encouraging message weekly. 

     Each evening, communicating with a Higher Power is one of the last things I do. 🌃 I read at least one chapter of the Bible & pray, which is one of my New Year’s resolutions. I don’t want to only understand certain scriptures; I want to understand the whole story. Like cover to cover whole story. So far I’m almost done with 2 Kings. 🤴 And baby, there’s a lot going on in that book. Those aren’t the only ways I connect with my spirituality though. 

My Inner Being 🧎🏽‍♀️

Meditation & yoga also help me to feel more connected to my spirituality. 🧘🏽‍♀️ It’s no secret that they’re both very relaxing practices. I wouldn’t say they help me connect to God, but I do feel like I connect with my inner being. I can easily zone out while I’m doing either. It’s become something so normal that I even put my jacket down on the hospital floor this week to do a short yoga session, hard, cold (sometimes dirty) floor & all. The sense of connection & serenity makes me so prepared for & optimistic about the week to come.

     Those 2 practices may not seem spiritual to many people, but being able to cater to my spiritual self-care daily is a source of serenity that I don’t like missing out on. Other than when I’m praying, I can’t think of any other time that stops my brain from being on go-mode, to include while I’m sleeping. 😴 If I’m being real with myself, my attitude requires some sort of spirituality daily to stay somewhat in check. Adding these to my religious routine give me a great combo to feel grounded & on chill most days. 

     Just like you make time for getting your hair or nails done, sleeping, getting some exercise, or going out with friends, you have to make time for your spiritual self-care. 🗓️ Set a time at least weekly to focus on keeping your spirit positive. ⏰ Regardless of what you believe in, everyone has some sense of faith, whether it’s religious-based or not. Block off some time & dedicate it strictly to nourishing your soul. Self-care is from head to toe & inside out; make time for it all!