Discipline

I have recently been reading a book called "Celebration of Discipline" by Richard Foster. I would recommend this book to anyone, it is beautifully written and easy to understand. He takes his experiences and somehow puts them into words that I find other people can not easily do. He takes you on a journey, not only of his life, but of many other people as well that have taken these Disciplines and made them a lifestyle. He gives practical and meaningful steps, that if taken can lead to some breakthrough's and that is exactly what I need in my life. A breakthrough that lasts and is life giving, something that won't be here today and gone tomorrow. If you have been following my blog, I have talked about this "life giving" term before and it's something that I will be striving for, not just now, but hopefully my whole life. I am pretty certain that there is no climax to this life, as if some time in life is worth more or worth less than any other moment. That if I reach the climax, then life is over because it is all downhill from there. I am not looking for that type of life giving moment, I am looking for a life that is full of moments that lead into other moments because life doesn't just stop. Often, people say, if X happens in my life then I would die happy. I don't believe that, because there is so much to do, so much to experience in this life that there is no one moment that would make my life complete. Anyways, this book has challenged me to make Discipline not just a part of my life, but my actual life. And if I take what I believe, that Jesus is everything to me, then how can I take the Disciplines that Jesus laid out for us and not try it out? I mean, what do I have to lose?

So, for the next couple weeks I am going to take these Disciplines and put them in to practice. Now, in the book, Mr. Foster clearly states that there is no everything or nothing type of mentality. I often get overwhelmed when I think about living out Meditation, Prayer, Fasting etc. in my life to its full extent. As if I have to check off a list every time I do each one and if I'm not focusing my mind on something, then I have failed. It's not everything or nothing, it's something, actually its ANYTHING. I believe that God takes what we give Him and gives us a passion for more, that is, if we ask Him. So, I will ask God for a passion to spend with Him, ask Him for a passion to reading His Word and ask Him to speak to me through the time that I give. I will devote 10 minutes a day to quiet. That will involve:, prayer, reading Scripture and then just quieting my mind and focusing on God. And then I will update you guys on how it goes! =)

One quote from the book and something that I am excited to do:

 "The Disciplines allow us to place ourselves before God so that He can transform us."