Hello beautiful people! Today I felt led to sit down and write several rhythms that I have found to be so healthy and life giving. This is such a different tone that I normally write in, but I think these simple rhythms are so powerful that I had to share them. Almost all of these are things that I have been doing for the past several years and that I have truly seen fruit from. I have been awakened recently to a greater understanding of how a lot of people live, and honestly it breaks my heart. I have a deep desire to help people to live in the way that Christ has called us to, and I think that can start with us just being aware of the rhythms and habits that we already have and evaluating how life-giving they really are. Here are eleven things that daily help me to live joyfully aware of Jesus in nearly everything, enjoy…

• Be outside for at least 20-30 minutes a day (not including getting into your car, walking into work or the store…c’mon people that’s cheating)

  • I find it extremely helpful to spend time outside in the morning right when I wake up, this helps me to align my body and my spirit with the Lord and get my morning off to the right start.

  • There is something to be said for a fresh breeze, warm sunshine on my face and my bare toes grounding on the earth, it’s like a big hug from Jesus, so refreshing.

• Physical exercise, move yo boday!!

  • I think spending at least 15-20 minutes a day getting in some kind of movement helps your body SO MUCH! I’ve been loving going on walks/ hikes recently, as well as some doing some light pilates. Getting your muscles firing and your heart rate up gives you clean energy, happy endorphins and a clear mind to conquer the challenges of the day.

• Doing at least one creative thing a day

  • Even if it’s something as simple as editing a picture for instagram, doing something creative allows your brain to move freely and helps release stress and pent up emotions. A couple of ways I like to fulfill my creative urges are through writing, graphic design, website design, photography, editing, sketching, painting, and other random crafting projects. I think it is important for everyone to be a creator, not just a consumer, we all should fall into both categories.

• Spend time doing critical thinking at least once a day

  • I could go into a whole rant about this guy, but we’ll just keep it at this: our brains were beautifully designed to think deeply and intentionally about things, not mindlessly placated by an ever-flowing stream of entertainment. Take time to be still and allow your mind to mull over the events of the day, the bible, theology, people’s hearts and intentions, your view of the world.

• Eat wholesome, energy-giving food

  • You should not be surviving off of doritos and energy drinks, that’s not that way that God intended for us to live. There are so many whole amazing foods on this earth, let’s not waste time on the fake stuff…it’s not worth it.

  • If you notice that you are consistently low on energy, examine your habits; what foods are you putting in your body? If the answer is mostly take out or packaged preservative-chalked foods then there ya go. Think about swapping fast food for home cooked meals; this has been a game changer in our home. We have noticed that we have so much more energy and are way lighter when we eat fresh, home cooked meals. 

• Spend time in prayer & thanksgiving

  • I’ve noticed a huge shift when I began carving out time throughout my day to pray and give thanks to the Lord. This is an area I am wanting to grow hugely in, but man, even in the short time that I have been implementing this, I have noticed a deeper level of connection with God’s heart. Prayer is so key in our journey of following Jesus, and what a beautiful gift it is.

  • Praying in tongues has been a new addition to my weekly routine and guys let me tell you, there is so much glory in it! I talked to a few different people who recommended setting aside time regularly to pray in tongues, they said that they will usually set a timer for 10, 15, 20 mins and for that chunk of time they just pray in tongues. I  have to say, when I do take time to put everything else aside and press in, I find that my spirit is edified and I am in more union with God.

• Spend time in the Word every day

  • I love starting my day in the Bible, strengthening myself in God’s Word before the day unfolds. I find that if I am not consistently reading my Bible and spending time with Jesus in the mornings, I feel out of sync all day.

• Slow rise, slow fall

  • Allow yourself time for a slow rise in the morning and plenty of decompression at night. Jumping straight from sleep into the events of the day is straining on your body, and sets the tone for a stressful day. Giving yourself ample time to get up slowly and have a peaceful morning routine sets such a beautiful precedent for the day.

  • In the same way, at night our bodies need time to process the events of the day. Doing something peaceful and relaxing in the evening brings your body back into alignment for deep, restorative sleep.

• Read books!

  • Guys this is so huge! Reading impacts your brain health, your learning and your overall well-being so much, go to the library and pick up some good reads, you will not be sorry!

  • I am a perpetual “book stack is bigger than reading capacity”-er and so I tend to bounce around between a couple of books at a time; what I’ve found to be very helpful is reading/ listening to both a fiction & a nonfiction book at the same time. The fiction provides a place for the imagination to run rampant while the nonfiction is oftentimes a way to instruct or provide practical advice or solutions, pushing us towards growth.

• Do responsible things everyday, don’t let them pile up

  • Laundry, dishes, picking up, paying bills, responding to emails and texts; we can come to dread all of these things if we have the wrong mindset. Instead of habitually pushing them back to the point that they pile up and demand attention, keeping up with these tasks on a regular basis is much more sustainable, and it keeps us from hating them altogether.

• Spend time with lovely, encouraging people

  • Wow, who knew huh? Community is a hard one, it’s difficult to find, but so so life-giving to have. We need to surround ourselves with people who are in love with Jesus and running after His plan and can encourage you to do the same.

These are the people who do life with you, who meet you at the grocery store to shop or come over to help clean, they come for all the bible studies and worship nights and are on speed dial when things get rocky. Every friendship looks different, but I feel that each should be outlined by vulnerability, encouragement and service.

I have come to realize that I feel a million times more joyful and fulfilled when I am intentional about the rhythms that I allow to be a part of my every day. The rhythms that I’ve written about above are all ones that have greatly impacted the way I live, and I want to share that with you. Even though most of these things are extremely simple, they are equally as fruitful in my experience. Thanks for reading friends and I’d love to hear some of your daily rhythms as well!

Lots of love,

em