Rest, Renewal & Reflection Archives - LeeAnn G Taylor

Happy New Year!

January 3, 2021 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

J.J. Heller’s thoughtful music was balm to my soul in 2020 in so many ways.

Here’s to kicking off 2021 with her song celebrating new beginnings at the start of a new year.

This Year by J.J. Heller

This year
I’m not looking back to who I was
Because I’m gonna be someone I’ve never been

This year
I’m not focused on the cracks in the walls
Not keeping track of all the times I fall
This year

So long to the last year
It’s all becoming so clear
There’s no use living in regret

Let’s fight the good fight
Train our eyes to find the light
And make this year the best one yet
Starting right here. Happy New Year!

This year
I can’t wait to see what good will come
To feel alive instead of feeling numb

This year
I plan on thinking less of I and me
I resolve to thing of us and we
This year

So long to last year
It’s all becoming so clear
There’s no use living in regret

Let’s fight the good fight
Train our eyes to find the light
And make this year the best one yet
Starting right here. Happy New Year!

So long to last year
It’s all becoming so clear
There’s no use living in regret

Let’s fight the good fight
Train our eyes to find the light
And make this year the best one yet

Starting right here.
Happy New Year, Happy New Year!

Marriage Reflection & Renewal: An Annual Commitment

November 17, 2014 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

It’s a Monday and in a normal week I’d be settled in at my desk by now, working on payroll, grant reports, or calling for a quote to fix whatever problem has cropped up with our office building that week.

Instead, I just hopped out of a shower with endless hot water and no interruptions from my toddler wanting to practice his “aim” in the newly discovered potty, all so he can get the promised one M&M for his efforts.

I’m all stretched out, my 33 week pregnant belly protruding as a reminder of what the coming year will bring.

It’s glorious, this lounging on a hotel bed with clean sheets in the quiet while watching my husband pack up our things as we head to our next destination, The Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove for the Christian Blogger Retreat.

At dinner last night at a local dive we visited 11 years ago during our first end-of-the-year retreat as a married couple, we sat together and began the process of reviewing our year.

This reviewing and reflecting together, it’s something we intentionally take time for every year.

We first share the highlights of the past year together, remembering exciting events like my daughter’s first day of kindergarten, finding out we were pregnant with baby #3, the growth of my husband’s business, being brave and stepping into this unique ministry of blogging, and my husband writing and launching his first book.

Then we move on to talking through the coming year. We talk about the things we’re looking forward to, the challenges that lie ahead, and the opportunities for growth we’d like to capitalize on. We talk about what we personally want to focus on and identify a focus for our family as a whole. We talk about relationships we’d like to foster and experiences we’d like to have.

It’s my favorite time of the year.

In the midst of the mundane tasks of the day-to-day, we often lose our spark. We forget the why in what we’re doing. And we’ve learned over the years that a re-set is important.

This time to reflect and renew our commitment to one another, to our family, to our pursuit of God, and to our own growth as individuals is not optional, it’s necessary.

Over the years we’ve had many married friends ask us how we’re able to get away and take this intentional time together. Honestly, we’re blessed with fabulous parents who love our kids and understand the importance of investing in your marriage. But even if we didn’t have such great family support, we’d figure out a way to make this time at the end of the year a priority. It’s that important.

What about you?

Do you and your husband take time away to reflect on the year almost completed and to plan and dream about the year ahead?

I’d love to hear about some of your experiences – what you’ve tried that works and what doesn’t. Do you use any particular resources to assist you in your reflections? If not, what would be helpful to you?

My husband and I are passionate about our end of the year reflection time and would love to serve you in the future with resources for doing just this thing. How can we help you? I can’t wait to hear!

Blessings,

LeeAnn

Sharing with Marriage Monday, Wedded Wednesday, and Inspire Me Monday.

When God Wakes You Up: A New Approach to Mornings

July 30, 2014 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

photo credit: demandaj via photopin cc

I’m not a morning person. As a teenager, my mom had a terrible time getting me out of bed. Even after Chuck and I got married, there were times when he literally had to pull me out of bed in the mornings. What can I say? I like my comfy bed!

Even now, my night owl self can stay up until the wee hours of the morning to get things done.

photo credit: Fosforix via photopin cc

There was a point a few years ago though that I realized I was missing out on an opportunity for the most productive time of the day – the morning!

It is no surprise that this realization came right around the time I had settled into a routine with baby #2. Staying up late at night was no longer a viable option when I was getting up multiple times a night to nurse and comfort a hungry baby.

The hour before both kids woke up was often my only distraction-free time during the day.

photo credit: Matthieu Luna via photopin cc

At the same time, I realized in order to stay connected to God and continue to build my relationship with Him, I needed focused time in the Word. In my current situation, that was happening sporadically at best.

That’s when I found Hello Mornings. Kat Lee (most wonderful encourager of moms!) from Inspired to Action published a free e-book called Maximize Your Mornings. After a quick download and review of the book, I realized I’d found something that might work for me.

photo credit: marfis75 via photopin cc

Sometimes we want something to change in our lives but we don’t take the needed steps to make the change happen.

After years of telling myself I just wasn’t a morning person, I changed my approach and started praying for God to wake me up in the mornings. I joined an accountability group through Hello Mornings, set out my Bible and journal each night, and set my alarm.

You know what happened? God woke me up!

When I purposed in my heart to draw closer to Him, He was faithful and woke me up.

When we purpose in your hearts to draw closer to God, He will wake us up!

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His word is true:

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. James 4:8a

Today, I challenge you to start drawing near to God and make a decision about the time you intentionally set aside for growing your relationship with Him.

If you need a new approach to your mornings, try these steps:

1. Download the FREE Maximize Your Mornings ebook. Kat walks you through the steps of a morning routine in a grace-filled way that will set you up on a path to success.

2. Pray for God to wake you up! See Matthew 7:7.

3. Join a Hello Mornings accountability group. Registration for the next 6-week session starts August 4th and the official start of the session is August 11. Groups check in with each other in a variety of ways – Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. There’s a community for everyone!

If you have questions about my morning routine or Hello Mornings, feel free to email me at contact (at) leeanngtaylor (dot) com.

And for today’s Worship Wednesday, I’ll leave you with the song that God woke me up with THIS morning! And a fun fact…in college, I was in a multi-cultural (but traditionally black-gospel style) gospel choir called Voices of Praise. This was one of the songs we sang on tour.

Today, I pray that God wakes you up! Remember His love never changes and He never fails!

If you’re reading in an email or blog feed reader, click here to see the video.

Hezekiah Walker – Wonderful is Your Name

All of my life I’ve never known You to fail
You remain the same and wonderful is Your name

You woke me up this morning
And You started me on my way
You put food on my table
You brought joy to my day

I’m glad Your love has never changed
And wonderful
And wonderful
And wonderful, wonderful is Your name.

Sharing today with Meredith at Woman 2 Woman, Saturday Linky Love, and Faith Along the Way.

A Place of Quiet Retreat

February 2, 2014 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

{Be sure to read all the way to the end of today’s post for a free e-book from Kat to jumpstart your morning quiet time!}

This past month has been a whirlwind of excitement as I have been sharing about moving from fear to faith to freedom in Christ and resources for purposeful Christian living. The positive feedback I’ve received has blessed my life in so many ways.

I love that when we seek to bless others, we often receive a blessing as well.

Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25b
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But some days are just a struggle. This week has had more of the struggle days than not.

We’ve spent the week snowed in with three out of four of the members of our family recovering from a ravaging stomach bug.

As a result, my morning quiet time routine and the daily rhythm have been…off…to say the least. I’ve struggled to hear from God in the mundane and in my sickness induced bedridden state. I wondered if I’d have anything at all to say on the blog this past week. I wondered why I’d felt so close to Him in the previous weeks and yet so distant now.

And then, the reminder I needed came with this scripture.

You’re my place of quiet retreat. I wait for your word to renew me. Psalm 119:114

That’s it! Of course!

My soul is only quiet when I’m in His word. And that means daily when possible.

Sometimes it’s not possible. Like {ahem} when you can’t get out of bed without a trip to the bathroom. And on those days he gives us grace.

But when it is possible, those sweet morning moments when the kids are still in bed {or snuggled next to you on the couch because your floor squeaks and it wakes them up!} when I’m able to steal away time for a quiet retreat, His word renews me.

Are you stealing away time in the mornings in a quiet retreat, waiting for His word to renew you?

If not, what’s stopping you?

You’re not a morning person? I wasn’t either!

You don’t have time? Just wake up 10 minutes earlier.

You need accountability? Join in with others seeking to make mornings a priority. Register for a HelloMornings accountability group on Twitter or Facebook. I’ve been with my same group for two years and it’s such a blessing to know there are people praying for me and looking for me each morning.

Need a jumpstart? Download the free Maximize Your Mornings e-book from Inspired to Action.

For me, making the commitment to a regular morning quiet time has been the best spiritual growth decision I have ever made. His word renews me daily and without it, I get into a f-u-n-k. But my morning quiet times are not perfect, nor do they need to be. It’s a daily decision to walk closer with Him.

Would you take a moment in the comments today to share some encouragement for someone just starting out on the morning quiet time journey?

Sharing today with Sunday Stillness, The Sunday Community, The Weekend Brew, Spiritual Sundays and Still Saturday.

In the Stillness

January 19, 2014 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

It is in the stillness that we can hear God the loudest.

Away from the noise, the chaos, and the distractions of daily responsibilities and endless smart phone notifications.

It is in the quiet moments that he speaks to our soul and beckons us to draw near to him.

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10 image credit

At times, I don’t hear him. And I wonder, where are you God? Why do you hide your face from me? Why, when I’m doing all the ‘right things’ do I not hear your voice?

And then the answer comes. So simple, yet profound. I’m not listening.

Oh, I’ve done a great job at convincing myself I’m listening. I get up early in the morning for Bible study…but then get distracted by my Twitter feed. I crack open the Bible and read the verses…but forget to ask God to speak to me through them. I read my devotional book…but then think about how the words are applicable to some other person I know instead of me.

So yes, sometimes it’s hard to hear God’s voice.

But I am learning the difference between the times when I can hear him clearly and the times when he seems so silent.

A few months back, a situation that has challenged me for over a year finally came to the point of apparent resolution. It was something that weighed deeply on my heart and I was anxiously awaiting an answer as to the result. But instead of waiting patiently for his timing and trusting him to work, I focused on all the things I could do to control the situation. How do you think that worked out for me?

So I learned. The more I try to keep a tight grip of control on a situation that is completely out of my control, the less I am open to hearing from God in the situation.

In the middle of my greatest time of anxiety and worry a wise and godly friend texted me this simple verse: Be still and know that I am God.

It was in the midst of this challenging time, full of crippling anxiety, that I began to learn the power of releasing my perceived control and instead embracing the opportunity for peace that God offers to his children when we are still before him.

And there it was, in the quiet. His voice.

“I love you and everyone in this situation. I have complete control and will resolve it in my time. Rest in me.”

And so my heart is learning to rest in the only one who can truly provide peace. To be still and listen in the quiet for his voice. The situation is still not resolved, but now I am trusting God fully that he is in control and knows the outcome.

It’s his job to work. It’s my job to trust, listen, and obey.

{Sharing today with Sunday Stillness, Scripture & A Snapshot, The Sunday Community, The Weekend Brew, and Sacro Speco.}

When and where do you hear God the clearest? Do you also struggle to be still and listen for his voice? Take a moment to share in the comments. Your words could be just the encouragement a fellow Christ-follower needs today!