Quiet Quality Time

Quiet Time… that time when all presence around you is still. When silence is only accompanied by the soft chirping of morning birds, or a gentle hum of the warm heat flowing through the vents. That special time with you… and God.

I’ve never spent any quality quiet time with God that I didn’t enjoy. I always feel refreshed, renewed and more insightful about life. When I begin my day with Him, I’ve found that I’m more calm and serene throughout the day too. On the flip side, I’ve had some “dry seasons” in the past where I was so preoccupied with pursuing goals or taking care of people that I only gave God bits and pieces of left-over in-between time. I was one irritable, impatient and frustrated sista; going ziggidy-boom on auto-pilot all over the place and still not accomplishing anything. Sure, it was quiet in the car for those 3 minutes I would pray, but my attention wasn’t devoted to Him. The time we spent was lacking… quality.


Since God desires to have a relationship with us, He wants to communicate with us daily. Not just some surface chit-chat here and there that you call prayer. He wants quality time, when we show our love for each other and He gives us direction for our daily lives. There’s a difference between knowing of God, knowing about God and actually knowing Him. It’s not about how much scripture you can quote, but how much you trust Him. God has feelings too.

I wrote the poem Stood Up one night as I imagined how God feels when we don't spend time with Him. Yet, we can get all fixed up and anxious for a date, a business meeting or performance. We even spend hours writing. Have you ever made an empty promise to pray everyday or read a scripture, but only lasted for a short time? My hand is raised, because I sure have in the past. Often, we get so caught up in our affairs, that we’re off and running… leaving God behind… stood up.

Your daily mediation doesn't have to be a long time. I usually spend about 1-1/2 hours per day. I read my Bible, pray, maybe sing; then I quiet my mind and listen. You can start out slow with just 10 minutes a day and gradually increase. Consistency is most important.

The main thing is that you don’t stand up God. He wouldn't leave you hanging. Show Him some love and spend a portion of each day in quiet quality time. Then come back and share the difference it’s made in your life. I’m absolutely sure, it’s for the better.

If you haven't read the poem yet, check out Stood Up.

Love, My Dove (poem)

Loving good
it's good to pray
hating evil
evil haters prey
...on my dove
The Lord is my Shepherd
I feel no evil
filled with no evil
real to no evil
I love good
good comes from above
...on my dove
Love

by Candace and Slay
Candace Burts © 2009. All rights reserved

Deeper Restoration

I wrote the poem Mine Eyes Upon the Lord at the end of a season in my life what I termed as "Deeper Restoration." My partying and hanging days were behind me. I was a devoted Christian by this time and had become responsible with finances and managing my household. I had been recognized for many accomplishments, yet there was some deeper work to be done... within.

I discovered this after I met my Boaz. The brotha' was wise, witty, fine and on fire for the Lord! It was all good at first, but when I fell in love, insecurities from my past resurfaced. Caught off guard, I was astonished at how I felt about myself. Suddenly, I realized... I was aging. I didn't feel like that cute, young honey anymore. I'd gained a little weight, noticing a few not-so-cute dimples in places other than the one on my face. As a minster, I no longer dressed provocatively to emphasize the sexy parts of my body I had once been so proud to show off. No, it was the real deal, just me. How was I to appeal to this godly man in my life without strutting my stuff?

To my amazement, good ole' Christian Candace began behaving like many women dealing with low self-esteem who are in relationships... I started tripping. Comparing myself to other women, comparing my man to former boyfriends, getting an attitude and jealous for no reason. I was making assumptions on how he felt, thinking he was using or betraying me. Oh, it was crazy! I thought, "Where in the world is this coming from?" I knew I had to get it together... real quick!


At first, I tried to heal myself. A distorted self-image and deep insecurities had robbed my joy and hindered my purpose for far too long. After reading tons of books and spending a lot of unnecessary money on physical restoration, I still found myself reacting to my past… making hasty decisions, dishonoring my man and destroying our future. More so, I felt like I had failed and displeased God, who had blessed me with this incredible man in the first place. Finally, I separated from him to spend a season with God... a season of "Deeper Restoration." It lasted for a few months, but was the greatest thing I could have ever done for our relationship.

If you're in a similar state, take some time out for personal healing. Although exercise, good eating habits and taking care of your body is a good thing, only God can truly restore you to realize your true worth. God showed me that through His Word would I be delivered, because there one can find their identity, purpose and value. It is in the Bible that you'll be reminded that you are fearfully and wonderfully made, a royal priestess, daughter of the Most High. You may have heard and even quoted some of these scriptures I studied during the season of "Deeper Restoration," but take a few weeks to meditate on them:

• Read and re-read the scriptures daily
  
• memorize and repeat verses to yourself throughout the day
  
• pray for God to give you understanding
  
• look up cross-references
  
• post scriptures on your wall or as notes in your cell phone
  
• study words from original Hebrew or Greek language
  
• share with other women about what God is revealing to you
  
• listen to sermons on the topics
  
• journal your thoughts along the way
  

After spending much time focusing on self-love, prayer, and meditation, the result was a few simple words that changed my life forever. Keep my eyes on Jesus. Outside influences and deceptive thoughts can distort your reality. Just keep your eyes on Him. So, when you get discouraged… think about Jesus. If you get crazy thoughts about someone who loves you trying to betray you… think about the Lord. If you're feeling unattractive... what does God have to say about you, His most prized possession? When you want to beat yourself up for falling short… seek his mercy. It's yours, because you are His righteousness through Christ. Don't worry about what everyone else is doing, including loved ones, children, the people at work, at church… not even your man. If you just keep your eyes on Him, He will heal, protect and lead you into your destiny.

Here are just a few Deeper Restoration scriptures to get you started, but you will be blessed as more are revealed to you personally during your season:
Genesis 2:18-24; Psalm 139:14; Proverbs 5:19, 31:10-31; Isaiah 61:3; Zechariah 2:8; 2 Corinthians 10:5; 1 Peter 2:9

Read Mine Eyes Upon the Lord