Defining Moments -{Guest Post by Jenifer Metzger}

A Thanksgiving of PRAISE

Welcomes:
Jenifer Metzger
writer of
~Sweet Blessings~

For so many people that defining moment when they realize the need for God is because something catastrophic happens in their life. That wasn’t the case for me. I grew up in a Christian home with Godly parents and we went to church any time the doors were open. This carried into my family as I became a wife and mother. We went to church and served in ministry, said prayers before meals and bed and did what we thought we were supposed to do. We lived a “good Christian” life. I very much considered myself a Christian.

About three years I realized something was missing. Nothing had happened to me, I just felt like something was off. I had a loving husband, wonderful kids, a great family, we went to church, but something was missing. God quickly showed me that I was living the life of a Sunday morning Christian. I was only giving myself to Him within the four walls of church.

I’ve heard it said as “spiritual bulimia.” I was being fed regularly. I could even ‘throw it up’ to other people. I knew all the right things to say, all the scriptures. But I wasn’t digesting it. I wasn’t living it. I carried my Bible to church then came home and sat it on the shelf until the following Sunday. Other than meals, a quick bedtime prayer with the kids, and in times of need, I did not converse with God.

At first this was very hard because I didn’t know how to change it. I honestly thought who really prays and reads their Bible every single day. But I decided that to get rid of this empty feeling; I needed to at least try. I wasn’t sure how I was going to do this; after all I have a husband to care for, a house to run, four children to raise and homeschool and several ministries to run. I wake up early and work hard all day until I fall into bed at night. I didn’t think I had two spare minutes to breathe let alone spend time with God. But God showed me where I was wrong. When my husband leaves for work in the morning I would love to lie back in bed for an extra half hour before starting my day. I didn’t always fall asleep, but I loved to just lay there. This is where God wanted me to start.

So I began staying up in the morning with my husband. After he left for work I would sit down at the dining table and I would say a short prayer and read a few verses, giving God about fifteen minutes. After a few months of this, I felt the need for more. But that would mean more sacrifice. So I started to wake up a few minutes earlier and gave God thirty minutes. A few more months go by, and I felt the need for more time with Him. So I started waking up even earlier. Now, I am not a morning person at all. I love to sleep and I do not function well in the morning. But I was so drawn to God that I pushed through that.

Psalm 34:8 says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” I tasted and I wanted more! Now three years later, I love spending time with Him. I love waking up and meeting God in our secret place. My fifteen minutes has turned into an hour, sometimes even more. I don’t miss the sleep. I don’t feel like I am rushed for time the rest of the day because I took an hour out for God. If anything, I feel like my time is expanded. I never run out of time for the important things. When we give God our time, He multiplies it.

I cannot say that my days have actually changed, nor have my circumstances. But my attitude has. I love college basketball. A basketball player would never go to the game without warming up. That doesn’t mean he will not have mess-ups in the game, but he is more prepared. I still have days that do not go exactly as I want. The kids do fight, the dog does runs away, the laundry pile is still never ending, the mailman still brings bills and occasionally dinner isn’t as good as I hoped. But I started my day warming up with God. I am better equipped and prepared for what comes my way throughout the day. This was such a defining moment in my life. A turning point that I will never forget and that I will always praise God for. The way God gently nudged me until I was ready to fully live for Him. Sunday is one- seventh, He wants us to live for Him fully, seven-sevenths. Are you ready yet?

More about Jenifer:

Jenifer and her husband, Jeremy, have been married for fourteen years. They have been blessed with four children that she calls her blessings from Heaven. Jenifer is a housewife and homeschooling mom and enjoys serving alongside her husband as the multiplicity pastors of
their church. She is the founder and co-leader of Woman to Woman Ministries and blogs daily at Sweet Blessings.