Two posts in one day!? Whoa! Make sure you check out my Chasing History post and see what I learned from Hannah. I've mentioned on Twitter and here once before about maybe doing a 20 day social media fast. After thinking about it for a week and then the start of a new month, (Hello, September. You came fast.) I decided it was the perfect time to begin! I love social media. If you are a young twenty-something, or any age really, you probably do too! I mean we have Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vine, SnapChat, Pinterest, Google+, and countless others. My morning routine usually consists of me turning off my alarm clock (which is on my phone) and then checking Instagram first, followed by Twitter, and then Facebook. I'm usually not there for long, but if I have notifications on each, I could easily stay in bed for another 30 minutes catching up on what happened while I slept. I'm constantly checking my iPhone throughout the day to look and see if any new red circles have popped up on my apps alerting me of something new and exciting. New follower? New "like"? New comment? YAY! Yay. ya. I always have Facebook and Twitter tabs open on my computer. Whenever I see that number of new tweets available, I instantly click it. And away I go, favoriting and retweeting. Social media isn't all that bad. It helps us promote things we care about, spread awareness, and can even build community. But, my constant checking of these high-pace, always busy, worlds needs to stop. Well, at least cool down a bit. So, enter the 20 Days of Disconnect aka, a social media fast. Here are the Rule(s):
That's it. There's only one rule. Why does Twitter have an asterisk beside it? Well, it's special. I use Twitter to give out my blog links. And since I don't know how many of you guys have bookmarked, followed, or memorized my website, the only posting on Twitter will be that of a new blog link. Nothing else. So, if you see that I'm going tweet crazy (like during the VMAs or football games) I give you full permission to call me out on it! Why just these three social media sites? They are the ones that I constantly use and that I constantly check. Seriously, it's like refreshed every 10 seconds. Okay, maybe not every 10 seconds, but you get what I mean. Why for 20 days? I'm not sure why I chose 20 days. It's just a number that kept coming to me. And since this fast starts tomorrow, when I come back to the social media world, it will officially be Fall! One of my most favorite seasons. Why not stop blogging for 20 days as well? I'm not as addicted to blogging as I am when it comes to checking these sites. That is evident by the fact that I sometimes go two days without posting anything. Blogging is also an outlet for me. It's good, cheap therapy. So, it stays. Why not fast from Candy Crush while you're at it? I seriously considered this. Guys, it's getting crazy. I actually had a dream the other night that I was in a giant, life size, Candy Crush world. Ridiculous. What happens after the 20 days? I'm hoping that the next 20 days will show me that I don't NEED to check these sites constantly. I honestly don't know whether I check them more now or if I checked them more when I was in school. Either way, I have a ton of free time on my hands (since I'm looking for a job and all) and this will show me that there are other things I can be doing. More productive things. What do you hope to get out of these next 20 days? Honestly, I don't want to do this. Which is exactly why I need to do it. I want to refocus my time. I want to refresh my mind. Instead of checking the sites automatically in the morning, I can start my workout, eat a real breakfast, have my quiet time. Throughout the day, I won't be distracted from searching for jobs, sending out resumes, helping my parents out around the house. I can get outside, read books on my ever growing list, be active, draw, memorize Scripture. I want it to be a time of renewal and restoration. I've honestly been in a dry spell when it comes to my quiet time lately. Earlier this summer I started reading through the book of Ephesians. At some point, I hit a snag and stopped. I didn't start anything new, I just stopped. And believe me, I could tell what was happening. It was definitely affecting me and I felt more defeated and discouraged than ever. Then, I started feeling the Lord lift me up again. And He directed me to a very well-known verse in His word. "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." Psalm 51:10-12 Create. Renew. Restore. Sustain. 20 Days of Disconnect. Beginning September 3rd, 2013. Ending September 22nd, 2013. Follow Me :)
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Chasing History is back! Yay!
That's the important part of this post, but first some "housekeeping." I've mentioned a few places, Twitter and here, that I've been thinking about doing a 20 day fast from social media. Well, after about a week of thinking about it and the start of a new month, I've decided to go with it! Check back later today for a post with the details of this journey! Two posts, one day! Woohoo! :)
Have you checked out my new series, Twenties Answer? I started this about two weeks ago after finding an article by Paul Angone entitled, "11 Questions Every Twenty-Something Needs to Ask." For 11 weeks, every Tuesday, I'm taking a question and answering it. Come back tomorrow for the answer of question #3 and maybe share your own answer!
Find Question #1 and my answer here. Find Question #2 and my answer here.
Blogtember!
Jenni is going to be hosting a September Blog Challenge! For the whole month (weekends excluded), she has given us prompts to write posts on. I've never done a blog challenge before, but I'm joining in on this one! However, I'm picking and choosing the days I join in, so I can keep up with my regular stuff on here, like Twenties Answer and Chasing History and Five Minute Fridays. I really like this idea, because it's perfect for the days I have writer's block. Look for it throughout the month!
That's all for housekeeping and announcements! Let's get to Chasing History!
Kaitlyn started this awesome link-up and I haven't been around for it in a couple of weeks, but I'm excited to be back. Btw, there are new days for this link-up so make sure you check out her blog for the updated info! Chasing History. A community where you pick a woman of the Bible, read her story, write about her, and tell us what she taught you!
"So in the course of time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying 'Because I asked the Lord for him...I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.'" And he worshiped the Lord there." -- 1 Samuel 1: 20, 27-28
Characters in our story:
Hannah was married to Elkanah who was a Zuphite and also married to Peninnah, who had children. Now, even though her name means "pearl" and you think of something pretty and exquisite, she was the exact opposite. She may have been physically pretty, but her attitude toward Hannah was not. "And because the Lord had closed her womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat." 1 Samuel 6-7 Hannah cried out to God for a son and promised to offer him to the Lord if she was given him. Hannah was intently praying to the Lord one day, that when Elkanah came across her, he thought she was drunk! Now, do you think this woman was just sitting quietly with her hands folded? That isn't the picture I get. I instead see a woman standing, with her arms outstretched wide, turning in circles, words pouring out of her lips as she is crying out to God. Hannah assured Elkanah that she was not drunk. "I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief." 1 Samuel 1:15-16 Hannah told Elkanah all that was on her heart. In due time, Hannah became pregnant. The Lord surely did not forget her. He heard her prayers and gave her a son, Samuel. How happy Hannah must have been! For years she had been praying, hoping and wishing, for a child. And now, the Lord had finally remembered her. She has her precious baby that she surely loved before she even met him. Do you remember that promise that Hannah made? She said that if the Lord gave her a son, she would give him back to the Lord. Hannah had waited years for her son and now she had a promise to keep. What a hard promise. But, Hannah was faithful. She kept her word. Hannah dedicated Samuel to the Lord. She cared for him, weaned him, and then placed him under the care of Eli the priest. Was this going to be the end of Hannah and Samuel's relationship? No. Hannah didn't abandon Samuel. Each year, Hannah went with Elkanah to the annual sacrifice and there she would see Samuel. Each year, Hannah would bring Samuel a little robe she had made for him. Even though Samuel was still under the care of Eli, Hannah provided for him. And each year, Eli would offer a blessing upon Hannah. Remember that Hannah's name means "gracious" or "the Lord has favored me"? The Lord certainly was gracious to her. While Samuel was away in the care of Eli, Hannah had three sons and two daughters! A woman who spent years crying out to God for just one child, now had a family of six, including Samuel. What became of Samuel?
Hannah's story is one of faithfulness and the power of prayer. For years, she had wanted a child and for years there was no answer. She could have easily given up and sunk into depression. Especially after having a woman, with children, rub it in her face that she had none. Instead, Hannah chose to stay close to the Lord and to faithfully cry out to Him. Her prayers were her soul pouring out! She prayed intently and she never believed that the Lord had abandoned her. And even when her prayer was answered, she continued to remember the Lord, just as He remembered her. She was faithful to keep her word, her promise. How often do I let myself feel abandoned and how often do I stop praying? When I feel like my prayers are only reaching the ceiling, I stop. And when I do that, I'm telling the Lord that I don't trust Him. That I don't believe Him when He says He hears my prayers and that He will take care of me. And when things are going great and prayers are being answered left and right, I easily forget to give the Lord credit. The Lord remembers me always. Do I remember Him always? Nothing succeeds apart from the Lord. He is always faithful. He never changes. He never abandons. He never gives up. He never fails. Follow Me :) |
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