Often, I share my thoughts on my morning devotional on my Instagram Stories. I’ve also started sharing some tips for better Bible and scripture study. The one thing I try my best to convey when sharing anything faith-based is that although building a relationship with God takes time and commitment, it doesn’t have to be complicated. If you’re trying to build a relationship with God or revive the one you already have, I suggest not taking on too much too soon. If you haven’t opened your Bible in a while, don’t try reading it from start to finish right away. You likely won’t succeed or fully comprehend what you’ve read. Don’t overcommit. Take your time. God’s not going anywhere. Before I share a few ways you can start building or rebuilding your relationship with God, I want to share what it means to have a relationship with God: 

What does it mean to have a relationship with God?

Having a relationship with God means having a direct and personal connection with Him. A relationship with God includes trust, love, worship, and fellowship. As I shared before, like any relationship, one with God takes time and commitment. It will take time to grow, but as long as you put in the effort and make spending time with God intentional, your relationship will blossom into something truly wonderful. Here are three simple ways you can get started on building or rebuilding your relationship with God:

1. Start a Prayer Journal

Sometimes, I struggle with what to “say” to God or how to “speak” to him. Having a prayer journal has been very helpful. Writing my prayers in journal, letter, or bullet point form makes communicating with God much easier.

2. Use Flashcards to Memorize Scripture

I learn best by doing or by seeing. If you’re a visual learner like me, try this method of memorizing scripture. Even if you’re not a visual learner, using flashcards to study and memorize scripture can be beneficial.

3. Don’t Compare Your Relationship to Anyone Else’s

Your relationship with God is just that; yours. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad for how you communicate with God or your relationship with Him. Everyone’s relationship with Him will look different, and that’s OK. God didn’t make us the same, so he doesn’t expect our relationship with him to mirror someone else. 

Reading has always been one of my favorite past times. In the past, I’ve opted to listen to books using Audible. While I love audiobooks, it’s sometimes difficult to comprehend or even remember what I’ve read. So these days, I’m trying to read more physical books.

I like highlighting, taking notes, and referring to specific sections when I read. You can’t do (all) that with audiobooks. And while I have yet to read as many books this year as planned, I’m making time to read and finish a few books this season.

Here are five books I plan to read this summer:

1. The Origins of Others, Toni Morrison

Toni Morrison is one of America’s most beloved and most notable Black female authors. According to a few reviews online, The Origins of Others is essentially six lectures by Morrison at Harvard University in 2016. She touches on race, fear, belonging, and an array of other topics in relation to literature.

2. No Disrespect, Sista Souljah

From the first time I read the line, “I came busting into the world during one of New York’s worst snowstorms, so my mother named me Winter,” I’ve been a fan of Sista Souljah. Her remarkable first novel, The Coldest Winter Ever, was a staple for every young black girl’s bookshelf. No Disrespect, published in 1994, is also said to be remarkable and riveting in its own way. Each chapter is devoted to someone who made a difference in her life and gave a real-life look at how Black people are treated in America. Although this book was written 20+ years ago, I’m almost certain the lessons and experiences she recounts are relevant today.

3. The End of Me, Kyle Idleman

I started reading The End of Me, thinking it was a normal chapter book, but it’s much more than that. Idleman brilliantly weaves Bible stories and scripture into each chapter to show how we must come to the end of ourselves to experience the full life Jesus has to offer.

4. Woman of Color, Latonya Yvette

Woman of Color explores motherhood, sisterhood, beauty, style, loss, and resilience from the author’s perspective. After thumbing through the pages, I can already tell this six-chapter book, part memoir and part lifestyle guide, will be a refreshing, intriguing, and heartfelt read.

5. More Myself, Alicia Keys

Since elementary school, I’ve been fascinated with autobiographies. So reading More Myself, part autobiography, part narrative documentary, has been a treat. Keys is a great storyteller. On the one hand, her life seems very normal. Then you start reading about her experiences in the music industry and see that her “normal life” is also extremely compelling.

As I continue refreshing and renewing my way through July, I’ve been reimplementing some of my old habits to ensure that my home is as organized and neat as possible. For the most part, my husband and I are pretty organized people. We always say that I’m the organizer and he’s the cleaner. I get excited about shelving and storage containers, and he gets a thrill out of finding the newest cleaning supplies and natural cleaners.

Regardless of who likes to do what, we do certain tasks when it’s time to organize and clean. Here are five simple tasks we do to keep an organized home:

1. Make the Bed Everyday

My grandfather ingrained this into my brain as a little girl, and it’s stuck with me ever since then. Not only does this make the bedroom look neater and more put together, but it also helps mentally prepare me for a productive day.

2. Clean as I Go

I try my best with this one. For instance, if I’m in the kitchen meal prepping or cutting up some fruit, I’ll be sure to put the knives and any other utensils or items used in the dishwasher as soon as I’m done with them. Also, if I’m baking or cooking, I usually clean up my mess as I make my way through the kitchen. That way, I can move on to my next task seamlessly.

3. Have Shoe Storage at the Entryway

We’re a “remove your shoes before you come in” household. Not only does this eliminate unwanted germs from entering the home, but it also keeps the foyer nice and neat. We also store our most frequently worn shoes in the entryway. Doing this reduces clutter and makes our “everyday shoes” easy to find.

5. Schedule Cleaning Days + Know My Responsibilities

My husband and I have a cleaning schedule. Although it’s just us, this schedule helps eliminate unnecessary disagreements and keeps our home in order. I’m responsible for dusting, washing, + folding clothes, restocking the bathroom with cotton swabs, floss sticks, and other bathroom necessities, and watering our plants. I’m also responsible for keeping up with our food and household inventory.

Darrius is responsible for vacuuming, cleaning the bathroom, and removing the trash. We split the dishes, bed-making, and cooking. I also created a shared grocery and household item list using the Notes App. This makes keeping up with our household inventory a breeze.

4. Use a Calendar

About once a month, Darrius and I sit down and go over our family calendar. From birthday celebrations and date nights to doctor’s appointments and trips home (for Darrius), we like to be sure that important dates are blocked off and planned for ahead of time. There’s an erasable calendar in our kitchen that I fill out monthly. If an event or special occasion is coming up, it’s on the calendar. We schedule our doctor’s visits and other medical appointments using our iPhone calendars.

I can only live with clutter and disorganization but for so long. I know things sometimes go differently than planned. That’s life. However, keeping our home as neat and as organized as possible is a priority. These five simple tasks make keeping your home organized a priority as well.

It’s time for me to make space here to share my thoughts about God and faith. I’ve wanted to share my faith and love for God here on the blog for years. I do weave my faith into most posts, but it’s time to go deeper. So, welcome to my first “Fearless Faith Friday” post.

If you follow my Fearless Woman I Am Instagram account, you may remember my “Fearless Faith Series.” Last summer, I featured seven faith-filled, purpose-driven women. These ladies shared their own faith stories plus offered words of encouragement. This powerful and impactful series was truly the start of something amazing. I plan to revive, revise, and expand that series here on the blog to make an even more significant impact.

What to Expect

On Fridays, you can expect to read my thoughts on an array of topics, each coupled with scripture and a word of encouragement. I also intend to share my testimonies and lessons learned from some of my real-life God moments. In the future, I plan to reintroduce the “Fearless Faith Features” as well.

The Purpose

My purpose is to share the goodness of the Lord with God’s people and to leave you both fulfilled and faith-filled. My goal isn’t to convert or force you to believe what I believe. This is my effort to build bridges, provide understanding, and encourage you to live a less worldly-focused and more faith-focused life.

As I prepare to move forward, I invite you to share this news with your family and friends. If you know someone who can use a quick weekly faith-based pick me up, tell them about “Fearless Faith Fridays.” I’m excited about what’s to come, and I hope you are too.

Until next week, stay safe and be blessed.