Just as you would a friend, invite God into your personal life. Actually talk to him about your life rather than just going to him when you're in need. When you just serve and serve you're gonna start to see your relationship with God as something transactional. Like you have to do in order to receive. So go to the secret place with God and don't overcomplicate it. Learn and recognize what God says about you in his word before you fixate on what you feel that you have to be doing for God, because in our flesh, we are selfish, and it's hard to do something for someone that you have no relationship with.

The symptom I tend to resonate with is the complaining spirit. It typically is because I'm complaining about something that I don't have or that hasn't happened yet. I lack patience and so I think that it was leads to it. Intimacy with God can help heal this complaining spirit because it'll allow me to have gratitude for what I do have now and also be at peace with the things that God has entrusted & promised me with for the future.

My current pattern for studying my bible is that I typically will read one book at a time, with one chapter a day, so currently i’m in the book of John. I will read the chapter on my bible but also play it off of the bible app, and as I’m reading along with the audible, any part/verse that is significant I highlight in the app, & then go through that whole book and read it again. Then every part I highlight I write down in my notebook and write down why it’s significant to me. Sometimes it stands out because of personal revelation, conviction, or something regarding apologetics. I just give room for the Holy Spirit to speak to me as I read Gods word and meditate on the scriptures.

The book of Acts. 1. Who wrote the book? Luke wrote the book of Acts. 2. What was the historical context of the book? The book occurred right after Jesus’ resurrection & accession. The Roman Empire has all the power. Christianity spread from Jerusalem to Judea & Samaria then to all other nations. 3. What are some key takeaways from what you learned? - This was the start of Pauls Ministry. - How evangelism is not just a call for few but a call for all. That if you want people to know about Jesus, YOU have to tell them about Jesus. - Paul being on house arrest yet still gathering both Jews & Gentiles together to teach them about Jesus shows that being isolated in one place doesn’t limit God’s presence in you or your ability to spread His Word.

Forgiving the people who have hurt me would just allow me to take that bitterness and resentment built up and switch it to grace. It's mentally exhausting being weighed down by hurt from the past. One person who I tend to have a hard time forgiving is my mom. I give her grace in the aspect of that she does face serious & challenging mental health issues, but it still is unfortunate to deal with the hurt and discord she has caused. One thing i've realized is that holding onto resentment, wishing for her to change knowing she won't because her brain cannot let her, is like asking a puppy to wash the dishes and becoming upset and resentful that they will never learn how, because it's something they were never capable of doing or aware they had to do it.