Day 25: Read Missionary Stories

Note:  Some of the links in this post are affiliate links.  You can read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to Day 25 of the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!

Many of us have gone through, are going through, or will go through some pretty trying circumstances.  And the last thing we want is to lose our joy in the midst of hardship.  Reading through missionary stories - their struggles and their triumphs - always helps me to remember that we're not alone in our struggles and that the Lord is right there with us.

Today's assignment is easy: read a missionary story!

Do you have any missionary stories floating around your bookshelves?  If so, grab one and dive in.  Even if you've read it before, it never hurts to re-read it!  Or see if a friend has one you've not yet read.  Sometimes even public libraries keep a collection of missionary stories on their shelves.  It's worth looking into, especially since libraries are free (provided you return your books on time, something that I've not been great at in the past).Three of my favorite stories are Evidence Not Seen by Darlene Diebler Rose, The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom, and Peace Child by Don Richardson (note that all three of these books have some heavy information in them, so if you want to read them to your kids or have your teens read them, too, you might want to be aware of the subject material first).  Each of these books impacted my spiritual life in a profound way.  My struggles pale in comparison to what these people went through, and while I don't want to make light of  my own struggles, reading about others' hallways has helped me to remember that my afflictions are, indeed, momentary (see 2 Corinthians 4:17).

Today's action steps:  Find a missionary story to read.  It can be one you have on hand, even if you've previously read it.  You can borrow a new one, either from a friend or from your library, if your library offers them.  Or, if finances permit, treat yourself to a new book you've not yet read.  Once you've picked your book, start reading it.  Look for ways the Lord intervened in the life of the missionary; how He orchestrated events for His purposes; and how He prepared the hearts of the people to receive His Word.  Praise the Lord for the ways in which He worked, remembering that He's at work in your own life as well!

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Day 24: Declutter

Welcome back to the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!  It's Day 24.

Along the same lines as cleaning something, another great way to lift your spirits is to declutter.  But I've purposely left that a little open-ended.  Yes, decluttering surfaces, such as your counters or the kitchen table, can go a long way toward helping your day run more smoothly and giving you a sense of peace in your surroundings.  (If clutter has built up since Day 15's action step, go ahead and declutter your surfaces.)

Today, I want to look at two other areas that might need decluttering.

When was the last time you decluttered your heart?

The above link is to an excellent article written by blogger Sarah Koontz.  She asks some great questions about heart clutter, and it's well worth the time to stop over and read.  When our hearts are too laiden with unnecessary burdens that the Lord never intended us to carry, it becomes almost impossible to praise Him no matter how hard we try.  If our hearts are bogged down with guilt, grief, or unforgiveness, we need to lay these things at His feet.

When was the last time you decluttered your schedule?

I've personally found that I feel much more frantic and much less willing to praise the Lord when my schedule is overly full.  Maybe you thrive on a busy schedule, but even so, have you sought the Lord's guidance about what you should and shouldn't have on your plate right now?  Maybe your schedule needs an overhaul so that you can better serve your family.  Maybe there is another ministry you need to consider adding, and until you make room for it, you won't be able to take it on.

Today's action steps:  Examine your heart closely.  Are you hanging on to anything that you really need to let go?  If so, pray and ask for the Lord's help to declutter it from your heart.  Then, take a good look at your schedule.  Is everything that's on it necessary?  Are there things you could declutter that would free up time to better serve your family and the Body of Christ?  Pray over your decluttering process.  The more we free up our hearts and our lives to better serve the Lord, the easier it will be to praise Him through waiting and hardship.

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Day 23: Sing Out Loud

We've made it to Day 23 of the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!

It's funny how the cute things our children do can also be the very same things that drive us crazy, isn't it?  My spark plugs love to sing.  At the top of their lungs.  Whenever they do this, I'm always amazed at their pitch accuracy (makes this musician mama's heart proud!) and the sheer volume they can produce.  I feel bad, but I often ask them to stop just because, in true introvert fashion, I can't cope with the noise.

But I've learned something else from their zealous singing - they're not able to sing out loud when they're grumpy.  I think there's just something about singing out loud that goes hand-in-hand with being joyful!

As silly as it may seem, I want you to sing out loud.

Sing your favorite hymns out loud to the Lord.  One of my personal favorites is Be Thou My Vision.  I also love the newer songs Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery and It Is Not Death to Die.

If you're self conscious, maybe try whisper-singing at first, or sing in the car with all the windows rolled up.  Even if you can't carry a tune, it doesn't matter.  I once had a neighbor who loved singing along to her radio.  She was hardly ever on pitch, but because she enjoyed it so much, I actually liked listening to her.  I'm pretty sure she'd have been mortified to know I could actually hear her, but I'm thankful I got that peek into her life.

There's just something about singing out loud that helps us have a joyful, praise-filled attitude.  As I've seen in my own kids, it's really, really hard to stay frustrated when we're singing aloud.  It's an excellent mood lifter, and even better - it's completely free!

Today's action steps:  Choose one of your favorite songs to sing.  You can either sing A Capella or you can sing along to an audio CD or the radio if you can find your song choice (or even play along on the piano, if that's in your skill set).  Don't worry about anyone else listening to you.  If you're not alone, ask others to join you!  Make a joyful noise to the Lord.

Day 22: Remember Christ's Sacrifice

Welcome to Day 22 of the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!

When I was at college, we heard the Cross preached almost daily.  In fact, I almost grew tired of hearing, "Christ died for your sins."  That's a little hard for me to admit, but it's true.  And isn't it sad?  We as believers should never take for granted the work that Jesus did by dying in our place.

I think part of the reason I struggled so much during my college years was that it seemed to me as though the Cross was most often presented to unbelievers needing to be saved, and I as a believer wanted more than just being told of Christ's death on the Cross.  There is so much more to His sacrifice.  It goes so much deeper than merely a man being executed for something He didn't do.

But one pastor did speak of Christ's sacrifice from the standpoint of the believer.  "Remember Calvary every day," he told us.  It's excellent advice.  If you've been a Christian for a long time like I have, it's easy to fall into complacency.  As terrible as it is, it's easy to forget all that the Lord did for us.Today, I want you to remember Christ's sacrifice.

As I just mentioned, there is so much more to Christ's death than merely a man dying on a cross.  From the fall of man way back in Genesis 3, God orchestrated the substitution of His perfect Son to die in our stead.  He first created the original-but-imperfect sacrificial system of the Old Testament that gave way to Jesus' ultimate, perfect sacrifice.  All through the Old Testament, God promised to send His Messiah, and in the New Testament, we see that promise fulfilled in Christ.

The Cross - and Christ's resurrection that followed - spans the course of history.  And we need to stop and think on this amazing act of God's mercy and grace, lest we grow hardened and forget.

More than that, the more time we spend to remember Christ's sacrifice, the more we fix our eyes on Him.  And the more we fix our eyes on Him, the smaller our hallways become.  Everything we do in life needs to be focusing more on the Lord and less on ourselves.

Admittedly, this is something I really, really struggle with!  I like thinking about myself.  A lot.  It doesn't matter if we think of ourselves too highly or too lowly; either way, we're still thinking of ourselves too frequently.  Turning our eyes back to the Lord will be a constant battle for all of us, but it's one of the best ways to praise Him even when life is hard.

Today's action steps:  Read Old Testament passages on the  Jewish sacrificial system.  Then go through the Gospels about Jesus' death and resurrection that ended the animal sacrifices.  It's incredibly powerful to see how God wove His perfect plan of salvation through the entire Bible!  We can praise Him for His amazing sacrifice.

Day 21: Read Revelation

We've made it to Day 21!  You can find the first 20 days of the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge here.

As a Bible minor in college, one of my assigned classes was on the book of Revelation.  Although I disagreed with some of the theology that was taught in the class (my professor made absolute statements about things that I felt were simply too ambiguous to be dogmatic about), it ignited my lifelong love for Revelation.

It's true that much of Revelation has yet to be unveiled and that parts of it are difficult to understand.  But the overarching theme of God's sovereignty as revealed in His ultimate conquering of sin and death brings me such hope and joy as nothing else does.  The passages that describe Heaven are amazing.  To think of spending all Eternity with Christ, free from the pain and hardship we experience here on Earth, makes Revelation one of my favorite parts of Scripture.  Truly, for the Christian, the best is yet to come!

Today's challenge is simple:  Read Revelation from start to finish.

You don't have to read it in one sitting - if you have young children, doing so probably isn't even possible!  But read through it from beginning to end, no matter how long it takes.  See how Jesus is revealed throughout the book.  Pour over the descriptions of Heaven, where there will be no tears or sin.

The hard part about living here on Earth is that we have no idea how long our hallways will last.  We only know that we've been guaranteed hardship of one kind or another (see James 1:2-4 and 1 Peter 2:6).  This doesn't really lift my spirits much.  But as a Christian, I have the hope of Heaven where all hallways, hardships, and trials will be forever banished.  We will get to spend all of Eternity with Christ, in Whom we have unending joy.

Another blessing about Revelation is that, since we know how things will ultimately end, we can offer that same hope to others who are hurting.  I have a lot of friends who are going through some really tough things right now.  I'd love to be able to tell them that everything's going to be okay here on Earth, but I simply don't know that to be true.  What I do know, however, is that everything will be okay in Heaven.  And I can share that with those who are hurting.

Earthly trials, though they loom large right now, will diminish once we reach Heaven.  Every earthly thing will fade away in the light of Jesus' presence.  For the believer, there is always hope.  And reading Revelation reminds me of that hope.

Today's action steps:  Start reading the book of Revelation.  Read it from cover to cover.  You might not be able to read it in one sitting, and that's okay.  Just make sure to finish it.  Look for the ways in which Christ will be glorified in end times.  Study the passages on Heaven.  Be filled with hope, knowing that Eternity with the Lord is promised to every believer.  The best is yet to come.

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Day 20: Try Something New

Note:  Some of the links in this post are affiliate links.  You can read my disclosure policy here.

We're tw0-thirds of the way through our 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!

Last month, I bought my first-ever bottle of sriracha sauce.  My sriracha-loving sister would be proud.  It was really fun to try something new.  And as it turns out, I really like sriracha, too!

Once in a while, it can be great fun to try something new and different, to step outside of our routines.  Maybe trying a hot sauce for the first time isn't your cup of tea, but today, I'd like to challenge you to try something new.

It doesn't have to be expensive or extravagant.  Do you have pretty dishes up in your cupboard that you've never used for fear of breaking them?  Why not get them down for dinner tonight?  Have you been looking for a new project to do with your kids?  Why not find an experiment on Youtube that uses items you already have on hand?When life is hard, it's easy to get frustrated and even a little depressed at times.  Trying a new project or endeavor that you've not previously experienced isn't going to fix your financial struggles or your broken relationships, but it can give you a breath of fresh air.  It can be encouraging.  It can give you a bit of hope.

It can also be a great reminder that the Christian life doesn't have to be a dour one.  Because we have the hope of Heaven, we should be joyful no matter what our circumstances.  As my friend Deb likes to point out, "'Happy Christian' should not be an oxymoron!"

Some ideas to try:

• Adult coloring books (Money Saving Mom occasionally lists free coloring book pages for Kindle)
• Homemade Bath Bombs
• Going for a nature walk with your kids (even if you live in the middle of suburbia)
• Making a new recipe for dinner
• Playing a new game with your kids (my aunt recently introduced my spark plugs to Uno.  It's now a beloved family game!)

Today's action steps:  Decide what new thing you want to try.  Is there something you've always wanted to do but have never made time for until now?  As long as it fits into your budget, now is a great time to try it!  Let me know what you tried and how it went.  Leave a comment or post to social media with the hashtag #hallwaypraise so I can follow along!

Day 19: Serve In Some Capacity

Welcome to Day 19 of our 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!

We've covered a lot of ideas for finding ways to praise the Lord when times are tough.  Today, I want to challenge you to serve in some capacity.  If you have a family, likely you're already serving them by preparing meals, cleaning house, chauffeuring kids, and other domestic pursuits.  But are you also serving in your local church body?

There are definitely times to let other people serve.  If you've just had a baby, have recently lost a loved one, or are feeling absolutely overwhelmed with life, it might be time to step back from some of your extra obligations.  But serving your local church is another great way to keep your eyes off of your struggles and to focus on things of the Lord.

If you aren't sure where you should start serving, as yourself a few questions:

• What are my strengths?
• What do I enjoy?
• What service-oriented jobs fit with my schedule and my family values?

Once you have a bit of clarity about what kinds of serving jobs might be a good fit for you, ask around at your church to see if there are needs in the same areas.

Years ago, I was under the wrong impression that serving wasn't really serving unless I was miserable.  I felt that I had to step out of my comfort zone to really serve.  For example, often a church's biggest need is in its nurseries.  And even though I have four spark plugs of my own, I'm not that good with kids.  I'm not terribly creative when it comes to playing games or making toddler art.  But I thought I just needed to serve in the nursery because there was a need and I was out of my element - surely that was true ministry, right?

Not necessarily.

Yes, sometimes ministry will take us outside our comfort zones, but just because we're uncomfortable doesn't mean we're in the right area of service.  After I completely forgot to change a baby's diaper and returned him in that condition to his mom (yep, true story!), I started realizing that I might not be serving in the best capacity.

I can play the piano.  Although I can't read chord charts well or figure out harmony on the fly, I can play from a hymnal and accompany a congregation.  Doing so makes me all kinds of nervous, but I actually enjoy doing it.  When our regular pianist asked if I'd consider being an alternate once a month or so, I agreed.  It's been a much better fit for me than caring for little ones in the nursery.  (And it also opened up the opportunity for those truly gifted with child-care abilities to step in.)

Serving the Body of Christ is a wonderful way to honor the Lord, to help others, and to stay focused on Biblical things.  It can help us forget our trials and to remember how blessed we are.  It can help us keep our eyes on Christ.

Today's action steps:  If you're not already ministering in your local church, consider what your talents and interests are.  Find out if your church has a need in a similar area where you can help out.  You don't have to jump in the deep end, but do find at least one area in which you can serve.

Day 18: Find Bible Characters You Resonate With

Welcome back to our 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!  How are you doing so far?  Today's assignment is a good one!

One of the great things about God's Word is that it's full of stories about real people who had struggles just like we do.  Abraham had to leave his homeland; Sarah, Hannah, and Elizabeth were barren; David and Solomon had trouble with their children (among other things); Joseph was wrongly accused; Paul was imprisoned and shipwrecked for the name of Christ.

Chances are good that there are Bible characters you can easily resonate with.  Why not find one or two of them to study?

As you read about these real-life people who had hardships just like you do, consider a few things:

• How did they respond to their hardships?
• Do they set a good example to follow, or a poor one to avoid?  (Esther gave God glory; Jonah complained.)
• What can you learn from them?
• Can you apply some of the same things they did to your own circumstances?
• Are they mentioned in the New Testament somewhere?  If so, why are they mentioned?  (For example, several people are commended in the Hebrews "hall of faith" chapter.)

One reason for studying Bible characters is because they are real people.  They aren't made up or fabricated.  The things they experienced really did happen.  There can be a lot of encouragement in that.  If those people set Godly examples for us to follow, and if the same God of the Universe who worked in their lives is at work in us today, it means that we can set a Godly example for others, too.

Isn't it amazing to think that the Lord might be using us to help encourage someone else?  We may not know the full impact of our responses until we reach Heaven.  But we can strive to set a Godly example, knowing that people are watching, even if we don't always see them.  What motivation for clinging to the Lord during times of hardship!

Today's action steps:  Read up on some of the people in the Bible who went through tough times.  Job, Daniel, and many of the prophets are good choices; you could also consider some of the people who came to Jesus for help and healing, such as Jairus and the woman who touched the hem of Jesus' robe.  Use a concordance or an online commentary to find all the passages that mention the people you choose.  See if someone has written a Bible study on them.  Ask yourself what you can learn from them.  Jot down your answers and read them often as you continue on your own journey through the hallway.

Day 17: Know Your Enemy

Note:  Some of the links in this post are affiliate links.  You can read my disclosure policy here.

It's Day 17 of the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!

When Turbo was first diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, the hospital staff gave us some excellent advice:  "Don't Google anything right now.  There will be time for that later.  For now, just let the doctors explain."  And you know what?  That advice was perfect.  The internet is FULL of conflicting information, opinions, and even evidence.  Having just one set of doctors at the hospital to listen to helped cut out all of the controversy.

When we knew nothing about Type 1 diabetes other than that our spark plug had just been diagnosed with it, we felt completely helpless.  It was only after talking with the doctors, being trained by the nursing staff, and pouring over the literature the hospital provided that we began to find a foothold to stand on.

And once we were out of the hospital and had adjusted a little bit to our new "normal," we were able to do more in-depth study.  Although the hospital didn't recommend any change in diet, we read about other diabetics that were having better blood sugar control with a healthy lifestyle.  While that information would have been absolutely overwhelming at diagnosis, we were now able to properly digest it.

So, today's assignment, if you're ready for it, is to know your enemy.

For example, if you're going through a financial squeeze, start researching money-saving ideas.  My personal favorites are Money Saving Mom, Living Well Spending Less, The Complete Tightwad Gazette, and The Total Money Makeover (purchasing used copies or finding them at your local library are great ways to save on the cost).

If you've been diagnosed with something, learn about it from doctors you trust.  I highly recommend also researching for holistic or natural remedies to help combat it, but be wise with this information.  (We've had people tell us not to give Turbo his insulin and just to use natural remedies to treat his blood sugar.  While some Type 2 diabetics have been able to manage their disease through diet and lifestyle alone, a Type 1 cannot.  We use diet and lifestyle to help him in other ways.)  The Truth About Cancer, though very controversial and far from mainstream, is eye opening (but please use caution with this, as always - there are some things they teach that concern me).

If you're struggling in your marriage, seek out Godly, wise counsel.  Talk with couples who have made it through a rough patch.  Read Scripture.  Two of my favorite books on marriage are You & Me Forever and Feminine Appeal.  I know there are many others that offer sound, Biblical advice on marriage, too.

Even if it might seem easier to bury your head in the sand, facing your trial head-on and being armed with knowledge can go a long way toward helping you get through it.  Your trial might be pretty scary, and the facts about it might be difficult to take at first.  But there's nothing worse than not knowing.  When you know your enemy, you'll be better able to confront it.

Today's action steps:  Determine what your current hallway is - financial, relational, spiritual, etc.  Begin looking for Biblical information on your hallway that will help you understand it better.  Don't obsess, but do try to spend a few minutes each day learning more about your situation so that you are as prepared as possible and can know your enemy.

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Day 16: Be Thankful for Your Glass

Welcome back to the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!  Let's jump into Day 16.

"Is the glass half full or half empty?"

We've probably all been asked this at one point or another.  This question is supposed to help people determine whether they're optimists (those who see the glass half full) or pessimists (those who see it half empty).  I'm sure the person who first created this line of thinking hoped to encourage people to take a positive outlook on life.

Personally, I'm almost always a glass-half-full kinda gal, at least at first.  When storms hit my life, I try to take a positive approach.  But if a hallway ends up being long and drawn out, I notice that I begin to wander into a more pessimistic mindset.

In fact, sometimes it seems that the glass isn't half full OR half empty; it's all I can do to be thankful that I even have a glass at all!

Have you ever found yourself in a similar position?  Maybe you're there right now as you're reading this post.  Or perhaps you've gone even further and are starting to wonder if you even have a glass.

I can promise you:  no matter what you're experiencing or what you've already gone through, if you are alive, if you have been saved by grace, if you have a personal relationship with your Heavenly Father, you definitely have a glass.  And it's overflowing.

Maybe your marriage is in shambles.  Maybe you're broken over a wayward a child.  Maybe you've lost a child.  Maybe you're in a season of depression.  Maybe you've just been diagnosed with cancer.  But no matter how bad your Earthly circumstances are, you have a Father in Heaven Who loved you so greatly that He sent His Son to die in your place.  Compared to that rich blessing, everything else is a "momentary and light affliction" (see 2 Corinthians 4:17).

I don't mean to joke about serious trials.  Many of us are facing grave circumstances.  I know.  Sitting in an exam room, listening to the on-call doctor telling you that your child has a life-threatening complication of a terrible,  life-long disease, all the while knowing your husband is about to get laid off and that you have an insurmountable medical deductible to pay, it's pretty hard to be thankful for your glass - full, empty, or otherwise.

But dear friends, even in the most dire of circumstances, we need to fix our eyes on Jesus.  We need to continue praying.  We need the support and encouragement of the church body.  We need to be reminded of all our spiritual blessings.  Those don't go away with suffering; rather, suffering often enhances them.  That's one of the great ironies of the Christian faith.

Maybe you're not currently in a season of waiting or hardship.  How can you be a blessing to those believers around you who are?  You can help them to be thankful for what Christ has done on their behalf.  You can remind them to trust in God's goodness whether or not they can see it at the moment.

You can remind them that they have a glass, and it's called Eternal Life.

Today's action steps:  Read through your gratitude journal.  Remind yourself of all the "glasses" the Lord has given you, especially the gift of Eternal Life.  And be thankful for your glass.

Day 15: Clean Something

We're half way through our 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!

I've mentioned before that I'm a terrible housekeeper.  I don't know why I didn't inherit my mom's cleaning gene, but I didn't.  Sometimes cleaning feels overwhelming (probably because I go way too long in between cleaning sessions); other times, I have non-cleaning related chores I'd much rather be doing.  Whatever the reason, my house is often a mess, to the point that it becomes depressing.

Thankfully, through a lot of prayer, determination, and help from Jon and the spark plugs, I'm slowly overcoming my allergy to cleaning.  Our home is no longer a complete disaster all the time.  There are moments during the day when the dishes are all in the dishwasher and the sink is shiny.  At times the carpet is vacuumed and the floors are swept.  While I will never have a spick-and-span home, more often than not, nowadays our house is within 15-20 minutes of being company-acceptable.

And I've noticed something about myself that has a direct correlation between my disposition and my cleaner home:  I'm much less stressed during the day.  When my environment is tidy, I feel calmer.

Because of this, today's assignment is to clean something.

You don't have to clean your whole house (unless you want to and have time).  You don't have to deep clean the bathroom or kitchen (a simple wipe-down of surfaces will suffice just fine!).  But I do want you to pick one item or spot to clean today.  Choose something that will have a big impact but that won't take a ton of time or make you frustrated in the process.  Some ideas:

• Clear and wipe down the counters in the kitchen
• Get the homework and dirty dishes off of the dining table (bonus points for wiping up the crumbs and spilled milk)
• Vacuum the living room and/or hallways
• Sweep the kitchen (it's okay to sweep around the dining chairs instead of removing them first)
• Collect all visible paper clutter into one contained spot to deal with later
• Organize all of the shoes in the mud/laundry room, tossing out any pairs that are too worn (and passing on anything that's been outgrown)

Cleaning won't make you more spiritual.  It won't bring an end to your hallway.  But it can help improve your mood and give you a little something to find joy in.  Not only that, but because we Christian women are called to be homemakers (see Titus 2:5), cleaning our homes (even just a small part of them) is something that honors the Lord.  There is great satisfaction in knowing that we're doing what He's called us to do even when we're waiting for the hallway to end.

Today's action steps:  Choose an area to clean, preferably something that can be done in 15 minutes or less but that will have an impact on our daily routines (like clearing the kitchen counters or getting all the dirty dishes into the dishwasher).  Set a timer for 10-15 minutes and challenge yourself to see how much you can accomplish in that time.  You might surprise yourself with how far a few concentrated minutes can get you!

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Day 14: Find Your Barnabas

Thank you for joining us for Day 14 of the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!

Do you have someone in your life who consistently encourages you?  In Acts 4:36, we learn that a man named Joses was renamed Barnabas, meaning "son of encouragement," by the believers around him.  What an incredible testimony about this man!

We all need a Barnabas - someone to lift us up and point us back to the Lord.  When times are tough and we find it easy to become overwhelmed with our struggles in life, we need believers to come alongside us to help us fix our eyes on Christ.

If you already have such a person in your life, let your Barnabas know how much you appreciate his impact in your life.  If you haven't yet found your Godly encourager, start praying and ask the Lord to provide you such a person.  (Note:  if you are married, your Barnabas could well be your spouse.  If you aren't, I encourage you to find a Godly woman to be your Barnabas.)

As you try to find your Barnabas, though, there are several things to be careful about:

Be content until the Lord provides your Barnabas

As wonderful as it is to have a son of encouragement in your life, be patient until the Lord brings him or her to you.  It's great to want such a person, but not everyone has the gift of encouragement, and it might take some time to find your encourager.

Don't become dependent on him

Having another believer to support you and point you toward God's goodness is a desirable thing.  But you can't depend on him to lift your spirits every time you go through heartache.  We are all human, and no one can flawlessly encourage you every single time.

Do return the favor

Think about how you can be a Barnabas back to the person who ends up encouraging you.  Better still - look for ways you can Biblically encourage every person in your life, those who encourage you back and those who don't.

Become this person in your spouse's life

If you are married, ideally, your Barbabas will be your spouse.  Not all people are naturally gifted with a positive outlook on life, though.  If you aren't, you're going to have to work at this to be your spouse's Barnabas.  If your spouse isn't gifted with encouragement, maybe this will be an area where you both can grow as your both your marriage and your relationship with God deepen.

Today's action steps:  Think about the people in your life.  Does anyone stand out as being an encourager, someone who is often reminding you to keep your focus on the Lord?  If so, that person may well be your Barnabas.  If you don't have someone like that in your life already, how can you find someone?  Is there someone at church who has such a reputation?  If you live in a rural area, you might want to start by finding an online person who could encourage you either through a blog or podcast.

Day 13: Find Your Timothy

It's Day 13 of our 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!  Thanks for continuing on with all of us.

Yesterday, we discussed finding your "Paul" - an older lady who can help you grow in both your spiritual walk and in your household responsibilities.  Along those same lines, today I want to encourage you to find your Timothy.

Your Timothy will be a younger lady whom you can take under wing.  When we're facing a trial of any sort, it is so very, very easy to become so focused on the hardship and on ourselves that we sometimes forget about others.  Just as the Dead Sea is stagnant because it has no outlet, we all need a ministry outlet lest we become stale, too.

However, we also need to be careful when finding our Timothy that we don't shove advice onto someone unsolicited.  I've done that before, and it's not fun for anyone.  So, when you're considering whom you can minister to, think about whether or not someone has already asked you for advice.  If so, that's probably a good place to start.

Prayerfully consider whom your Timothy might be.  If you're not mature in your own faith yet, now might not be the time to pour into someone else.  But be praying about growing your own faith so that when the opportunity to shepherd someone else does come up, you'll be able to graciously step into that role.

If you're a young mom, your little ones might well be the Timothies that God has for you.  Or you might have the opportunity to mentor someone who is new in her faith.  If you're older and have been walking with the Lord for many years, you might be in a position to train up someone who is fairly mature in her own faith, too.

Helping someone else to grow in her faith is a big responsibility and shouldn't be taken lightly.  Go through with this only after much thought, prayer, and counsel from your husband.  But if the Lord allows you to enjoy this kind of ministry, what a wonderful thing to help nurture another's faith!

Today's action steps:  Prayerfully consider whether or not you're in a position to mentor someone.  If you're already a mom, the answer is yes - you need to be mentoring your little ones, no matter how inadequate you might feel at times!  If you are ready and haven't yet found your Timothy, pray about who it is that the Lord would have you come alongside.  Once you know who your Timothy is, continually seek the Lord's leading and wisdom as you shepherd this new relationship!

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Day 12: Find Your Paul

A few years back, a close friend of mine encouraged me to find a Christian mentor, a lady who could be my Titus 2 teacher in both spiritual and domestic matters.  I put off doing it for a while, partly because both my mom and mother-in-law are amazing, Godly ladies who already come alongside me.  But I also hesitated because I was shy, and the thought of asking someone to take time out of her busy schedule to mentor me seemed intimidating.

After more gentle nudging, though, I finally took the plunge and asked a lady at church if she would be willing to meet with me every other week or so.  It turned out that not only was she willing to do it, she was elated about being asked!

For nearly 6 years now, we've gotten together once or twice a month, and I have grown in my faith because of it.  She's willing to ask me hard, challenging questions and to confront me where I'm lacking.  I can ask her questions about concepts that I'm struggling with, and I know she'll give me honest feedback.

Had I never built up the nerve to seek out a Christian mentor, I would have missed out on this incredible opportunity to deepen my walk with the Lord.  Not only that, but she would have also lost the opportunity to minister!

The Apostle Paul was very much a spiritual leader, guide, and mentor to thousands of believers in the early church.  He exhorted, confronted, encouraged, and challenged.  Because of his influence, many churches grew and improved under his ministry.

So today, I'd like to challenge you to find your Paul.

Seek out a mature lady in the Lord who has time and willingness to take you under wing.  Look for someone who will be both honest and uplifting, someone who exemplifies the Biblical qualifications of a mature believer.  Find someone who's in a season of life where she has time to devote to something like this.

You don't need to keep a stringent meeting schedule or have an elaborate Bible study planned.  If both of you feel led to do these things, go for it, but know that this can be a more relaxed thing if that would better suit both your needs.

When I meet with my "Paul" (or, more accurately, my "Paulina"), we don't have a prescribed schedule or to-do list.  We share with one another about our weeks, our schedules, and our families.  She can share what she's learned in her Christian walk, and I can ask for her input on various situations.  She's faithful to give me Biblical answers, and I try to be faithful to implement her suggestions.

I have been so blessed and encouraged since I decided to take the risk and find my Paul.  It is worth the effort of stepping out of your comfort zone to follow the Lord's command of finding a more mature lady in Christ to mentor you. 

Today's action steps:  Ask the Lord to give you wisdom for finding a mature Christian lady who would be willing to mentor you.  Jot down the names two or three ladies you know whom you think might be a good fit.  (Be sure to check with your congregation's pastor to see if the church has any guidelines you need to be aware of; at a church I attended years ago, the pastoral staff arranged all mentoring relationships).  Be bold, and ask the first lady on your list if she'd be interested in taking you under her wing.  If she's not available, ask the next lady.  It might take some time to find your Paul, but finding a Christian mentor is so worth the time involved!

Note:  for some of you, finding a local lady to mentor you might be difficult, especially if you live in a rural area or if you're new to your location.  Another friend of mine who found herself in this situation started listening to a weekly podcast by her favorite Christian author as a means of mentoring.  Alternately, if you have someone in mind who isn't nearby, phone calls, Skype, and email also work well!

Day 11: Do Something Lovely

Note:  Some of the links in this post are affiliate links.  You can read my disclosure policy here.

Today's post is one of my favorites in this entire 31 Days to Hallway Praise series.

Today, let's put aside all of our must-do's, should-do's, and need-to's.  For one day (or even part of a day, if you absolutely can't take a full day off), let's do something lovely.

What does a lovely day look like to you?  Maybe it's spending time snuggled up with your children and a copy of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.  Maybe it's lighting a scented candle and watching your favorite movie with your spouse.  Maybe it's enjoying a leisurely bubble bath.  Maybe it's as simple as getting up 10 minutes earlier than the rest of your crew so that you can enjoy a hot cup of tea uninterrupted.

Forget the bathroom that hasn't been cleaned in 6 weeks.  (Trust me, one more day won't make a difference.)  Let the kids do the dishes today.  Give the dust bunnies a little longer to play under the sofa.

While I'm not encouraging laziness or belittling the high calling of homemaking, I do want you to take at least some time to do something lovely and to reflect on all the Lord has given you.  Think about how His Son died on the cross on your behalf.  Consider the depth of the Father's love for you.  Read through your gratitude journal and recall your many blessings.

My idea of something lovely would be staying indoors on a stormy day, listening to the rain drumming on the roof while enjoying a mug of Constant Comment.  The spark plugs and I would spend oodles of time reading aloud together before we set the table with the expensive China (even though I don't have enough place settings for the entire family) and waited for Jon to come home from work.  After dinner, we'd all play a game together (Rummikub is my all-time favorite).  Last of all, Jon and I would spend some time in adult conversation after the kids were in bed, thinking over the day and thanking God for His abundant blessings.

Maybe my lovely day looks nothing like yours.  It doesn't matter.  Find some way to do something special that gives you the opportunity to meditate on who God is and what He's done for us.  What better way is there to praise Him than remembering His faithfulness?

Today's action steps:  Choose to do something lovely - something that both relaxes you and makes you smile.  Be creative.  You don't have to spend any money on this project if you don't want to.  Arrange a time for your something lovely, whether that means finding something to occupy the kids for a bit or clearing your schedule to allow for some free time.  Then do your lovely thing, praising the Lord for all His mercies while you do.

Bonus points if you schedule in another "lovely" day next month, too!

Linking up at Faith 'N Friends, Grace and Truth, and Sitting Among Friends.

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Day 10: Participate in A Bible Study

Note:  Some of the links in this post are affiliate links.  You can read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome back to the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!  At Day 10, we're a third of the way through.

Prayer, memorizing Scripture, and staying involved in your church are all excellent ways to help fix your eyes on Christ.  But when was the last time you dug deep into God's Word with a Bible study?

Bible studies are an excellent way to grow your faith and deepen your understanding of the Bible.  If we want to be ten-thousand-hour Christians, we need to apply ourselves to the study of God's Word!

Between babysitting and transportation issues, I've not attended an in-person Bible study in years.  But that doesn't mean I can't study the Bible.  There are so many options available to us today!  I can dig out a concordance and start looking up words and meanings (tip:  BibleGateway offers free, online concordances right here).  With limitless resources on the web, I can do a personal study on any book of the Bible I choose.  Or, I can join an online Bible study. 

There are thousands of excellent Bible study resources available for purchase.  Many wonderful writers have put together amazing books and studies all designed to equip Christians with a greater understanding of what the Scriptures teach.  (Please note that not all Bible study materials are created equal, and no one person is going to accurately teach every concept from God's Word.  Use wisdom and discretion in your selections.)

One of my favorite Bible study authors is Elizabeth George.  I recently completed both A Woman's Walk With God (on the Fruit of the Spirit) and Beautiful in God's Eyes (about the Proverbs 31 woman).  Both were well-done.  That said, with her early-to-rise, multitasking ways, Mrs. George's recommendations sometimes make my head spin.  It would be easy to start trying to do things in your own strength or to think that business is the same as Godliness.  Be careful with any study you take on, and always compare everything you read with what Scripture teaches.

Participating in a Bible study is another great method for focusing on the Savior and not on the situation.  Keeping your thoughts focused on Scripture will help you to keep them off of your frustrations.  It can help you find ways to praise the Lord!

Today's action steps:  If you're not actively involved in a Bible study of some kind, decide which course of Bible study best fits your current needs - an online study, an in-person study, or simply studying on your own with the help of a concordance.  Next, choose a time of day to spend studying.  Then, dive in to your new study!

If you're already involved in a Bible study, keep up the great work!  See what else you can do to get even more out of your current study.  And why not see if you can get a friend involved along with you?

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Day 9: Read the Psalms

I have a confession to make:  when I was younger, I didn't care much for the Psalms or for King David.  He came across like a "woe is me" kind of guy, and I thought his Psalms sounded like he was whining.

I wasn't terribly sympathetic, was I?

When I was growing up, we lived comfortably.  My parents weren't wealthy, but my dad had a steady job, and he and Mom enjoyed a rock-solid marriage (they still do!).  Certainly, there were hardships - my grandma developed a fatal brain tumor; one of my brothers ended up needing an emergency appendectomy; and my other brother underwent several surgeries when he was little.  But compared to many people, I was blessed with an easy and ideal childhood.

When I was younger, I just couldn't relate to someone who had gone through the difficulties that King David experienced.  Now that I've been through a few hallways in my adult life, though, I find so much solace and comfort in the Psalms and in reading through David's life.  I have a much better understanding of the trials he experienced and why he wrote about them the way he did.

If anyone knew what it was to experience hardship and heartache, it was King David.  He had marital problems.  He had sin issues.  He lost a child.  His enemies were constantly attacking him.  He was at odds with his grown son.  He was wrongly accused.  His best friend was killed in battle.

The Psalms he wrote show the wide range of emotions he experienced.  But even the Psalms written at the depth of his despair end with, "I will choose to praise You, O my God."  (See Psalms 56 and 142.)  No matter what he went through in life, David chose to find his hope in the Lord.

No wonder he was considered to be "a man after God's own heart" (Acts 13:22)!

We can read the Psalms to help us follow David's example of finding our hope, joy, and peace in God even when circumstances aren't what we wish they were.  We can pray through the promises we find in the Psalms.  And we can take comfort in knowing that God placed the Psalms in His Word as a means of comfort for us.

Today's action steps:  Read the Psalms.  You can read one a day or several in a sitting.  It's up to you!  As you read through, jot down the ones that impact you the most so that you can re-read them later on.  I hope you'll develop a life-long love of the Psalms!

Day 8: Make Time for Exercise

I can hear the groans now.

Make time for exercise?  Really?  Like anyone has time for that!  Besides, isn't this series about spiritual matters?

Yes, exercise.  Really.  We all can - and should - make time for it.  And yes, our goal for this 31-day challenge is to develop our spiritual muscles and create habit of praise even when circumstances are difficult.  But believe it or not, exercise can help toward this goal!

Because our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, staying healthy can be a spiritual discipline as well as a physical one.  This will be easier for some than for others, given health issues, body types, and things of that nature.

When I was growing up, I ran.  A lot.  Even though I hated it.  But then I developed a painful, pregnancy-related condition that made running impossible for several years.  Now, however, the pain has subsided, and I've been running again.  I can't run far, and I certainly don't look pretty doing it.  I can only run once or twice a week.  But I'm trying to be faithful to exercise on a limited scale instead of just throwing in the gym towel because I can't exercise every day.

I thought running would get easier.  For me, it never does.  I honestly don't know how much physical benefit I'm getting from running, but I'm certain that it's better than not running at all.  And it's done worlds for my spiritual growth.

• I can pray for others as I run
• I get to spend time with my spark plugs while running
• I get to take in God's amazing creation
• I feel happier as a result of exercising (I'm pretty sure this is due to endorphin creation that exercise causes)

Running doesn't have to be your choice for exercise.  I once saw a documentary on a woman who could only move her arms from her elbows her to wrists, so her form of exercise was clapping.  She kept at it, even though she admitted to feeling very silly, and with a lot of hard work, diligence, and determination, she got to where she regained mobility.  She started where she was.

I chose to run because it's free, it's something I can do with my kids, and it gets all of us outside.  Something else may be a better fit for you.  Just start where you are (and get your doctor's okay to begin exercising if you're not already active).

It's not easy to make time for exercise, but if you're willing to make it a goal, it can benefit both your physical body and spiritual mindset.  

Today's action steps:  Begin a physician-approved exercise regimen that fits your needs and lifestyle.  Whatever level you're at, start there.  Then, once a week or once every other week, slightly increase the intensity or duration, taking care to listen to your body's cues (please don't overdo and injure yourself).  With slow and steady diligence, you'll see progress!

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Day 7: Stay in Church

Welcome back to 31 Days to Hallway Praise!  Today is Day 7 of the challenge!

For some of us, it can be tempting to skip church when the going gets tough.  Whether it's difficult to be open about our struggles or whether we're afraid of people asking questions we'd really not answer, my flesh understands and sympathizes with those who fall out of fellowship during a hallway.

However, staying away from church is one of the worst things we can do when we're hurting. 

Fellowship with other believers is a necessary component to the Christian faith.  And it becomes even more needed during times of struggle.  Without regularly meeting with your brothers and sisters in Christ, it's easy to let the discouragement overwhelm you.  Not only that, but if you're not meeting with your local Body, you may very well be missing the opportunity to encourage someone else, making lack of attendance a double tragedy.

Put bluntly, we need to stay in church!

There are definitely times to be alone; Christ often went away to solitary places to pray.  But He also ministered in the synagogues, to His disciples, and to the crowds.  The writer of Hebrews commands us not to forsake meeting together with the body of believers (Hebrews 10:24-25).

It's been said that human beings were created to need community.  This is true no matter what your personality type.  I'm a complete introvert.  I have no out-going tendencies, and yet even I need the fellowship of other Christians.  Talking with other believers, singing together in hymns and songs of worship, and hearing the Word preached are all vital to my spiritual growth.

And as I mentioned earlier, if I don't stay in church, I'm missing out on opportunities to minister to others.  Maybe someone else is going through something similar to what I'm going through (or have gone through).  Perhaps the Lord wants to use me to minister to that person.  If I shy away from going to church, even if my reason seems valid in my own head, I'm missing out on a wonderful opportunity, and the person to whom I was supposed to minister misses out, too.

So, even if it's hard, even if you don't always feel like it, make sure you're staying in church.  Make sure you're fellowshiping regularly with the body of Christ.  We all need one another to grow in our faith and to get through our hallways.

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Day 6: Drink Water

Note:  Some of the links in this post are affiliate links.  You can read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome back to 31 Days to Hallway Praise!

When we're in the middle of a spiritual battle, it's important to take care of our physical health.  When we're hurting, it's easy to forget simple things like drinking enough water or taking our multivitamins.  And physical strain on top of spiritual pain is a recipe for disaster.

So, part of our 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge will cover taking physical care of our bodies.  Today, I want to remind you to drink water.  Drinking plenty of water is one of the easiest and least expensive health boosts you can do.

There are a wide variety of opinions on how much water each person needs to drink.  Some say that a flat 8 glasses is good for everyone.  Others recommend drinking half an ounce to an ounce of water per pound of body weight.

I personally believe that you need to make a judgment call for yourself.  If you can comfortably take in more water than you regularly drink, do so.  If you are finding yourself running for the bathroom every few minutes, you might want to cut back a little.  However much water you decide to drink, make sure you're constantly sipping and not just chugging once in a while.

Will drinking water cure every ailment?  No, of course not.  Will you see a noticeable increase in health?  Maybe, maybe not.  But drinking water will help keep you hydrated; it can help prevent ailments like bladder infections; and and it's easy enough that implementing it is actually doable.

Drinking physical H2-O also won't improve your spiritual life, but Jesus has much to say about spiritual water (see John chapters 4 and 7).  You can use your water bottle to remind yourself to spend time in prayer if you need an extra reminder.  As you care for your physical body, remember to care for your spiritual life, too.

Today's action steps:  Find a fun vessel for your water intake.  I've used Contigo water bottles in the past, but my recent container crush is a colored mason jar with a straw and lid (note that these don't fit into a car cup holder very well).  Someday, I'll get even more creative and add some raffia and a silk sunflower.  :)  Once you have your favorite container in hand, drink water!

Note:  Some of the links in this post are affiliate links.  You can read my disclosure policy here.

Linking up at Faith 'N Friends, Fresh Market Friday, Grace and Truth, and Sitting Among Friends.

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