As stated in the book, I did not grow up in the church or felt a connection with God. I stumbled onto God during some challenging transitions in life. For me, the transition was about connection. Growing up in an atmosphere of abuse, neglect and intimate partner violence, I did not know what connection was. Spending quiet time with myself and my thoughts helped me form a connection with God and seek mental health services. I believe God meets us where we are at, He did for me. Are you curious? I was.
Start your journey today. Find a place that is quiet with no background noise. A quiet place is important because we live in a world of never ending noise. Spend time with your thoughts. The time spent can be 5-30 minutes. Give you self grace because sitting with your thoughts takes practice. A person may start with only 5 minutes and then work their way up to 10 minutes, 15 minutes, etc. Take this time to slow down and reflect. You may want a pen and a journal or a piece of paper or your phone to write or type your thoughts on. As you start this practice, ask God to reveal himself to you. This may also take time depending on how long your spend in the quiet. Remember, as stated in the book, God can reveal. himself in many qways such as dreams, nature, etc.
If you cannot sit with your thoughts in silence, another option may want to pick up a devotional with bible verses or an encouraging devotional to see if that may help. Again, have a journal to write or your phone to type some things that come up in your thoughts. Jounaling does not have to be full sentences or paragraphs, it may be just a couple of words. Take this time for yourself and see what comes up. This is your time because you deserve it.
Jeremiah 29:13-14 (NIV): You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you."
When sitting in the silence, if you notice negative thoughts about yourself, this may be an opportunity to be curious about the thoughts. Taking time to be curious: Where did the thoughts come from? How long have the thoughts been there? Have the thoughts been there for weeks, months, years? You may want to take time to journal or write them down.
In the resource page on this website, there are two resources that may help you in this process: Cognitive Distortions and Negative thoughts.
Please keep in mind, if these thoughts have been reoccurring for a while and they are causing you distress, you may need additional help to overcome these thoughts. This is where a therapist may be needed. Sometimes, getting another perspective is helpful. If you do look for a therapist, you would like one that does cognitive behavioral therapy.
If you are experiencing an emergency: Please dial 911 or 988.
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