Date Night With Jesus

I often find it hard to spend time with God.
It’s not that I don’t want to.
​It's not that I don't have the time, or even that I don’t remember to when I do have time.
​I often just don’t know where to start and I often find reading my Bible quite a daunting task. 
So here’s what I do; some top-tips, for anyone who is in the same boat as me. I have a 'date night with Jesus'. A term I first heard when I was about twelve, sat in. Youth Venue at New Wine.

I stick on some worship music that I haven’t heard for a while, or ever heard. I do this, rather than putting on songs that I know like the back of my hand, because I find that God speaks to me more through lyrics I haven’t heard before. If I put on, for example, ‘Oceans’ by Hillsong, then I find myself singing the words but not really thinking about them. I really like quiet songs when I've put time aside to spend with God, whereas I like 'beaty' songs when I’m driving, or cooking. Below are two playlists of my favourite songs right now, for which ever mood you’re in.

After I’ve put some music on, I open up my journal and get my favourite pen.
(For anyone interested, every year I buy a new big, fabric, line journal from Paperchase. My favourite pen is the 'Handwriting Pen' by Berol... the ones you got in primary school once you got your 'pen-license' and didn't have to write in pencil anymore)

I light some candles, firstly because the flame reminds me of God’s presence, and secondly simply because I almost always have candles lit. 


Then, I just listen. I don’t hype it, I don’t repeat “please speak to me, please speak to me, please speak to me” in a whisper to God. I just listen to the lyrics and write down the ones that speak to me. Maybe it’s just me, but maybe it is God.

I know a couple of people who play ‘Bible Bingo’, and it’s a way that God speaks to them. They pray over their bible, open it to a ‘random page’, and a verse on that page speaks to them.
That doesn’t work for me.
I really like the Bible plans from 'Little Faith Blog'. I rarely follow them like a devotion anymore, although I’d like to get back into the swing of that. Instead, I read the suggested verses in my journaling bible. I underline bits, highlight some words, I write exactly what I’m thinking, usually ‘wow’ or ‘huh?’ Or I just rewrite the verse in a script font.

Then I go back to my journal, and I write prayers to God (usually based on the lyrics and verses), starting with worship and praise, followed by asks, finishing with surrender. 


For example, most recently I wrote about God’s loyal love, how no matter what I do there is grace upon grace upon grace. I wrote a list of things that God says I am, and I wrote a verse that I liked. 
Then, for asks, I draw a heart, and then wrote the things that I’m praying for in that heart, and I prayed over it. 
Finally, for surrender, I listened to the song ‘Closer’ by North Point InsideOut and Lauren Daigle, and wrote out the bridge:

“My sole devotion, my only focus is to worship you. My life surrendered, my heart abandoned for more of you”

I hope that helped, or was of interest! Comment below how you like to spend time with God....