Brie Gowen

Savor the Essence of Life

What the Church Needs to Pray for Most

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I have a lot of friends send me links to articles, videos, or Facebook posts gone viral. They typically span from one side of the spectrum to the other, much like my friends’ list, and I receive each one with an open heart and mind. Because, you see, I don’t know everything. Sure, I have opinions, but I’ll never claim to know all the answers. So, I will watch that video with an open mind and listening spirit. I may not finish them all, but I give each opinion, each commentary, and each bold-emblazoned rant equal opportunity to be a pass or go for my heart.

Pass or go. When I watch some of these videos I think they are put together very well. I read the eloquent words a particular author painstakingly pens and I think, “they did a great job getting their point across.” Many of the things I read or listen to are very convincing in their natural medium, but it’s there I try to separate the wheat from the chaff. In a world of so much misinformation, so perfectly packaged, we must have eyes to see and ears to hear. But not the way you would think.

Matthew 13: 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’

It’s easy to see with eyes of this world because this world is where we are. I often have to remind myself that I may be “in” this world, but I’m not “of” it. I am seated with Christ in Heavenly places. So, while my body is here in the world, my spirit exists with Christ. I have to keep that mindset. I have to utilize my spiritual eyes and ears in a world so noisy. I have to accept the gift of wisdom.

Wisdom. This must be our prayer. After watching a particularly saddening video from a friend this morning, I sat in the shower praying for wisdom. This is what the Church (we believers) need most.

James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

Remember when I said earlier that I don’t know everything? Well, because of that, I frequently pray for wisdom. We exist in a time of public opinion, in a time of social media, in a time of free-flowing and varying information, but also in a time where the enemy still prowls and seeks to devour. God gives wisdom when we ask! We must have wisdom, but not wisdom simply from our local church, respected “Godly” friend, favorite news channel, or well-produced YouTube video. We must have wisdom from the Holy Spirit. We must have spirit and truth. We must have quiet time set aside to commune with Jesus in prayer, and more time reading and re-reading scripture. We need more time in the Bible and worship than we spend on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. That way, when craftily concocted notions come our way, the Spirit of Truth will give us eyes to see and ears to hear! Without the wisdom and discernment of the Holy Spirit, we are tossed to and fro.

Have you noticed the world lately?! There’s a lot of people being tossed to and fro.

A large issue with the human nature is the sin of pride. I have taken to laying down pride at the feet of Jesus every morning in the shower. If you haven’t noticed, the shower is my prayer closet. I get up early on work days just so I’ll not neglect that time. I lay down pride, something I struggle with, and that we all struggle with. Human hearts crave love. Most of those hearts don’t realize it’s the love of Jesus they need. So they fill their hearts with other things. But it doesn’t have to be drugs or booze, guys. That’s the devil talking to the church. Nope. Most times the religious folks fill their love bucket with pride. We believe if we are knowledgeable we are loved. If we are right, we feel good. To be wrong, that feels bad. We desire acceptance, and we need people to accept our point of view. To applaud us for it! If anything threatens our existence of being right, we become personally threatened. We get angry. We push away another point of view. We ridicule it, even. Pride. We have ears, but don’t hear. I mean, we already know everything God said. Why listen for more? We have eyes, but don’t see. We’ve already seen what God wants us to see. No need being open for more.

We have become a stagnant people. Hard-headed like our ancestors in the desert, and arrogantly certain of our opinions. We lack wisdom. We have plenty of disinformation, but we’re lacking in any way to tell it apart from what God may be trying to speak.

I would encourage you as a believer to seek God first. Seek Him over the media. Seek Him over what you’ve always been taught or told in your tiny circle. Seek His heart in the red letters of scripture, and pray for wisdom to apply that instruction to your very life. One of my favorite verses in the Bible is about the Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5). Read it. And then read it again. Sometimes I read this chapter before I go into work. Meditate on it. Ask the Lord to show you how to carry these fruits. And then ask yourself if the opinions you speak are in line with these fruits that tell us the Holy Spirit thrives in us. Ask yourself if what you read bears those fruits. Ask yourself if the information coming to you has the fruit of the spirit, or if it is simply disguised with the fruit of the flesh.

Why Your Quiet Time Isn’t as Important as You Think

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The other day I woke up and I just wasn’t feeling it. Good, that is. I felt kinda down, about nothing in particular, and I immediately wondered if it was something I had done. Or rather, had not done.

The day before had been a busy one for me, and reflecting back I realized I had not read my Bible as much as usual or spent time specifically on my knees in prayer. I mean, I had talked to God. I’m typically in consistent, off and on conversation with the Lord. But knowing that I felt better when I absorbed myself in the word, I blamed my poor mood on my neglect of quiet time.

As I thought about this, though, pretty quickly I felt the Lord tell me that wasn’t right.

“I’m here,” He said. “I’m always with you, no matter what you do or don’t do.”

Now don’t get me wrong and think that I’m saying time reading the Bible or praying isn’t important. It’s very important! The problem occurs when you think the level of your relationship with Jesus is just dependent on your works. We all know it’s by grace we are saved, but as humans we also like to “do.” We try and dig deeper, seek harder, and if things don’t work out perfectly we assume it’s either something we’re doing, or something we’re not. Yet sometimes you just gotta rest. You have to rest in the fact that God loves you and is always with you.

So seek the Lord, but don’t think that if bad feelings or circumstances occur that it’s because you’re not seeking hard enough. That diminishes the fact that the Holy Spirit already lives inside you when you accept Jesus as your Savior.

Spend quiet time with Jesus as much as you can, but understand that when life distracts you from Him, it doesn’t distract Him from you. Rest in the fact that His hand guides you even when you forget to ask.

So, quiet time and digging in the Word is important! But it’s not the most important thing. The most important thing is trusting God with your life, realizing that His mercy and grace is a gift that doesn’t depend on what you do. Or what you don’t.

A Beginner’s Guide: How I Drew Closer to God

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I’ll start by saying I’m no expert on spiritual matters. In fact, I’m quick to call myself a work in progress. I haven’t arrived at some divine place in my walk with God, my face doesn’t shine like Moses, and I foul up on the daily. So anything I share isn’t from some pedestal place of my creating. I just want to chat about how I went from point A to point B in my life as a Christian. I know without a doubt there’s a point C, D, and beyond that I strive for, but looking back over just the past decade of my life I am blown away. I am a different Brie in 2017 than I was in 2007, and of most importance is the truth that I didn’t change on my own. It was for sure divine intervention, but it also didn’t occur overnight. It’s matured a little each day, over time, and I thought someone might like to hear how. 

When I look back over the past eight years or so I can pinpoint certain decisions I made in life that I believe helped me to grow closer to the Lord. When you’ve created a distance between yourself and God, or perhaps when there’s a chasm related to sin, it’s not a gap that can be closed all at once. Asking Jesus for forgiveness and turning from sin is a really good start, but it also involves a daily decision to keep walking in that. So I guess you could say my journey back to God initially began with the decision to stop doing the things that I felt separated me from His presence. You never stop sinning, and every day of my life the Lord reveals to me new ways I can improve, but it has to start somewhere. My start began with absolutely stopping the actions I knew weren’t pleasing to Him. 

Reflecting backwards over the past six years or so one of the biggest actions I feel like I made to draw closer to the Lord was spending time with Him. It started when I took a job where I had to work every Sunday. I was so worried my relationship with the Lord would suffer since I’d be missing church on Sunday that I made the extra effort to seek Him all during the week. Every day I made the time to read my Bible, read devotions, pray, listen, and worship. I’ve done this every single day for at least six years now. I don’t think you can spend quiet time with the Lord, read scripture every day, pray it over yourself, and not be impacted by that. 


I also changed the type of things I let into my mind. I changed the books I read. I changed the movies I watched. I even changed the music I listened to. I’ve always been a person who really enjoyed music, but around 5-6 years ago I decided to take a 30 day challenge a Christian radio station suggested. In that timeframe I only listened to Christian music. After that I felt so good that I kept it going indefinitely. I’ll stop here to say that I love and appreciate all forms of music, and I never judge or think less of anyone who listens to secular music. We all do what we think is best for ourselves and our family. For my family we do not listen to secular music. I’m typically lost on social media when people do parodies or spoofs of a popular song. Lol. 

I also opened up the line of communication. I didn’t just reserve praying for meals and bedtime. I didn’t just pray when I wanted healing or help. I did pray for my needs and those of others, but I also praised the Lord for my blessings throughout the day. When I woke up I told him good morning, and when I liked my shower I told Him so. I worshiped in the kitchen while cooking supper, and I took advantage of semi-quiet times on the road as an opportunity to listen. Over time as you open your heart, speak to God about everything, and see His hand in it all, you begin to just chat with Him on the daily. It’s not to say God isn’t mighty and deserving of our reverence, but it is to say that He’s not some unapproachable, angry guy in the sky. He’s a Father who cares about our needs, all our needs, and loves to hear us tell Him all about it. As you make a point to talk to God more about your daily life you find that you create this open communication line that is just there. It’s like you never hang up the phone. He’s always on call, and the fact is you can’t talk to someone all day and not be close!

Last week I looked up at the sky and I said, “oh God, those clouds are beautiful!” Then it struck me that they had been beautiful the day before too. But also the day before that. And the day before that. And what about that sunset I last saw?! I wondered, did the sky just start becoming so lovely recently, or did I just start noticing it more? I felt like I just so happened to come to a place where I enjoyed it more. I was able to open my eyes and see the gifts from God in everything. I was able to see it in the beauty of nature, the health of my family, but also even in the circumstances of life that didn’t always work out as I had hoped. I was able to understand that God held control of all things, so even when things didn’t seem to work out, really they did. Because of Him. I think we’re all born to be optimists, seeing the glass half full. It’s the world that taints us. Being filled with hope, persisting in faith, and trusting in all circumstances has given me a positive outlook I never had before. It doesn’t mean my life is always perfect. It just means I know God is. 

I think it’s important to add this. Nothing we do in and of itself creates this relationship with Jesus. It’s not our actions that create our salvation. It just is. It’s a relationship of redemption and grace that awaits our acceptance, and other than agreeing that yes, you want it, there’s no other magical formula you must follow to achieve the fullness that walking with God supplies. I’m not trying to get into a theological debate on the steps to Salvation. That’s not what this blog is about. I’m going to assume that those seeking to draw closer to Jesus have received the gift of eternal life. My point is that I’m not trying to say our actions make this relationship. They don’t; His grace does. This is just me sharing how my relationship has deepened over time. I made purposeful decisions to seek His face and I think that helps. I’m grateful for the relationship I enjoy with Jesus, but if a recent trial with anxiety and depression has taught me anything it has taught me that I am powerless. I don’t have control of my life, nor do I hold the key to peace. I am humbled to realize that although I’m far from where I was a decade ago that I still have not arrived to the fullness of what He has for me. I’m reminded of this fabulous verse. 

Philippians 3

 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

I’m not there yet, but I press on. I’m just grateful I decided to participate in the race. Because when you’re running with God it doesn’t seem like a rat race or rush of a chaotic life that is spinning out of control. You still get weary, but there’s always a place to find rest. 

For the Busy Woman: How to Find Time With God

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Last week I enjoyed some time apart from some of the stressors of every day life, and although I took along my four month old baby to the beach, it was a major parenting vacation anyway. I was able to take a Spring Break from homeschooling and recharge my life by allowing myself some rest and relaxation without worrying about schedules or having supper on the table. It was nice and something most women need, and one of the best parts for me was walking along the beach simply soaking in the feeling of God’s love for me. With just one baby to care for I even found myself able to spend some quiet time alone, a rare occurrence indeed. 

After returning home I fell quickly into my typical grind, working a couple of twelve hour shifts at the hospital, fixing never ending cups of milk, and stepping over treacherous toys underfoot. This morning as I sat rocking my baby I thought about my extra time I was afforded with the Lord the previous week, and while it was wonderful, the fact was I didn’t typically have an overabundance of stillness in my life. I am a busy momma, and seeking out time to focus on my relationship with Jesus could be considered tough territory. Thankfully it doesn’t have to be. 

Our God is definitely a mighty God who is worthy of our rapt attention, but any busy woman can tell you that time apart with the Lord isn’t always easily found. But I wonder if we make it harder than it needs to be?

As I’ve grown closer in my personal relationship with Jesus I find that I walk with Him as a friend. He’s my brother. He’s the one who doesn’t judge me for my failures, and in all honesty died because of them. And when you decide you wish to see God more face to face like Moses did, you work on your relationship. Though I don’t see Him in a burning bush I do see Him in other ways. 

Much like the fact that I work hard to stay close to my spouse, so too do I work hard to be near the Lord. My husband and I are rarely given time alone together yet our marriage stays strong because we communicate at every opportunity. I send him little texts throughout the day. I try to capture snapshots of things I’m doing with the children so he can share in the joy. I tell him my deepest concerns, and even my silly, irrational fears. Because I love him I keep the line of communication open. It’s what keeps us close even though our busy circumstances in life would try to drive a wedge between us. 

But another thing I do in my marriage is keep my eyes open at all times. I know my husband loves me, but I never want to take his affection for granted. So I notice the little things, the tiny, almost meaningless ways he shows me that he cares. 

The gas tank filled. 

Groceries picked up. 

My favorite candy sitting as a surprise on the counter when I wake up. 

When you accept Jesus as the lover of your soul you also strive to maintain that relationship so that even when life is chaotic you still share it with the one you love. 

Prayer time shouldn’t be an orchestrated event where we must always be on reverent, bended knee. I fully support a reverence and honor bestowed the Lord Almighty, but if religion hampers relationship then rethinking your approach might be beneficial. 

The fact is that God loves you, and He wants time with you. He wants you to be comfortable enough in your love relationship with Him that you pray without ceasing throughout the day. 

Worried? He wants to know. 

Afraid? Same difference. 

Are you in celebration? Praise Jesus then. Let that be the first thing from your thankful lips. 

Converse with Jesus like He were right beside you, for in essence He is. His Holy Spirit resides within you. 

Be a woman after His own heart, one so steadfast in her pursual that your circumstances don’t matter. Let Him be the first thing on your mind when you wake, and the last when you lay your head down at night. 

 
Don’t be blind to God all around. See His signature in the purple-pink sunset as you drive home after a long day. Feel His presence in the wind as it kisses your face. See His wink at green lights all the way to work when you’re running late. 

See the might of His hand in the mountains that cannot be moved, or the gentleness of His Spirit in your baby’s sleeping face. 

Each and every time you witness His love for you in a perfect blue sky, or even in a gray one that promises renewing rains of refreshing, I want you to say, “thank you.”

Thank you Lord for loving me. 

Thank you for loving me especially. 

Time isn’t always a friend of busy women, but we can use it much wiser than we do. And although quiet, still time with the Lord is especially precious, don’t allow your relationship with Jesus to become stale as you wait for a free moment. Cherish Him in the midst of your chaos. Speak your heart to Him at every passing moment. Praise Him for His patience even when you cannot find patience yourself. 

The Lord is always ready and welcoming of our attention to His face, and we shouldn’t wait for the seemingly perfect opportunity to seek it, but rather chase Him with passion as we run throughout our day. This will continuously draw us closer to this Savior who accompanied us throughout each and every moment, and when we do find that beautiful, quiet time together it will be even richer and more blessed than before. 

Time Management for the Christian Woman

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I haven’t been managing time lately at all; it’s been managing me. Trying to unpack boxes and settle into a new home before the arrival of our baby has left me feeling frazzled to say the least. Trying to take care of my children the way I see fit, maintain my other responsibilities, and not collapse into a useless pile of exhausted and frantic tears has been a challenge to put it mildly. 

Despite being on the doorstep of the delivery room, and regardless of my never-ending task of reordering my home, being a mom period is tough. I constantly feel like I’m running a race with time, and the sad fact is that time always wins. Always. 

I’m forever behind, consistently late, and always missing something on the list of accomplishments I desire for the day. And as if there not being an ample supply of hours in the day wasn’t enough to drive one mad, factor in the cruel rushing of the sands of the hourglass, and it’s enough to reduce the most stoic of women to tears.  

Who hasn’t packed away another box of outgrown baby clothes and asked the empty nursery, “what happened?!” When did my baby transition from a cooing cuddle-bug that could barely roll over into a long-legged little lady that gives me too much sass? Wasn’t she just teething yesterday? And as you throw away the expired teething tablets and pack away the now neglected teething ring you realize with a drop of your heart that time is indeed fleeting. 

It rushes by like a speeding train, and I’m often left sputtering speechless in the dust of its wake. I feel powerless to the giant of crushing time, and as it plunges forward without my consent I am left defeated by my inability to not only conquer its stealthy passage, but even make a mark in my day before it ends. 

I woke this morning with a busy mind per usual, the wheels of my brain turning before coffee could even lubricate its inner workings. I already had a plentiful to-do list in mind, but as I sat sipping my morning cup of joe I felt the yearning for something more substantial than hanging pictures on the wall, or even my upcoming salon visit for a root touch-up. 

I longed for Him. 

I desired time with my Savior, and though I had very little time to spare, I knew that this rich communion was not something I could forgo. I needed it. My mind needed it. My body needed it. My spirit longed for an oasis away from my tight schedule, and the only rest in sight for a weary woman like myself was quiet time with Jesus. 

So often I think of time as my enemy, like its a cruel creation that tempts me with its elusiveness, but this morning I was reminded that it’s actually a gift. It’s a gift from Him, and one that I should cherish, not abhor. 

By aligning myself with the Lord, by seeking His face sufficiently, I am able to more adequately confront my full schedule. He has triumphantly gone before me, making the way, and lining up my day in a manner that is purposeful and useful. I need only to start it in communion with Him to be open to the leading He provides to lighten the load that is my hectic day. 

I often seek answers for how things will turn out, desiring a roadmap for the day, complete with crossed off tasks and finished projects, but my God would simply say, “seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.”

Time isn’t my enemy. I’m my own worst enemy. Time is my gift from above, and to use it wisely is within my reach. Time here on earth, in the presence of so many precious gifts bestowed to me is my blessing to partake in, not to dread. And the secret to time management for the Christian woman is to enjoy her time, and to allow God to do the managing. That is a schedule I think I can maintain.