007: 5 Ways To Pray All Day

A lifetime of mistakes, insecurities and anxieties lead me to an uneasy feeling about organized religion. In December of 2016, I decided that I really wanted to get right to the source and started studying the bible on my own. It transformed my life in so many ways and has ultimately healed my heart. Understanding scripture within its historical context is one of the best decisions I have ever made. Here are 5 ways that I continue to grow in my faith and stay connected to God all day long.  

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The First 5 App

The app that will transform your time with God. With First 5, you can start every day by reading and studying God’s Word. Open the app each weekday morning and read a chapter of the Bible and a short teaching. We say put God first...So wouldn't it make sense that we give Him the first 5 minutes of each day?

Maybe right now, there’s a gap between your current circumstances and what you’ve prayed for God to do. Sometimes in the wait — maybe in the first few days or weeks — it’s easy to trust God with your prayers and have hope. But what about when those days and weeks turn into months and years?  A really powerful tool to help you find hope in the hard days can be found in a 5 week study entitled Already, but Not Yet. It explores 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Peter and Jude.  You can download the First 5 app for FREE and if you'd like to dig deeper into the study, you can purchase the Experience Guide which has daily study questions to help enhance your understanding of scripture. 

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Take a Hike

I'm just a small town girl, living in the suburbs of Minneapolis. I'm married to farm boy-turned gym teacher, raising 3 little kids, a dog, a cat and whatever other random animals my children fall in love with. In January of 2016 we purchased a Spanish-style home on 4 acres just outside of town. It has required A LOT of TLC but it is exactly where God wanted us to be. One of the most calming things I can do is take a walk through our woods. I bring my coffee, my pup and my phone for music. This is my happy place and my favorite way to reconnect with God. I've created a playlist via Spotify just for these morning adventures so that I don't get distracted by what I want to listen to and waste this precious time scrolling on my phone. Some mornings I just want to tune into my favorite radio station and listen to whatever God throws my way. You can listen to 98.5 KTIS anywhere in the world when you download the app. Isn't technology magical?!?
I understand that most people don't live out in the woods, but I can almost guarantee that you can find somewhere awesome to walk wherever you are planted. So put on your kicks and get out there! If you really want to make things easy, you can even poach my Spotify playlist: Cool Your Jets. 
​BONUS POINTS if you bring your fur baby with. 

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Brush Your Teeth

Yep, you read that right. If you're looking for a way to strengthen your faith, practice good dental hygiene.  Okay...that's really only part of the deal. My life is mostly complete chaos and I need all the help I can get. So one habit I have formed is reading a daily devotional from Sarah Young's Jesus Calling while I brush my teeth each day. I leave it right on my bathroom counter and read it whenever I get a free moment to actually brush my teeth each day. (If you have small children, you can probably relate  that some days this doesn't happen until like 11am.) Technically you are supposed to brush those pearly whites for 2 minutes, twice a day. However, I have committed to brushing them for as long as it takes for me to read and process the daily devotional found in this book each morning and then for 2 minutes at night. I hope the American Dental Association approves of this system...

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Meal Time Prayers

My family and I are pretty darn good at remembering to pray before each meal, even when we are dining out. It can feel a bit awkward to bow your heads and pray at Subway, but I've grown to be totally fine with the strange looks we get sometimes.  My dear friend, Pastor Lee, taught me that if everything you're doing in life feels comfortable and easy, you aren't doing it right. Being a Christian should feel a bit like like paddling your boat upstream and going against the social norms of this world. If you're going with the flow and are afraid of standing a part from the crowd, check-in with yourself.  Try to lead by example, let your light shine and show the world you aren't ashamed of your faith. 

Some of our favorite meal time prayers:

• Short and Sweet Style: "Thank you, Jesus, for our food. Amen"
• Grandma Vernis Style: "Come, Lord Jesus. Be our guest. Let these gifts to us be blessed. We give thanks to the Lord for He is good and His mercy endures forever. Amen"
• Grandma Margie Style: "Give us gracious hearts, O Father, as we gather here today. We thank you for this food, our home, our friends and loved ones - both far and near. Keep us ever mindful of the Christian Spirit. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen." 
• Growin' Up Catholic Style: "Bless us, O Lord, and these, thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen"

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A Good Night

Bedtime routines can be a hot mess. I'm tired, my hubby is tired, the kids are tired (and they don't want to admit it). But we try our best to read 2 books and say prayers as a family before tucking them in at the end of the day. It usually includes a long list of thanking God for all of our loved ones by name and asking Him to watch closely over those who are struggling with health concerns. We recently started implementing a prayer written in my children's book, Your Angel Army (coming Fall 2019). I am so excited to share this little piece of my heart with you. I pray you'll hang it up in your home as a gentle reminder to trust in God's plan for you - you've got a whole army of angels on your side!

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GIVE AWAY!

CUSTOM PAINTING GIVEAWAY!
God is blessing my journey and it is the best feeling in the world. The amount of support I have received is overwhelming, beautiful and inspiring on so many levels. I am celebrating by giving away a custom original painting of your family! The winner will be announced on August 18th, 2019.
How to enter? 
1. Subscribe to the Fisch Tales blog. 
2. Comment on my latest blog post 5 Ways to Pray All Day!