Have you ever felt like you wanted a deeper relationship with Jesus but didn’t know what to do? Where to start? You’re finally sitting down and having some Jesus-time as you wait on great things to happen. Now what? Not only did I struggle with that, but I would find my Jesus-time boring. I mean, I can only sit and try to blank my mind out for so long before I just want to roll my eyes and give up.
I’ve always said I’ll do most anything if I can make a game out of it. At Physical Therapy I pretend whatever I’m doing is a challenge on Survivor, and I’m going to win. If I’m tracking a habit I’ll print a beautiful path through the woods and put my daily stickers on it, like a board game, or track across a treasure map. So it was inevitable that when my Jesus-time got boring I figured out how to shake it up with making a game out of it. Jesus loves games and having fun with you.
My favorite game is to put slips of paper into a container and then, daily or otherwise, draw one out of it. I’ve used many different items for my proverbial hat, for example, my niece Jenn has made me two different drawstring pouches to hold them–one a red-velvet and one with keys printed on the material. I love the bright, sturdy giftboxes I can get at Christmas, or colorful tins. I like drawing things because 1) it’s a fun surprise to see what comes up, and 2) I feel like God is orchestrating which one I draw, giving it the spiritual aspect I want. I’ve come up with several different versions of this game, which I’m going to share with you. :)
From Jesus to Me – One year I decided I wanted to draw a verse from Jesus to me, telling me of his love. I wanted one for every single day of the year. I went through the Bible and found the ones I liked, but in order to get enough I used some more than once, or from different versions. Here they are, from our Bridegroom, Jesus, to you and me. I also wrote this to go with them (first portion is a verse from “Song of Songs” in The Message Bible):
You’ve captured my heart, dear friend.
You looked at me, and I fell in love.
One look my way and I was hopelessly in love!
This coming year is about you and me. But just in case you forget, I’m giving you this gift to remind you. Every day you can draw something out of the hat that will remind you of how much I love you. Be watching and waiting. We’re going to have a lot of fun together!
Jesus
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From Jesus to MeBirthday Verses – I love celebrating my birthday in my head all day long with just Jesus and me. I sing “Happy Birthday” to myself. One year I decided I wanted to do something to be more aware of Jesus throughout my birthday, to appreciate how special I am. I came up with 11 verses, which I printed, cut apart, and put in a small tin. On my birthday I’ll either set an alarm on my phone or have them in sight so I remember, and then every little while I’ll draw a verse. It’s a fun way to remember that I was created on purpose. So were you. :)
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Birthday VersesFood for Thought – I love having interesting things to think about, so I came up with these to draw, for example:
- If you could take a Holy Spirit class this year, what would it be?
- Name 3 smells associated with your childhood.
- Notice what 3 sounds catch your ear today.
- What 3 things are you most interested in about heaven (other than God)?
- Jesus and you are in a pick-up truck, where are you going, and why?
- Write at least a page on what you think Jesus is saying about your spouse (or friend).
- Have a 3rd heaven perspective today. How did that change your day?
Not only are these fun to think about, but the purpose of them is to talk to Jesus about them. They’re a conversation starter. I like writing the thought in a notebook, and then writing my answer. See what you feel like Jesus is saying in response. Does he have his own answers?
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Food for ThoughtThings To Do With Jesus – These are a whole different level of interacting and having fun with Jesus. I talk in detail about when I began doing these and what happened, in my book, How I Fell Into the Spiritual Realm & Decided To Stay. This simple idea for fun catapulted me into the spiritual realm in a way I could never have imagined. Each slip of paper has an idea of something you can do with Jesus in the spiritual realm, by using your imagination. It’s just for the fun of it and for getting to know Jesus better. Because even when it’s your imagination, your interactions with Jesus are real, and he’s right there with you doing to too. For example:
- Lay on top of a high hill in the grass and watch the clouds
- Travel in the spiritual realm and pray for someone
- Hang out in a cabin
- Travel out the window
- Walk on the beach
- Write A newspaper article Interviewing Jesus
- Design a card for Jesus
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Things To Do With JesusAnother one I like is to write six colors on slips of paper and first thing in the morning, draw a color. Every time you see the color you drew that day, stop and focus on Jesus–what is he doing? Saying? Or just get a hug. :)
One year I cut up small, colorful squares of cardstock, numbered each from one to thirty-one, and put them in a small tin. The last day of each month I’d draw one (or two) and mark that day on the calendar for the upcoming month. That was my day to celebrate. It didn’t have to be a physical celebration, it was more a spirit, body, and soul celebration. I would often add a treat to my afternoon coffee, or just allow myself to read a good book or do something “luxurious” (that didn’t normally count as “productive”). Even if the day turned out busy or not as I would have chosen, inside I was focused on Jesus and on keeping the day set-aside in my spirit and thoughts.
Other things to draw are so tailored to me they aren’t applicable to anyone else, but you can take any idea and customize it to fit you. For example, one year I looked through all my night God-dreams and chose particular items from the dreams that represented something spiritual. I then listed them, with pertinent info, as “gifts” from Jesus to me. For example:
- I am giving you the tools you need to be able to change your future. (Waking: 11/8/07; “destiny change” 7/26/05)
- I give you the secret to power—it’s my breath through you. Breathe on what you need power for and it will happen. (Mansion Dream: 8/11/06)
- I give you so much revelation you can’t write fast enough, it will come to you faster than you can write. You’ll see it in everything anyone says, in what is going on, everything will be revelation. (Writing Dreams: 11/8/07 & 12/12/07)
- I give you the spiritual realm elevator and I’m teaching you how to use it, giving you revelation and ways to control your journey in it. (The ladder Dream: 6/21/03; Portable elevator-8/25/06)
- I give you the ability to rise above the brambles, overgrown weeds, and snakes of life and “walk” above them. You won’t have to fight your way through, it will be easy and you can be totally confident that you won’t fall. (Dreams: Walking above-9/4/04; Floating over road-11/25/10)
- I give you rock under your feet. When all you can see around you is sand, there will always be rock under your feet. (Creek Dream & word from Opal: 2/18/01)
- I give you a “David” by your side. (An old lady in a rocking chair sewing and singing this line—”My day’s got a David by my side.” The “David” refers to the giant killer. (Dreams: 1/23/05; Jenn’s Dream: me picking up stones like David-2/28/05)
See what I mean? Whenever I want I draw one, think about it, and ask myself these questions:
DREAM GIFT QUESTIONS
- Is this gift specific to situations or an across-the-board spiritual gift?
- How can I use this gift? Name two examples.
- How is this an example of walking in the spiritual realm?
- How does this gift change my life? This is a gift for the intimacy side of the spiritual realm. How can I use it to live supernaturally?
You can take anything God has told you or shown you and do the same thing. Think about your relationship with Jesus and what you can come up with. The possibilities are endless!