30 Day Challenge: "One Month To Love" Day #3

Copyright@2010 by Kerry and Chris Shook
(Published by Waterbrook Press 12265 Oracle Blvd, Ste. 200 Colorado, Springs, Co. 80921)

Week 1: The Art of Being All There

Day 3: Zoning In (Being All There in the Moment)

Series Scripture: “A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for a time of adversity” Prov. 17:17

Quote: “Only through focus can you do world-class things, no matter how capable  you are.” - Bill Gates

It is the dream of every child to be special in the eyes of their loved ones. Children haven't  yet learned to mask this insatiable desire to be loved, and they instinctively know if their parents are really paying attention to them. As kids grow, their pleas to be noticed shift from physically tugging  on our hand or pant leg to verbal requests. And as they continue to grow into teenagers, we might not hear them call, “Watch me”, but the silent cry is still there. It’s not just that they want you to acknowledge them; it’s that they need to know their important to you. 

“Wherever you are, be all there.” That means that when someone I love is talking to me, I work to block out distractions and give them my complete attention so I can really connect with them. Being all there isn’t  always easy, but it’s also not complicated. Here’s a suggestion, first, a conscious effort to clear your mind of outside distractions. The second, is to step into the other person’s world, which simply means to focus on what the other person’ s joy or need or hurt really is.

Multitasking is a smart time-management strategy in lots of situations.  But the very thing that makes multitasking effective  in some situations makes it destructive in relationships. That’s because if I really want to connect with another person on a deep- level, it takes 100 percent of my effort and awareness. To fully connect  on a deep level in any relationship, I’ve  found I have to intentionally choose to be there.  To be all there. 

The art of  being all there  starts with the unselfish act of taking what we ourselves long for  and realizing that others want the same thing from us. The people you love need to know they are important in your eyes. The best way to communicate that is to be present with them and focused on them, to clear your mind of distractions and dare to live fully in their world.

Challenge

1. Practice being all there with God this week by reading Psalms 46. Concentrate on verse 10a. “Be still and know that I am God.” 
2. In John 14:27 Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Take some time reading this and accepting this. How does reading this and knowing this change the way you look at your everyday life. Answer this for yourself. 
3. Try an experiment this week with one of your key relationships. When you’re with them (in person), focus on them wholly, block out your own needs and worries , and consciously make them the most important person in your world. Afterward, write down your impressions and transfer them into your journal, of what happened as a result. (Wed.)