Are You Dehydrated?

3 Practical Ways to Replenish Your Soul DAILY.

Not physically….but is your soul mentally, spiritually, or emotionally dehydrated?

A simple definition: (Physical) Dehydration occurs when more water and fluids leave the body than enter it. Each case of dehydration is different. It can range from mild, moderate or severe and can manifest in a variety of symptoms. Bottom Line: without enough fluids, our body literally can not function properly.

If the impact of dehydration can be devastating for our physical body, how much more is the impact of depriving our soul from the nourishment it needs to grow and live up to our fullest potential. DAILY. If you were to perform a soul check-up from this past week, what would the results be:

 Full  Mild Dehydration  Moderate Dehydration  Severe Dehydration

Part of God’s design for the woman is to be a giver of life. Not just physically, but by pouring out to others in the form of challenging conversations, an encouraging text, a prayer call, a hand-written note via snail mail (my personal favorite :-)!), and so many more creative ways. It is a beautiful attribute that makes us distinct, sustains community, and encourages connectedness.

However, we often don’t take the necessary time to replenish what we’ve poured out. A vital component to becoming a Purposely M.A.D.E. woman is recognizing that our true power comes from nourishing our souls DAILY so that we may continue to GROW UP internally, ACT OUT intentionally, and complete our unique assignments!

3 Practical Ways to Replenish Your Soul DAILY:

1. Prayer- I used to be so intimidated by the idea of praying, especially in groups! I used to be a hardcore perfectionist (now I’m a recovering perfectionist!) and I was terrified at the thought of not praying eloquently enough for God. I mean…what do you say to…God???! Thank goodness over the last few years I have grown in my understanding of God’s character and the friendship that he offers to us. So, think of prayer as mutual conversation between friends. It’s a time to build an intimate rapport through communication and fellowship with God. There is no time requirement. Relax, express gratitude, speak from your heart, confess in humility, ask and make your requests known and then STOP to listen and understand God’s desires for you!

2. Development- When you address the needs of your internal character, your external circumstances change. God created each of us with a specific purpose and personality. For many women, their purpose and personality has been stifled, lost, or is unknown due to too many influences to count! Some of those influences might include friends, family, environments (past and present), difficult decisions, etc. The good news is that what God originally intended can be restored and you can replace the thoughts, ideas, emotions, and even change those environments that do not push you forward towards God’s original plan. There are many avenues to gain personal and professional development in ANY area that you desire to grow in, change unhealthy habits, or even learn for the first time! Here are just a few that I recommend to get you started, in no particular order (except the first one!):

A. The Bible-Youversion has app that you can install on your phone and have instant encouragement at your fingertips. I also like this app because you can subscribe to daily devotionals according to what you would like to learn or may be struggling with at the current moment.

B. Books- I have so many recommendations that I’ll have to do a separate blog post just for the books, lol! But I do want to give a HUGE shout out to your local public library. It’s an amazing FREE resource! (quiet place to think, study rooms, even spaces to do events (this may cost a little something!)

C. Workshops/ Seminars -Eventbrite.com is a great way to find out about local professional and networking events near you.

D. Meetups-Meetups are great place to gain in-person connection with other like-minded individuals who desire to grown in specific areas. If you are in the DFW area, join our fabulous group of Purposely M.A.D.E. Women!

3. Journaling- Taking the time to write and reflect about anything new that you’ve learned about yourself, or have been challenged to work on, is a powerful way of identifying and connecting with the woman that you are truly M.A.D.E. to be. Writing your thoughts out on paper provides a space to be authentic and to process the good, bad, and ugly! It’s represents a safe place to record the journey of your soul being nourished and also the chance to later look back and acknowledge the growth that will occur from the practice of daily nourishing your soul.

My Journal!

Journaling is probably my favorite activity in the development process because I like to write and all kinds of correction, confessions, dreams, visions, goals, and crazy ideas come from my journal time! I encourage you to give it a try! If you like to write, go out and purchase a BIG, BEAUTIFUL journal and get started today!

Lastly, my heart is that each of us would wake up every morning with the desire for our souls to be nourished. That we would not take advantage of this beautiful life that we have been given by walking around with dehydrated souls. That God would fill us up with His Word and other beneficial resources that challenge our mind, spirit, and emotions and create lasting change from the inside out! May we be filled with Love so that what pours out of us reflects God’s perspective…which is the only true food for the soul!

Do You Know Your Purpose?

Are you seeking the answers to the questions “Who am I?”, “Why am I here?”,“How am I uniquely designed to contribute my gifts and passions to the world?”

If you said yes to any of these questions, let’s connect!