“I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”-Hebrews 13:5

God, where are you?

We’ve all felt the longing for more of God, and when the distance between us has widened, it hurts.  How is it God is both within us and all around, yet He feels so far off some days?  If He never changes and promises His presence with us always then it must be about our proximity and our awareness of Him. 

About a decade ago, I sat amongst a group of church leaders, dutifully listening to the speaker.  The day had gotten long, and I was eager to retreat for the evening.  The speaker quoted a prominent national youth leader, and I never forgot the statement.

“If God seems far away, go back to where you left Him.”- Jeannie Mayo

I sat with the statement and mulled it over.  It was the first time I truly understood that my connection with God was my responsibility.  It wasn’t my church’s, my spouse, or a matter of circumstance.  If God seemed far away, I was the one who moved, not Him.  All I had to do was simply go back to where I left Him.   Does this resonate with you, reader?

Somehow, in the church, we’ve gotten this wrong. We toss God aside as we elevate our service to Him. I’ve noticed most Christian women are content doing things for God instead of being with God. The busyness and service make us justify the distance because we’re doing _________ for God and surely He’s pleased with our service. 

Sweet friends, God wants you.  He loves you and cherishes being near you. He hopes for  life-giving conversations about all the things that matter to you. His love is poured out in the context of relationship and connection.  His character is revealed, and His purposes are laid out as you meet with Him. There are things God wants you to know about Him, your life, and your future. 

It’s challenging to understand the complexities of connection with God with its nuance and flavor. We all relate to Him differently based on our past, our hurts, and our expectations.  Our relationship with God is personal, but I desire to provide some clarity or starting points for amplifying your union with God. I’ve felt the sting of longing and the chasm between us too, and I want to help bridge the gap.

We’ve spent the past several months exploring six mindsets that will help you feel kinship with God.  We’ve talked about longing, restoration, belief, loving union, gratitude, and vulnerability.

So to wrap a bow in this series, I wanted to tell you about a self-study course I’ve created to help you grow your bond with God: Draw Near Beloved: Six Growth Mindsets to Deepen Your Faith.

This course is for you…

-if you want to grow your loving union with God but don’t know how.

-you want to draw near to God not by doing things for Him but by being with HIm.

I’ll show you how to:

RECEIVE His  love and acceptance as you sit with God.

OPEN your heart to honest conversation with God.

REDEFINE your view of God so it aligns with the Bible and not your painful relationship with your father.

INVITE God to restore your broken places.

PRACTICE more gratitude and less grumbling.

Make the choice today to move back to the spot where you walked away from God.  Draw near and let His love heal you. He’s waiting, so near, ready to welcome you with compassionate acceptance. 

Let’s pray.

Dear Papa, I recognize my connection with You is my responsibility.  Help me move closer to You so I can gain confidence in You.  I want to learn about your goodness, love, compassion, wisdom and grace.  I know this requires something of me.  I want to learn the joy of being with You.  Help me go back to where I left You. Amen.

Still struggling?

Maybe this will help.

 The course is self-paced, so you work at it when it’s convenient.  This is about You and God.  I provide six short video teachings for each mindset and a printable workbook.  Each module has a personal story, a big question, biblical insights, and a simple practice.  You’ll want to return to it often as you cultivate your union with God.

Here’s what one of my customer’s has to say about the course:

“This course gives a beautiful invitation to draw near to God’s presence and delight in Him. Pamela expertly weaves Biblical truths and personal stories that all point to the redeeming power of the Lord. She truly put immense care and attention into the course.” - Elena

If you’d like to learn more about my self-study course click on the button below.