Stay in the Day Devotion

Listen , in the busyness of life , it is easy to find ourselves worrying about tomorrow or dwelling on yesterday , but not today . We are going to focus on the power of being fully present right here and right now . This episode is all about staying in the day .

It is a reminder to embrace the gift of today , to trust that God's grace is sufficient for this moment and to release the weight of what's ahead or behind In a world that constantly pulls us in different directions . Staying in the day this is a Holy Spirit practice that can bring peace , clarity and a renewed sense of purpose .

So let's take a few moments together to pause , reflect and anchor ourselves in the present , because when we stay in the day , we make space for God to work in our lives in ways we might otherwise miss . Let's dive in and explore how we can live fully in today , trusting that tomorrow is in his hands . Unwrap the present .

Therefore , do not worry about tomorrow , for tomorrow will worry about itself . Each day has enough trouble of its own . Matthew 6 , 3 , 4 . Ladies , in a world that is so filled with chatter that doesn't matter . It is easy to move in tomorrow , forgetting about today .

We just take our suitcases from the past and we plop them right in our future , all that baggage we carry . If today is all we ever have and are promised , then what happens tomorrow eventually happens in your today . First , think of it . It is called the present . Every day , every moment is called the present . And what is a present ? It is a gift .

I know that that is kind of insanely obvious , but what about its meaning ? Every day is a gift and yet most times we don't even receive it because we don't perceive it that way . He who gives good gifts ? We just return them to sender by not acknowledging him , by forgetting to stay in the day .

Instead , we focus on the feelings from the past and the future , missing the blessings , the power that is the gift of the present , power that is the gift of the present .

Oh , I am so guilty of this and I am speaking to myself as I write and speak this , yet what should be so insanely obvious is that what we do today impacts our tomorrow , like the cheerful giver . The point of that story is this whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly , and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully .

You can find that in 2 Corinthians 9 , 6 . So if in our today we are not present to the opportunities presented to us to plant seeds for future growth , to learn from lessons , heal from hurts , speak truth into our today , well then I'm guessing most of our tomorrows won't look much different and certainly won't feel like a gift .

Staying in only the day allows us to experience the gift of his grace and we get to share it with others , even ourself . Instead , I think sometimes we find ourselves most likely experiencing a day of fear , frustration , anxiety , busyness , fleeting moments of joy , and then back to some disappointment .

We know he says in his word 365 times do not fear , but yet we do it a lot . My guess is is that when we do that , that is an indicator we have moved to the future , where sometimes fear lives .

As peace , I have found , is in the present moment , and for most there is some pain found in your past , and for most there is some pain found in your past , even if living in a past that was great , a past where you won an award or achieved something .

If you are living there , if you were wishing there , reliving those feelings over and over , then you're not here in the present . And listen , you're not alone , because we all do this . But what if we started doing it less ?

Now I'm not here to teach you something new , but , as we know , because there's nothing new under the sun , but I am here to remind you , remind me to stay in this day , sister . That is where he wants us to be and that is where we can find him . Attraction distractions .

So what are those things , those squirrels , so to speak , that get you out of the day ? For single moms , that's really quite easy . Sometimes waking up can feel like a distraction , as sleep may be the only place you find your peace . So what's pulling you away ? Here are three attraction distractions . I have found Number one overthinking .

Overthinking sends us overboard and sinks many ships . I have found meaning relationships , whether to self , friends , family , co-workers , romantic interests and even our Heavenly Father . As a woman , well , we didn't get blessed with the gift of being able to focus on one thought like our male counterparts .

Have you ever heard of the ideology that men's minds are like waffles , as they break their thoughts down to like one square at a time on a waffle ? We're women . We are more like spaghetti , all over the place and all over your face . I don't know about you , but when I eat spaghetti , much like my thoughts , it can get a bit messy .

So how can we get over the thinking ? Take a pause to put yourself back in the present , whether it's with a walk , a deep breath , a cold shower , time in nature or in the word , something that gets you out of the stream of your thoughts . Number two planning for the future . Now , planning for the future is not a bad thing .

In fact , focusing on a foreseeable and fruitful future that you want to show up for you and all those around you is quite powerful . It raises your endorphins , your feelings and even your hope . But comparing your present moment to a future that hasn't shown up ? Well , that can be discouraging .

Or how about thinking of a fearful future that , in most cases , you know , doesn't show up , nor show up in the way that you saw it ? As a single woman and also solo mamas , we also do this when we focus on a future with a mate , forgetting about those who are present with us in the moment , meaning our kids or our family .

Now , I'm not saying this to discourage us . I mean , if it's God's plan , he will bring that to pass . But making that your only plan , that takes both God and you out of the equation , out of your day and the plans he has for your future , which we know are good .

And number three replaying past mistakes , staying in a state of blame and shame , only keeping you not in a state of well-being . Did you know that most times , the way we remember the past , it isn't even accurate ? The further you get away from it , the further you get away from what actually happened .

But you relive it like that was the version you are remembering is actually real and it's not . And what is it doing ? It is stealing your joy , which is a gift in the present . What a gift . When we choose to stay in the day , we get to open up the gifts that prepare you for your present moments .

Gifts like joy , peace , harmony , strength , courage , confidence , discernment , grace , mercy and forgiveness . Well , those are just a few of the presents we find in our present . We have access to them every day , if we simply would unwrap them , I think in the course of the day .

I don't know about you , but I forget that my father is with me and I try to handle things on my own , in my own way . Am I the only one here that does that ? You see , when I take my focus off of him , my mind wanders to me not serving the we .

I get tired of taking on what was meant to be shared with him as his yoke is light , and then I get stressed , forgetting how he dresses the lilies of the fields and feeds the sparrows , not sparing me from any of his gifts , nor you .

But if , in the present moment , my hands are closed because my mind is closed off , then I don't receive the gifts he has for me in each present moment . That keeps me right in this day . It keeps you and your day . No matter the trial , whether it's in court you know it has to go through his courts first .

He equips you for what we need and equips us for something as simple as joy in the trials . Just look and read at the first chapter in the book of James . Listen , we have access to these gifts . We get to share them with everyone around us , and they too , will be blessed by what you have found in your present moment .

You will be able to listen better , love more deeply and be able to rock all your roles , building deeper connections with your kids , family , friends and even your heavenly father . So here are some steps to stay in your day . Number one prayer . Give God your first 15 of your morning and he will give you the best of the rest of your waking hours .

Get grounded in your day and stay focused on him . Two slow things down . Don't be in such a rush to move on to the next moment , then the next moment and the next , like the laundry , your list and the to-dos . They will always be there , you know , even when you scratch one of the tasks off the list , another one gets added .

So don't crave a need for speed . Instead , give yourself a ticket to slow down . Number three check in About after lunchtime . I don't know about you . I have found that this is when my mind has checked out .

For some reason , this time of day is when I get stuck in the mud , and it's usually because I am on autopilot , and well , that doesn't make for a good driver . I need to give the wheel back to Jesus and have him lead the way back into my day . So listen , sister , get your time back and maybe go for a brief walk .

Soak up some sunshine , listen to the sounds around you , splash some cold water on your face , but do something different to get you back into the state you live in . It is the present . Number four draw a line in the sand , setting some boundaries , whether with yourself , with others or for your family .

For you , you also need to set a mental boundary to avoid slipping into the worries about the future or dwelling in the past . This could include setting specific times for planning , but committing to stay in the present day . During the rest of your day , you even maybe need to set boundaries on your phone or even watching TV .

So , as we close , I want to remind us that this is a daily practice and it is challenging at times . So expect it , but stand in assurance that every moment spent in the present is priceless . It's where we find victory , it's where we overcome the things that have been overcoming us .

Ladies , we need to lean into the Lord for our tomorrow and convene with him here in our present , letting go of the need to control or worry about what's ahead . He's ahead of us , he is for us . So in the coming weeks , I challenge you to ask yourself how can I practice presence in my daily routine ?

What can I do today to release my worries about tomorrow ? What gift can I unwrap today as I start my day ? Get excited about this , ladies , as you learn to stay in your day . So , before we go , I just want to thank you so much for joining me today in this devotional time of learning to stay in the day .

So , before we go , I just want to thank you so much for joining me today in this devotional time of learning to stay in the day . I hope that this episode has given you some peace and some practical tools to help you stay present in your daily life .

Now , if this message has resonated with you , I'd love to hear from you and how you're putting it into practice . Go ahead and share your thoughts and experiences with me in the text sharing section You'll find it in the episode description or on social media and the it's a Single Mom Thing Facebook group , using the hashtag stay in the day .

Let's encourage each other to focus on today and trust our God with tomorrow , and if you know someone who could use this reminder , please do them a solid and share this God with tomorrow . And if you know someone who could use this reminder , please do them a solid and share this episode with them .

Together we can create a community of moms who support each other , living fully in the present . And don't forget to subscribe to it's a Single Mom Thing , so you never miss an episode . And if you're enjoying the podcast , please leave a review . Your feedback helps more single moms find this community and get the encouragement that we all need .

So before I go , I just also want to give a special shout out and thank you to the Hawkins Family Foundation and Crown Nissan .

We are incredibly honored to have the Hawkins Family Foundation as a platinum sponsor for our upcoming gala , continuing their philanthropic vision of Dwayne Hawkins , who is the founder and CEO of Crown Automotive Group , the foundation that exemplifies the true spirit of giving and helping single moms and their kids face their future with confidence , with their heart to give

, their future with confidence , with their heart to give . Thank you , hawkins Family Foundation and Crown Nissan , for your generosity and dedication to making our community a better place . Together we can achieve so much more . I will be off for the next couple Mondays , returning on September 23rd .

Have a wonderful couple weeks and remember it's a single mom thing and not a single thing that stops you . Thanks for listening to . It's a Single Mom mom thing . I hope you enjoyed our time together . If you have more questions on how to have a relationship with jesus or need prayer , visit us at wwwshepherdsvillagecom . Backslash prayer .

For more information and resources , check out our show notes .