April 10, 2026
The Algorithm: Ep1.: The One Thing Needed: Presence Over Pressure
The player is loading ...
Host Connie Morris introduces a seven-day devotional, "The Algorithm Is Not Your Altar," using the story of Mary and Martha to expose how modern distractions and performance Christianity steal authentic worship.
This episode outlines the series goals: recognize what drains your worship, confront the performance spirit, and return to a private, consistent rhythm with God through honesty, consistency, and willingness to change.
🔗 Stay Connected
Visit: https://www.DiaryOfABlackWomanLLC.com
All devotionals, podcast episodes, and blogs are in one place.
☕ Support the Ministry
Buy Me a Coffee: Connie Morris
💛 A Word on Giving
When you sow into this work, you help carry the message further than it could ever go on its own.
Your giving isn’t about the amount — it’s about the heart.
Every seed you plant fuels the devotionals, the teaching, the podcast, and the women who need the encouragement that God places here.
Thank you for being part of the assignment.
00:26 - Introduction and Prayer
01:58 - The Algorithm is Not Your Altar
08:34 - The Journey of Rediscovery
13:59 - Embracing Your Current Season
15:55 - Honesty and Consistency in Worship
20:23 - Preparing for Day One
21:05 - Closing Thoughts and Encouragement
WEBVTT
00:00:10.427 --> 00:00:14.207
Welcome to the Diary of a Black Woman podcast. I'm your host,
00:00:14.287 --> 00:00:21.447
Connie Morris, and this is Faith on the Go, where you take the word with you on your drive to work,
00:00:21.667 --> 00:00:26.807
while you're getting ready in the morning, or even in those quiet moments before prayer.
00:00:27.127 --> 00:00:33.607
Real life, real word, and real growth, all while you are on the go.
00:00:33.927 --> 00:00:40.047
Before we get into today's word, let's take a moment to center ourselves with a familiar prayer.
00:00:40.427 --> 00:00:46.427
The prayer of Jabez, oh, that you will bless me indeed and enlarge my territory.
00:00:46.827 --> 00:00:54.887
Let your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.
00:00:55.367 --> 00:01:00.667
Father God, we come before you this day asking that you will indeed bless us,
00:01:00.827 --> 00:01:04.727
not just with what we have, but in who we are becoming.
00:01:05.607 --> 00:01:10.187
Enlarge our territory, Lord. Expand our capacity, our mindset,
00:01:10.387 --> 00:01:12.867
and our ability to receive what you have for us.
00:01:13.207 --> 00:01:20.127
Let your hand be upon us, guiding us, covering us, and leading us in every decision we make.
00:01:20.507 --> 00:01:25.747
And Father, keep us from harm, physically, emotionally, and spiritually,
00:01:26.067 --> 00:01:29.327
that we may walk in peace and not in pain.
00:01:29.667 --> 00:01:35.307
And Lord, just as you heard Jabez when he cried out to you, Hear us now.
00:01:35.667 --> 00:01:42.627
Your word says that you granted his request. And we believe that you are the same God today.
00:01:42.907 --> 00:01:47.527
So we come boldly before you, knowing that you hear us, knowing that you see
00:01:47.527 --> 00:01:52.507
us, and knowing that you respond to the prayers of your people.
00:01:53.047 --> 00:01:58.707
Have your way in this moment as we sit, listen, and receive your word.
00:01:58.947 --> 00:02:01.187
In Jesus' name, amen.
00:02:13.056 --> 00:02:16.816
Hello, welcome back to the Diary of a Black Woman podcast. We're continuing
00:02:16.816 --> 00:02:19.456
the intro. Yes, this is still the intro.
00:02:19.756 --> 00:02:25.076
I got carried away at the last intro because I love the story of Mary and Martha.
00:02:25.356 --> 00:02:30.056
The title for this series is The Algorithm is Not Your Altar.
00:02:30.256 --> 00:02:33.956
Mary and Martha and How to Get Your Worship Back.
00:02:34.276 --> 00:02:39.056
There's a quiet war happening in this generation. It's not just a war for attention,
00:02:39.316 --> 00:02:46.536
it's a war for affection, a war for the heart. We see that in the story of Mary and Martha.
00:02:46.776 --> 00:02:50.136
We live in a time where people are more connected than ever,
00:02:50.476 --> 00:02:55.916
yet spiritually starry, more seen than ever, yet deeply unseen.
00:02:56.316 --> 00:03:02.176
More informed than ever, yet more distracted than we have ever been.
00:03:02.376 --> 00:03:07.076
And somewhere in the middle of notifications, timelines, trending topics,
00:03:07.076 --> 00:03:14.196
and constant comparison, many believers have lost something sacred, their worship.
00:03:14.456 --> 00:03:19.336
Not the kind of worship that happens on Sunday. Not the kind that sounds good in a choir.
00:03:19.696 --> 00:03:24.736
Not the kind that gets likes and reposts. I'm talking about the worship that
00:03:24.736 --> 00:03:27.116
happens when nobody is clapping.
00:03:27.356 --> 00:03:30.516
The worship that happens when nobody is watching.
00:03:30.796 --> 00:03:36.516
The worship that happens when your soul is in pain, but you still choose Jesus.
00:03:36.876 --> 00:03:40.696
This devotional was born out of a burden, a holy frustration,
00:03:40.696 --> 00:03:44.876
because too many people are living a life that looks blessed.
00:03:45.644 --> 00:03:51.804
Feels broken. Too many believers are performing faith rather than exercising power.
00:03:51.964 --> 00:03:57.004
And yes, too many are posting peace while privately drowning in pressure.
00:03:57.204 --> 00:04:01.824
Too many are serving God but secretly resenting others.
00:04:02.084 --> 00:04:09.384
And too many are doing good things while losing the God thing, which is the main thing.
00:04:09.584 --> 00:04:14.844
And that's why the story of Mary and Martha isn't just a Bible moment, it's a mirror.
00:04:15.284 --> 00:04:21.804
Martha represents a believer who loves Jesus, but gets overwhelmed by responsibilities
00:04:21.804 --> 00:04:25.604
and distracted by the weight of many things.
00:04:25.784 --> 00:04:27.804
She is faithful. She is committed.
00:04:28.044 --> 00:04:33.724
She is dependable, but she is also exhausted, irritated, and burdened because
00:04:33.724 --> 00:04:37.044
she is carrying what was never meant to replace intimacy.
00:04:37.364 --> 00:04:42.844
Mary represents a believer who has learned the secret of survival, sin.
00:04:43.583 --> 00:04:49.823
His feet first. Not because service is wrong, but because presence is necessary.
00:04:50.103 --> 00:04:54.603
This devotional will take you through seven days of truth, exposure,
00:04:55.103 --> 00:04:56.183
healing, and restoration.
00:04:56.223 --> 00:05:02.483
It will confront the pressures of modern culture, especially the social media
00:05:02.483 --> 00:05:07.243
culture, influencers, Christianity, and the need for validation.
00:05:07.243 --> 00:05:13.463
It will deal with the uncomfortable reality that many of us have exchanged altars
00:05:13.463 --> 00:05:18.963
for algorithms, devotion for distraction, and intimacy for image.
00:05:19.123 --> 00:05:23.283
But we'll also do what the word does always does best.
00:05:23.543 --> 00:05:28.323
It will call you back, back to the secret place, back to your first love,
00:05:28.603 --> 00:05:35.283
back to sincerity, back to worship that is real, and back to one thing that's needed.
00:05:35.463 --> 00:05:41.083
And I want you to know something before you begin. This devotion was not here to shame you.
00:05:41.283 --> 00:05:44.263
It's here to free you, to set you free.
00:05:44.463 --> 00:05:47.723
For it's the Son that does it. It's the Word of God that does it.
00:05:47.843 --> 00:05:52.123
Because Jesus did not condemn Martha. He corrected her with compassion.
00:05:52.523 --> 00:05:56.103
He didn't reject her service. He exposed her distractions.
00:05:56.483 --> 00:06:00.543
He didn't deny her love. He just redirected her focus.
00:06:00.803 --> 00:06:05.603
And I believe that is what the Holy Spirit is going to do for you through these
00:06:05.603 --> 00:06:07.763
pages, through this time with us.
00:06:07.963 --> 00:06:12.643
This time in this devotional, you are about to rediscover a worship that is
00:06:12.643 --> 00:06:17.223
not performative, a faith that doesn't need applause, a relationship with God
00:06:17.223 --> 00:06:21.883
that is stronger than the opinions of people. So let this be your reminder.
00:06:22.063 --> 00:06:24.203
The algorithm is not your altar.
00:06:24.463 --> 00:06:29.403
And what God wants from you, the most from you is not your content. It's your life.
00:06:29.743 --> 00:06:34.123
Before we even begin this journey, I want to start with something simple, but life changing.
00:06:34.483 --> 00:06:39.143
God is not competing for your attention. He is calling for your affection.
00:06:39.563 --> 00:06:44.583
Many believers don't realize that what they're experiencing isn't just tiredness,
00:06:44.663 --> 00:06:47.403
it's spiritual drift. It's not
00:06:47.688 --> 00:06:51.568
that they stopped loving God. It's the life got loud.
00:06:52.488 --> 00:06:58.028
Responsibilities piled up. Pressures increased and slowly, without even noticing,
00:06:58.328 --> 00:07:02.988
they began to live from a place of survival instead of surrender.
00:07:03.248 --> 00:07:06.428
That's why the story of Mary and Martha matters so much.
00:07:06.508 --> 00:07:12.028
It shows us that what happens when two people love Jesus, but respond to him differently.
00:07:12.268 --> 00:07:16.628
One is busy, one is deal. One is distracted, one is devoted.
00:07:16.928 --> 00:07:22.048
One is overwhelmed by many things and the other chooses the one thing needed.
00:07:22.248 --> 00:07:25.168
And if we're honest, most of us have been both.
00:07:25.488 --> 00:07:30.248
At times we are merry, hungry for the word, focused, sensitive, and present.
00:07:30.588 --> 00:07:34.908
But other times we are Martha, serving, striving, over-functioning,
00:07:35.108 --> 00:07:40.148
exhausted, irritated, and caring more than we were ever assigned to Carrie.
00:07:40.408 --> 00:07:46.468
But that's what makes this devotional especially important for today's world is this.
00:07:46.608 --> 00:07:51.448
Martha just doesn't exist in the house anymore. Martha exists on the phone.
00:07:52.153 --> 00:07:57.733
Exists in the scroll. She exists in the hustle. She exists under pressure to be seen.
00:07:58.013 --> 00:08:02.993
She exists in the need to stay relevant. She exists in the performance trap
00:08:02.993 --> 00:08:06.653
where people fake peace, fake strength, fake joy,
00:08:07.093 --> 00:08:13.613
fake success, fake spirituality because the culture rewards appearance more than authenticity.
00:08:14.113 --> 00:08:18.153
This is where the altar gets replaced, not with outright rebellion,
00:08:18.153 --> 00:08:23.653
but with distraction, not with atheism, but with overload, not with hatred for
00:08:23.653 --> 00:08:28.433
God, but with the habit of never sitting still long enough to hear him.
00:08:28.653 --> 00:08:34.853
So over the next seven days, this devotional will guide you into a holy rest.
00:08:35.013 --> 00:08:40.293
You will be challenged, not because God is harsh, but because he loves you too
00:08:40.293 --> 00:08:42.493
much to let you keep pretending.
00:08:42.493 --> 00:08:47.753
You will be restored, not because you earned it, but because Jesus is faithful
00:08:47.753 --> 00:08:50.113
to call you back. You will be strengthened
00:08:50.488 --> 00:08:55.088
Not because your schedule changes overnight, but because your spirit will.
00:08:55.408 --> 00:08:58.548
What is this devotional designed to do?
00:08:58.768 --> 00:09:03.368
This devotional is not just written to inspire you, it's written to restore you.
00:09:03.528 --> 00:09:08.848
Over these next seven days, you are going to do more than read. You're going to return.
00:09:09.248 --> 00:09:14.068
You're going to confront what has been quickly draining you and rebuilding what
00:09:14.068 --> 00:09:16.368
distractions has broken down.
00:09:16.628 --> 00:09:20.668
This devotional is designed to help you do three things. Number one,
00:09:20.908 --> 00:09:25.248
recognize the distraction that have stolen your worship.
00:09:25.508 --> 00:09:29.448
Some distractions are sinful, but many distractions are not evil.
00:09:29.648 --> 00:09:32.248
They are too many good things.
00:09:32.568 --> 00:09:36.868
The enemy does not always trap believers through obvious darkness.
00:09:37.228 --> 00:09:42.248
Sometimes he traps them through overload, pressure, endless responsibilities,
00:09:42.528 --> 00:09:44.908
constant noise, and nonstop movement.
00:09:45.088 --> 00:09:49.908
In other words, life without stillness. And that's why so many people are exhausted,
00:09:50.108 --> 00:09:56.608
not because they don't love God, but because they have been living without spiritual breathing room.
00:09:56.788 --> 00:10:01.828
So this devotion will help you identify what has been stealing your attention,
00:10:01.828 --> 00:10:06.428
what has been draining your capacity, what has been choking your time with God,
00:10:06.648 --> 00:10:09.808
what has replaced the one thing needed.
00:10:10.048 --> 00:10:13.768
Because when worship is stolen, peace is next.
00:10:14.108 --> 00:10:17.008
Number two, confront the performance spirit.
00:10:17.414 --> 00:10:21.554
The devotion will also confront something that many people don't admit.
00:10:21.794 --> 00:10:24.214
We live in a generation of performance.
00:10:24.514 --> 00:10:28.834
People have learned how to look okay while dying inside, how to smile while
00:10:28.834 --> 00:10:34.894
anxious, how to post faith while privately empty, how to serve while silently
00:10:34.894 --> 00:10:39.434
bitter, how to say I'm blessed when spiritually bound.
00:10:39.594 --> 00:10:44.014
Because you can look strong and be broken, look anointed and be empty,
00:10:44.414 --> 00:10:50.294
look blessed and still be bound. Performance is dangerous because it keeps you from being honest.
00:10:50.434 --> 00:10:52.794
And when you're not honest, you don't heal.
00:10:53.054 --> 00:10:57.294
This devotional will challenge you to remove the mask, not to embarrass you,
00:10:57.354 --> 00:11:00.694
but to set you free from you.
00:11:00.874 --> 00:11:05.654
Because God cannot restore what we refuse to expose.
00:11:06.154 --> 00:11:11.374
And number three, returning to the secret place and rebuilding authentic worship.
00:11:11.374 --> 00:11:16.974
Finally, this devotional will call you back to the place where worship can become real again.
00:11:17.134 --> 00:11:21.294
A secret place. Not a public place. Not a performative place.
00:11:21.534 --> 00:11:26.954
Not the let me post this real quick place. But the private place where your
00:11:26.954 --> 00:11:29.814
soul can breathe. Your tears don't need a caption.
00:11:30.054 --> 00:11:34.114
Your worship doesn't need approval. And your faith doesn't need an audience.
00:11:34.394 --> 00:11:38.274
In the secret place, your hunger returns. Your intimacy returns.
00:11:38.534 --> 00:11:43.934
Your peace returns. your spiritual rhythm returns, and your joy returns.
00:11:44.094 --> 00:11:47.374
This is where you will learn how to get it back.
00:11:47.554 --> 00:11:53.194
Not a fake version of worship that looks good, but an authentic worship that
00:11:53.194 --> 00:11:56.074
heals you from the inside out.
00:11:56.334 --> 00:11:59.354
Now, during this podcast, I call it a devotional because it's written,
00:11:59.534 --> 00:12:02.934
but it's written and also it's going to be spoken.
00:12:03.254 --> 00:12:07.594
And I want you to think of this. How do you want to get the most out of these
00:12:07.594 --> 00:12:13.274
next seven days? The Lord shifted the plan for me. I was doing four days training.
00:12:13.921 --> 00:12:20.441
Week and I had every other day. Four days of devotional is not the same as every day.
00:12:20.821 --> 00:12:26.421
Every day requires constant attention to keep the content moving forward.
00:12:26.681 --> 00:12:32.961
But God has already prepped me. I have over 350 written devotionals. They're not short.
00:12:33.161 --> 00:12:37.841
They're not long. Some are one day, some are two days, but most of them are
00:12:37.841 --> 00:12:39.921
at least four to seven days. And so.
00:12:40.937 --> 00:12:44.157
He changed it so that you can have constant work.
00:12:44.477 --> 00:12:47.457
You know, you probably said, I wish he can do a seven days, but you got your
00:12:47.457 --> 00:12:50.657
wish. Now I want you to begin to listen and follow through.
00:12:51.037 --> 00:12:55.357
And the things that I speak on this devotion are the things that God has spoken
00:12:55.357 --> 00:12:58.957
to me. Always it comes as birth through experience.
00:12:59.337 --> 00:13:03.777
You know, you can write 101,000 devotional, but if it's not birth through something
00:13:03.777 --> 00:13:06.257
from God, it can be very, very dry.
00:13:06.257 --> 00:13:11.317
And so I want to share that with you in this episode, that this is powerful
00:13:11.317 --> 00:13:16.437
because being a person that loves to serve, I can become the Mary, the Martha.
00:13:16.657 --> 00:13:23.477
I mean, and yet God tells me you're missing out on so much because you have
00:13:23.477 --> 00:13:25.577
a devotional, because you're here for me.
00:13:25.677 --> 00:13:28.077
I know I want more, like God wants more.
00:13:28.237 --> 00:13:34.097
So as I'm giving you more, God wants more from me. And so that's pretty much
00:13:34.097 --> 00:13:36.217
how I speak the devotionals.
00:13:36.457 --> 00:13:41.317
Each one is something that I have experienced or something that I'm going through right now.
00:13:41.417 --> 00:13:46.837
And Mary Martha is this process of giving God more when he asks for more.
00:13:46.997 --> 00:13:49.537
So I want you to benefit from these next seven days.
00:13:49.737 --> 00:13:53.077
I enjoy every series. Each series is so important.
00:13:53.277 --> 00:13:57.337
That single life series, that was God speaking to me about being single.
00:13:57.537 --> 00:13:59.377
Always looking in the future for a husband.
00:13:59.877 --> 00:14:05.657
Enjoy where you are right now. And then this one talks about how to enjoy where
00:14:05.657 --> 00:14:07.057
you are right now, right?
00:14:07.237 --> 00:14:10.977
Because we know of singleness. If you're single, it's a blessing. It's not a curse.
00:14:11.137 --> 00:14:17.917
So we can sit at Jesus' feet like Mary and not be so anxious about things that don't matter.
00:14:18.137 --> 00:14:23.897
The same way with our married women, our engaged women, they take the time to sit at Jesus' feet.
00:14:24.157 --> 00:14:27.397
So to get the most out of this series, you have to be honest.
00:14:27.517 --> 00:14:31.157
It's going to touch many areas that people avoid.
00:14:31.620 --> 00:14:36.700
It's going to kind of reveal the hidden burnout that you have that we don't talk about.
00:14:36.880 --> 00:14:40.180
The secret resentment that shows up at the oddest times.
00:14:40.400 --> 00:14:45.200
The performance Christianity where you show up your best, but you ain't feeling your best.
00:14:45.700 --> 00:14:51.460
Comparison, spiritual dryness, and the addiction to being seen.
00:14:51.800 --> 00:14:57.140
But it's going to heal from this. You have to be honest. Do I have hidden burnout?
00:14:57.440 --> 00:15:01.380
Do I have any secret resentment? Do I have performance Christianity?
00:15:02.020 --> 00:15:07.960
Comparison? Am I spiritually dry? Because the Lord says out of our bellies will
00:15:07.960 --> 00:15:09.740
flow river of life, right?
00:15:09.940 --> 00:15:15.800
And so how do I tap into that river of life and the addictions to be seen?
00:15:15.960 --> 00:15:21.880
We don't think we have addiction, but all this social media is set up to cause addiction, right?
00:15:22.160 --> 00:15:27.180
You know, our minds want something quick and fast, but God moves at his rate
00:15:27.180 --> 00:15:30.820
and his timing. So it's going to require honesty.
00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:33.480
You cannot hear what you keep editing.
00:15:34.087 --> 00:15:38.427
You cannot be restored in the areas you keep denying, and you cannot return
00:15:38.427 --> 00:15:41.527
to worship if you are protecting an image.
00:15:41.687 --> 00:15:44.507
Honesty sounds like, God, I've been distracted.
00:15:44.847 --> 00:15:49.167
I've been serving, but I'm bitter. I've been posting, but not praying.
00:15:49.507 --> 00:15:55.667
I've been performing, but not abiding. And the moment you're honest with God, grace brushes in.
00:15:55.927 --> 00:15:59.607
Number two, after being honest, you have to be consistent.
00:15:59.887 --> 00:16:01.767
You don't need perfection.
00:16:02.127 --> 00:16:07.707
God's not looking for perfection. God is looking for you. He looks for a rhythm.
00:16:07.987 --> 00:16:11.287
And we who love to dance, that's a rhythm.
00:16:11.507 --> 00:16:16.607
Even if you have a routine that you get up in the morning, you do everything
00:16:16.607 --> 00:16:18.487
by routine, that's a rhythm.
00:16:18.707 --> 00:16:20.887
God requires us to be in a rhythm.
00:16:21.467 --> 00:16:27.587
And some people believe intimacy requires hours, but intimacy is not built by time alone.
00:16:27.767 --> 00:16:32.867
It's built by faithfulness. Even 10 minutes a day, surrendered and focus can
00:16:32.867 --> 00:16:37.787
restore hunger, calm anxiety, break mindless scrolling, rewire your spirit,
00:16:37.927 --> 00:16:39.747
and rebuild your inner life.
00:16:40.267 --> 00:16:44.907
Consistency is how you retrain your soul to crave God again.
00:16:45.307 --> 00:16:49.087
And so just like I mentioned just a moment ago, is that that rhythm?
00:16:49.427 --> 00:16:53.407
It's like, what is that rhythm? What is that heartbeat that can get you back
00:16:53.407 --> 00:16:56.727
in a rhythm? Do I need to schedule some things?
00:16:56.927 --> 00:17:00.447
So I'll just share a little bit about how I get into rhythms.
00:17:00.687 --> 00:17:04.067
I like to do everything at the same time. And that's a hard rhythm,
00:17:04.167 --> 00:17:06.687
right? Because things always happen same time every day.
00:17:06.887 --> 00:17:11.447
But I know what part of my day I can't control. I can control my mornings.
00:17:11.767 --> 00:17:15.567
And so I like to get up early. I know it takes me a minute to get out of bed.
00:17:15.587 --> 00:17:19.667
So I don't set my clock to have me jump out of the bed so early, right?
00:17:19.807 --> 00:17:24.487
So I get up early, but I set my clock 10 minutes before the time I want to get
00:17:24.487 --> 00:17:27.947
up. That way, if I want to take a snooze, I can do a snooze.
00:17:28.007 --> 00:17:30.327
If I want to just lay in there and look at the clock while.
00:17:31.483 --> 00:17:34.903
While I'm snoozing or not. Just whatever you want to do. You can snooze,
00:17:35.023 --> 00:17:37.823
whatever it takes you to do. But I like to get up early in the morning.
00:17:38.043 --> 00:17:40.503
Most of my set time is 2.50 a.m.
00:17:40.883 --> 00:17:45.463
Set the clock at 2.50 because sometimes I'm tired and I might get up right at
00:17:45.463 --> 00:17:50.883
2.50 or I might take another and snooze and then get up at about 3 o'clock.
00:17:51.183 --> 00:17:56.283
My goal is to be in prayer no later than about 3.10 or 3.15 in the morning.
00:17:56.563 --> 00:18:00.483
And I realized that that consistency, don't matter if I want to sleep in,
00:18:00.683 --> 00:18:03.043
my body still wakes up at that time.
00:18:03.163 --> 00:18:07.523
And I roll over, I say, oh, today is sleeping day because I do sleep in on Saturdays,
00:18:07.603 --> 00:18:08.903
not that often on Sundays.
00:18:09.003 --> 00:18:12.403
So it gives me a chance. And if I am tired throughout the week,
00:18:12.563 --> 00:18:16.103
I'll just go to bed early because I tell you, I can control my mornings.
00:18:16.583 --> 00:18:20.463
The evenings changes. And so sometimes I can't control my evenings because I
00:18:20.463 --> 00:18:24.163
I have some things I like to do in the evenings, but about 6.30 or so,
00:18:24.243 --> 00:18:25.903
I can control after 6.30.
00:18:26.183 --> 00:18:29.203
And most times, that's the time where I'm sitting and unwinding,
00:18:29.443 --> 00:18:33.743
and I'm just figuring out what my tomorrow looks like, and how can I close this
00:18:33.743 --> 00:18:37.983
out, just close this day out in a decent way, right? And so,
00:18:38.063 --> 00:18:39.263
sometimes I get caught up.
00:18:39.403 --> 00:18:43.203
I love animals, the animal kingdom, and I can close out watching the animal
00:18:43.203 --> 00:18:45.423
kingdom. I like lions and lionesses.
00:18:45.723 --> 00:18:48.523
Those are the things that I really love to watch. And so.
00:18:49.031 --> 00:18:53.791
And then a prayer before I go to bed. And then I start the thing over tomorrow, next day.
00:18:54.151 --> 00:18:59.311
Number three, be willing to change. You can't change if you don't want to.
00:18:59.671 --> 00:19:02.271
And you know, first thing that comes out of our mouth is I'm not going to get
00:19:02.271 --> 00:19:06.571
up at Connie that early. I didn't ask you to do that. I just shared my routine.
00:19:06.871 --> 00:19:11.291
You can get in your own routine. And it's interesting because when you're asking
00:19:11.291 --> 00:19:14.571
God for your special rhythm, He knows your rhythm.
00:19:14.831 --> 00:19:19.611
And so my time started at three. it was never always at three.
00:19:19.831 --> 00:19:25.011
It was probably like four, more about three, probably about 4.30 because I went
00:19:25.011 --> 00:19:26.911
to work later, about 4.30 in the morning.
00:19:27.231 --> 00:19:31.371
And then I'll get up, go for a walk, exercise. So that includes prayer,
00:19:31.531 --> 00:19:32.891
exercise, and getting dressed.
00:19:33.051 --> 00:19:36.631
So my whole morning is very busy because I can control the first part of my morning.
00:19:36.831 --> 00:19:40.171
You find your rhythm with God, you know, and as you find your rhythm,
00:19:40.491 --> 00:19:43.191
he's going to change it a little bit, but it's all for your growth.
00:19:43.191 --> 00:19:44.711
That's the thing about change.
00:19:44.951 --> 00:19:49.931
You have to be willing to change. This is different from being a reader and a disciple.
00:19:50.471 --> 00:19:55.011
Reading for information makes you knowledgeable. Reading for transformation makes you free.
00:19:55.231 --> 00:20:01.991
This podcast, this devotional, may require you to change what you've been consuming,
00:20:01.991 --> 00:20:05.931
what you post, how you serve, what you prioritize,
00:20:06.251 --> 00:20:11.831
and what do you do with your mornings, and what do you do when you feel empty.
00:20:11.831 --> 00:20:14.911
But remember, God's not trying to take something from you.
00:20:15.171 --> 00:20:19.051
He's trying to return something to you, your worship, your joy,
00:20:19.191 --> 00:20:23.191
your peace, your spiritual fire, your first love.
00:20:23.511 --> 00:20:28.991
So as we start day one, which will be the next episode, because of course the
00:20:28.991 --> 00:20:32.831
intro is getting long, but I want to set you up for success.
00:20:32.951 --> 00:20:35.131
I want you to be restored.
00:20:35.471 --> 00:20:40.251
So if you miss a day, just this on a podcast, go back and listen again.
00:20:40.251 --> 00:20:42.351
You know, you can listen to it twice.
00:20:43.207 --> 00:20:47.547
You know, pick up right where you left off. Because God doesn't measure you
00:20:47.547 --> 00:20:50.927
by perfection. He honors your return.
00:20:51.247 --> 00:20:55.567
So take a deep breath, silence the noise, and let's begin.
00:20:55.947 --> 00:21:01.727
Day one on the next episode was titled, The One Thing Needed,
00:21:01.867 --> 00:21:05.727
Presence Over Pressure. Thank you for joining me.
00:21:05.987 --> 00:21:09.067
This is the Diary of a Black Woman podcast, and I'm your host,
00:21:09.127 --> 00:21:12.247
Connie Moore, and I'll see you on the next episode.
00:21:23.249 --> 00:21:26.389
Family, thank you for spending time with me today.
00:21:26.669 --> 00:21:30.389
To every woman listening who has ever felt hidden, overlooked,
00:21:30.509 --> 00:21:32.789
or pushed aside, hear me clearly.
00:21:33.069 --> 00:21:37.609
God has not forgotten you, and neither have I.
00:21:37.969 --> 00:21:42.849
Now let's go before the Lord and close this out with a word from God.
00:21:43.149 --> 00:21:47.589
Because someone out there needs this reminder today.
00:21:47.889 --> 00:21:54.629
Jeremiah 29, 11, verses 11 through 14. For I know the plans I have for you,
00:21:54.809 --> 00:21:58.409
declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
00:21:58.769 --> 00:22:01.069
plans to give you hope and a future.
00:22:01.349 --> 00:22:06.169
Then when you call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you,
00:22:06.429 --> 00:22:11.649
you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
00:22:11.769 --> 00:22:17.709
I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and bring you back from captivity.
00:22:18.349 --> 00:22:24.089
Father God, we thank you for your word, that it is true, that it is living, that it is for us.
00:22:24.329 --> 00:22:29.409
You said you know the plans you have for us, plans to prosper us and not to
00:22:29.409 --> 00:22:32.209
harm us, plans to give us hope and a future.
00:22:32.429 --> 00:22:36.849
So today we receive that, not just in our minds, but in our hearts.
00:22:36.969 --> 00:22:38.289
When we feel overlooked,
00:22:38.823 --> 00:22:44.763
remind us, you still see us. When we feel forgotten, remind us, you still have a plan.
00:22:44.963 --> 00:22:48.763
And when we feel hidden, remind us, you are still working.
00:22:49.163 --> 00:22:54.823
Your word says that when we call on you, you will listen. So we call on you now. Hear us.
00:22:55.143 --> 00:22:59.263
Strengthen us. Guide us. Help us to seek you with our whole heart,
00:22:59.603 --> 00:23:02.503
not halfway, not sometimes, but fully.
00:23:02.743 --> 00:23:09.303
And as we seek you, let us find you in every season, in every place, even the hidden mind.
00:23:09.483 --> 00:23:15.223
Restore what was lost, renew what feels broken, and remind us that nothing in
00:23:15.223 --> 00:23:17.723
our lives is wasted in your hand.
00:23:17.923 --> 00:23:24.083
Lord, we trust you, we believe you, and we stand on your word. In Jesus' name, amen.
00:23:24.503 --> 00:23:28.623
This is Diary of a Black Woman podcast, and I'm your host, Connie Morris,
00:23:28.803 --> 00:23:31.683
and I'll see you on the next episode.
00:00:10.427 --> 00:00:14.207
Welcome to the Diary of a Black Woman podcast. I'm your host,
00:00:14.287 --> 00:00:21.447
Connie Morris, and this is Faith on the Go, where you take the word with you on your drive to work,
00:00:21.667 --> 00:00:26.807
while you're getting ready in the morning, or even in those quiet moments before prayer.
00:00:27.127 --> 00:00:33.607
Real life, real word, and real growth, all while you are on the go.
00:00:33.927 --> 00:00:40.047
Before we get into today's word, let's take a moment to center ourselves with a familiar prayer.
00:00:40.427 --> 00:00:46.427
The prayer of Jabez, oh, that you will bless me indeed and enlarge my territory.
00:00:46.827 --> 00:00:54.887
Let your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.
00:00:55.367 --> 00:01:00.667
Father God, we come before you this day asking that you will indeed bless us,
00:01:00.827 --> 00:01:04.727
not just with what we have, but in who we are becoming.
00:01:05.607 --> 00:01:10.187
Enlarge our territory, Lord. Expand our capacity, our mindset,
00:01:10.387 --> 00:01:12.867
and our ability to receive what you have for us.
00:01:13.207 --> 00:01:20.127
Let your hand be upon us, guiding us, covering us, and leading us in every decision we make.
00:01:20.507 --> 00:01:25.747
And Father, keep us from harm, physically, emotionally, and spiritually,
00:01:26.067 --> 00:01:29.327
that we may walk in peace and not in pain.
00:01:29.667 --> 00:01:35.307
And Lord, just as you heard Jabez when he cried out to you, Hear us now.
00:01:35.667 --> 00:01:42.627
Your word says that you granted his request. And we believe that you are the same God today.
00:01:42.907 --> 00:01:47.527
So we come boldly before you, knowing that you hear us, knowing that you see
00:01:47.527 --> 00:01:52.507
us, and knowing that you respond to the prayers of your people.
00:01:53.047 --> 00:01:58.707
Have your way in this moment as we sit, listen, and receive your word.
00:01:58.947 --> 00:02:01.187
In Jesus' name, amen.
00:02:13.056 --> 00:02:16.816
Hello, welcome back to the Diary of a Black Woman podcast. We're continuing
00:02:16.816 --> 00:02:19.456
the intro. Yes, this is still the intro.
00:02:19.756 --> 00:02:25.076
I got carried away at the last intro because I love the story of Mary and Martha.
00:02:25.356 --> 00:02:30.056
The title for this series is The Algorithm is Not Your Altar.
00:02:30.256 --> 00:02:33.956
Mary and Martha and How to Get Your Worship Back.
00:02:34.276 --> 00:02:39.056
There's a quiet war happening in this generation. It's not just a war for attention,
00:02:39.316 --> 00:02:46.536
it's a war for affection, a war for the heart. We see that in the story of Mary and Martha.
00:02:46.776 --> 00:02:50.136
We live in a time where people are more connected than ever,
00:02:50.476 --> 00:02:55.916
yet spiritually starry, more seen than ever, yet deeply unseen.
00:02:56.316 --> 00:03:02.176
More informed than ever, yet more distracted than we have ever been.
00:03:02.376 --> 00:03:07.076
And somewhere in the middle of notifications, timelines, trending topics,
00:03:07.076 --> 00:03:14.196
and constant comparison, many believers have lost something sacred, their worship.
00:03:14.456 --> 00:03:19.336
Not the kind of worship that happens on Sunday. Not the kind that sounds good in a choir.
00:03:19.696 --> 00:03:24.736
Not the kind that gets likes and reposts. I'm talking about the worship that
00:03:24.736 --> 00:03:27.116
happens when nobody is clapping.
00:03:27.356 --> 00:03:30.516
The worship that happens when nobody is watching.
00:03:30.796 --> 00:03:36.516
The worship that happens when your soul is in pain, but you still choose Jesus.
00:03:36.876 --> 00:03:40.696
This devotional was born out of a burden, a holy frustration,
00:03:40.696 --> 00:03:44.876
because too many people are living a life that looks blessed.
00:03:45.644 --> 00:03:51.804
Feels broken. Too many believers are performing faith rather than exercising power.
00:03:51.964 --> 00:03:57.004
And yes, too many are posting peace while privately drowning in pressure.
00:03:57.204 --> 00:04:01.824
Too many are serving God but secretly resenting others.
00:04:02.084 --> 00:04:09.384
And too many are doing good things while losing the God thing, which is the main thing.
00:04:09.584 --> 00:04:14.844
And that's why the story of Mary and Martha isn't just a Bible moment, it's a mirror.
00:04:15.284 --> 00:04:21.804
Martha represents a believer who loves Jesus, but gets overwhelmed by responsibilities
00:04:21.804 --> 00:04:25.604
and distracted by the weight of many things.
00:04:25.784 --> 00:04:27.804
She is faithful. She is committed.
00:04:28.044 --> 00:04:33.724
She is dependable, but she is also exhausted, irritated, and burdened because
00:04:33.724 --> 00:04:37.044
she is carrying what was never meant to replace intimacy.
00:04:37.364 --> 00:04:42.844
Mary represents a believer who has learned the secret of survival, sin.
00:04:43.583 --> 00:04:49.823
His feet first. Not because service is wrong, but because presence is necessary.
00:04:50.103 --> 00:04:54.603
This devotional will take you through seven days of truth, exposure,
00:04:55.103 --> 00:04:56.183
healing, and restoration.
00:04:56.223 --> 00:05:02.483
It will confront the pressures of modern culture, especially the social media
00:05:02.483 --> 00:05:07.243
culture, influencers, Christianity, and the need for validation.
00:05:07.243 --> 00:05:13.463
It will deal with the uncomfortable reality that many of us have exchanged altars
00:05:13.463 --> 00:05:18.963
for algorithms, devotion for distraction, and intimacy for image.
00:05:19.123 --> 00:05:23.283
But we'll also do what the word does always does best.
00:05:23.543 --> 00:05:28.323
It will call you back, back to the secret place, back to your first love,
00:05:28.603 --> 00:05:35.283
back to sincerity, back to worship that is real, and back to one thing that's needed.
00:05:35.463 --> 00:05:41.083
And I want you to know something before you begin. This devotion was not here to shame you.
00:05:41.283 --> 00:05:44.263
It's here to free you, to set you free.
00:05:44.463 --> 00:05:47.723
For it's the Son that does it. It's the Word of God that does it.
00:05:47.843 --> 00:05:52.123
Because Jesus did not condemn Martha. He corrected her with compassion.
00:05:52.523 --> 00:05:56.103
He didn't reject her service. He exposed her distractions.
00:05:56.483 --> 00:06:00.543
He didn't deny her love. He just redirected her focus.
00:06:00.803 --> 00:06:05.603
And I believe that is what the Holy Spirit is going to do for you through these
00:06:05.603 --> 00:06:07.763
pages, through this time with us.
00:06:07.963 --> 00:06:12.643
This time in this devotional, you are about to rediscover a worship that is
00:06:12.643 --> 00:06:17.223
not performative, a faith that doesn't need applause, a relationship with God
00:06:17.223 --> 00:06:21.883
that is stronger than the opinions of people. So let this be your reminder.
00:06:22.063 --> 00:06:24.203
The algorithm is not your altar.
00:06:24.463 --> 00:06:29.403
And what God wants from you, the most from you is not your content. It's your life.
00:06:29.743 --> 00:06:34.123
Before we even begin this journey, I want to start with something simple, but life changing.
00:06:34.483 --> 00:06:39.143
God is not competing for your attention. He is calling for your affection.
00:06:39.563 --> 00:06:44.583
Many believers don't realize that what they're experiencing isn't just tiredness,
00:06:44.663 --> 00:06:47.403
it's spiritual drift. It's not
00:06:47.688 --> 00:06:51.568
that they stopped loving God. It's the life got loud.
00:06:52.488 --> 00:06:58.028
Responsibilities piled up. Pressures increased and slowly, without even noticing,
00:06:58.328 --> 00:07:02.988
they began to live from a place of survival instead of surrender.
00:07:03.248 --> 00:07:06.428
That's why the story of Mary and Martha matters so much.
00:07:06.508 --> 00:07:12.028
It shows us that what happens when two people love Jesus, but respond to him differently.
00:07:12.268 --> 00:07:16.628
One is busy, one is deal. One is distracted, one is devoted.
00:07:16.928 --> 00:07:22.048
One is overwhelmed by many things and the other chooses the one thing needed.
00:07:22.248 --> 00:07:25.168
And if we're honest, most of us have been both.
00:07:25.488 --> 00:07:30.248
At times we are merry, hungry for the word, focused, sensitive, and present.
00:07:30.588 --> 00:07:34.908
But other times we are Martha, serving, striving, over-functioning,
00:07:35.108 --> 00:07:40.148
exhausted, irritated, and caring more than we were ever assigned to Carrie.
00:07:40.408 --> 00:07:46.468
But that's what makes this devotional especially important for today's world is this.
00:07:46.608 --> 00:07:51.448
Martha just doesn't exist in the house anymore. Martha exists on the phone.
00:07:52.153 --> 00:07:57.733
Exists in the scroll. She exists in the hustle. She exists under pressure to be seen.
00:07:58.013 --> 00:08:02.993
She exists in the need to stay relevant. She exists in the performance trap
00:08:02.993 --> 00:08:06.653
where people fake peace, fake strength, fake joy,
00:08:07.093 --> 00:08:13.613
fake success, fake spirituality because the culture rewards appearance more than authenticity.
00:08:14.113 --> 00:08:18.153
This is where the altar gets replaced, not with outright rebellion,
00:08:18.153 --> 00:08:23.653
but with distraction, not with atheism, but with overload, not with hatred for
00:08:23.653 --> 00:08:28.433
God, but with the habit of never sitting still long enough to hear him.
00:08:28.653 --> 00:08:34.853
So over the next seven days, this devotional will guide you into a holy rest.
00:08:35.013 --> 00:08:40.293
You will be challenged, not because God is harsh, but because he loves you too
00:08:40.293 --> 00:08:42.493
much to let you keep pretending.
00:08:42.493 --> 00:08:47.753
You will be restored, not because you earned it, but because Jesus is faithful
00:08:47.753 --> 00:08:50.113
to call you back. You will be strengthened
00:08:50.488 --> 00:08:55.088
Not because your schedule changes overnight, but because your spirit will.
00:08:55.408 --> 00:08:58.548
What is this devotional designed to do?
00:08:58.768 --> 00:09:03.368
This devotional is not just written to inspire you, it's written to restore you.
00:09:03.528 --> 00:09:08.848
Over these next seven days, you are going to do more than read. You're going to return.
00:09:09.248 --> 00:09:14.068
You're going to confront what has been quickly draining you and rebuilding what
00:09:14.068 --> 00:09:16.368
distractions has broken down.
00:09:16.628 --> 00:09:20.668
This devotional is designed to help you do three things. Number one,
00:09:20.908 --> 00:09:25.248
recognize the distraction that have stolen your worship.
00:09:25.508 --> 00:09:29.448
Some distractions are sinful, but many distractions are not evil.
00:09:29.648 --> 00:09:32.248
They are too many good things.
00:09:32.568 --> 00:09:36.868
The enemy does not always trap believers through obvious darkness.
00:09:37.228 --> 00:09:42.248
Sometimes he traps them through overload, pressure, endless responsibilities,
00:09:42.528 --> 00:09:44.908
constant noise, and nonstop movement.
00:09:45.088 --> 00:09:49.908
In other words, life without stillness. And that's why so many people are exhausted,
00:09:50.108 --> 00:09:56.608
not because they don't love God, but because they have been living without spiritual breathing room.
00:09:56.788 --> 00:10:01.828
So this devotion will help you identify what has been stealing your attention,
00:10:01.828 --> 00:10:06.428
what has been draining your capacity, what has been choking your time with God,
00:10:06.648 --> 00:10:09.808
what has replaced the one thing needed.
00:10:10.048 --> 00:10:13.768
Because when worship is stolen, peace is next.
00:10:14.108 --> 00:10:17.008
Number two, confront the performance spirit.
00:10:17.414 --> 00:10:21.554
The devotion will also confront something that many people don't admit.
00:10:21.794 --> 00:10:24.214
We live in a generation of performance.
00:10:24.514 --> 00:10:28.834
People have learned how to look okay while dying inside, how to smile while
00:10:28.834 --> 00:10:34.894
anxious, how to post faith while privately empty, how to serve while silently
00:10:34.894 --> 00:10:39.434
bitter, how to say I'm blessed when spiritually bound.
00:10:39.594 --> 00:10:44.014
Because you can look strong and be broken, look anointed and be empty,
00:10:44.414 --> 00:10:50.294
look blessed and still be bound. Performance is dangerous because it keeps you from being honest.
00:10:50.434 --> 00:10:52.794
And when you're not honest, you don't heal.
00:10:53.054 --> 00:10:57.294
This devotional will challenge you to remove the mask, not to embarrass you,
00:10:57.354 --> 00:11:00.694
but to set you free from you.
00:11:00.874 --> 00:11:05.654
Because God cannot restore what we refuse to expose.
00:11:06.154 --> 00:11:11.374
And number three, returning to the secret place and rebuilding authentic worship.
00:11:11.374 --> 00:11:16.974
Finally, this devotional will call you back to the place where worship can become real again.
00:11:17.134 --> 00:11:21.294
A secret place. Not a public place. Not a performative place.
00:11:21.534 --> 00:11:26.954
Not the let me post this real quick place. But the private place where your
00:11:26.954 --> 00:11:29.814
soul can breathe. Your tears don't need a caption.
00:11:30.054 --> 00:11:34.114
Your worship doesn't need approval. And your faith doesn't need an audience.
00:11:34.394 --> 00:11:38.274
In the secret place, your hunger returns. Your intimacy returns.
00:11:38.534 --> 00:11:43.934
Your peace returns. your spiritual rhythm returns, and your joy returns.
00:11:44.094 --> 00:11:47.374
This is where you will learn how to get it back.
00:11:47.554 --> 00:11:53.194
Not a fake version of worship that looks good, but an authentic worship that
00:11:53.194 --> 00:11:56.074
heals you from the inside out.
00:11:56.334 --> 00:11:59.354
Now, during this podcast, I call it a devotional because it's written,
00:11:59.534 --> 00:12:02.934
but it's written and also it's going to be spoken.
00:12:03.254 --> 00:12:07.594
And I want you to think of this. How do you want to get the most out of these
00:12:07.594 --> 00:12:13.274
next seven days? The Lord shifted the plan for me. I was doing four days training.
00:12:13.921 --> 00:12:20.441
Week and I had every other day. Four days of devotional is not the same as every day.
00:12:20.821 --> 00:12:26.421
Every day requires constant attention to keep the content moving forward.
00:12:26.681 --> 00:12:32.961
But God has already prepped me. I have over 350 written devotionals. They're not short.
00:12:33.161 --> 00:12:37.841
They're not long. Some are one day, some are two days, but most of them are
00:12:37.841 --> 00:12:39.921
at least four to seven days. And so.
00:12:40.937 --> 00:12:44.157
He changed it so that you can have constant work.
00:12:44.477 --> 00:12:47.457
You know, you probably said, I wish he can do a seven days, but you got your
00:12:47.457 --> 00:12:50.657
wish. Now I want you to begin to listen and follow through.
00:12:51.037 --> 00:12:55.357
And the things that I speak on this devotion are the things that God has spoken
00:12:55.357 --> 00:12:58.957
to me. Always it comes as birth through experience.
00:12:59.337 --> 00:13:03.777
You know, you can write 101,000 devotional, but if it's not birth through something
00:13:03.777 --> 00:13:06.257
from God, it can be very, very dry.
00:13:06.257 --> 00:13:11.317
And so I want to share that with you in this episode, that this is powerful
00:13:11.317 --> 00:13:16.437
because being a person that loves to serve, I can become the Mary, the Martha.
00:13:16.657 --> 00:13:23.477
I mean, and yet God tells me you're missing out on so much because you have
00:13:23.477 --> 00:13:25.577
a devotional, because you're here for me.
00:13:25.677 --> 00:13:28.077
I know I want more, like God wants more.
00:13:28.237 --> 00:13:34.097
So as I'm giving you more, God wants more from me. And so that's pretty much
00:13:34.097 --> 00:13:36.217
how I speak the devotionals.
00:13:36.457 --> 00:13:41.317
Each one is something that I have experienced or something that I'm going through right now.
00:13:41.417 --> 00:13:46.837
And Mary Martha is this process of giving God more when he asks for more.
00:13:46.997 --> 00:13:49.537
So I want you to benefit from these next seven days.
00:13:49.737 --> 00:13:53.077
I enjoy every series. Each series is so important.
00:13:53.277 --> 00:13:57.337
That single life series, that was God speaking to me about being single.
00:13:57.537 --> 00:13:59.377
Always looking in the future for a husband.
00:13:59.877 --> 00:14:05.657
Enjoy where you are right now. And then this one talks about how to enjoy where
00:14:05.657 --> 00:14:07.057
you are right now, right?
00:14:07.237 --> 00:14:10.977
Because we know of singleness. If you're single, it's a blessing. It's not a curse.
00:14:11.137 --> 00:14:17.917
So we can sit at Jesus' feet like Mary and not be so anxious about things that don't matter.
00:14:18.137 --> 00:14:23.897
The same way with our married women, our engaged women, they take the time to sit at Jesus' feet.
00:14:24.157 --> 00:14:27.397
So to get the most out of this series, you have to be honest.
00:14:27.517 --> 00:14:31.157
It's going to touch many areas that people avoid.
00:14:31.620 --> 00:14:36.700
It's going to kind of reveal the hidden burnout that you have that we don't talk about.
00:14:36.880 --> 00:14:40.180
The secret resentment that shows up at the oddest times.
00:14:40.400 --> 00:14:45.200
The performance Christianity where you show up your best, but you ain't feeling your best.
00:14:45.700 --> 00:14:51.460
Comparison, spiritual dryness, and the addiction to being seen.
00:14:51.800 --> 00:14:57.140
But it's going to heal from this. You have to be honest. Do I have hidden burnout?
00:14:57.440 --> 00:15:01.380
Do I have any secret resentment? Do I have performance Christianity?
00:15:02.020 --> 00:15:07.960
Comparison? Am I spiritually dry? Because the Lord says out of our bellies will
00:15:07.960 --> 00:15:09.740
flow river of life, right?
00:15:09.940 --> 00:15:15.800
And so how do I tap into that river of life and the addictions to be seen?
00:15:15.960 --> 00:15:21.880
We don't think we have addiction, but all this social media is set up to cause addiction, right?
00:15:22.160 --> 00:15:27.180
You know, our minds want something quick and fast, but God moves at his rate
00:15:27.180 --> 00:15:30.820
and his timing. So it's going to require honesty.
00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:33.480
You cannot hear what you keep editing.
00:15:34.087 --> 00:15:38.427
You cannot be restored in the areas you keep denying, and you cannot return
00:15:38.427 --> 00:15:41.527
to worship if you are protecting an image.
00:15:41.687 --> 00:15:44.507
Honesty sounds like, God, I've been distracted.
00:15:44.847 --> 00:15:49.167
I've been serving, but I'm bitter. I've been posting, but not praying.
00:15:49.507 --> 00:15:55.667
I've been performing, but not abiding. And the moment you're honest with God, grace brushes in.
00:15:55.927 --> 00:15:59.607
Number two, after being honest, you have to be consistent.
00:15:59.887 --> 00:16:01.767
You don't need perfection.
00:16:02.127 --> 00:16:07.707
God's not looking for perfection. God is looking for you. He looks for a rhythm.
00:16:07.987 --> 00:16:11.287
And we who love to dance, that's a rhythm.
00:16:11.507 --> 00:16:16.607
Even if you have a routine that you get up in the morning, you do everything
00:16:16.607 --> 00:16:18.487
by routine, that's a rhythm.
00:16:18.707 --> 00:16:20.887
God requires us to be in a rhythm.
00:16:21.467 --> 00:16:27.587
And some people believe intimacy requires hours, but intimacy is not built by time alone.
00:16:27.767 --> 00:16:32.867
It's built by faithfulness. Even 10 minutes a day, surrendered and focus can
00:16:32.867 --> 00:16:37.787
restore hunger, calm anxiety, break mindless scrolling, rewire your spirit,
00:16:37.927 --> 00:16:39.747
and rebuild your inner life.
00:16:40.267 --> 00:16:44.907
Consistency is how you retrain your soul to crave God again.
00:16:45.307 --> 00:16:49.087
And so just like I mentioned just a moment ago, is that that rhythm?
00:16:49.427 --> 00:16:53.407
It's like, what is that rhythm? What is that heartbeat that can get you back
00:16:53.407 --> 00:16:56.727
in a rhythm? Do I need to schedule some things?
00:16:56.927 --> 00:17:00.447
So I'll just share a little bit about how I get into rhythms.
00:17:00.687 --> 00:17:04.067
I like to do everything at the same time. And that's a hard rhythm,
00:17:04.167 --> 00:17:06.687
right? Because things always happen same time every day.
00:17:06.887 --> 00:17:11.447
But I know what part of my day I can't control. I can control my mornings.
00:17:11.767 --> 00:17:15.567
And so I like to get up early. I know it takes me a minute to get out of bed.
00:17:15.587 --> 00:17:19.667
So I don't set my clock to have me jump out of the bed so early, right?
00:17:19.807 --> 00:17:24.487
So I get up early, but I set my clock 10 minutes before the time I want to get
00:17:24.487 --> 00:17:27.947
up. That way, if I want to take a snooze, I can do a snooze.
00:17:28.007 --> 00:17:30.327
If I want to just lay in there and look at the clock while.
00:17:31.483 --> 00:17:34.903
While I'm snoozing or not. Just whatever you want to do. You can snooze,
00:17:35.023 --> 00:17:37.823
whatever it takes you to do. But I like to get up early in the morning.
00:17:38.043 --> 00:17:40.503
Most of my set time is 2.50 a.m.
00:17:40.883 --> 00:17:45.463
Set the clock at 2.50 because sometimes I'm tired and I might get up right at
00:17:45.463 --> 00:17:50.883
2.50 or I might take another and snooze and then get up at about 3 o'clock.
00:17:51.183 --> 00:17:56.283
My goal is to be in prayer no later than about 3.10 or 3.15 in the morning.
00:17:56.563 --> 00:18:00.483
And I realized that that consistency, don't matter if I want to sleep in,
00:18:00.683 --> 00:18:03.043
my body still wakes up at that time.
00:18:03.163 --> 00:18:07.523
And I roll over, I say, oh, today is sleeping day because I do sleep in on Saturdays,
00:18:07.603 --> 00:18:08.903
not that often on Sundays.
00:18:09.003 --> 00:18:12.403
So it gives me a chance. And if I am tired throughout the week,
00:18:12.563 --> 00:18:16.103
I'll just go to bed early because I tell you, I can control my mornings.
00:18:16.583 --> 00:18:20.463
The evenings changes. And so sometimes I can't control my evenings because I
00:18:20.463 --> 00:18:24.163
I have some things I like to do in the evenings, but about 6.30 or so,
00:18:24.243 --> 00:18:25.903
I can control after 6.30.
00:18:26.183 --> 00:18:29.203
And most times, that's the time where I'm sitting and unwinding,
00:18:29.443 --> 00:18:33.743
and I'm just figuring out what my tomorrow looks like, and how can I close this
00:18:33.743 --> 00:18:37.983
out, just close this day out in a decent way, right? And so,
00:18:38.063 --> 00:18:39.263
sometimes I get caught up.
00:18:39.403 --> 00:18:43.203
I love animals, the animal kingdom, and I can close out watching the animal
00:18:43.203 --> 00:18:45.423
kingdom. I like lions and lionesses.
00:18:45.723 --> 00:18:48.523
Those are the things that I really love to watch. And so.
00:18:49.031 --> 00:18:53.791
And then a prayer before I go to bed. And then I start the thing over tomorrow, next day.
00:18:54.151 --> 00:18:59.311
Number three, be willing to change. You can't change if you don't want to.
00:18:59.671 --> 00:19:02.271
And you know, first thing that comes out of our mouth is I'm not going to get
00:19:02.271 --> 00:19:06.571
up at Connie that early. I didn't ask you to do that. I just shared my routine.
00:19:06.871 --> 00:19:11.291
You can get in your own routine. And it's interesting because when you're asking
00:19:11.291 --> 00:19:14.571
God for your special rhythm, He knows your rhythm.
00:19:14.831 --> 00:19:19.611
And so my time started at three. it was never always at three.
00:19:19.831 --> 00:19:25.011
It was probably like four, more about three, probably about 4.30 because I went
00:19:25.011 --> 00:19:26.911
to work later, about 4.30 in the morning.
00:19:27.231 --> 00:19:31.371
And then I'll get up, go for a walk, exercise. So that includes prayer,
00:19:31.531 --> 00:19:32.891
exercise, and getting dressed.
00:19:33.051 --> 00:19:36.631
So my whole morning is very busy because I can control the first part of my morning.
00:19:36.831 --> 00:19:40.171
You find your rhythm with God, you know, and as you find your rhythm,
00:19:40.491 --> 00:19:43.191
he's going to change it a little bit, but it's all for your growth.
00:19:43.191 --> 00:19:44.711
That's the thing about change.
00:19:44.951 --> 00:19:49.931
You have to be willing to change. This is different from being a reader and a disciple.
00:19:50.471 --> 00:19:55.011
Reading for information makes you knowledgeable. Reading for transformation makes you free.
00:19:55.231 --> 00:20:01.991
This podcast, this devotional, may require you to change what you've been consuming,
00:20:01.991 --> 00:20:05.931
what you post, how you serve, what you prioritize,
00:20:06.251 --> 00:20:11.831
and what do you do with your mornings, and what do you do when you feel empty.
00:20:11.831 --> 00:20:14.911
But remember, God's not trying to take something from you.
00:20:15.171 --> 00:20:19.051
He's trying to return something to you, your worship, your joy,
00:20:19.191 --> 00:20:23.191
your peace, your spiritual fire, your first love.
00:20:23.511 --> 00:20:28.991
So as we start day one, which will be the next episode, because of course the
00:20:28.991 --> 00:20:32.831
intro is getting long, but I want to set you up for success.
00:20:32.951 --> 00:20:35.131
I want you to be restored.
00:20:35.471 --> 00:20:40.251
So if you miss a day, just this on a podcast, go back and listen again.
00:20:40.251 --> 00:20:42.351
You know, you can listen to it twice.
00:20:43.207 --> 00:20:47.547
You know, pick up right where you left off. Because God doesn't measure you
00:20:47.547 --> 00:20:50.927
by perfection. He honors your return.
00:20:51.247 --> 00:20:55.567
So take a deep breath, silence the noise, and let's begin.
00:20:55.947 --> 00:21:01.727
Day one on the next episode was titled, The One Thing Needed,
00:21:01.867 --> 00:21:05.727
Presence Over Pressure. Thank you for joining me.
00:21:05.987 --> 00:21:09.067
This is the Diary of a Black Woman podcast, and I'm your host,
00:21:09.127 --> 00:21:12.247
Connie Moore, and I'll see you on the next episode.
00:21:23.249 --> 00:21:26.389
Family, thank you for spending time with me today.
00:21:26.669 --> 00:21:30.389
To every woman listening who has ever felt hidden, overlooked,
00:21:30.509 --> 00:21:32.789
or pushed aside, hear me clearly.
00:21:33.069 --> 00:21:37.609
God has not forgotten you, and neither have I.
00:21:37.969 --> 00:21:42.849
Now let's go before the Lord and close this out with a word from God.
00:21:43.149 --> 00:21:47.589
Because someone out there needs this reminder today.
00:21:47.889 --> 00:21:54.629
Jeremiah 29, 11, verses 11 through 14. For I know the plans I have for you,
00:21:54.809 --> 00:21:58.409
declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
00:21:58.769 --> 00:22:01.069
plans to give you hope and a future.
00:22:01.349 --> 00:22:06.169
Then when you call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you,
00:22:06.429 --> 00:22:11.649
you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
00:22:11.769 --> 00:22:17.709
I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and bring you back from captivity.
00:22:18.349 --> 00:22:24.089
Father God, we thank you for your word, that it is true, that it is living, that it is for us.
00:22:24.329 --> 00:22:29.409
You said you know the plans you have for us, plans to prosper us and not to
00:22:29.409 --> 00:22:32.209
harm us, plans to give us hope and a future.
00:22:32.429 --> 00:22:36.849
So today we receive that, not just in our minds, but in our hearts.
00:22:36.969 --> 00:22:38.289
When we feel overlooked,
00:22:38.823 --> 00:22:44.763
remind us, you still see us. When we feel forgotten, remind us, you still have a plan.
00:22:44.963 --> 00:22:48.763
And when we feel hidden, remind us, you are still working.
00:22:49.163 --> 00:22:54.823
Your word says that when we call on you, you will listen. So we call on you now. Hear us.
00:22:55.143 --> 00:22:59.263
Strengthen us. Guide us. Help us to seek you with our whole heart,
00:22:59.603 --> 00:23:02.503
not halfway, not sometimes, but fully.
00:23:02.743 --> 00:23:09.303
And as we seek you, let us find you in every season, in every place, even the hidden mind.
00:23:09.483 --> 00:23:15.223
Restore what was lost, renew what feels broken, and remind us that nothing in
00:23:15.223 --> 00:23:17.723
our lives is wasted in your hand.
00:23:17.923 --> 00:23:24.083
Lord, we trust you, we believe you, and we stand on your word. In Jesus' name, amen.
00:23:24.503 --> 00:23:28.623
This is Diary of a Black Woman podcast, and I'm your host, Connie Morris,
00:23:28.803 --> 00:23:31.683
and I'll see you on the next episode.