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In the LifeTrac article, Planted, Rochelle McAlister suggests seven ways to stay rooted and grow your faith. The following points are some ideas for implementing her suggestions into your life.

Seven practical ways to stay planted

Pray. Pray a lot. Prayer is simply talking to God. By spending time praying, you learn to recognize God's voice. He wants to listen as well as speak to you.

One way of learning to pray is by following A.C.T.S. — Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication. This is an easy way to get started when you aren't sure what to pray for. When praying, try to praise God, admit your sins, thank Him, and to ask Him to meet your needs. Over time, you will learn to recognize God's voice. Once you hear His voice comes the next step: learning to obey.

Write down what God is showing you. It's exciting when God is making a difference in your life. Everything changes and you feel like you'll never forget the lessons you're learning. But as time passes … you do. Keeping a journal or writing a blog is an excellent way to look back and remember your journey. It's also a good reminder of how far you've come and an encouragement for those days when you feel frustrated or stalled.

Talk with others about your journey. This means tell others what the Lord is doing in your life. This is called a testimony. It is unnecessary to be a Bible scholar or have all the answers — the story of your transformation and continuing quest will inspire and encourage people.

By talking with others, you will also learn new perspectives. This will ultimately help you find your way when things are confusing or you have decisions to make. The support and prayer you will see from other believers will only help you in times of discontent and encourage you in times of plenty.

Join a Bible study. Many churches offer Bible studies or small groups and often divide them into different categories like singles, youth, young adults, etc. This is a safe place to talk about your faith and hear about how others are dealing with the struggles of life. It also helps to create a support network — people in place to praise with you when things are good, pray for you when life is difficult and teach you how to honour God with your life.

Listen to sermons at church or on podcasts. Try to find a place you enjoy attending so you're more likely to get involved and make friends.

By choosing a particular church or service, you have the opportunity to glean new teaching or information from someone who has spent years studying the Bible. By attending a church, you begin to become familiar with the other people who also have chosen that particular place. The more you see a person, the easier it is to talk with him/her.

Read the Bible on your own. The Bible is God's Word. It is the main and most straightforward way to communicate with God. By reading the Bible, you will learn more about Him, what He has done for you and His plan for your life. You will also find comfort during difficult times and direction for your problems. To continue growing, it is important to know what God's truth is.

There are 66 books in the Bible, divided into the Old and New Testaments. The Gospels, the first four books of the New Testament, are a good place to start reading the Bible. They are similar: all four books follow Jesus' life, death and resurrection. Many of the stories will be familiar but there is always something new to draw out of the Gospels.

If you don't have a Bible, think seriously about getting one. You will find, however, there are many translations to choose from. If you're looking for a traditional version, try the King James. If you want a more modern translation, consider the New International or New Living. There are also Bible paraphrases, like The Living Bible or The Message, which put the Bible in a more Western context.

Fellowship with other believers. The word fellowship is a bit old and troublesome. Fellowship literally means friendly association with others. Another way to stay planted is to make friends with other believers.

There is no specific place or way to meet and befriend fellow Christians but the following list contains ideas of where to start if you're at a loss.

• Join a College and Career group. Many churches and colleges have 20something groups, which meet on a variety of days and do any number of different events ranging from worship services to white water rafting. This is a great place to meet people for not only fellowship, but also for real and lasting friendships.
• Join a Christian team, league or club. Through Bible colleges or through church league organizations, in larger centres there is often some sort of team to join. If you like sports, crafts, etc. this could be a great way to combine interests and meet like-minded people.
• Volunteer at a local shelter, thrift store or Christian organization. It feels good to help people less fortunate but it is also nice to surround yourself with others who genuinely want to help people. Volunteering focuses on important social issues and helps you gain confidence and familiarity with the community.
• Find a supportive social network online. There are groups on Facebook, Nexopia, Twitter and other sites joining local believers together. This is also a good place to learn about Churches, concerts and events, and participate in discussions.

This list is by no means exhaustive but should present a launching point to begin to grow deeper roots so, when trouble comes, you can stand firm in your faith.


About the author:  Robyn Roste



By Robyn Roste