Simple Thoughts on Spiritual Things: Discovering the Divine in Your Daily Life

By Katy Lander

For those who are spiritually skeptical, stuck or in need of a good kick-in-the-pants, Simple Thoughts on Spiritual Things is just the read you need. Like a riveting discussion with a close friend, Lander brings a unique, conversational candor through anecdotal application of basic, everyday truths so easily accepted in daily life yet so rarely

• Language: English
• Publisher: Works of Truth
• Release date: Dec 25, 2021
• ISBN: 9798985504514

Katy Lander

Katy (Lander) Thomason was born and raised in Vancouver, WA. She has lived and studied all over the world building her collections of languages, degrees, businesses and most importantly, sand. She is passionate about youth and mentorship. Loves traveling, music, writing and checking off items from her bucket-list. Though this is her first book to publish, she has written many more that will soon follow. But before she publishes more, she'll record her first album of original songs (coming 2022). She doesn't expect the album to be wildly successful, but that's alright with her! She simply wants to set an example for her children that it's never too late to do the right thing - especially when it comes to making your dreams come true! (If you're curious, the album will be available through her website and other digital streaming platforms.) Katy is the happy and proud wife of Cailen J. Thomason, mother to the adorable Dillon Nicole Thomason, Jack (the J.E.T.) Edward Thomason, and Esther Quinn Thomason, Co-Owner of Thomason Landscaping Company and All In Education, and Co-Lead Singer of The Rev.

Book preview

One

Lessons from

Discipline...

TRAINING

The Separation Is in the Preparation

We all recognize the importance of training in preparation for battle. The best athletic teams train in such a way that their focus is not simply on winning the next game, but winning the championship. Police officers practice and maintain their fitness, senses, and skills in target shooting. Firefighters have regular drills to ensure their emergency response time is impeccable and their physical endurance is up to the task. All branches of the military endure boot camp and undergo extensive training. The Navy Seals, in particular, experience unimaginable physical testing—bearable only by the best of the best. Though they may never actually have to face similar trials during one of their special operations, they train so that if and when they do face them, they’re prepared.

The comparative laziness of Christians is tragic when you consider the application of this thought. In the journey of life, the question isn’t if but when trials of many kinds will test us. At some point we will all face tragedies, faith crisis, and temptations, yet so many of us remain untrained, unequipped and unprepared. Contrary to joyfully seeing our trials as opportunities,¹ we’re crushed by the first pebble of adversity thrown our way.

When I first made a commitment to spend regular, daily time in prayer and scripture, I was clueless to the extent of my own ignorance. I had been a believer for many years and thought I was doing a pretty good job. Of course, since I was my own measure of success and wisdom, why wouldn’t I have thought that?! But by entering the presence of God, I was both humbled and elevated. Every day I showed up to spend time with God, my eyes were opened to how little I knew, how weak my faith was, how lacking I was in discipline and how hypocritical my life could often be. By spending time with God every day, He taught me more than I could have ever imagined and my faith was strengthened as I began to see Him at work in the world around me. When I practiced reading God’s word and actually caring about what God valued and wanted for us all, I was challenged and equipped to have greater discipline in my actions, words and thoughts so much so that my life actually began to reflect the things I had long claimed to believe.

Everything changed when I committed to daily time with God, but it didn’t change overnight and it didn’t happen without effort and sacrifice.²

Every act of creation necessitates an act of destruction.

(Pablo Picasso)

If I wanted to learn more about God and experience a richer, fuller faith, then I would have to unlearn bad habits and false ideas. I would have to say no to experiences that led me in the opposite direction of my goals. I would have to be intentional. Every day. Consistently. For a long time.

I used to imagine that one day God would come down from the clouds and speak to me in Morgan Freeman’s voice saying, Katy, my beloved, I want you to change the world. You need to move to Africa and rescue orphaned babies from the side of the road. Take them in (to a very western facility lacking no provision or luxury) and care for them until they can be welcomed into the homes of sympathetic, wealthy Americans who will be so gracious to you for your selfless, holy actions that they’ll give you tons of money to sustain this operation. Then, like Mother Theresa, you’ll become famous if you do this very admirable, sacrificial thing.

Of course, if He told me to do that, I would! The only problem was, I couldn’t pick out the voice of God in a crowd of 2, let alone a world of voices vying for my attention. Who was I kidding?! I was undisciplined in the art of listening and obedience. My relationship with God was marginal and I didn’t know His character, desires, or values. Why would God trust me with such a huge task when I wouldn’t even listen to Him when He told me to resist a temptation, engage a conversation with a stranger, or extend money to a cause instead of on my own self-indulgence? Why would God even speak to me when, for years, I demonstrated that I could care less about what He has to say?

We understand that if we want to be prepared for the championship, we have to practice like champions. We expect our law enforcement officers and firefighters to be prepared at all times. That’s their job! They show up to work every day whether there’s an emergency or not. They show up so they’re ready when (not if) they’re needed. And we expect our service men and women to know how to do their job. We expect their aim to be accurate and their bodies to be capable. For that to happen, we understand the value of training.

If we ever hope to experience God in the amazing ways our heart deeply longs, then why don’t we apply the same principle of practice, preparation and discipline to our faith!? Why don’t we practice hearing His voice by listening to and obeying His Word? Why don’t we practice understanding His values by getting to know Him (the same way you get to know anyone; time and intentionality), so that when we don’t know what to do, we know what He would do because we know His nature and His values.

If you want to live a life of excellence…. A life of adventure…. A life of purpose…. You must practice excellence, adventure, and purpose every day in the little things so that you’re ready for the day when the big things come. Only a fool prepared to lose enters a battle without training or knowledge. Only a fool prepared to fail rushes into the opportunity of a lifetime without preparation, prior experience or training to succeed in that endeavor. Thus, it is foolish to believe that you will be ready for a great opportunity or a severe trial if you have spent no time preparing your character, strengthening your faith, sharpening your wisdom and expanding your understanding.

He who wins, is the one who was prepared to win.

Begin the discipline of discipleship and you will find yourself prepared for and successful in the journey of life ahead.

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. (Joshua 1:7-8)

Application

What would you like to experience in your faith? And what disciplines could you put in place to begin preparing yourself for the fulfillment of that desire?

What routines can you establish to develop your relationship with God and strengthen your faith? Whatever they might be (prayer, bible study, journaling/reflection, service, attending church, etc.) get specific about how often and in what way you want to begin practicing them.

What bad habits or false ideas will you have to surrender to allow new, good habits and truths to grow?

What comforts or indulgences may you have to let go of in order to embrace intentional discipline in your faith?

____________________

1James 1:2-4 and Romans 5:3-4 are just a couple examples of scripture’s call to anticipate God’s triumph through our trials, and thus have reason for hope.

2I’m aware that the idea of a daily commitment to meet God in prayer and scripture can be overwhelming even to a mature believer. It was, for me, a very specific calling. But I know, for many, it might look different. Keep in mind this rule of thumb; when you don’t spend time with God, you’re the only one who misses out. God’s not going to smite you. His plans for the world will not be thwarted because you were super busy one day, or one week. He’s not sitting on a cloud up in Heaven condemning you for not reading your Bible every day. No! He does want to hang out with you and certainly has some things He’d like to share with you (maybe an answer to that dilemma you’re facing or a word of hope for a friend who’s going through a hard time). So be encouraged and check in with Him as often as you can. If that’s once each week, then that’s a good start! Just know that the more you show up, the more He’ll share and the more you’ll receive.

EXERCISE

The Hard Is What Makes It Great.

³

There’s a reason fitness clubs and gyms make a killing in January. In North American culture, food tends to be present, if not central, at social gatherings and celebrations. Halloween is the candy/treats feasting holiday. It is mistakenly assumed that Thanksgiving was actually invented for the sole purpose of overeating. In December, all bets are off. Essentially, from October 31- January 1, we embrace (if not encourage) gluttony. Some more moderately than others, but generally speaking, it’s a socially acceptable time to enjoy delicious treats in unordinary excess.

Conveniently, as January 1 ushers in a new year, the vast majority of Americans embrace the tradition of New Year’s Resolutions. For most, the resolution is weight loss (starting with the 10 pounds they just gained over the holidays). If you’ve ever set out to get healthier, lose some excess weight, trim down or bulk up, you know there’s no substitute for persistence and time. Going to the gym once won’t do it. Buying an expensive gym membership won’t do it. Following trainers on Instagram, taping goal pictures to the fridge and pulling out the old spandex won’t do it. Force feeding yourself diet shakes (that taste like chalk), popping pills, or trying the 48 Hour Hollywood Diet, may create immediate change, but there’s a reason those products are always coming out with new and improved versions; the results don’t last. If they did, every lazy American would pop a skinny but perfectly toned and muscular pill and be done with it! But that’s not the case.

There is no magic trick. You have to force yourself to get started. Then, you have to force yourself to stick with it when you really don’t want to and no longer even care because it doesn’t seem to make a difference anyway. You have to force yourself to stick with it when other pressing obligations and priorities are demanding your attention. Then you have to push yourself harder when you feel like you’ve hit a plateau and what you’ve been doing no longer seems to be working. And finally, even if it never gets easier or you never feel like it’s a natural part of your new lifestyle—you have to force yourself to keep going because it’s easier to stay ahead than it is to catch up. Besides, you’ve already spent money on the gym memberships, trainers, and workout gear. You’ve already sacrificed time away from family and sleep. And don’t forget enduring the days you could barely move because you were so sore! You’ve done all the hard work to get started, so why would you ever be willing to stop when you know in a matter of time you’d just have to go through all of that again? Still, it’s so common to give up that we even have terms for it like the yo-yo diet and diet rollercoaster.

No, thank you! Persevering through that hellish discipline once is more than enough!

And for those of us who made it to the top only to fall into the temptation of thinking we could go back to the way things used to be and magically our bodies would stay the same… well, we quickly learned we were wrong and the temptation of complacency never pays off. Statistically speaking, people who don’t maintain their weight loss but go back to old habits end up gaining more weight than they lost in the first place.⁴ At that point, the idea of getting back into shape is not only daunting—as it is for anyone before they begin—but it’s totally discouraging because you know how hard it’s going to be. Plus, you already failed once, so why try again?!

To that person we say You can do it! and This time, it’ll stick because you know to stick with it! But you’re doubtful.

If this isn’t the perfect depiction of spiritual growth, I don’t know what is.

The majority of spiritually discontented believers and skeptics alike don’t want to hear that to get to know God, and to learn to understand the Bible, and to enjoy and understand Christian community, worship, accountability, discipline, etc., there’s no substitution for persistence and time. Unfortunately, it’s just as easy to give up on God as it is to give up on going to the gym. But if we stick it out, we’ll find that just as with exercise, the life-changing reward of spending time with God comes only after the challenge of changing our life to do so. Therein we discover;

The hard really is what makes it great!

Just showing up to church once won’t do it. Paying for an expensive degree at a religious institution won’t do it. Giving tons of time or money to a really good cause won’t do it. Doing thankless service projects or depriving ourselves of things in the name of religion won’t do it. Life changing, conversion experiences, or crazy Holy Spirit experiences are awesome and help motivate us forward- but even those aren’t enough to sustain us. In the same way, if after experiencing a spiritual high we sit back complacently and assume that