Share the Hope!


We are in the middle of a series called, “The Fill My Empty Cup Series.”

In Week One, we discussed – How to Be More Useful for the Kingdom of God

Week Two was called – The Most Important Pause of the Day

Today, we are moving on to talk about how to fill up with the good while getting rid of the bad.

Today, we are moving on to talk about how to fill up with the good while getting rid of the bad. Click To Tweet

Author Dave Ramsey tells the most intriguing story about his wife’s regular practices after she runs.

Her name is Sharon.

As an avid runner, Sharon has a schedule that she keeps and some habits that she follows. One of these habits is to drink a healthy smoothie after each of her runs.

Dave shares that these healthy smoothies look horrible, filled with all sorts of vitamins, nutrients, fruits, and veggies. When mixed together, they form a greenish-brown color that looks terrible.

Once Sharon completes her smoothie, she does the strangest thing…


How to and the. We need to be filling up on good things because there is so much gunk out there that fills our lives. To flush out the bad stuff, we just fill our lives, our hearts, and our minds with good stuff. This post explains very practically how to load up on the good and get rid of the bad. #hope #loadup #goodstuff #getridof #encouragement. #Bible #Godsword #soak up


How to Load Up on the Good and Get Rid of the Bad

Once Sharon completes her smoothie, she does the strangest thing… she puts the empty smoothie cup down in the sink, turns on some fresh water, and leaves the water running into the cup of leftover smoothie gunk.

Recently, Dave stood and watched the water run into the smoothie cup and out into the sink.

At first, it was a real mess.

But, in time, the clean water from the faucet began to lift off the smoothie gunk and move it down into the drain.

Within just a few moments, the smoothie cup was clean and filled with fresh water from the tap.

Dave then made this point,

“Just like this smoothie cup that can be cleaned with fresh water from the tap, we also need to be pouring fresh stuff into our lives.

We need to be reading good books, listening to great messages and podcasts, and thinking about good things because there is so much gunk out there that fills our lives.

To flush out the bad stuff, we just fill our lives, our hearts, and our minds with good stuff.”

To flush out the bad stuff, we just fill our lives, our hearts, and our minds with good stuff. Dave Ramsey Click To Tweet

How to Flush out the Bad and Soak up the Good

How do we do this? 

What does it look like to flush out the bad and soak up the good? 

I’d like to suggest some very powerful ways that you and I can fill our lives with more of the good and rid our lives of more of the bad.

In Psalm 19:7, we read, “The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul.”

how to and the photo 1

Would you like for your soul to be refreshed this week?

Here are 7 ways to allow God’s Word to flush out the bad and fill you up with what is good:

First, start your day with the Word of God.

Whether you read one verse, one passage, or one chapter, there is something so sweet about opening the Bible as you start your day. Dig in long enough to find a nugget or a truth you can take with you all day.

Start by reading a Psalm or a Proverb a day.

Read one small section of scripture at a time. Start with a short book like Philippians, and tackle just a few verses a day.

Or, turn to the concordance in the back of your Bible and do word studies. Choose a word and find all of the instances of this word as used in the Bible. You can look at one instance each morning. For example, you might choose the word “hope.”

Second, write a verse (and the things that you learn) in a notebook or journal.

When you write things down while reading the Bible, you will learn and remember more.

And, writing helps you to keep your mind focused on what you are reading and studying.

One famous Chinese proverb reminds us, “The faintest ink is more powerful than the strongest memory.”

Third, take your verse with you on a notecard or on your phone.

Get some notecards and jot down your verse or type it into an app on your phone.

We all need reminders we can look to throughout the day.

Fourth, text the verse to yourself.

Send yourself a text with your verse. We all like to get messages.

Why not send one to yourself!

Fifth, text your verse to someone else.

Or, share it with someone at work, school, or at lunch.

Share the good stuff with a friend or family member. And, sharing will not only encourage a friend, but it will also help you to learn the verse.

Sixth, pause and go back to your verse during the day.

Take a moment and look back at your journal, Bible, or phone.

Be refreshed by what you read.

Seven, before you go to bed, read over your verse one more time.

Let your last thoughts of the day be on the scriptures.

Focus your complete attention on your verse one more time.

Then, go to sleep allowing the Bible to restore, renew, and refresh your heart.

how to and the photo 2

A Closing Example

This past week, my verse was Matthew 11:28. Over and over, I rolled this verse around in my mind, read it, repeated it, and focused on its message.

Filling my mind with the words of Matthew pushed out a lot of gunk in my world. This one verse encouraged me and kept me going throughout this past week.

I truly believe that this practice will do the same for you.

So, put your cup down in the sink and turn on the faucet.

It’s time to start flushing and re-filling!

It’s time to start flushing and re-filling! Click To Tweet


How about you?

How do you flush out the bad and bring in the good?

What suggestions do you have?


Want more refreshing?

3 Lies We Are Tempted to Believe by Gretchen Fleming

Protecting Yourself from Self-Defeating Thoughts by Lori Shumaker

What Does it Mean to be Kept by God? by Amy Elaine

How to Overcome Anxiety and Depression by Susan Mcilmoil

When You Need to Take a Leap of Faith by Pam Blosser

When Our Ideal Isn’t Real by Christy Mobley

Set Your Table, Set Your Mind by Sue Donaldson

20 Things to Do When Life is Wearing You Out by Zee Dean


How to and the. Life just naturally pours junk into our hearts and minds. To dispel it, we must intentionally get rid of the bad and fill up on the good. This post shows you how to practically do that. #hope #loadup #goodstuff #getridof #encouragement. #Bible #Godsword #flushout #soak up #dispelthebadHow to and the. Sometimes we need to flush out all of the junk and gunk we’ve allowed to stack up in our hearts and lives. This post shares how you can flush out the bad and soak up more of the good. #hope #loadup #goodstuff #getridof #encouragement. #Bible #Godsword #flushout #soak up

Encouraged by what you read?

Would you share this article with a friend, co-worker, or family member?

Maybe you can send it to a friend or family member?

This blog occasionally uses affiliate links and may contain affiliate links. Melanie Redd is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. For more on my disclosure policy, click HERE.



 


helloredds@gmail.com

Best-Selling Author | Speaker | Blogger| Podcaster | When the world is falling apart, we can ALWAYS trust in God’s goodness!

4 Comments

Cathy McIntosh · 02/21/2018 at 11:08 AM

Thanks for these reminders. I think we become covered with a lot more “gunk” than we realize and need to let the Word of God wash over us. I love the Dave Ramsey example. It’s a simple yet very clear illustration!

    helloredds@gmail.com · 02/21/2018 at 3:01 PM

    Thank you, Cathy.
    Sure do appreciate you stopping by to leave a kind word today!
    Hope you have a blessed day~
    Melanie

Karen Achim · 02/18/2018 at 8:32 AM

Dear Melanie,
Wonderful ideas & great visual example! I found this posting especially helpful after the events of this past week, so much to be saddened by. However, the word of God is always there for us & can make us stronger & healthier if we seek Him. Thank you for your post. A great example to us all. God Bless,

Karen

    helloredds@gmail.com · 02/19/2018 at 10:28 AM

    Hey Karen,
    Thanks for stopping by and leaving such a kind word! You bless me today!
    And, aren’t you thankful for the Bible – the way that God’s words never cease to lift us up?
    Hope you have a wonderful day~
    Melanie

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