Love the Lord

According to her website, Dr. Caroline Leaf is a communication pathologist and cognitive neuroscientist with a Masters and PhD in communication pathology and a BSc in Logopaedics, specializing in cognitive and metacognitive neuropsychology.

Whew, that is a big fancy title, but my favorite part of her research is about prayer.

Dr Leaf writes, “ it has been found that 12 minutes of daily focused prayer over an eight week period can change the brain to such an extent that it can be measured on a brain scan. This type of prayer increases activity in brain areas associated with social interaction, compassion, and sensitivity to others. It also increases frontal lobe activity as focus and intentionality increase”.

Isn’t that interesting? Spending time with God can actually increase our focus and intentionality...... and our impact on others. I am fascinated with our unique design. Our brains were wired to fulfill God‘s purposes through our obedience to prayer.

I’ve been invited to teach on motherhood/spiritual motherhood at a women’s retreat in May. When I am invited to speak or teach, I always begin with prayer. It sounds like this, “I am not going without You Lord, direct my steps and lead me”. I want to speak what God wants to say, because He already knows the hearts of every listener that will be in attendance. He desires to speak directly to each of THEM. He desires to speak directly to each of us.

After sitting quietly for a bit, the Holy Spirit dropped the below verses into my heart:

“And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22:37-39‬ ‭ESV‬‬

This week, let’s love the Lord by spending quality time in conversation with Him.

As you read the verses each day, pay attention to your thoughts.

Talk to God about each thought.

Be still and listen.