DOES YOUR LIFE SITUATION MAKE YOU FEEL DISTANT FROM GOD?

I work offshore in the Gulf of Mexico for a company called Otto Candies. I work 28 days (12 hour shifts each day) and then am off 28 days. My schedule makes it challenging to stay focused and grow in my relationship with God (especially when I'm at work). I feel like I am often spiritually bogged down and just can't get traction. And I feel even worse about my relationship with God when I have been sinning or when I am personally making bad choices. 

ENCOURAGEMENT TO KEEP BUGGING GOD IN PRAYER

I sit at work / school with the same ten people everyday for grad school at the Air Force Command and Staff College. We are about half way through the year and have gotten to know each other pretty well. I have been thinking a lot about how to be a good ambassador of Christ to the group. Recently, I decided to start praying for each of them individually. I put each person's name on a separate notecard and try to pray over one of them daily.  

FOUR VERSES USEFUL FOR EVERYDAY MINISTRY

When I started kindergarten at a small Christian school (a long time ago), I was forced to start memorizing scripture verses. It wasn't too bad at first but by the time I was in 7th grade I was forced to memorize whole chapters. I hated it. 

Most of us don't like taking the time or effort to memorize verses. 

But as I got older, and wasn't being forced to do it anymore, I began memorizing verses that were meaningful to me on my own.   

HOW DO YOU LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF?

For some time now, I have been writing about being a Christian in the workplace but have wondered about how I am supposed to apply all these things since I am in school this year (rather than a traditional work environment). One thing that I recently realized is that we are all (workers, students, family members, etc) called to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:39). This is more than just reacting in love or treating each other with respect. It is those things and more. It is a proactive love. It does something, not just reacts to something. It is a love that thinks ahead, that initiates.