One of my favorite women on the earth is Natalie Brown. She is a Spirit-led powerhouse and you MUST get to know her wisdom and take on living life.
Author of 52 Cups of Coffee, Natalie is a beautiful storyteller that connects to women with everyday stories. I was fortunate to have coffee with Natalie in 2019 and was so impressed with her eloquence and quest to quiet the noise of the world today with contemplative reflection.
Only 20 pages into the book and my heart already was struck with much reflection, head nodding, and multiple ah-ha moments. I encourage you to take the 52 Cups Challenge and join the community space to connect and deep dive into 2021. - Elizabeth
“Are you tired? Worn Out? Burned out on Religion?”
Do you struggle to read the Bible consistently, or even at all?
Have you been questioning the existence of God and long to just hear the sound of God’s voice?
If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, the 52 Cups Challenge is for you. The 52 Cups Challenge is a low commitment, community driven, invitation to increase your intentionality with the Lord.
The Rules are Simple:
1. Schedule a date 1x a week to spend with God.
Invite God into something you enjoy: drinking a cup of coffee/ tea, going for a walk, shooting hoops, whatever you choose!
This time represents your “cup.” Now you get to invite God to fill it.
2. Choose your devotional
Call me biased, but I recommend my devotional book, Fifty-Two Cups of Coffee, it was created for challenges just like this, but there are also plenty of other great devotionals you can choose from!
Begin your quiet time by reading a reflection from the devotional of your choosing, but don’t stop there. What scriptures do they reference, what stories from the Bible come to mind? Look them up and allow God to lead you from there!
3. Pray
Pray about what God has laid on your heart during your quiet time. Have questions? Bring them up. Is something weighing on your heart? Talk to God about it. Write it down. Say it aloud. Whatever you need to do. Let God hear your voice and wait for His response. He’s listening.
4. Schedule your next date
Once you’ve finished, schedule a date for the next week. Write it in your planner or put it on your phone, and commit to showing up. Consistency is the key to success for this challenge.
So, why is it called the 52 Cups Challenge?
Great question.
As there are 52 weeks in the year, I challenge you to show up 52 times for God. One year. Let’s commit to one year of spending intentional time with God.
The 52 Cups Challenge is not about adding another thing to our to do list, or forcing us into “quiet time” with God. Nope. At the core of this challenge, lies a gentle invitation to invite God into our lives… our real, imperfect, messy, beautiful lives. Scripture tells us that in God’s presence there is freedom and fullness of joy; it’s time we experience what this truly means!
Want to do this challenge in Community?
Or
Follow along using the #52cupschallenge hashtag on Instagram
I hope to see you there!
- Natalie Allison Brown
This article was originally published on December 11, 2020, on Natalie's website.