A friend called the other day and said she hired a personal trainer to help get her ready for an upcoming race. Her previous workouts had been a bit underwhelming and so she figured that she could use some motivation plus a new routine to jar her complacency. The trainer was the ticket she needed — mission accomplished!

Sometimes in life we get stuck in a rut and spin our wheels, not producing fruit to show for our efforts (or lack thereof!). Inside all of us is a drive to create, to succeed, and to produce. Because we are created in His image, this innate force is ever present.

Many things will hinder it such as choosing to live in the past, keeping company with negative people, speaking words of death instead of life, drugs or alcohol, the foods we eat, just to name a few hindrances. In order to break out of the spin cycle, we need to change the setting. And it all begins with a choice we can make to kick it up a notch…

When Paul and Silas were in prison, they had the option to either curl up in a fetal position in their cold, dirty jail cell, or to rise above their circumstances and turn the temperature up. How did they do it? They sang and praised the Lord. Not only did this lift their own spirits in the natural, but they moved the supernatural hand of God who brought an earthquake which opened their cell doors and delivered them out of bondage. This would never have happened if they had chosen to stay parked in neutral.

What can you do to kick it up a notch in your life? Let me give you some practical ideas…

1. Add 10 minutes of prayer time to your daily routine and pray for one person you know who could use some divine intervention.
2. Add one new scripture to confess this week. If you have a physical need, find a scripture about healing. If it’s a financial need, find one that talks about how God will prosper you. Match the scriptures to your need.
3. Put an extra $5 or more into the collection plate at your church. Remember that when you give, you are sowing a seed - and sowing seeds produces a harvest.
4. Give a compliment to a stranger. You will never know how that one small gesture can make a person’s day and give them a boost of confidence.
5. Every time you close your eyes at night, use that alone time with God to just give thanks. Thank God for all He has done for you and for all the things He will do in the future, even if you haven’t seen them come to pass just yet.
6. Take one thing out of your diet that’s a stumbling block. I know a person who cut out soft drinks and she lost 35 pounds just from that one decision.
7. Pull that partially-done project out of your closet and work on it 15 minutes a day until you’ve completed it. It will give you a sense of accomplishment and perhaps be the avenue to start your own business and make some extra money.

Now after you start making these baby step changes, keep a little journal of all the good things that begin to come your way. You will see the goodness of God and experience a harvest of blessings from your efforts.

Remember that God never wants us to stay status quo. He wants us to reach higher, dream bigger and expect more for ourselves. So don’t be afraid to change up the routine because God has a plan to take you to a whole new level…

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jer. 29:11)