Enjoying life (zoe) in Christ comes in the choices we make moment-by-moment. Transparently sharing her struggles with anxiety, fear, and insecurity, Ginger Harrington invites women to discover how intentional choices made in the moment can become holy habits that open the door to healing and freedom. With a refreshing perspective, she shows that holiness isn’t a rigid standard to keep but a gift to receive through a vital relationship with God, who makes us whole. Holy in the Moment explores the practical power of choices to grow in holiness without the pressure of perfectionism. Through gentle encouragement, biblical insights, and applicable ideas learn to discern feelings and overcome distractions and shame, adapt God’s equation for obedience, live a praying life, discover methods for practicing holiness in parenting and the importance of rest, embrace biblical love and forgiveness, and understand how work becomes holy. Find healing and wholeness with simple choices to love God, embrace truth, and enjoy every moment of life with practical ways to be holy by choosing to trust God, rely on his wisdom, and live from his resources. Discover the difference choosing holiness in the moment can make in your life. Ginger Harrington is an award-winning blogger, speaker, and ministry leader. A military spouse and mom of three, Ginger helped create the Planting Roots: Strength to Thrive in Military Life military ministry where she serves as coordinator of publishing, speaks at regional conferences, and assists with social media. She writes at GingerHarrington.com, for Roma Downey and Mark Burnett’s LightWorkers.com, and for Planting Roots, and guest posts for Guideposts, (in)courage, The Praying Woman, For Every Mom, and others. She lives in northern Virginia. Holy in the Moment Simple Ways to Love God and Enjoy Your Life By Ginger Harrington Abingdon Press Copyright © 2018 Virginia B. Harrington All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-5018-5780-5 Contents Introduction, Part 1: Loving God in Every Moment, Chapter 1: Moments to Believe, Chapter 2: Moments to Choose, Chapter 3: Moments to Love God, Chapter 4: Moments to Abide, Chapter 5: Moments to Surrender, Chapter 6: Moments to Rest, Part 2: Embracing Truth in Every Moment, Chapter 7: Moments to Pray, Chapter 8: Moments to Listen to God, Chapter 9: Moments to Think, Chapter 10: Moments to Feel, Chapter 11: Moments to Obey, Part 3: Enjoying Life for Your Best Moments, Chapter 12: Moments to Choose Good Attitudes, Chapter 13: Moments to Love One Another, Chapter 14: Moments to Bless Your Children, Chapter 15: Moments to Be a Good Friend, Chapter 16: Moments to Work, Conclusion: Your Holy Life, Acknowledgments, Notes, CHAPTER 1 MOMENTS TO BELIEVE You will have to believe God is who He says He is. You will have to believe God can do what He says He will do. You will have to adjust your thinking in light of this belief. — Henry Blackaby, Experiencing God Holiness inhabits the small things, faith for our moments, simple and short. Added together, holy moments change lives and steer destinies in God's direction. But it all comes down to attitudes and choices made ... one moment at a time. Just as umbrellas shield us from rain, faith protects us from questions and doubts that flood our souls. When storm clouds gather, an umbrella is only as good as the choosing of it in the moment. Umbrellas left in the closet or forgotten in the car offer no protection from the deluge. And faith left unused will not shield us from unbelief. Choosing to believe God is a sacred choice, empowering us to "hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil" (Ephesians 6:16 NLT). It's during the storms of life that faith solidifies into more than a concept. The year our family moved from North Carolina to California is the year I thought I was going crazy. In May of 2000, sunny skies turned dark as storm clouds let loose with a force, whipping and twisting my faith inside out. How do we choose holiness on days when believing God is hard? WHEN BELIEVING GOD IS HARD I sat in a stark, utilitarian green office, checking on lab results. "No one called you?" asked a frantic nurse. She explained that my thyroid test (several months old) indicated I have Graves' disease, a hyperthyroid autoimmune disease. Instantly my mind snapped to high alert as I told the nurse, "I'm moving across the country in three weeks. We're a military family with three small children. We don't get to choose when or where we move. I can't be sick now." Maybe I hoped the nurse would say something to take the problem away. Something like, "You're right, this isn't a good time for you. Let's reschedule this problem for another time." Our thoughts don't always make sense, do they? I don't have time to be sick. It didn't matter. We don't get to schedule challenges at our convenience. Tested and diagnosed, I was treated with lightning speed. Just take a little