Staying Connected to God
From 100 pages of readings to 5 midterms, as university students, we all have this in common… and it can be draining. Not to mention the additional commitments in our personal lives: hobbies, occupations, and spending time with loved ones, we can definitely agree that we are always (and I don’t like saying it) “busy!”
One thing to remember is that we should always make room for God no matter how busy our lives may seem. He should be first in our mornings, and the last before we lay our head at night. Sometimes it doesn’t always end up that way, especially when you have stayed up all night working on an assignment (who can relate? Life of a student, right?)
As we know, technology plays a huge part in our lives today. Aside from scrolling on Instagram or watching videos on FaceBook, I believe that technology can be used for good, and can be used to help us stay connected to God. My two favourite apps are YouVersion Bible and Echo. Keep scrolling to read a little more about them
YouVersion Bible App
When I first downloaded the app, I loved the idea of how convenient it would be to always have my Bible on hand without carrying around my large study Bible everyday. As I got more familiar with the app I noticed that there were many features that are useful for our daily walk with Christ.
Verse of the Day
The app prompts you with a verse of the day, and oftentimes for me, it is the exact verse that I need to read (That’s the Holy Spirit!). Clicking on the Bible app first thing in the morning as opposed to Instagram has helped me a lot in my Christian walk.
Plans
Now the Bible app has a number of incredible plans for whatever your situation may be. They range from 3 to 30 day plans that you can do on your own or with friends. It is a great way to dig deep in the Word wherever you are!
Highlights
I love the highlights section because records all your favourite verses that you have highlighted. I can highlight on the go and review the verses later when I open up my Bible at home.
2. Echo (Prayer App)
I recently discovered this prayer app and I just love it. You know when you say you’re going to pray for someone, you have good intentions, but you completely forget or even worse, don’t pray at all? This app is every prayer warrior’s dream.
It serves as a space for you to log your prayers.
Reminds you to pray!
And the best part, when a prayer has been answered you can track them in your “Answered” tab! It’s a nice reminder of God’s faithfulness.
If you choose to upgrade your account (not sponsored), you can even have joint prayer requests with your friends or prayer partners.
For me, I like to use technology to my advantage, but I never let it distract me from the many other traditional aspects of the Christian walk, such as opening up my physical Bible and devotional.
What are some apps or tools you’d like to see to help you in your Christian walk or discovery?
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6
Written by: Eboni Branch
LifeLine Team, Creative Industries Student at Ryerson University