October 27, 2025 • 16 mins
Find the full episode here >>> LivingOnPuposeInChrist/blog
What if your sense of smell could become a doorway to prayer, clarity, and a steadier mind? We explore the surprising intersection of fragrance, Scripture, and cognitive health, showing how a simple, scent-linked devotion can calm your nervous system, strengthen memory, and make prayer feel alive again. Drawing from recent research on olfactory enrichment in older adults—as well as the biblical theme of breath and Spirit—we map out a gentle practice that fits real life, not a fantasy schedule.
We start with the science: smell signals route straight to the limbic system, which means a familiar aroma can quickly restore focus and recall. Then we translate that insight into a grace-filled routine. You’ll learn a morning breath prayer that pairs a chosen scent with a short verse, a one-minute midday reset to renew your mind, and a bedtime diffuser ritual inspired by studies showing meaningful memory improvement. Along the way, we keep the heart central: this is not about magic oils or perfect streaks; it’s about stewardship of body and brain as part of following Jesus with intention.
You’ll hear stories of messy schedules, mismatched shoes, and the relief of starting small: one drop, one breath, one prayer. We outline habit tools like cue routine reward, journal prompts to notice tiny wins, and ways to hold your worth in grace while building consistency. By integrating scent with Scripture, you create a reliable cue that helps your soul arrive, even on hurried days. The result is a life that inhales peace and exhales worry, anchored in presence and purpose.
If this resonates, subscribe, share this episode with a friend who needs calm and clarity, and leave a review to help others find the show. Then join the community at DevotionDrops.com to grab your copy of the companion guide: "Awaken to Aroma: Scent, Scripture & Brain Health."
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Printable Bible Study for Women >>> PaulaBehrens.com/members
Christian Resources >>> FaithBuildingClub.com
Get a copy > A New Heaven and New Earth: The Book of Revelation Revisited >>> https://amzn.to/3xRp0DI
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Paula Behrens (00:00):
Have you ever paused long enough to actually
smell something?
The fragrance of rose, thecrisp tang of lemon, the soft
calm of lavender, and feltsomething stir inside?
Not just a passing whiff, but amoment of inhalation, of
awareness of the body and soulaligning?
What if I told you that thissimple act, inhaling a scent,
might do more than just delightyour senses?
(00:23):
What if it could link intosomething far deeper, your
faith, your purpose, and yes,even your brain health?
Today we're going to explorethe unexpected intersection of
faith and fragrance, of Biblestudy and scent awareness, of
daily prayer and cognitivewell-being, because recent
research holds a fascinatingmessage for busy Christians who
(00:43):
long to weave faith intoeveryday life.
The sense of smell isn't justsentimental, it's sacred, and it
may hold keys to rememberingmore clearly, living more
purposefully, and stayingspiritually awake in the midst
of life's rush.
Keep listening, and I'll tellyou how to claim your free
printable journal for improvingmemory and brain function.
(01:04):
But first, funny story.
When I first began my seminarywork while serving two church
congregations full-time,everyone assumed I had my daily
devotional time perfectlyorganized.
But truth be told, there weremornings I could barely find
five minutes to catch my breath,let alone dive into deep
reflection.
One day, as I rushed out thedoor with mismatched shoes, I
(01:28):
realized that even in my chaos,there was a lesson.
Embracing God's grace andself-forgiveness, I realized
that true success in mydevotional life requires
prioritizing my spiritualpractices.
Are you finding it challengingto maintain your spiritual
practices or yearning for a morepeaceful, God-aligned day?
(01:49):
I'm Paula, and I've been theretoo.
Balancing spiritual habits witha busy life can be difficult.
I longed for a deeperconnection with God but
struggled with consistency.
Then I found the perfectapproach.
If you seek simple ways todeepen your connection with God,
this podcast is for you.
Please take a moment to followthe show, leave a review, and
(02:10):
share with your friends who needa little biblical encouragement
today.
Friend, have you ever sat down with your Bible, a cup of tea, and high hopes for a quiet moment with the Lord—only to find your mind racing with to-do lists, your spirit distracted, and your heart dry? Iremember a season when my
spiritual life felt more like achecklist than a connection.
(02:30):
I had a book of prayers, aseminary degree, and even my
favorite kneeling rail in myoffice.
But truthfully, I was justgoing through the motions at
that time.
I was hungry for more, morepeace, more presence, more of
God.
I was showing up with all theright tools, but none of the
soul satisfying stillness Icraved.
My time with God becamesomething I did, not something I
(02:53):
delighted in.
Then the Lord gently remindedme, He never asked me for
polished prayers or perfectdiscipline.
He just wanted my presence.
And from that moment on, Ibegan creating a space to simply
be with him.
I built a new rhythm, one thatwas deeply rooted in grace,
filled with scripture, andsupported by the soothing
presence of his creation thathelped me slow down and breathe
(03:16):
in deeply.
That sacred rhythm is what Inow share in the Aroma of Christ
Coaching Hour.
Whether you're spirituallyweary, stuck in a routine, or
longing for a fresh encounterwith the Holy Spirit, this hour
is your invitation to beginagain with grace.
Before our coaching call, you'llreceive an essential oil
sampler to use during our onlinesession to enhance this fun
(03:38):
spiritual journey.
Together, we'll craft apractice that helps you feel
grounded, nourished, and deeplyconnected to God, mind, body,
and spirit.
You don't have to keep tryingto figure it out all on your
own.
There's a simple way to grow infaith and draw near to God, and
I'd be honored to help you findit.
Let's breathe in His peace.
Let's rediscover His presence.
(03:59):
Let's begin again together.
Book your Aroma of ChristCoaching Hour at
PaulaBehrens.com /coaching.
That's Paula Behrens B-E-H R EN S .com /coaching (no spaces).
All right, it's time to getstarted.
Grab your Bible, dust off yourjournal, and cozy up to your
(04:20):
favorite beverage and let's divein.
Hey friend, what if one of thesimplest senses you have, your
sense of smell, is quietlysignaling something about your
mental life and your spiritualjourney?
Research shows that the declineof olfaction, our ability to
smell, often precedes cognitivedecline as well.
(04:40):
There's an association betweenloss of smell and shrinkage in
brain matter, gray and white.
In short, when smell fades,brain pathways linked to memory
and decision making often faltertoo.
In light of that, scientistsasked, could the reverse be
true?
Could enhancing our sense ofsmell, our exposure to fragrance
(05:03):
actually improve memory andneural functioning?
The answer came boldly.
Yes.
In a controlled study, olderadults ages 60 to 85 used a
diffuser and rotated among sevenessential oils for two hours
each night over six months.
The olfactory enrichment groupimproved their memory scores by
(05:24):
a staggering 226% compared tocontrols.
What does that mean for us asChristians and maybe even
leaders within the churchweaving faith, devotion,
purpose, and everyday taskstogether?
It means our bodies areintricately designed to invite
spiritual sensory alignment.
(05:45):
What we pray, what we meditateon, and even what we breathe in,
these all can be intentionalactions, fostering deeper
connections to God's peace andpresence.
Let's unpack more deeply whyscent matters so much and where
God's design meets our dailyrhythm.
Smell has a unique trajectoryin the brain.
(06:07):
Unlike sound or sight,olfactory signals flow straight
into the limbic system, theemotional and memory center of
the brain.
That's why a scent caninstantly trigger a memory, a
mood, a prayer.
It has privileged access.
Researchers described howaromatic molecules travel to
areas of the brain relevant tomemory and the sense of smell,
(06:31):
potentially helping to normalizebrain circuitry linked to
memory.
In faith terms, consider howscripture speaks to breath,
spirit, life.
The Hebrew word for spirit alsomeans breath or wind.
God formed man from the dust ofthe earth and breathed into his
(06:53):
nostrils the breath oflife (Genesis 2.7).
Your inhalation is part of theinvisible economy of your soul.
You breathe in, you receivelife, you offer out.
When you pair that withdevotion, you're not just
breathing air.
In a sense, you're breathing inGod's presence.
(07:13):
Now, think about your busy day.
You might step from car tochurch office, from meeting to
grocery aisle, from runningerrands to kitchen table.
You might feel fragmented, mindturning, thoughts scattered,
and prayer window squeezed.
But what if you paused for aminute and simply inhaled
something sacred, a scent youassociate with God's peace or
(07:37):
with your quiet time?
Maybe lavender, maybe rosemary,maybe rose.
And as you breathed, youoffered up a silent prayer,
saying, Lord, I inhale peace.
I exhale my worries.
Because your brain is listeningto your nose.
Your body is wired to noticesmells and link them to memory,
(08:00):
and your soul is wired forcommunion, for presence, and for
a purpose.
So how do you actually integratethis into your life, your
morning devotions, your Biblestudy, your journaling prompts,
your daily prayer, withoutadding a huge new to-do?
Here's a scripture-anchored,simple rhythm you can start
(08:20):
tomorrow.
Before you reach for yourphone, sit quietly.
Choose a scent, maybe a drop ofessential oil in the palms of
your hands, or a small difusserbeside you.
As you breathe it in, say,Spirit of the Lord, breathe in
me.
As you breathe out, say,purpose of Christ, flow through
(08:43):
me.
Sit with God, just listeningfor a few minutes, if you like.
Let the scent become a symbolof his enduring presence, even
as your schedule picks up.
When lunch beckons or yourto-do list is looming, pause for
one minute.
Close your eyes, inhale thescent again.
(09:05):
Read one short passage ofscripture, perhaps Romans 12,
verses 1 through 2, aboutoffering your body as a living
sacrifice and renewing yourmind.
By combining scent withscripture, you're not just
renewing your thoughts, but yourneural circuitry as well.
Yes, science says smell mattersto your brain.
(09:25):
That one-minute break you takeis not just for rest, but for
alignment.
As your day winds down and youjournal, reflect.
What fragrances or sensationsdid I inhale today, literally or
metaphorically?
Did I inhale anxiety?
Did I catch peace?
(09:46):
Where did my mind dwell insmell sensor mode?
When you get ready for bed, thisis where the study we mentioned
really shines.
Nightly exposure to fragrancesimprove memory and neural
pathways.
So for you, before sleep, youmight place a diffuser with one
of the oils, rose, lemon,lavender, etc., as it disperses
(10:08):
the aroma into the air, youpray, Lord Jesus, let the
fragrance of Christ rest in me,renew my mind, restore my
memory, align my soul.
Then you drift off to sleep.
Because in rest, God works, andyour body, your brain, your
spirit are all invited to resttogether.
(10:29):
This isn't about essential oilsbeing magic or replacing
scripture.
This is about recognizing thegood design of God's creation,
that our physical bodies, oursenses, our brain structures,
even our olfactory nerve havebeen wired by the Creator in
such a way that smell connectsto memory, to the mind, to the
spirit.
When we use our sensesintentionally in worship, in
(10:53):
devotion, in purpose-filleddaily life, we are being good
stewards of that design.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthianschapter 6, verses 19 through 20,
that our body is a temple ofthe Holy Spirit.
If that's true, then caring forour senses, our brain health,
our rest, and our rhythms ispart of our spiritual walk.
(11:16):
The research shows thatolfactory decline predicts
cognitive decline.
It's as if God whispers, takecare of the body I gave you.
Don't neglect your senses.
Inhale deeply, livedeliberately.
And as Christians on a path topurpose, our mission is twofold.
(11:37):
To live out our faith in thebusyness of today and preserve
the mind and heart for thetomorrow's God has planned.
Journaling prompts help youthink through what you believe.
Daily prayer keeps youconnected.
Devotions ground you in truth.
And yes, something as simple asaroma can help your brain
remember (11:58):
you are His. You are created for a purpose.
You are not just existing.
You are thriving.
Now I know the reality.
Life gets really busy.
Sometimes the diffuser sitsuntouched.
Sometimes you're too tired tojournal.
Sometimes your Bible study getspushed to the side.
(12:18):
So how do you stay consistentwith something that integrates
both your faith walk and yoursense of smell?
Well, here's a littleencouragement.
First, start small.
You don't need a full essentialoil ritual every morning.
One drop, one intentionalbreath, one prayer.
The study with the 226%improvement involved older
(12:39):
adults doing a scent rotationevery night for six months, but
you don't have to replicate allof it exactly to gain benefit.
Second, build the cue routinereward loop.
The scent becomes your cue, thedevotion and prayer becomes
your routine.
The reward is the peace andawareness you feel.
After a few days, the scentitself will trigger your soul to
(13:03):
slow down and to rememberChrist.
Third, journal your tiny wins.
For example, write, last week Iinhaled the aroma of lemon
while praying, and I felt calmerthan I expected to.
Tracking the little momentsgives you evidence, even if
brain MRI isn't feasible.
Fourth, remember the GospelFoundation.
(13:26):
Your worth and your purposedon't depend on brain test
scores.
Your ability to love God, tolove others, to remember the
promises of Scripture doesdepend on an alert mind and an
undistracted heart.
Your brain health is part ofliving out that calling.
Picture this.
(13:46):
Years from now, you're sittingon your porch, journal in hand,
the scent of lavender driftingin from a diffuser beside you.
The children are grown, ormaybe they're still with you.
The schedule is still full, butsomething has changed.
You don't lose yourself in thebusyness so easily.
You remember, you tune in, youbreathe in the presence of
(14:07):
Christ, you offer out life inpurpose and clarity.
You live on purpose in Christbecause daily, bodily,
spiritually, you show up, youinhale courage, you exhale
fears.
You remember that God made yourmind, your body, and your
senses not just to be used, butas touch points for worship of
(14:28):
Him, to be aligned, to thrive.
And when the world asks, how doyou manage faith and hurry and
memory and mind?
You smile and say, I breathe.
I remember, I depend on Him,because your faith is not just a
compartment of your life, it isthe fragrance that fills it.
(14:49):
If you want to experience thisrhythm more fully and with
guidance, I invite you to joinour Facebook group and be the
first to access next month'sfree guide, "Awaken to Aroma,
Scent, Scripture, and BrainHealth." This valuable companion
devotional will teach you howto use essential oils
effectively, modeled after theolfactory enrichment study that
(15:10):
revealed a 226% boost incognition and memory.
Go right now todevotiondrops.com to join the
group.
That's devotion drops D-R-O-P-S.com (no spaces).
Let's pray.
Lord Jesus, you are the breathof life among us.
(15:33):
May we feel your presence inevery inhale, in the scents
surrounding us, and in the smallacts of anchoring our busy
days.
We ask you to guard our minds,preserve the pathways of memory,
and align our hearts with yourpurpose.
As we breathe in aromareminding us of you, help us to
(15:58):
release what clutters our souls.
In this quiet moment, may we bestill and know that you are
God.
Amen.
Thank you for tuning in today.
And remember, just like settingbiblical boundaries, it's okay
(16:20):
to say no to things that don'tserve you well, like that third
piece of cake at the churchpotluck.
If you were blessed by thisepisode, be sure to share it
with a friend and leave a reviewso that we can reach even more
listeners like you.
Check the show notes for allthe links.
Join us next week as wecontinue to discover how to
live on purpose in Christ.
(16:40):
Until then,keep leaning into Him and walking in His wisdom.
See you next time.
Have you ever paused long enough to actually
smell something?
The fragrance of rose, thecrisp tang of lemon, the soft
calm of lavender, and feltsomething stir inside?
Not just a passing whiff, but amoment of inhalation, of
awareness of the body and soulaligning?
What if I told you that thissimple act, inhaling a scent,
might do more than just delightyour senses?
(00:23):
What if it could link intosomething far deeper, your
faith, your purpose, and yes,even your brain health?
Today we're going to explorethe unexpected intersection of
faith and fragrance, of Biblestudy and scent awareness, of
daily prayer and cognitivewell-being, because recent
research holds a fascinatingmessage for busy Christians who
(00:43):
long to weave faith intoeveryday life.
The sense of smell isn't justsentimental, it's sacred, and it
may hold keys to rememberingmore clearly, living more
purposefully, and stayingspiritually awake in the midst
of life's rush.
Keep listening, and I'll tellyou how to claim your free
printable journal for improvingmemory and brain function.
(01:04):
But first, funny story.
When I first began my seminarywork while serving two church
congregations full-time,everyone assumed I had my daily
devotional time perfectlyorganized.
But truth be told, there weremornings I could barely find
five minutes to catch my breath,let alone dive into deep
reflection.
One day, as I rushed out thedoor with mismatched shoes, I
(01:28):
realized that even in my chaos,there was a lesson.
Embracing God's grace andself-forgiveness, I realized
that true success in mydevotional life requires
prioritizing my spiritualpractices.
Are you finding it challengingto maintain your spiritual
practices or yearning for a morepeaceful, God-aligned day?
(01:49):
I'm Paula, and I've been theretoo.
Balancing spiritual habits witha busy life can be difficult.
I longed for a deeperconnection with God but
struggled with consistency.
Then I found the perfectapproach.
If you seek simple ways todeepen your connection with God,
this podcast is for you.
Please take a moment to followthe show, leave a review, and
(02:10):
share with your friends who needa little biblical encouragement
today.
Friend, have you ever sat down with your Bible, a cup of tea, and high hopes for a quiet moment with the Lord—only to find your mind racing with to-do lists, your spirit distracted, and your heart dry? Iremember a season when my
spiritual life felt more like achecklist than a connection.
(02:30):
I had a book of prayers, aseminary degree, and even my
favorite kneeling rail in myoffice.
But truthfully, I was justgoing through the motions at
that time.
I was hungry for more, morepeace, more presence, more of
God.
I was showing up with all theright tools, but none of the
soul satisfying stillness Icraved.
My time with God becamesomething I did, not something I
(02:53):
delighted in.
Then the Lord gently remindedme, He never asked me for
polished prayers or perfectdiscipline.
He just wanted my presence.
And from that moment on, Ibegan creating a space to simply
be with him.
I built a new rhythm, one thatwas deeply rooted in grace,
filled with scripture, andsupported by the soothing
presence of his creation thathelped me slow down and breathe
(03:16):
in deeply.
That sacred rhythm is what Inow share in the Aroma of Christ
Coaching Hour.
Whether you're spirituallyweary, stuck in a routine, or
longing for a fresh encounterwith the Holy Spirit, this hour
is your invitation to beginagain with grace.
Before our coaching call, you'llreceive an essential oil
sampler to use during our onlinesession to enhance this fun
(03:38):
spiritual journey.
Together, we'll craft apractice that helps you feel
grounded, nourished, and deeplyconnected to God, mind, body,
and spirit.
You don't have to keep tryingto figure it out all on your
own.
There's a simple way to grow infaith and draw near to God, and
I'd be honored to help you findit.
Let's breathe in His peace.
Let's rediscover His presence.
(03:59):
Let's begin again together.
Book your Aroma of ChristCoaching Hour at
PaulaBehrens.com /coaching.
That's Paula Behrens B-E-H R EN S .com /coaching (no spaces).
All right, it's time to getstarted.
Grab your Bible, dust off yourjournal, and cozy up to your
(04:20):
favorite beverage and let's divein.
Hey friend, what if one of thesimplest senses you have, your
sense of smell, is quietlysignaling something about your
mental life and your spiritualjourney?
Research shows that the declineof olfaction, our ability to
smell, often precedes cognitivedecline as well.
(04:40):
There's an association betweenloss of smell and shrinkage in
brain matter, gray and white.
In short, when smell fades,brain pathways linked to memory
and decision making often faltertoo.
In light of that, scientistsasked, could the reverse be
true?
Could enhancing our sense ofsmell, our exposure to fragrance
(05:03):
actually improve memory andneural functioning?
The answer came boldly.
Yes.
In a controlled study, olderadults ages 60 to 85 used a
diffuser and rotated among sevenessential oils for two hours
each night over six months.
The olfactory enrichment groupimproved their memory scores by
(05:24):
a staggering 226% compared tocontrols.
What does that mean for us asChristians and maybe even
leaders within the churchweaving faith, devotion,
purpose, and everyday taskstogether?
It means our bodies areintricately designed to invite
spiritual sensory alignment.
(05:45):
What we pray, what we meditateon, and even what we breathe in,
these all can be intentionalactions, fostering deeper
connections to God's peace andpresence.
Let's unpack more deeply whyscent matters so much and where
God's design meets our dailyrhythm.
Smell has a unique trajectoryin the brain.
(06:07):
Unlike sound or sight,olfactory signals flow straight
into the limbic system, theemotional and memory center of
the brain.
That's why a scent caninstantly trigger a memory, a
mood, a prayer.
It has privileged access.
Researchers described howaromatic molecules travel to
areas of the brain relevant tomemory and the sense of smell,
(06:31):
potentially helping to normalizebrain circuitry linked to
memory.
In faith terms, consider howscripture speaks to breath,
spirit, life.
The Hebrew word for spirit alsomeans breath or wind.
God formed man from the dust ofthe earth and breathed into his
(06:53):
nostrils the breath oflife (Genesis 2.7).
Your inhalation is part of theinvisible economy of your soul.
You breathe in, you receivelife, you offer out.
When you pair that withdevotion, you're not just
breathing air.
In a sense, you're breathing inGod's presence.
(07:13):
Now, think about your busy day.
You might step from car tochurch office, from meeting to
grocery aisle, from runningerrands to kitchen table.
You might feel fragmented, mindturning, thoughts scattered,
and prayer window squeezed.
But what if you paused for aminute and simply inhaled
something sacred, a scent youassociate with God's peace or
(07:37):
with your quiet time?
Maybe lavender, maybe rosemary,maybe rose.
And as you breathed, youoffered up a silent prayer,
saying, Lord, I inhale peace.
I exhale my worries.
Because your brain is listeningto your nose.
Your body is wired to noticesmells and link them to memory,
(08:00):
and your soul is wired forcommunion, for presence, and for
a purpose.
So how do you actually integratethis into your life, your
morning devotions, your Biblestudy, your journaling prompts,
your daily prayer, withoutadding a huge new to-do?
Here's a scripture-anchored,simple rhythm you can start
(08:20):
tomorrow.
Before you reach for yourphone, sit quietly.
Choose a scent, maybe a drop ofessential oil in the palms of
your hands, or a small difusserbeside you.
As you breathe it in, say,Spirit of the Lord, breathe in
me.
As you breathe out, say,purpose of Christ, flow through
(08:43):
me.
Sit with God, just listeningfor a few minutes, if you like.
Let the scent become a symbolof his enduring presence, even
as your schedule picks up.
When lunch beckons or yourto-do list is looming, pause for
one minute.
Close your eyes, inhale thescent again.
(09:05):
Read one short passage ofscripture, perhaps Romans 12,
verses 1 through 2, aboutoffering your body as a living
sacrifice and renewing yourmind.
By combining scent withscripture, you're not just
renewing your thoughts, but yourneural circuitry as well.
Yes, science says smell mattersto your brain.
(09:25):
That one-minute break you takeis not just for rest, but for
alignment.
As your day winds down and youjournal, reflect.
What fragrances or sensationsdid I inhale today, literally or
metaphorically?
Did I inhale anxiety?
Did I catch peace?
(09:46):
Where did my mind dwell insmell sensor mode?
When you get ready for bed, thisis where the study we mentioned
really shines.
Nightly exposure to fragrancesimprove memory and neural
pathways.
So for you, before sleep, youmight place a diffuser with one
of the oils, rose, lemon,lavender, etc., as it disperses
(10:08):
the aroma into the air, youpray, Lord Jesus, let the
fragrance of Christ rest in me,renew my mind, restore my
memory, align my soul.
Then you drift off to sleep.
Because in rest, God works, andyour body, your brain, your
spirit are all invited to resttogether.
(10:29):
This isn't about essential oilsbeing magic or replacing
scripture.
This is about recognizing thegood design of God's creation,
that our physical bodies, oursenses, our brain structures,
even our olfactory nerve havebeen wired by the Creator in
such a way that smell connectsto memory, to the mind, to the
spirit.
When we use our sensesintentionally in worship, in
(10:53):
devotion, in purpose-filleddaily life, we are being good
stewards of that design.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthianschapter 6, verses 19 through 20,
that our body is a temple ofthe Holy Spirit.
If that's true, then caring forour senses, our brain health,
our rest, and our rhythms ispart of our spiritual walk.
(11:16):
The research shows thatolfactory decline predicts
cognitive decline.
It's as if God whispers, takecare of the body I gave you.
Don't neglect your senses.
Inhale deeply, livedeliberately.
And as Christians on a path topurpose, our mission is twofold.
(11:37):
To live out our faith in thebusyness of today and preserve
the mind and heart for thetomorrow's God has planned.
Journaling prompts help youthink through what you believe.
Daily prayer keeps youconnected.
Devotions ground you in truth.
And yes, something as simple asaroma can help your brain
remember (11:58):
you are His. You are created for a purpose.
You are not just existing.
You are thriving.
Now I know the reality.
Life gets really busy.
Sometimes the diffuser sitsuntouched.
Sometimes you're too tired tojournal.
Sometimes your Bible study getspushed to the side.
(12:18):
So how do you stay consistentwith something that integrates
both your faith walk and yoursense of smell?
Well, here's a littleencouragement.
First, start small.
You don't need a full essentialoil ritual every morning.
One drop, one intentionalbreath, one prayer.
The study with the 226%improvement involved older
(12:39):
adults doing a scent rotationevery night for six months, but
you don't have to replicate allof it exactly to gain benefit.
Second, build the cue routinereward loop.
The scent becomes your cue, thedevotion and prayer becomes
your routine.
The reward is the peace andawareness you feel.
After a few days, the scentitself will trigger your soul to
(13:03):
slow down and to rememberChrist.
Third, journal your tiny wins.
For example, write, last week Iinhaled the aroma of lemon
while praying, and I felt calmerthan I expected to.
Tracking the little momentsgives you evidence, even if
brain MRI isn't feasible.
Fourth, remember the GospelFoundation.
(13:26):
Your worth and your purposedon't depend on brain test
scores.
Your ability to love God, tolove others, to remember the
promises of Scripture doesdepend on an alert mind and an
undistracted heart.
Your brain health is part ofliving out that calling.
Picture this.
(13:46):
Years from now, you're sittingon your porch, journal in hand,
the scent of lavender driftingin from a diffuser beside you.
The children are grown, ormaybe they're still with you.
The schedule is still full, butsomething has changed.
You don't lose yourself in thebusyness so easily.
You remember, you tune in, youbreathe in the presence of
(14:07):
Christ, you offer out life inpurpose and clarity.
You live on purpose in Christbecause daily, bodily,
spiritually, you show up, youinhale courage, you exhale
fears.
You remember that God made yourmind, your body, and your
senses not just to be used, butas touch points for worship of
(14:28):
Him, to be aligned, to thrive.
And when the world asks, how doyou manage faith and hurry and
memory and mind?
You smile and say, I breathe.
I remember, I depend on Him,because your faith is not just a
compartment of your life, it isthe fragrance that fills it.
(14:49):
If you want to experience thisrhythm more fully and with
guidance, I invite you to joinour Facebook group and be the
first to access next month'sfree guide, "Awaken to Aroma,
Scent, Scripture, and BrainHealth." This valuable companion
devotional will teach you howto use essential oils
effectively, modeled after theolfactory enrichment study that
(15:10):
revealed a 226% boost incognition and memory.
Go right now todevotiondrops.com to join the
group.
That's devotion drops D-R-O-P-S.com (no spaces).
Let's pray.
Lord Jesus, you are the breathof life among us.
(15:33):
May we feel your presence inevery inhale, in the scents
surrounding us, and in the smallacts of anchoring our busy
days.
We ask you to guard our minds,preserve the pathways of memory,
and align our hearts with yourpurpose.
As we breathe in aromareminding us of you, help us to
(15:58):
release what clutters our souls.
In this quiet moment, may we bestill and know that you are
God.
Amen.
Thank you for tuning in today.
And remember, just like settingbiblical boundaries, it's okay
(16:20):
to say no to things that don'tserve you well, like that third
piece of cake at the churchpotluck.
If you were blessed by thisepisode, be sure to share it
with a friend and leave a reviewso that we can reach even more
listeners like you.
Check the show notes for allthe links.
Join us next week as wecontinue to discover how to
live on purpose in Christ.
(16:40):
Until then,keep leaning into Him and walking in His wisdom.
See you next time.
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