Tag Archives: prayer

Just Ask

*excerpt from Praying for a Change Devotional

My kids have this thing they do. I call it “hovering.” They call it “Dad, I need you attention right now, even though it’s not life or death and no one’s bleeding, I need to see your eyeballs RIGHT NOW!” Or something like that.

They will stand next to me, put their head on my shoulder, and sigh in my ear. Some days I tell them, “This is my ‘No-No’ square. Don’t touch me anywhere.” On my better days, I ask them what they need.

Most times they want something to eat, drink, or a new app downloaded on a device. My oldest usually has a high-priced pair of sneakers he wants. You know what my response will be? “Christmas is coming.”

What Do You Want?

The other day, my youngest pulled the old “hover-head-shoulder-sigh” approach. “Yes, can I help you,” I said like a British butler.

“Dad, when a movie maker person wants to use an actor in a movie and another movie person wants to use the same actor in a movie…do you know what I mean?”

“Yes, my love. I understand what you mean.”

“Well, I’m wondering how does that work?” she asked.

She didn’t need a toy or a treat. She just wanted some time. So, we had a nice little chat about movies, actors, production schedules, and theater release dates. You know, the usual stuff dads and daughters chat about.

Taking the Next Step

I loved that conversation. We connected over something she’d been thinking about. I don’t know that I had the right answers, but it sure was fun watching the wheels turn in her head. I love watching things grow. My grass…not so much. But my kids, you betcha.

I love watching people take their next step in their walk with God. I love it when someone pursues a dream they’re passionate about. Watching people take steps of faith and risk certainty for the clarity that God is calling them to launch out into a new adventure is something that lights me up. All they have is the wind at their back and their eyes of faith fixed on God.

God Loves To Hear Your Voice

Sometimes my kids need things. Who am I kidding? My kids need things all the time. But there are times when they just want to talk. They want to get something off their chest. They want to understand why something is the way it is. Why do some kids say unkind things? Will people ever stop hurting each other? Why does a trip to Papa and Grandmas take so long? Why does Christmas feel like it will never get here? What is heaven going to be like? Will you and mom ever stop kissing? Just the everyday run of the mill kind of questions.

Sometimes my kids will hesitate to ask a question. They might be afraid I’ll say no. They might not be able to verbalize what they’re trying to say. Or they think I’m too busy to take the time to listen.

Jesus Teaches Us How to Ask

In Matthew 7, Jesus tells us about prayer. But more so, he tells us about how our Heavenly Father handles our prayers.

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead?Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”
Matthew 7:7-12 NLT

Jesus tells us to ask, seek, and knock. What’s the difference?

Asking means that we need to know an answer to a question. Asking means that we need God to provide for a need.

Seeking means that we are trying to find something we’ve lost; we’re looking for something we value. Seeking means we are trying to uncover something that’s hidden.

Knocking means that we want to be on the other side of the door. We want access to what is beyond the door. We want to get into the room, and we want to leave the cold, the emptiness, and the uncertainty.

Keep Asking

Jesus uses the word “keep” in relation to each of those actions. Why? Jesus wants us to keep asking even after we’ve received. He wants us to keep seeking even after we’ve found. He wants us to keep knocking even after the doors been answered. Why? God wants us to realize it’s not about receiving, finding, or being answered. He wants us to engage him, pursue him, and connect with him continually.

God wants you to ask him the stupid, silly, and foolish questions. He wants you to ask the hard, heart-breaking, and doubt-filled questions. He’s okay with that. He can handle that. He’s God after all; He can handle a lot of things.

“Think of what He can do, and how He delights to hear the prayers of His redeemed people. Think of your place and privilege in Christ, and expect great things!”
Andrew Murray

He’s Waiting for You to Ask

Jesus wraps it up with an illustration. If a child asks for bread or a fish, will a parent give them a stone or a snake? Of course not. He then uses our humanity to reveal God’s divinity. Jesus says, “If you’re an imperfect, sinful parent, and you know how to love on your kids, how much more will a perfect and holy God know how to give his kids good gifts when they ask?”

God is just waiting for you to ask. Will he always drop a thousand dollars into your bank account? Nope. But he wants you to ask the question. He wants you to talk to him. He’s waiting. He’s willing, and he’s listening.

I’m praying that you’ll take the time, even risk it to ask God, to engage God.

***This excerpt was taken from Praying for a Change, a 30-Day Devotional.

More Encouragement

If you enjoyed today’s devotional, check out Matt’s devotional, Praying for a Change. Be sure to check out the accompanying study guide to work through with a small group as well. You can also read my post, How to Know if God is Answering my Prayer.

Our Faith Determines How God Works in our Lives

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The more I live life and the more I study God’s Word, I find that so much in life comes back to faith.

The Gospels are full of men and women who had extraordinary amounts of faith. Matthew tells us the story of two blind men who sat alongside a road who had more faith than most people. We don’t know any details about them than just those that—they were blind and they sat on the side of the road. We can assume that they were homeless, or at least outcasts. They had nothing. They could only rely on the pity of others to help them out.

Their Plan

We don’t know how old they were, how long they were blind, if they were related or just found themselves in similar straits. What we do know is that somehow they heard that Jesus was going to pass by. Whether or not they planned it or they both spontaneously decided to do it, they both began to shout. They shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us.”

The crowd around them responded the way most crowds would today. They tried to get them to be quiet. But the Bible says they only shouted louder. Well, their plan works. Jesus stops in front of them and asks, “What do you want me to do for you?”

Their Request

They respond, “Lord, we want to see.” Jesus takes compassion on them and instantly heals their eyes. After that, Matthew writes simply, “Then they followed him.” We don’t know for how long they followed him, but it was worth noting that they did.

Whenever I read this story, I am struck by their determination. It didn’t matter what anybody thought of them; they were willing to risk everything to get Jesus to heal them. Their desire to be healed mattered so much more than their pride.

I wonder how many of us let our pride or something else keep us back from getting serious with God. When was the last time we got serious with God and asked him, even begged him for something with no holds barred? When was the last time you begged God for something and wouldn’t let it go until He answered?

Our Faith

James tells just that if we’re going to come to God to ask for wisdom, we’d better come in faith without wavering.

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord
James 1:5-7

Faith is so important to God. The more I read and study the Gospels, the more I am convinced that Jesus dealt with people according to their faith.

It always comes back to faith. We know this. We know that without faith, “it is impossible to please God.” Yet, we often forget and need to be reminded. God deals with us according to our faith. Our faith can be a big determining factor for how God works or doesn’t work in our lives. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my lack of faith to be the reason God doesn’t work on my behalf or my family’s behalf.

How to Increase our Faith

So how do we grow our faith? How do we know if our faith is strong enough to withstand a storm? The disciples had the same request. “Show us how to increase our faith.” Jesus answers them in an odd way. He turns to them and basically says, “If you had the tiniest amount of faith, even as small as a mustard seed, you could tell this tree to go jump in the lake, and it would obey.”

He’s exaggerating of course, but the idea is this: If you just have a little bit of faith, amazing things can happen. Why? Because it’s God we’re talking about. God can do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to Ephesians 3:20. We just have to do the first part…ask. And when we do ask, we have to ask in faith.

*Here’s a fun side note. Did you know? Mustard seed plants can grow to be twenty feet tall? Pretty amazing from such a tiny seed!

I don’t pretend to know how God works. Why he answers some prayers and leaves others seemingly unanswered. Why he meets some needs and seemingly not others. What I do know is that God will always work according to our faith, so let’s not give him any reason not to work in our lives. Let’s have the faith to believe that he’s going to come through for us in this season, just like he did in the last season. We may not see it yet, but we can believe it!

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post The Eight-Step Process of Faith. A great book on faith is The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson.

What LJ Taught Me about Praying

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Have you ever had somebody keep asking your for something over and over and over again until you finally give in and give them what they want? If you’re a mom, the answer to that is probably yes. I used to think I was so strong…then I became a mom!

Our Neighbor, LJ

One of our neighbors is an eight-year-old boy named LJ. Almost every day during the summer, LJ shows up at our house multiple times a day and opens the door. “Hey, is Malachi in there? Can he come out and play?”

For the first couple weeks after we met LJ, we tried tirelessly to get LJ not to open the door without knocking first. He would stand in the doorway and ask what the kids were doing and when they could come out to play. We would tell him he needs to knock first and can’t just open the door and stand in the doorway. Honestly, it was more stressful than just letting him come in. So, we finally gave up one day after it had happened at least ten times and just said, “Sure, LJ. Come on in.” It’s pretty much a standing invitation now; he comes over whenever he wants to and comes inside, even if it’s 7:30 in the morning and the younger girls are still asleep.

What LJ Taught Us

Matt looked at me the other day and said, “I think LJ is the perfect example of what God has in mind when he tells us to keep asking.”

I laughed. “Yeah, you’re right.”

LJ never gave up; that kid has tenacity. He wore us down over time until we finally just gave him a standing invite to come in whenever. Jesus teaches a story about prayer that reminds Matt and I a lot of LJ.

Jesus’ Story about Prayer

When Jesus was teaching the disciples to pray, he gave them an example of what to pray. We know it as the Lord’s prayer. Right after that, he launches into a story to help illustrate how to pray.

Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
Luke 11:5-10 NLT

Importunity

There’s a word that describes this type of prayer. It’s called importunity. Importunity is defined as: persistence, especially to the point of annoyance. It doesn’t sound like a very flattering word, and yet this is what God wants from us when we come to him in prayer. It’s not giving up after the fourth, fifth, hundredth, thousandth prayer. It’s persevering and not giving up until God says, “Okay, because of your shameless persistence, I will answer you.”

LJ Wore Us Down

When I think of all the times we told LJ not to come in, I just laugh. He wore us down, and we changed out minds out of sheer frustration.

What would happen if we took that same attitude towards our requests to God? What if we didn’t give up once or twice or even after a hundred times. If we just kept praying and asking and believing that God is going to answer our prayer, what would happen? I believe we’d see more of our prayers answered. We can all learn a lesson from LJ. Don’t give up. Keep asking, seeking, knocking. Keep praying until God answers that prayer; it’s always too soon to give up on prayer!

For More Encouragement

If you enjoyed this post, check out Finding the Tenacity to Wrestle with God. A great book to read on this topic is Mark Batterson’s The Circle Maker.

Specific Prayers Get Specific Results

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Specific Prayers Get Specific Results

I believe that specific prayers get specific results. So many times, Matt and I talk to and counsel with people who are considering a major life change. Maybe it’s deciding if they should pursue a new career or opportunity, a big move, a potential spouse, taking a chance on something, and more. When I ask how they are praying about it, they say something like this, “I’m just praying that God will show me.”

While that sounds good on the surface, that kind of a prayer does nothing to show you what it is you’re supposed to do. I am a huge advocate of specific prayers. I believe specific prayers get specific results. When you pray a specific prayer and line it out for God, you will know very clearly what his answer is.

An Example of Specific Prayer

A great example of this in the Bible is the story of Isaac and Rebekah. Isaac needed a wife, so Abraham (Isaac’s father) sends his servant back to his homeland with the goal of finding a wife for his son. Think of the enormity of the servant’s task. Knowing he his not equipped to be able to do this on his own, he enters the homeland of his Master Abraham and comes to rest at a well, and prays. He says God, I need you to point me to the right woman. Then he lays out his specific prayer.

He prayed, “O God, God of my master Abraham, make things go smoothly this day; treat my master Abraham well! As I stand here by the spring while the young women of the town come out to get water, let the girl to whom I say, ‘Lower your jug and give me a drink,’ and who answers, ‘Drink, and let me also water your camels’—let her be the woman you have picked out for your servant Isaac. Then I’ll know that you’re working graciously behind the scenes for my master.”
Genesis 24:12-14 MSG

He let his specific requests be known to God, so he would know whether or not God had answered his prayer. When Rebekah comes to the well, she does exactly as he prayed she would. She offers him a drink and offers to water his camels. Then he knows that God has answered his prayer.

Learning to Pray Specifically

Too often, our prayers are not specific enough; so then we don’t know whether God is really answering that prayer or not. The best way to get God’s answer on a matter is to pray specifically.

For example, when Matt and I were praying about buying a building for our church, we prayed for the building to drop to a specific amount. We also prayed that the financing would work that we would rent from the owners of the building. When both of those prayers were specifically answered, we knew that this was the building God had for us.

If we had just prayed, “God, help us to know whether or not we should buy this particular building,” we wouldn’t have known if we God was answering our prayer or not. Praying specifically takes the guesswork out of prayer, out of knowing whether or not God is answering a specific prayer.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, read my post Stop Wavering in My Prayers and check out the book, The Circle Maker: Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears by Mark Batterson. The Circle Maker is one of my favorite books on prayer.

Choose to Take the First Step

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take the first step on the path — photo credit: Achim Bongard

Have you ever prayed for something repeatedly and felt like God wasn’t answering? Could it be that God wants you to take the first step? I was reading Nehemiah in my morning time this week, and it reminded me of this concept.

Nehemiah’s Task

Nehemiah decided to take on an enormous project. God put on his heart to rebuild the wall surrounding Jerusalem. With the wall down, the inhabitants of the city were open to attack. Nehemiah knew the importance of the wall.

He gathered a team of men together and started the enormous project. He got the heart of the people behind him. The Bible says the people had a mind to work. They got started building the wall.

Critics Show Up

Whenever there is a great work for God, critics always show up. That’s exactly what happened. Four guys took it on themselves to try to destroy the work Nehemiah was doing. After continually being laughed at, critcized, and openly attacked, Nehemiah gathered the people. You can read what happens next.

But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth,
And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.
Nevertheless, we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. (Nehemiah 4:7-9)

Nehemiah Makes a Plan

If we look closely at verse nine, we see that Nehemiah and the people prayed. It didn’t stop there, though. After they prayed, they made a plan. One-half of the people worked; the other half stood guard.

Nehemiah understood that in this case, it wasn’t enough to just pray. They needed to pray and trust God to lead them; then they needed to use the skills and wisdom God had gifted them with to make the plan work.

Taking the First Step

Too often, we pray and beg God to intervene in a situation or answer a prayer; then we sit back and wait for Him to answer that prayer. I wonder how often God doesn’t come through on our prayer, simply because He is waiting for us to take the first step. He is waiting to see that we are serious, waiting to see that we trust Him enough to take the first step. The Bible is full of examples of God working miracles and answering prayers after somebody took the first step of faith.

David prayed, then ran towards Goliath with a stone and a sling. Joshua and the people walked around the walls of Jericho for seven days before the walls came down. Moses had to demonstrate God’s power in ten different ways, ten different times to Pharoah before God led them out of Egypt. In each of these accounts, God had promised victory; but His people still had to act. God couldn’t give the victory until they stepped out in faith and took the first step.

Maybe the reason God isn’t answering your prayer is that He is waiting for you to make the first move. For more encouragement on taking the first step, read Stepping into the Water and Waiting for a Miracle. What step is God waiting for you to take today?

My Best Tips for an Effective Morning Time

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My Morning Time Basket

We want to, but…

Most of us want to have a morning time for prayer and Bible reading every day. We really do! We decide that we are going to do better, get up earlier, stick with it this time; but more often than not, we fail. It’s not that we don’t want to, but life happens. We’re tired, one of the kids gets sick during the night, the morning is crazy prepping for school for the day, and on and on the list goes. We know that our day goes better when we start it by spending quiet time with God, but fitting in the time is a different story!

The best way to do something consistently is to make it easy and enjoyable. I am all about simplifying! So I am sharing with you what works for me. It’s simple, to-the-point, and effective!

My Best Morning Time Tips

1. Get up early.

This one is so painful! I get it! We have a million and one excuses why we can’t get up early. Just know, you don’t have to get up at the crack of dawn. Do what works for you. All I suggest is that you get up at least half an hour earlier than your kids do. Thirty minutes of quiet time with God with no children around equals bliss!

If your kids wake up at the crack of dawn, and there is no way possible to get up ahead of them, I’ve got you covered. You can make your kids their own basket with a Bible and journal and have them do that quietly while you read your Bible. If they are super little, put a coloring book and crayons in a basket along with a Bible for them. Make it exciting for them. Make it a special time, and I promise they will look forward to it. Learn how to make kids’ morning time baskets here.

2. Light a candle.

This is the first thing I do every morning when I wake up. Lighting a candle adds a level of ambiance and enjoyment to my morning time. My favorite candles are the three-wick candles from Bath and Body Works, but my mom has recently helped me to discover Kirkland’s awesome candles. So right now, I am using those. Some mornings I skip the candle and get my essential oils diffusing. Either one works. I’m simply setting the mood for an enjoyable morning time.

3. Start with a cup of coffee or tea.

It’s such a simple step, but I am so much more awake and in a mood to learn and enjoy my morning time with God if I have a hot drink. So after I light a candle, I head to the kitchen to make coffee. While I am waiting for the coffee to brew, I take a few minutes to unload the dishwasher so it’s open for the day’s dishes.

4. Grab my Morning Time Basket

I love using a morning time basket! This keeps everything I need in one place. I buy a basket that I love. The one I am using now is from Hobby Lobby. (Gotta love Hobby Lobby!) Inside my basket, I keep my Bible, a journal for morning time, pens, notecards, another journal for creative ideas, and books I am currently reading.

5. Use a Journal for an Effective Morning Time

The most important tip for an effective morning time is to use a journal. There is a big difference between just reading your Bible for the day and reading and journaling. When you take the extra step to write down what you learned or what encouraged you, you are taking the extra time to apply what you are reading. It stays with you longer.

I have a journal that I use that Matt and I created several years ago. Eventually, I hope to make those available for sale. For now, you can use any blank journal and use your own system or borrow mine. Here is the system I have used for several years now.

**UPDATE: My Faithfully Stepping Journals are now available on Amazon!! They are a six-month journal, available in three different covers. Click HERE to order one today!

Prayer Time

There are three parts to my prayer time.

Gratitude. I write down at least three things I am thankful for today.
Confession. I write down my sins to confess from the day before. What did I do wrong the day before? Did I yell at my kids, snap at my husband, talk bad about somebody, have an attitude, etc?
Requests. I write down the things I am praying for today.

Bible Reading

Next, in my journal, I write down what passage or passages I read in my Bible. I write down anything I learned or anything that encouraged me. Sometimes I write down a thought that encouraged me; other times I write out a verse that is a help to me.

My Tasks

I have space at the bottom of each journaling page to write down tasks I think of while I am journaling. Maybe it’s a note I need to write somebody. Other times it’s simply something I remembered I need to do and don’t want to forget. This helps me to stay focused. I can write down whatever it is that is distracting me so I don’t forget it, then I can continue with my morning time.

5. Pick a Bible study or a Bible plan to follow.

You can do anything you want for Bible reading each day. Here are some ideas to get you thinking.

Read one chapter of Proverbs each day.
Read a chapter from Psalms each day.
Pick a Gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) and read one chapter a day.
Start in Genesis and read a chapter a day through the entire Bible.
Read about and study a character from the Bible. Here are some good ones.
- Joseph
- Abraham
- Esther
- Ruth
- David
- Solomon
- Moses
- Elijah
- Leah and Rachel
- Joshua
- Paul
- Jesus
- Lydia
- Mary
- Mary and Martha
Read and study a book of the Bible. Here are a few of my favorite books to start with.
- John
- James
- I and II Peter
- Philippians
- Esther
- Ruth
- I John
- I and II Samuel
- Ecclesiastes

Here is what I do each day. I read four chapters a day. First, I start with reading two chapters in Genesis, a chapter in Psalms and a chapter in Matthew. I continue that pattern until I read through the entire Bible. Then I start over again. I don’t get stuck on getting through my Bible in a year. When I finish, I just start over again.

Example:

Day 1: Genesis 1 and 2, Psalm 1, Matthew 1

Day 2: Genesis 3 and 4, Psalm 2, Matthew 2

And so on…

The Contents of My Morning Basket

So there you have it- my best tips for an awesome morning time!

The Best Part of a Beach Vacation

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Matt with our crazies at the beach

Summertime at the Beach

It’s summertime! For us, that means it’s time to pack up and head to the beach for a few days. There are a few reasons I love going to the beach for a week. First of all, it’s a change of pace. I get to take a break from schedules, to-do-lists, and pressures. I get to spend more time playing with my kids and talking with my husband and extended family. Second, it’s a change of place. Because I am not at home, I don’t have as many responsibilities to tend to. I get extra time to read and relax.

My Favorite Thing to Do at the Beach

But my most favorite reason for spending a week at the beach is the chance to get closer to God. My favorite thing to do is to get up early in the morning, make a cup of coffee, grab my Bible and my journal and head outside to the patio. Outside I feel the cool breeze and hear the lull of the waves. I soak in the peace and quiet and beauty of the early morning and begin the best part of my day.

I open my journal and write down my praises, my sins to confess, and my prayer requests for the day. Next, I pray through those; then I usually spend a few extra minutes just talking to God and telling Him what’s on my heart. After that, I take a few minutes to be quiet and still. Finally, I open my Bible and read.

The peace that I feel when I have finished my morning time with God is amazing. It is always good to spend time with God, but there is something extra special about it at the beach! I always feel closer to God when I am at the beach. I love that feeling of closeness.

Getting Closer to God

One morning while I was at the beach, I read James chapter 4 and came across a familiar verse.

James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.

I love this verse, and I spent a few minutes thinking about it. This verse is so simple, yet so profound. Sometimes I come to a point where I feel so far away from God. I feel like He doesn’t hear me, like He isn’t there for me. During these times, I need to remember that God hasn’t gone anywhere; He is still right where He was. It’s me that’s moved. Maybe I have gotten too busy to hear His voice in the rush of things, maybe I haven’t spent as much time as I need to in my morning time with Him, or maybe sin has separated me from feeling His presence. Whatever the case, this verse is a reminder to draw close to God once again. I need to stop the craziness, grab my Bible and journal, and spend some quality time talking to God, listening to Him, and reading His Word.

The beach is my favorite place to get closer to God, but I don’t have to be at the beach for that to happen. I simply have to choose to take the time and effort to draw close to God, and He in turn will draw close to me.

Comfort for a Discouraged Heart

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Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us… II Corinthians 7:6

I needed this reminder this morning. God comforts me when I am cast down. How does He do it? The word comforteth means to “call near, to invite.” When I am depressed or discouraged, God calls me near and invites me to spend time with Him. Only after I spend time with Him can I receive His comfort.

When one of my kids is sad, I usually pull them up on my lap and talk to them and cuddle with them. This nearness of physical touch combined with letting them tell me what is on their heart is what encourages them and changes their sad heart to a happy heart. I think it’s the same with God. He wants us to come near to Him and tell Him why we are sad. Spend some time with Him and let Him encourage my sad heart.

How does this work practically? For me this morning, it looked like this…I made a good cup of coffee, grabbed my journal, my Bible, and a pen and sat down and spent some time praying, reading, and journaling. By the time I was done, my heart was encouraged, and I felt ready to face the day. Doing this habit every day is what keeps me going. It recalibrates my heart and my spirit and gives me what I need to get through my day. I also find that I am so much more productive on the days I spend time with God first!

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