So, let me repeat: I am not perfect. I yell at my kids. I snap at my husband. I forget to pay the bills from time to time. I even accidentally overdraft the account once in a blue moon. It is so easy to get caught up in the busyness and stress of the day. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that we have a loving Father, who cares very much about the thoughts and feelings and things we think are insignificant. 

We’ve been talking about Prayer the last few weeks at church, and the verse we are focusing on has really resonated with me.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” ~1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Now, I find that I do so much better and I feel so much more centered throughout my day when I start the morning off with prayer time. I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t always work, due to kids deciding to get up early (no matter how early I try to get up). If I am unable to get my 1:1 time, I try to find other ways connect with Him while still going through the routine of the morning.

For example, I like to play worship music in the morning while we are getting ready to help get the girls into a positive mindset for the day. Some of our favorite songs right now are “That’s my King” by CeCe Winans, “GOOD DAY” by Forrest Frank, “PRAISE YOU ANYWHERE” by Brandon Lake, “Praise”, by Brandon Lake, and “Trust in God” by Elevation Worship, to name just a few. 

I also start listing things I am grateful for while making my coffee in the morning. I find that if I wake up on the wrong side of the bed, this tends to help me get grounded and refocus on what’s important for the day. 

I do have a prayer journal, and while I don’t write in it everyday, I do use it several times a week. Several months ago we learned about the method of lectio divina, and I have really enjoyed this type of focus on reading Scripture. The term literally means divine reading, and it involves a few steps. 

• Prepare: take a few moments to close your eyes, and start focusing on God. You can even say a short prayer. Maybe something like, “Lord, Holy Spirit, I pray that you open my eyes and my heart to the wonders of Your Word, and that You reveal to me that which I most need to hear right now. Thank you, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

• Read: Choose a verse, or even a passage, that you would like to focus on. If you’re not sure where to start, a great place would be the book of Psalms, or even the New Testament, where Jesus is giving teachings. Now, this step is important. You want to read the chosen Scripture three times, out loud. The first time you read the verse, just pause and wait patiently for God’s guidance. This isn’t a time for analyzing or trying to decipher the meaning, just wait quietly to see if God gives you a nudge. Maybe there’s a certain word or phrase that stands out to you. Maybe an image comes to mind after reading a certain section. I like to write this down in my prayer journal.

• Meditate: This is the second reading. Once again, re-read the passage or verses, and allow yourself some time for reflection. What is God saying? Write down a few things that jump out at your or that come to mind easily. Don’t overthink it, and try not to analyze.

• Contemplate: This is the third and final reading. Re-read the passage or verses. Why does this matter? Why does what God is saying in the passage matter? Spend about 5-10 minutes quietly thinking about this, and then you can follow with a prayer about what you felt God was saying to you.

This practice is not meant to be the end-all, be-all. It’s not meant to be something that you just check off the list for the day. It is about spending time with God, and building a relationship between Him and the Holy Spirit. It’s not about being perfect…He loves us no matter where we’ve been, what we’ve done, or what’s been done to us. 

“May the Lord bless you and keep you, may His face shine upon you, and may He be gracious to you. May He turn His face towards you, and give you peace.” ~Numbers 6:24-26