Starting My Day

Last week I wrote In The First Waking Moments about where our mind goes to when we first wake up in the morning. This week I want to share with you some things that help me focus as I start my time with the Lord after rising and getting a cup of coffee.

In retirement I have more time than I’ve ever had before and love it, but I realize many of you are not retired! Here’s what I do, though not always all of it depending on how much time I can spend that day:

*Read and sing the lyrics to a worship song as I to settle my heart and mind. 

*Write scripture-a verse-a-day plan, different topic each month. I do this with my life group.

*Memorize Scripture. Currently Psalm 90.

*Read special verses I’ve chosen for the year, or rather, verses that have chosen me!  Currently, Psalm 90:14 and Lamentations 3:22-27 (after doing a study of Lamentations last year).

*Read a quote from Elisabeth Elliot to daily to remind myself to be willing to accept whatever God has for me that day:

We accept, and thank God, for what is given, not allowing the not given to spoil it.

*Read a prayer from Priscilla Shirer’s book I Surrender All:

Lord, open my spiritual eyes to see the opportunities You will give me to represent You to others today. Give me an unusual sensitivity to the places where You are already working and where You’re inviting me to partner with You in the life of someone else. And give me an overflow of resources, both tangible (like money) and intangible (like time and patience) that will allow me to be the answer to someone else’s prayer.

*Study Scripture. Currently Bible in a Year with my D-Group and Revelation by Jen Wilkin. (My pastor preached through Revelation in 2024.)

*Pray for myself and the needs of others on my prayer list.

Again, the amount of time daily depends on my schedule. But I am intentional and consistent with my time with the Lord.

This is my direction for 2025, at least for now. I’d love to hear what you are doing in your daily time with the Lord. If you don’t normally do this, I challenge you to begin, and start small. You will want more and more time the longer you stick with it daily! You will never regret it, I promise!