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Making a Fresh Start with Morning Devotions

Fresh-year-fresh-start1It’s time for the first Fresh Year, Fresh Start MckLinky roundup.  This week the focus was on making a fresh start in our spiritual walk, and I made the commitment to start getting up 30 minutes early to have devotions before the morning rat race begins.  I honestly don’t know why I haven’t done this before.  Well, I have, actually, I’ve just never made it a habit that sticks.  I know four days is certainly nothing to get cocky about, but I’m hoping I can keep it up because it has been such a nice way to start the day, and spending time with the Lord is an essential part of the Christian walk.

Yesterday I was at the gym run/walking (okay, so it was more walking than running, but you’ve gotta start somewhere) on the treadmill (another New Years un-resolution I’ve kept this week — 2 for 2, WOOT!) and I was simultaneously listening to music on my iPod and watching the three television shows via closed captioning.  I’ve got talent, what can I say?  The middle station was tuned to the 700 Club or something like it, and while that’s not a show I would typically choose to watch, it easily trumped Rachel Ray talking about how to get bigger b00bs with an herbal supplement and someone bawling her eyes out on Maury Povich.  #thestateofmorningTVisdecliningrapidly

Any-WHO.  The lady who was on said something that struck me.  This isn’t new to me, but maybe it will be to someone here.  She said that Christianity is the only religion where the god wants to have a relationship with us. I had a friend in college who put it this way, Christianity isn’t a religion; it’s a relationship.

Now, I wouldn’t say the two are mutually exclusive, and I would claim that it is both, but I get her point.  Without the relationship with our savior, Christianity is just another set of rules that we can never hope to keep perfectly.  But to think that God actually desires to know us is absolutely mind-boggling, if you think about it, although I shudder to think of how many times I have shoved him to the back burner of my life like the piles of laundry that I don’t want to make time for.

This is not to say that the only way we can talk to God is when we sit down and make a specific time for him.  I have always talked to God throughout my day, and I love that.  But setting aside time each morning to focus on him and his word to the exclusion of the computer and the housework and the pleas of the children brings the relationship to a whole new level.

When I started this, I was worried that my 4-year-old, who still sleeps with me, and who tends to wake up whenever my feet hit the floor, would end up accompanying me, but I’ve been able to sneak out of the room without her.

One morning, though, she came down right as I was finishing up, and of course she was curious about what I was doing.  I explained to her that the Bible is how God speaks to us, and praying is how we talk to him.  Well then she wanted me to read to her from the Bible and pray with her, and of course I was happy to oblige.  So not only have my devotions blessed me this week, but they provided a teaching moment with one of my children as well.

If you’d like to read more posts from those participating in the Fresh Year, Fresh Start series, you can visit Kristi at Run the Earth, Watch the Sky.  She’s got a MckLinky going, and anyone who participates in any of the three weeks is eligible to win a free blog makeover from DCR Design.  While you’re freshening up everything, you might as well give your blog a fresh start too, right?

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17 Responses

  1. What a blessing for your little one to want to become involved! I have to agree that Christianity isn’t a religion…religion is all rules and practice and what God desires from us is personal and intimate. I would much rather have a relationship with the savior that follow a bunch of rules I can’t live up to with religion. Glad to see your goals are starting off great! Can’t wait to read more! Stopping by from FYFS 🙂

  2. yaaay good for you! Keep it up.
    I heard a good quote this week.
    “Satan doesn’t make you sin he just makes you busy”
    Interesting thought when we don’t have the time to devote to our savior.

  3. When I can find the time to do this also, I find that my whole day revolves around it in little ways. I am calmer and happier. Not so much rush, rush, rush.

  4. Thank you SOOO much for your generous gift to Fresh Year, Fresh Start!! And for joining us in our linky today. My daughter is 9 and she will with great frequency get up in the morning early and read her Bible with me. I’ve shown her how I journal and what I do and she does that in her own way. There are times when I am unable to give my full attention to the Word but as I’ve prayed, the Lord has given me this real peace that there are many days when I can spend uninterrupted time reading and praying … but the days are short to train my daughter to do the same! So, I encourage you to think of it in that context … it really helped me.

  5. It is such an encouragement to hear how this un-resolution is going. As I’m still getting up through the night to my almost 6 month old, I physically CAN’T get up earlier in the morning! I’ve resolved to spend my time with God when my children are sleeping in the afternoon, instead of getting straight onto the computer…I’m praying for the discipline to sit at God’s feet daily.

  6. I loved this post. I need to start getting up and getting my Bible time done first thing. One of my resolutions is to read the Bible in 90 days and so far, I’m on track. I’ve been to the gym 3 times this week, too, so I’m succeeding there as well. 🙂

  7. Great post, and very true. It’s important to maintain your relationship with Christ just like you would any other friend – coffee, phone chats, emails… It’s really nice to carve out that time to just sit and BE with the Lord, too. We’ll never be able to hear Him if we don’t make time to listen.

  8. Love this! One of my fondest memories of my dad is every morning waking up to him sitting at the breakfast table with his Bible open. He was a man of few words, but his time with God every morning made him who he was. Your example will be a legacy for your children! Thanks for encouraging all of us!

  9. Love this post. My new year’s resolution is to spend time every day reading God’s word. I am so NOT a morning person, but I know it would be good for me to force myself to get up and start my day that way before my daughter and husband. Now that would involved another resolution, which would be to go to bed earlier!

  10. Jo-Lynne,

    You have it so right! Christianity isn’t a religion; it’s a relationship. is one of my favorite sayings! I have been doing devotional / quiet time for as long as I can remember. Sure I’ve gotten on and off track at times, but it has always become something I missed and went back to. Its why I keep a prayer journal to keep me accountable and on track.

    I too have babies in the bed w/ me that will wake up if I move. Most mornings at least one of my little ones is in my lap. They understand though as a result the importance of reading your Bible. That’s enough for me to do it, no matter how hard it is even w/ my kids in my lap.

    Be encouraged!

  11. Alyssa, yes, I find that I enjoy it more when my little one hanging out with me. Yesterday I read the entire 4 passages out loud b/c she demanded that I read to her, lol. Boy was my voice tired! But then we prayed together too. What a sweet time together.

  12. That’s so cool that your daughter saw you doing this!! Back when I was having my devotions during my kids’ naps, my daughter used to ask me what I did while they were upstairs. I would tell her that it was my time with God – to read the Bible and talk to Him.

    Sometimes I would tease her that I was so tired that I would sleep during their nap, too. She’d look at me very seriously and say, “No, Mom! That’s your time with God!!”

    Thanks so much for linking up – I’m thrilled that this series has been encouraging to you!

  13. I am so encouraged by reading this. I have fallen into a rut of sleeping it until the kids wake me up but since reading this post I have been getting up at 5am and doing my Bible Study Fellowship lesson and my “Shred” for the day. It feels so good to have conquered the day by spending time with my Savior! Thank you so much for sharing!

    By the way…you probably already know of the 5:16 club, but if you don’t I found it today on Just A Girl’s blog. I loved reading about it!

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