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Begin your day with God \u2014 even when it\u2019s hard. Especially when it\u2019s hard.<\/strong><\/p>\n Mornings can be beautiful, but they can also be brutal.<\/p>\n Some mornings arrive wrapped in joy, with sunlight streaming across your kitchen floor and coffee warming your hands. Other mornings feel dark, heavy, uncertain. Maybe today is one of those harder mornings for you.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re waking up in the middle of a battle, unsure of how to face the day ahead, here\u2019s a vision to hold onto\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n So you sit next to God, on the ground, faced toward the morning horizon where the sky is still dark. God stretches out His arm and points to that thin line where sky kisses earth. He pulls you close, so you can look straight down His arm and toward the sky.<\/p>\n \u201cWatch what I can do,\u201d He says.<\/p>\n And it happens. The sun peeks over that thin line on the horizon. It gets brighter, so bright you can\u2019t look straight at the light anymore.<\/p>\n God is here. He is holding you close \u2026 so close you can hear His heart beating.<\/p>\n He won\u2019t let go.<\/p>\n Can you feel it?<\/p>\n Whatever battle you\u2019re in right now, God is already sitting down inside of it. And He\u2019s inviting you to the best seat in the house \u2014 right next to Him. The One who brings the brightest light to warm a world \u2026 is bringing light to your own personal battle.<\/em><\/p>\n There is no God like our God, who deliberately chooses to sit with us in every darkness. And from there, He leads us toward light.<\/p>\n Sometimes, He\u2019ll ask you to stand up and fight. But often, He\u2019ll simply ask you to sit beside Him \u2014 and lean in close to His heart while you wait for the light together.<\/p>\n This excerpt of \u201cGod Beside You at Sunrise\u201d is from my book, How to Love Your Morning<\/em>, a bestselling resource that helps you begin your day with God. <\/strong><\/p>\n To begin your day with God is to recognize that you don\u2019t walk into the morning alone. You begin not with your to-do list, not with your worries, not with your phone \u2014 but with His presence.<\/p>\n Even if you only have a moment of quiet, that can be enough to reorient your heart and remind your soul these important truths:<\/p>\n God is with me. God is for me. I don\u2019t have to do this on my own.<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019re wondering what it actually looks like to start your day with God, know this: It doesn\u2019t have to be complicated or time-consuming. These five simple practices can help you welcome His presence into your morning \u2014 no matter your schedule, your struggles, or your starting point.<\/p>\n Before the demands of the day find you, let your first words be for God \u2026 and toward God. Even a simple prayer like \u201cLord, this day is Yours. Walk with me,\u201d<\/em> can shift your focus and ground you in His presence. (Bonus points if you do this before you open your mobile phone! It makes a difference!)<\/em><\/p>\n I regularly remind myself that I don\u2019t need perfect words in my prayers, nor do I need to be wide awake and ready to take on the day. I just need a willing heart that seeks Him first \u2013 even when my hair is sticking out in seven different directions and my brain is begging for coffee! A simple moment of surrender after you open your eyes invites peace before productivity, and it reminds you that you\u2019re not stepping into the day alone.<\/p>\n Mother Teresa used to encourage people to pray, \u201cGood morning, Jesus\u201d before they begin their day. I love that!<\/p>\n So let that prayer be your first exhale of trust:<\/p>\n \u201cGood morning, Jesus. I\u2019m Yours.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Mornings are often rushed, especially if you\u2019re caring for a family, heading to work, or simply trying to gather yourself emotionally. That\u2019s why starting small is powerful.<\/p>\n While your coffee brews or your tea steeps, read one Bible verse. Yes, it\u00a0counts if it is just one verse! Maybe the verse is on your phone\u2019s lock screen or scribbled on an index card above the sink. Let it be something that breathes life into your soul \u2014 a reminder of who God is and what He says about you.<\/p>\n By my coffee maker, I also keep a list of people I am praying for. So, while my coffee brews, I\u2019m able to use that list as a guide. It feels so good to know that I\u2019ve actually prayed for the people who asked me to pray!<\/p>\n Also, know this: you don\u2019t have to do a full-on Bible study to begin your day with God. If you have the time for that, awesome! But even a few intentional minutes with God can become an anchor, and a companion that you carry through the hours ahead.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t have to be a \u201cjournaler\u201d to write something meaningful.<\/p>\n Try this: Before you open your email or scroll your feed, jot down one or two sentences.<\/p>\n It might be a thank You<\/em>:<\/p>\n \u201cGod, thank You for the gift of today.\u201d<\/p>\n It might be a help me<\/em>:<\/p>\n \u201cGod, I surrender this anxiety to You.\u201d<\/p>\n It might even be an I don\u2019t know what to say<\/em>:<\/p>\n \u201cGod, I\u2019m here. That\u2019s all I\u2019ve got right now.\u201d<\/p>\n Writing slows you down and makes space for intentionality. It turns your morning into a conversation with God instead of a sprint into the world.<\/p>\n Sometimes, the most powerful spiritual practices start with simple visual cues.<\/p>\n Place a sticky note where you\u2019ll see it every morning \u2013 on the mirror, the fridge, your laptop, or even the dashboard of your car. Write a phrase that prompts you to connect with God before everything else rushes in.<\/p>\n Try these:<\/p>\n This visible reminder isn\u2019t to create guilt. Instead, it\u2019s all about grace. It\u2019s a way to reset your focus and re-center your soul.<\/p>\n Not every morning gives us the margin to sit for long periods in our quiet-time chair.\u00a0<\/p>\n But we can still use our mornings to tune our ears to God. While you\u2019re getting ready for the day, play a worship song that lifts your spirit or an audio Bible reading while you\u2019re brushing your teeth, drying your hair, and making breakfast. There are some great Christian podcasts that can lift your spirits, too! Let God\u2019s truth be the first voice you hear.<\/p>\n Here are 3 options:<\/p>\n What we listen to first often shapes how we think and feel all day long. Choosing to begin your day with God in this way invites beauty and peace into ordinary routines.<\/p>\n You might not have a \u201cquiet time\u201d every morning, in the chaos of a busy home, but you can have a God-centered time<\/em> \u2013 even while you\u2019re doing the things life requires. Amen?\u00a0<\/p>\n This is your morning reminder: You don\u2019t have to rise strong. You just have to \u201crise close.\u201d What I mean by that is, \u2026 we can rise \u201cclose\u201d to the One who never leaves our side.<\/p>\n Even when it\u2019s still dark, God is with you in the morning.<\/p>\n Begin your day with God, even if all you can do is breathe His name.<\/strong><\/p>\n When your heart feels heavy, your prayers feel hollow, and your sunrise seems slow to come,\u00a0 lean in to Jesus. Let Him hold you while you wait. His presence is not dependent on your strength; it\u2019s anchored in His.<\/p>\n If you need some help waking up well, try my suite of morning resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n How to Love Your Morning<\/a><\/em> book<\/p>\nA Morning Vision: God Beside You at Sunrise<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Why It\u2019s Powerful to Begin Your Day with God<\/strong><\/h2>\n
5 Simple Ways to Begin Your Day with God<\/strong><\/h2>\n
1. Whisper a \u201cgood morning\u201d prayer before your feet hit the floor.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. Read one verse while the coffee brews.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
3. Keep a journal nearby to write one sentence of gratitude or surrender.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
4. Put a sticky note on your bathroom mirror with a reminder like, \u201cBegin your day with God.\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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5. Listen to a worship song or Scripture audio as you get ready.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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When You Need Morning Encouragement<\/strong> to Start Your Day<\/h2>\n