the priority of my day {be intentional}

My theme for this year has been "be intentional". I knew that one of the areas I really wanted to be intentional in was my daily time with the Lord. If you listened to Nancy Leigh DeMoss' session, you might remember her saying.
I want my time with my Lord to be the priority of my day. And that is where my struggle lies. There is no substitute to getting into the Word alone, yet I often let other things take priority of my day. I have tried scheduling time during my day to spend in the Word, but it was never consistent. My schedule during the week was different every day. Some days I wouldn't be home during that time. And more often than not, I would get interrupted or distracted even if I was home. The phone would ring, someone would stop by, my house suddenly needed cleaning, and pretty soon nap time was over. I would get to the end of my day and realize that I hadn't made time for God. I might try to squeeze it in before bed, but I was so tired by that point that it was more to "check it off the list" than to actually listen and respond to God.

I am not a morning person. I can sleep in like a champ...of course that was much easier before the kiddos arrived. Occasionally I would try to have my quiet time in the morning if it worked out, but it was never a consistent thing. As I studied Isaiah in BSF this year, something clicked for me during one of the lessons. We read Isaiah 50:4,

"He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught."

Our lecturer challenged us with this question:
Does the Sovereign Lord wake you morning by morning?

Wow. My answer was obviously no. She pointed out that even Jesus started His day this way. He knew He needed to. If Jesus needed to start His day with the Lord, how much more do I need to start my day this way? My strength for the day needs to come from my Sovereign Lord. He is in charge of my day. He knows what is going to happen in the hours ahead. So, of course I would want to start my day by going to Him. She challenged us to spend a little time with the Lord every morning even if it was just fifteen minutes...first thing.

That is when I started setting my alarm every morning before Levi got up. Man that was hard. Especially on the mornings when little Levi decided to sleep in and I could have been sleeping right along with him. And yes, I failed. I failed again and again. I finally feel like this alone time in the morning with the Lord is becoming a consistent part of my day. And I LOVE this time in the mornings. It is the first thing I do. Before turning on my computer, before checking e-mail, before checking on my favorite blogs, before starting a load of laundry, and before I do anything else. I spend time reading the Word and in prayer...for my own heart, for Joel and his day, for Levi and our day ahead, for the sweet little boy growing inside me, and for the many things the Lord brings to my mind. I try to put my agenda at His feet and seek what His agenda for my day might look like. By the time Levi wakes up...which obviously is not exactly the same every day...I feel like my heart is ready for the day. This time in the morning has totally changed how I approach each day.

Now, I am a total perfectionist and rule follower. I get frustrated when someone challenges me to do something a certain way and I fail. I just want to give up all together. Don't do that! I'm not telling you your time with the Lord has to look a certain way. This time with the Lord will probably look very different for each one of us. But like Nancy Leigh DeMoss said, I am challenging you to schedule this time early in your day. And if you can...try starting your day off alone with the Lord, when your heart is quiet. I think you will be amazed by how it changes your day.

I am so excited for the 38 of you who are joining me in this challenge. How awesome to be encouraging each other to grow closer to the Lord. I am going to be praying for your hearts and for mine...that by the end of these 30 days the Lord will have done a changing work in each one of our lives.

Are you ready? Before tomorrow morning arrives makes sure you:

1. Have a plan...
What will your time alone with the Lord look like? Be prepared.

2. Have a time...
When will you spend time with the Lord? Schedule it and set that alarm!

3. Have a place...
Where will you meet with the Lord? Find a quiet place where you will be alone and the least distracted.

4. Grab a friend...
Encourage someone to join you in this challenge and keep each other accountable!

Nancy Leigh DeMoss said, "What you need for this season and the next is His presence, His wisdom, His guidance." May we find His presence, His wisdom, and His guidance for this season and the next as we seek Him over the next 30 days.