story {the journey}

photo source

the key component of making my way through the bible was my daily quiet time. without this, i may have eventually finished the reading...but it would've taken so much longer, and i know i would not have gained as much from my time spent in those words.

each weekday morning, i wake at 5:00. after beginning my day with a shower and preparing my cherished cup of coffee, i snuggle into my husband's recliner. for thirty minutes i sip and read before tackling the day ahead of me. yes, i could spend those thirty minutes in bed, but i don't.

and honestly, i don't miss the time in bed. at all. but if i sleep in one day...i do miss my quiet time. when the harsh alarm breaks the silence of my slumber, i quietly rise in anticipation. the warmth of the chair, and the blanket, and the coffee, and the words, calling me out of my comfortable bed.

sometimes i incorporate some journaling into my time. sometimes i read other faith-based books or articles. and there is prayer. but i do not allow technology into my time. no tv. no iphone. no internet. i have tried music, but it just didn't work for me. i much preferred the quiet. no distractions.

this time allows me to start my day in the right frame of my mind. things are easier, more peaceful, more relaxed.

i'm not going to lie...not every morning is as serene as the picture painted above. there are mornings when my son wakes before that 5 a.m. alarm even goes off. there are mornings when that alarm doesn't go off. and then there are the weekends, when i only wake when my early-rising toddler calls to me over his monitor.

when i began this journey, my baby was just beginning to start sleeping through the nights. the mornings aren't always easy. and certainly not perfect. but i love them.

and it turns out that my spastic little tot enjoys quiet mornings too. so, my weekends (or weekdays when he rises before the sun) are spent in the same recliner, with the same blanket, the same cup of coffee and the same Bible...but with the company of a snuggling sleepy-eyed little boy on my lap. maybe God's way of saying "you can't always have it your way, but isn't this the best way?"

i've often struggled with understanding what people mean when they say God "speaks" to them. i still struggle with this on a daily basis. but this fifteen-month journey through His word has helped me to hear him a bit more clearly.

the funny thing about God is that he always has a little message for you. good, bad, ugly or just a big 'ole fat wake up call. He's there nudging you with a note that, if you open your eyes to it, will get you through the day just a tad bit easier.

i'm not a preachy person, but if there are two things i would highly recommend to everyone, it would be (1) read the Bible cover-to-cover and (2) begin your day with some peace & quiet.