“Oh, no! It’s already 7:45! My alarm didn’t wake me! I’m going to be late for class! AHHH!”

Does this sound like a typical way to start your day? It was for me last semester. Whether it works for you to start your day in a whirlwind of commotion and hyperventilation is for you to decide, but it killed me–both physically, mentally, and spiritually. Without beginning my day with devotions, I was doomed for a day of chaos, confusion, and disappointment of not accomplishing all the goals I set out to do.

This semester, I started afresh by having devotions at breakfast. For some people this works, but it didn’t work for me as yummy yogurt, cereal, and hot tea distracted me from really coming into the presence of the Almighty (especially when I spilled the hot tea all over my homework.) I then switched to nighttime devotions, but by morning everything was forgotten or just lacking in the fervor than it had had at night.

Needless to say, I finally grabbed the time I knew made sense, though it would cost me a great deal of sleep. Morning at 7:00. If I accidently sleep in, I have a policy now, saying, “No homework gets done until devotions, and praise is sung.” It started out being pretty harsh, but unless I made this decision, I would get distracted and think that a certain little job “had to” get done first. By then, my mind was gone up and over the next hill. No devotion time.

It has been such a tremendous blessing to be able to meet with God first thing every day. Coming before Him, praying, learning, and praising all help me think about my goals for the day. Also, I feel more happy and content, without nearly as much stress and worries about tests and theory homework. We as Christians really do live, move, and breathe in Him! Without that connection, smash! A potentially wonderful day is ruined by our absense of getting our minds focused on Him who is more important than achieving an “A” in a class or getting together with friends.

“All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” (1 Peter 1:24)

How wonderful that God’s word remains forever, while all the things we worry about will not matter, and be gone! Also, this verse has given me great hope lately:

Romans 8:28-29 “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Not even a huge load of homework can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  I hope that you all have a wonderful Lord’s day tomorrow, and I’m praying for you my readers! Thanks for reading.

~April