I believe in starting small. There is absolutely nothing wrong with
it. Zechariah 4:10 (NCV) says…
“people should not think that small
beginnings are unimportant.”
So, even the Bible tells us it is okay to
start small.
To
Get Started
First, set aside 10 minutes first thing in
the morning, just after waking up. This may
mean waking up ten minutes earlier or forgoing a step in your morning
routine. By doing it this way, you start
your day with God, making it the ultimate priority.
Also, set aside 10 right before going to
bed. Just as with the morning, you may
need to make some adjustments. But, you
will go to bed with Jesus as the last thing on your mind. Making time with Him your priority.
Second, find a nice quiet place where no one
will bother you. My place… the bathroom.
Now, do not make a face or talk badly about
me… Think about it, for the most part it
is quiet and in general, no one will bother you while you are in there.
So, do not tell my parents I told you, but
that is what I saw them do. I saw my
mother read and pray in the bathroom, and so did my father. That is what I do and why I do it.
Another good place is the closet. It is even better if you have a door to it.
No matter where you are, find a quiet place
where no one will bother you.
Lastly, do not focus on quantity during
these days. Focus on quality. What we are doing here is establishing a
routine to build consistency.
During these 40 days, focus on just reading
and praying so that you can get in the habit of reading and praying.
The
Process
In the Morning
Start with this affirmation…
My time with God is important to me, so
much so, that I make it a priority every day.
(Click here for the graphic forthis affirmation).
(Click here for the graphic forthis affirmation).
Read the Pocket Prayer:
Read the scripture.
Think about the scripture focusing on the
words, one by one.
Think about what the verse is saying to
you.
Pray the prayer.
Think about the prayer focusing on the
sentences, one by one.
Think about what the prayer is about.
Using a post-it or sticky note, write down the scripture information.
e.g. Galatians 6:9
(remember… we are starting small so that we
can build a routine)
Underneath the scripture information, write down what the prayer was about.
e.g. not getting weary
(You can add these to your faith journal by gluing or taping them in your journal or you can clip them on your wall or another place that you can go look at them often.)
At Night
Start with this affirmation…
I create consistent GAME Time because my
quiet time with God is important to me, so I make it a priority. (Click herefor the graphic for this affirmation).
Read the scripture and the prayer.
It is that simple… That’s how I got started… And that is how you can get started, too.