Before anyone else in my household wakes, I pour a cup of coffee, open my Bible and journal, and settle into my favorite leather loveseat for quiet time with God. These precious moments set the tone for my entire day and the attitude with which I tackle my to-do list. They fill me with hope, give direction, and grant wisdom. Join me, dear reader, in this discipline of delight and let’s share spiritual aha moments at the start of each day.

Be encouraged…be refreshed…be changed.

NOTE: This book was formerly titled 10-Minute Time Outs for Busy Women. It’s been reformatted and newly released as a gorgeous little gift book. It’s 4”x6” with a padded hard cover and blue ribbon bookmark. It makes an ideal gift for birthdays, Christmas, secret sisters, anniversaries, and Mother’s Day. Give it as a thank-you gift to your pastor’s wife, a special teacher or youth worker, a missionary. Or give it to a special friend “just because.” Suitable for women from all walks of life—married or single, ages 19-90. Be blessed as you read it, my friend.

Here’s an excerpt…

BEWARE the DANGER!

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” LUKE 10:41

Upward Gaze

Father, in the midst of life’s pressures and responsibilities, I lift my eyes to You, the one whose throne is in heaven (Psalms 123:1). I know my help comes from You—the Maker of heaven and earth (Psalms 121:2). That knowledge fills me with strength and hope. Praise You!

Monday morning arrived with a to-do list that grew longer by the minute. I watered my outdoor plants and swept the deck, pausing only to watch the hummingbirds sip the last drops of sweet syrup from the feeder. I’ll mix another batch, I thought. I poured a cup of water into a saucepan, added ¼ cup sugar, and turned on the stove’s front element. While this heats, I’ll make a phone call.

I phoned from my office, down the hall from the kitchen. By doing so, I could chat and file papers at the same time. All was well—until a smoke detector’s shrill warning nearly split my eardrums.

“What in the world…?” I said. “Could you hold for a moment? My smoke detector has a problem.” I ran to the kitchen, stopped, and stared!

I’d completely forgotten about the hummingbird juice heating on the stove! Gray smoke hid the kitchen ceiling and billowed through the living room. The stove element glowed red. My hummingbird juice had morphed into black sponge-like goo.

I raced back to the phone. “Gotta go! Call ya later!” I ran around the house opening doors and windows, giving thanks that our house still had doors and windows to open.

The situation served as a wake-up call: In my busyness, I’d accidentally created a potentially dangerous situation.

Is it possible that we do the same thing in our spiritual lives?

As women, we spend countless hours each week driving kids to extracurriculars, helping aging parents, fulfilling work responsibilities, volunteering at school or church, and keeping our families fed and clothed. Like the hummingbirds, we zip from one activity to the next. But constant activity breeds potential danger: We’re left with little time to ponder eternal truths and safeguard our spiritual lives.

We don’t intentionally neglect Bible reading—it just happens. We don’t deliberately choose not to pray. It’s just that…well, life gets hectic sometimes. Before long, we lose our sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s gentle nudges. We find temptations more tempting. We begin to rationalize sin. Our spiritual lives may be in danger, but we’re too busy to see it. How can we guard against that?

For starters, we can carve time into our schedules for reading His word. Doing so may require getting up 20 minutes earlier or reading during our lunch break, but the benefit is worth the effort. Personally, my Bible reading doesn’t happen if I don’t do it before my day’s activities begin. Once I begin writing, running errands, or doing housework, it’s nearly impossible for me to stop, slow my thoughts, and focus on God’s Word.

We can find an accountability partner. Sharing new insights with a friend on a regular basis can provide the incentive needed to keep Bible reading and prayer consistent.

We can fill our minds with God’s thoughts by memorizing Scripture or by writing Bible promises on 3×5 cards and posting them where we’ll see them often—by the kitchen sink, on the bathroom mirror, on the computer, or on the dashboard of the car.

We can practice God’s presence by conversing with Him throughout our day and as we fall asleep at night. And we can evaluate and prioritize our activities—do they yield temporal or eternal results?

To-do lists can rule our lives if we let them. But let’s make sure that cultivating our spiritual lives remains number one on those lists! We’ll experience increased sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s voice as He tells us how to live and what to say. Peace and joy will replace worry and fear. And we’ll become women who reflect joy and strength far beyond our own.

Inward Glimpse

Dear Father, thank You for showing me that I must safeguard my spiritual development. Make me alert to those things that could endanger my relationship with You. Amen.

• What spiritual disciplines need a little boost in your life?
• Write a meaningful Scripture verse on a 3×5 card and post it where you’ll see if often.

Leave it there for a week, then replace it with another. Repeat!

Outward Glance

Father, I pray that _____ will regard her relationship with God as top priority. May she open her mouth wide and pant for Your commandments. Turn to her and have mercy on her. Direct her footsteps according to Your word and do not let any sin rule over her (Psalms 119:131-133). Thank You. Amen.

One More Peek

Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful (Mark 4:18,19).

Taken from: PEACEFUL MOMENTS TO BEGIN YOUR DAY
Formerly titled 10-Minute Time Outs for Busy Women
Copyright © 2005 by Grace Fox
Published 2012 by Harvest House Publishers
Eugene, Oregon 97402
www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Endorsements

Grace Fox understands the world of the busy woman and the reality of our need to be fed spiritually. In her devotional book, Peaceful Moments to Begin Your Day, Grace follows an easy format that takes you into God’s word and gives you a truth to ponder for each day. Grace’s words paint pictures and tell stories that will remain with you and continue to feed you long past those peaceful moments with the Lord. You could be transformed and you could offer Peaceful Moments to the women in your world – creating a ripple effect! — Donna Mitchell — Director, Connecting Streams Women’s Ministry (Power to Change)