Starting the Day With the One Who Loves Us Best
Disclaimer: Nothing in this blog post is intended to be considered medical or mental health advice or treatment. It’s written from the perspective of the author’s lived experience and reflects personal views expressed with the intent to encourage and share hope.
Late summer mornings are amazing.
The bird songs seem sweeter.
The butterflies gather together in the morning glories and daisies, waiting for their turn to dance in the sun once it rises higher above us.
A gentle breeze stirs the tall reeds of asters and elderberry along the path I walk. And though a hornet flies out periodically to remind me who is really the boss, it is still so peaceful.
There is something about that kind of morning that feels like an invitation.
An invitation to slow down, notice, and remember that God has filled the ordinary places of our lives with beauty, if we are willing to look.
A Routine That Brings Me Back
Walking outside has been a wonderful part of my routine, though at times it falls off because of the way I schedule life.
There was a season when I almost made it a non-negotiable to walk every day in this way. But sometimes we move things around for a greater purpose, and then we learn to fit in the separate quiet, alone time where we can. It does not have to be the same length of time each day, though, so I am ready to make it a non-negotiable and keep it that way.
One beautiful thing about a place of peace is that we can carry it with us.
I can envision that moment and that path at any time I choose. Because I appreciate it so deeply, even thinking of it fills me with peace, joy, hope, and other good and lovely things.
It becomes more than a walk.
What Wakes Us Up Inside?
When I go on these walks, I sometimes think about other people and their routines.
More specifically, I wonder what they do each day that feels extraordinary in their sight.
What wakes them up inside?
What helps them feel like they can take on what comes their way?
What reminds them that there is beauty, hope, strength, and purpose available for the day ahead?
I ask because, yes, it should be enough to know that God is for us. That truth is enough.
But sometimes God lovingly invites us to go deeper into His Word, prayer, worship, and communion with Him. Deeper in fellowship with other believers. Deeper in studying His ways and standing in awe of Him.
Meeting God Along the Path
When I walk outside, this is part of my experience. I pray during that time too.
It is noticeable to me when I do not start my day this way, or when I do not make some kind of effort to pray beyond a few quick words here and there.
The walk helps settle my thoughts.
It helps me notice what I might have rushed past, and also to remember that I am loved, held, and invited into the presence of God before the demands of the day begin speaking loudly.
The path becomes a quiet place of meeting.
Not because God is only there, but because I am more aware of Him there.
Creation as a Reminder of God’s Love
That walk reminds me of God’s love and abilities that far exceed mine or yours.
He created everything with so much care, beauty, order, and intention.
Genesis 1 reminds us that what God made was good.
Psalm 19:1 tells us that the heavens declare the glory of God.
James 1:17 reminds us that every good and perfect gift comes from above.
When I see the flowers, birds, butterflies, morning light, and movement of the breeze, I am reminded that God did not create a cold, empty world. He created a world filled with color, rhythm, wonder, nourishment, and beauty. He planned good things for us.
John 10:10 reminds us that Jesus came so we may have life, and have it more abundantly.
Psalm 16:11 says that in God’s presence is fullness of joy.
Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand for us to walk in.
The way we look at the things we adore and enjoy may be only a small reflection of the way God looks at us.
Invited Before the Day Begins
When we wake up—even before we fully wake up—God may be inviting us to visit with Him to:
seek Him.
remember Him.
be loved by Him.
receive wisdom for the day.
lay down what we were never meant to carry alone.
Psalm 5:3 (NKJV) says, “My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.”
There is something beautiful about beginning the day by turning toward the One who has already been faithful through the night.
Before the messages, responsibilities, work, opinions, lists, and noise that may come up throughout the day.
We can start with God.
I can think of nothing better than starting the day with the One who loves us best.
Reflection
Take a moment to consider:
What part of your daily routine helps you slow down and remember God’s love?
Is there a place, practice, or simple moment that fills you with peace, joy, hope, or gratitude?
What changes when you begin your day with God instead of rushing straight into everything else?
How might God be inviting you to go deeper with Him in this season?
Prayer
Lord, thank You for the gift of a new morning. Thank You for the beauty You have placed in creation and for the quiet ways You remind me of Your love.
Help me slow down enough to notice You. Teach me to begin my day with You instead of rushing ahead on my own. Draw me deeper into Your Word, deeper in prayer, deeper in worship, and deeper in awe of who You are.
When life feels busy, help me remember that time with You is not wasted time. It is where my heart is strengthened, my thoughts are settled, and my steps are guided.
Thank You for loving me before I begin, before I produce, before I prove anything, and before I even know what the day will hold.
Help me walk with You today.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Closing Thoughts
A peaceful routine does not have to be complicated to be meaningful.
Sometimes it is a walk, a prayer whispered before getting out of bed, a verse read slowly. Sometimes it is noticing the birds, the flowers, the breeze, or the light coming through the window. The point is not perfection…the point is presence.
God is already near, already loving, already inviting, and already faithful. There is no better way to begin the day than with the One who loves us best.
