What do you do when you have 5 minutes of free time? 15 minutes? 20 minutes? Before reading on, take a moment and allow yourself to answer in a real, truthful way.

Based on that answer, what is the feeling you're left with when that time comes to an end? In other words--

What are the things you are doing, doing to you?

We all have rhythms in our daily routine. Helpful and healthful things and unhelpful and unhealthful things. When those things are done consistently over time they add up to really big positive or negative change.

As a new explorer on ancients paths of spiritual practices I’d like to focus on bringing more intention into our daily living.

Start Your Day With Intention

In the morning before your consciousness awakes and starts planning, remain in that liminal space. Refine the movements of your day by seeking a grace from God that will help you face the challenges and receive the joys. Perhaps if one doesn’t come naturally, you’d like to borrow this one:

“Creator God, help me to grow a deeper sense of awareness of your love for me”.

In those sleepy moments when we first awake and we repeat and record this prayer into our body, we intentionally invite our creator to create in us in the waking hours. In Luke's words, it is in Him we live, move, and have our being.

End Your Day With Intention

As we lie down at night, the mind tends to review and often spin. To quiet that, enter into a prayer practice that helps you learn how God was active and present to you in your day and offer gratitude. Here’s a suggested prayer practice:

• Be still and notice God’s breath breathing you.
• When and how did I experience God’s love and grace for me today?
• When didn’t I experience God’s love and grace for me today?
• What was I doing when I did or didn’t experience God’s love and grace today.
• How did my awareness/unawareness of God’s love for me affect the way I interacted with others, myself, and circumstances today?
• End with sharing your gratitude for the insights to God, Jesus and Holy Spirit.

How we begin and end our days matters. Morning and Evening are natural opportunities to create healthy habits for your body and soul. Before sleep, we intentionally present ourselves to God as he continues to grow and evolve us even in our sleep. In similar words of David in Psalm 3 of the Voice translation, “I lie down at night and fall asleep. I awake in the morning—healthy, strong, vibrant—because the Eternal supports me.”

Mini-Sabbaths

Circling back to the original question. What do you do with those spontaneous 5, 10, 15 minute breaks in your day? Even as granular as the smallest moments between your inhale and exhale. The next suggested spiritual practice is one that helps build moment to moment awareness of God's love and presence. In times of stillness and silence, we rest at the alter of God's loving presence.

When I have 5 minutes of waiting in my car for my son to get out school I so easily and habitually get on my phone and mindlessly scan my email because I’m addicted to it. That’s an unhealthy habit that I’m intentionally trying to free myself from. Which is the reason these are called spiritual practices. We are all growing and evolving.

The next time you have dead space, bring the space back to life. Create a mini-sabbath:

• Take those moments to be still and breathe
• Set a timer
• Turn inward to prayer to speak to God, or
• Turn inward to meditate and listen to God

Just start. Pick a moment and intentionally present yourself to God and experience a powerful movement of change in a positive direction.

If you would like to practice or study with me, check out my schedule or send me a message!