It’s true! When mornings are hectic, rushed and hurrying us into a new day, that sets the pace for the rest of the day. We can find ourselves by noontime looking at our watches already counting down to when we’ll get a “do-over” … when we’ll have a new day. BUT – if we could start into our day with just 15 minutes of calm, prayer, and reading in our Bible it is amazing, literally amazing, how different the day goes. As a young mom, I had to set my alarm to be able to get up, spend just 15 minutes in my favorite gold chair with a cup of coffee and my Bible. It was just the “must” of my morning. Without it, I felt like I was either trudging through mud or running a marathon….all day long! So, here’s what worked for me then and still works for me today and I hope this may inspire you a wee bit.
As soon as I wake up, (at 4:30), it’s time to pour myself a cup of coffee and have my standing appointment with Jesus. Having those first early morning minutes with Him in prayer and reading His Word is what starts my day with “the pace” that makes ALL the difference in my life. A pace of peace.
Then I get up, meet Rip in the back of the house and we get ready for our new day together. After about 40 minutes of getting showered, dressed, hair fluffed and face ready for the day, we meet in the kitchen. Now, instead of the traditional morning biscuit, (get ready for this), we now have a breakfast for champions. I no longer make my man his biscuits!! I know…shocker! Instead, side by side, we make what you will see Rip in this video showing you how to do. It’s so simple, but some mornings I do shake things up a bit by doing my own thing like a smoothie, a bowl of oatmeal, or grits and turkey bacon, but we absolutely love LOVE our mornings together. Here’s a little peek to how we roll…..
But it’s not because of the breakfast meal alone that we begin with a wonderful morning, but it’s our time of prayer at a little country table that’s all cozied up in our bay window. It’s where we get to overlook our property that has the radiant beams of the morning sun all over the hillside and a few deer grazing along our tree line. It’s there where we begin our day in awe of God…morning after morning.
We have learned to simplify our life by not neglecting that morning time of prayer. It’s when we can take ALL things to the Lord together and start into our day in a way that just grounds our faith even deeper, solidifies our hope and strengthens us for the day ahead. We can’t imagine gettin’ goin’ any other way!
But here’s where our heart is, too … if you and your spouse do not have a time when the two of you regularly come together for prayer, Rip and I want to help simplify your life by making a little suggestion to try it. He and I can testify that when couples pray together, they are strengthened like you wouldn’t believe! Their marriage is just “sacred” – set apart – and their life begins to become much more simple. Less “monkeys on your back” as Rip would say. Less worry and less mental strain and less emotional pulls and tugs. Prayer literally allows us to give it all to God, fetch His power and promises in our life and in the lives of those for whom we are praying.
Prayer is simply THE MOST INTIMATE thing you can do with your spouse because you both are seeking the heart of God. Nothing is more intimate than that. Nothing.
Together you are going to the Lord as your refuge. Together you are finding shelter and security in placing your trust in the One Who is trustworthy. Together you are drawing on the strength of His truths and promises. Together you are drawing closer to God, and His promise to you as a couple is that He will, in turn, draw closer to you. (James 4:8)
If you are reading this and your marriage is not what you long for it to be, the bond is getting rather loose or is broken in your relationship, I want you to know that nothing would mean more to Rip and me than to pray for you both. We have added numerous prayer needs to our morning time of prayer together and we would love to pray for you and your marriage. Please visit out prayer community on this website and share your prayer needs with us. You can do so by clicking here.
I can assure you, your prayer request will be prayed for personally by Rip and me, but also by the Interior Inspirations team and many others who have signed up to be a prayer partner with this ministry. If you would like for your prayer needs to strictly go to Rip and me, please use my email address located on the bottom of the homepage of this website.
Dear friends, the wonderful community who visits this website …We are here for YOU!! It’s why we exist … to help you and inspire you to live as a woman and as a man who walks with God and experiences His mighty Love. We long for you to know Jesus and the power of His presence in your life through the person of the Holy Spirit. Rip passionately shares how you can know Jesus.
We long to pray for you. It’s the privilege of our life to do so! I hope you will share your prayer needs and as they are prayed for, you are notified through your email address each time anyone has lifted you and your need up in prayer.
Be blessed today by the mighty hand of our God,
lisa
I love the example that you and Rip set and the hope you offer to others who so desperately want a second chance at marriage.