I’m often asked for tips on having a quiet time. “How do you structure your time with the Lord?” and, “What resources do you use?” I’m happy to oblige—there are many wonderful resources we can utilize. However, the question I’m less often asked but love to answer is, “When do you have your quiet time?”

As a child, if I woke early, I was sure to find my mom in the living room, Bible open and prayer list in hand. Were I to venture into the dining room, I would find my dad similarly engaged. My parents believe deeply in the benefits of beginning each day with the Lord—even if that means waking up at 4:00 a.m.!

Following their example, I’ve adopted morning quiet times as my practice, too. And I’ve found, as Leslie Glass writes, that this early morning time with the Lord is an “invaluable treasure” that has a way of “reorienting and fueling me for the day ahead.” Although any time we spend in the Word and prayer is valuable, as Glass explains, there are particular “delights” that come with “intentionally turning toward the Lord in the mornings.”

So, if you’re looking for ways to enrich your quiet time and you aren’t in the habit of beginning your day with the Lord, give it a try. Set your alarm a little earlier and pray with the psalmist, “Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days” (Ps. 90:14).

With joy,