One perk of having young adult daughters is they can teach you how to put on makeup. Believe me, I need all the help I can get. Mine have been trying to show me how to use liquid eyeliner. (Yes, after 16 years living in the Middle East, I finally broke down and got on the eyeliner train.)
Most mornings, my hand shakes a bit because applying eyeliner on 52 year old eyelids is not a task for the faint at heart. Sometimes I end up with black smudges after unsuccessful attempts to wipe off mistakes. Other days I manage a sleek, smooth line. Somehow makeup helps me feel more put together and ready for the day ahead.
The truth is I need more than good eyeliner to get ready for the day.
You probably do too. Every day, challenges await us in our homes, offices, schools, and workplaces. Often I wake up in the morning feeling daunted and unprepared for the day ahead. It’s tempting to just rush out into the rat race after a social media fix.
To get a better start on my day, I need to equip myself with God’s Word and His Spirit.
Sometimes we think of the Bible as an ancient book which offers lots of spiritual advice, but has little practical application for our everyday, typing, teaching, phone-answering, carpooling, and grocery-shopping lives. However, recently I was shocked when I discovered how powerfully God’s words to a prophet in 1000 B.C. spoke to me:
God was sending Samuel on a risky venture to find and anoint the future king of Israel. What would Saul do if he found out? How would Samuel recognize the man God wanted him to anoint? God answered his questions with reassurance, “I will show you what to do.” (For the whole story, read Samuel 16:1-13.)
Samuel had more than a regular day’s work ahead of him, but I see here 3 steps to a good start on any day.
Talk With God First
Samuel had a conversation with God, but maybe the best way for us to talk to Him is to start off reading His words in scripture. His Word fills our minds with His truth and promises; it starts a conversation we can respond to in prayer.
Let Him Fill You
The Lord commanded Samuel to fill his horn with oil, so he could anoint the future king. However, I can’t help but make a connection between oil and the Holy Spirit. We can prepare ourselves for the work ahead of us each day by asking God to fill us with His Spirit. Lately, I pray this most mornings: “Come, Holy Spirit. Fill me with your power and wisdom. Lead me today.”
Remember He’s Sending You
God had a special task for Samuel that day, but Samuel probably had many ordinary days as well. It’s the same for us. Some days God has amazing work for us to do. Other days, He’s sending us out to drive kids to school and finish a project at work. When God sends us, every task is important.
No matter what’s on our plate, let’s start our day with a generous helping of God’s Word. Let’s talk to Him before we talk to anyone else. A liberal portion of God’s Spirit poured into us will take us so much further than perfect eyeliner ever could.
Now it’s your turn: What helps you get a good start on your day?
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Love your last point especially – remember He is sending You – I need that reminder especially today as I go to speak at a nursing home chapel service, this is still a little out of my comfort zone and yet I know God is sending me.
Blessings today
Hey there Naomi, thanks for reading today. I hope your speaking went well. Yes, God does send us out into our days and activities. 🙂
You can do it. I am glad your heart is with them.
What a great reminder for us all today, Betsy! I just finished using Lisa’s 100 Days with Christ Bible reading plan for my daily reading time, and I skipped a few days of reading because I hadn’t started a new plan yet. I could definitely tell the difference when I don’t start the day with God’s Word! I just found one on YouVersion called ‘Major Events’ Bible reading. Should be interesting!
Wow, Congratulations on finishing 100 Days with Christ, Kristine! That Major Events plan sounds good too. I use First5, and read through the chapter they focus on each day. Am loving it.
I love the idea that even in the mundane, God is sending me out to reflect His love on those I meet along the way. And that the Holy Spirit is the One who will not only enable me to recognize my God appointments, but equip me to glorify my Father! Blessings, sweet friend! XO
Amen! He IS sending you, for sure, Liz. Your testimony about encouraging the women around you, especially other military women, encourages me to no end! Blessings back at you, friend!
Betsy, thank you for pointing me back to God. These tips: start with God, let Him fill me and remember He’s sending me, really are the perfect start to any day. And well-timed too as I prepare my kids for the first day back to school following the Easter break.
As for liquid eyeliner, you’re my hero! 🙂
Blessings, dear friend!
Hah! Yeah, an eyeliner hero. That makes me smile, Marva! Praying for you now as you and your kids get back to regular life after spring break. Hope it’s going well!
Amen Betsy! Love this!
Thanks! Love to YOU, Jill!
I love these simple, but oh so practical tips, Betsy! When I have a busy morning, rushing around trying to get somewhere, I can easily take a few minutes and apply these to get my day going in the right direction. Thank you for sharing! 💗
Blessings to you, Alisa! Praying for you and your busy days now, for guidance and direction, that you’d be full of HIS SPIRIT. 🙂
I could use some liquid eyeliner lessons too, Betsy! And yes … starting the day with Bible reading and prayer makes such a huge difference. (Also running on the treadmill, but only AFTER the first two…) 🙂 I’m very easily distracted, and so one thing that has really helped me stay focused with this is not opening anything on the computer/internet except my prayer journal until I’m finished. I love your prayer for the Holy Spirit’s leading …
I love that, Lois, about not opening any internet until you’re finished. Lately I’ve been letting my smart phone eat up a good 10 or 15 minutes of my alone time after I wake up. I really want to just leave it for later. Good point you have.
Good morning, Friend! Good luck with the eyeliner! Today was a piddly start to my day. Swoosh-it’s already 10 am and … Some days are like that. Your tips are just what I needed today.
Oh Ginger! I know what you mean about how it gets to be 10 am, and you feel you’ve gotten nothing done! I’m trying to tackle large tasks first thing after breakfast, but I get stuck in the piddly things too!
“No matter what’s on our plate, let’s start out our day with a generous portion of God’s word.”
As I looked up your scripture reference in 1 Samuel, I found myself reading the whole chapter and getting caught up in it, as so often happens to me. As I read with fresh eyes I tasted and saw anew that the Lord is so good, obedience is better than sacrifice, and how I can apply His word to my daily tasks. (Then maybe some eyeliner later😂). Thank you for these encouraging reminders!
Thanks, Melinda. Yes, that chapter is a great one. I also like, “The Lord looks at the heart.” You encourage me so much! Maybe we can do our eyeliner together some day!
Thank you for sharing this, Betsy! What a needed reminder it was that God is the One who is sending us — whether it is the special tasks or the ordinary things. God has given us those, and that’s why they matter. I have found that to get a good start on a day, I definitely need to spend time in His Word — even if it means waking up very early.
So glad you spend time in His Word, Ronja. I get up early, but not as early as when my kids were small. Praying God’s blessing over your times with God now, friend.
“When God sends us, every task is important.” Love this. Even the mundane and dog-tail chasing ones we think are a waste of time.
Hah! The dog-tail chasing tasks! I never heard that before, Theresa. Love it! So apt for a lot of what I do!
Amen, Betsy. Most days all I can manage to do in the morning is five minutes or so in the Word, but what a difference it makes. Your posts always take me back to what matters most. Thank you, friend. xoxo
Betsy, you’re braver than I. I still use pencil eye liner. 😉 But seriously, I love your words. I’m finding with my boys entering the teen years that I am desperately thirsty to hear from and commune with Jesus. I loved your post and the way you shared Samuel’s story in a way that so resonates with my own (and all of ours, I suspect) needs.
Beautifully written!
Great post, Betsy! I can’t live without my eyeliner–that’s probably my #1 beauty product choice. But even more, I can’t live without time in God’s presence every single day! I’m sharing this post tomorrow evening on my Facebook page. Blessings to you!
This is so true, Betsy. I need my portion of His word, my daily bread, every morning! You’re braver than I with that eyeliner, lol! Blessings on your week!
I believe it was the Spirit that led me to your blog. I have been on a journey to get closer to GOD and today after having a wonderful conversation with a friend about how to prayer, I was googling around for more advice….and an article you wrote popped up. From there I came here to your blog and I am happy I did. Your blog is so warm and inviting. I have book marked it and will add it to my daily readings.
As my mother always says to me at the end of each phone call: Blessings and Courage!
Oh thanks so much for this encouragement today. I’m praying for you now, that God’s Spirit will guide you on your journey to get closer to Him. Blessings and Courage to you too!
Starting my day with God is near and dear to my heart, too, Betsy. But this line jumped at me, “When God sends us, every task is important.” I tend to think some of the ones I am doing are not as important, but it isn’t so. He was showing me just where I needed to readjust my thinking on some of them. Thanks!
This is something I have been trying to be WAYYY more intentional about lately. I find when I start the day right with God, I finish better too! <3
Something about a good start goes a long way, doesn’t it Lauren?
Eyeliner is only for special occasions for me and then it is a hit or miss line of beauty or mishap! Starting in God’s word is always the best way to start the day. Thank you for pointing us to what is important.
Yes, God’s Word over eyeliner any day, Mary, but I’m having fun. 🙂
I agree it makes a huge difference to start the day with reading the Bible and praying. It is such an important way to get our focus right for the day ahead.
Yes, Lesley, it makes a HUGE difference to me. It’s about the only way I can get through my days! 🙂
Yes, Lesley, it makes a HUGE difference to me. It’s about the only way I can get through my days! 🙂
When God sends us, every task is important.
Love this!
Thank you, Sarah. <3
Love that prayer – Holy Spirit fill me – to start the day. Usually, I stretch each morning and pray. I stretch up my arms in reverence to my God, bend down in humility, stretch to one side and then the other at the same time praying for the day ahead of me, and the people in my life.
Wow, that is a great idea, Rachel. Connecting movement with prayer. I love that. 🙂
What gets me best started on my day? Definitely getting into the Bible and praying, as well as meditating on the goodness of God. Without those things, something is missing with my day.
I love the thought of meditating on God’s goodness, Rosanna. I like to keep a 1000 Gifts list, which always renews my perspective in the mornings. 🙂
Beautiful, Betsy … asking for the filling of the Holy Spirit is something I don’t always do — and I need to regularly. It makes all the difference. My girls are experts with liquid eyeliner. Yay you for embracing it!
Oh I bet your girls could teach me about eyeliner, Dianne! And yes to more of the Holy Spirit. I don’t always remember either, but somehow it starts my day off on a right note when I pray for Him to come and fill me.
Although I rarely leave the house without eyeliner, this post reminds me that I need to be just as concerned about lining my heart with Truth about God and taking that out the door with me, too! Always good to read your honest and sincere lessons that you’ve learned from Him — and share so well with us!
Betsy, what great reminders. Starting the day with God makes all the difference! Have a wonderful week-end!
Betsy, I’ve read this 1 Samuel passage and I’ve never connected it to mornings before, but it provides some really great vision for starting the day. Thanks for pointing that out! As for how I get the best start, I probably would have given the same answer you did: spend time with God and let Him fill me for the day. It makes such a huge difference, since it was how we were meant to live! 🙂
Yes, it does make a huge difference, doesn’t it Jenna? Thanks so much for reading today. I’d read that passage so many times myself without noticing this. The Word of God is Alive and Active!
Yes, it does make a huge difference, doesn’t it Jenna? Thanks so much for reading today. I’d read that passage so many times myself without noticing this. The Word of God is Alive and Active!
Love this encouragement, Betsy, especially the third one. God has ordained all our days – from the ordinary to the extraordinary. Thank you for this reminder for my heart, sweet friend.
Yes, He has ordained each day. That’s what Psalm 139 says! <3