Good Morning,

David begins Psalm 63 with these words, “¹ O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”

After reading this verse, one might ask, "How thirsty am I?" One of the best reasons to wake up early, before the sun rises, is the tranquility that comes with those quiet hours. If you've ever been camping or lived near a lake, you can't help but notice how still the water is—there are no boats, no cars, and, of course, no people. Everything is calm and quiet.

For many of us, mornings are filled with numerous tasks demanding our attention. As a result, our quiet time with the Lord suffers. We rush to start our day, quickly showering, preparing breakfast, and neglecting to spend time in prayer or reading His Word. After facing the noise and chaos of the day, we return home exhausted and often feel regret for not having dedicated time to connect with the Lord.

In my early journey, I faced the challenge of waking up early to start each day with the Lord. While I haven't always succeeded in this, I realize now that neglecting this practice was to my detriment. Life can be compared to a stone thrown across the surface of a calm lake, creating ripples that spread outward. It has been said that the ripple effect of spending time with God in the early morning hours influences not only our lives but also the lives of those we encounter. When these ripples come together—our time with the Lord and our interactions with others—we can create mini-waves of calm, love, and joy in our lives. However, to achieve this, it all begins with our quiet time with the Lord!

Here’s to having the ripple effects of calm, love, and joy!

Stay thirsty my friends,

Gene