Without Ceasing

I hate exercise. I always have. I have never understood people who say they just looove to spend time at the gym. I don’t like pain or sweat or pain mixed with sweat. Yet, I fully understand how important it is to get physical activity each day, so I look for ways to sneak in exercise to my daily routine. For example, every time I brush my teeth and every time I sit at a red light, I tighten my abs. When I’m in the kitchen waiting for something to cook in the microwave, I do push-ups leaning on the kitchen counter or I walk in place. There are lots of other ways to add activity to your day: park your car far away when you go shopping, take the steps instead of the elevator, march in place while folding laundry, dance with your kids!

Prayer is another thing that I have to “work in” to my daily comings and goings. I really value having an open line of communication with God and I find that when I don’t regularly use it, God feels further and further away. Don’t get me wrong, I know that quiet time with God at a set time each day is valuable, but I have to admit I’m pretty undisciplined about regularly having that time. So, I try to pray throughout the day. Here are some easy ways to do this. Before you put the kids on the bus or drop them off at school, pray about the day ahead. Do the same on your way to work, praying for strength to face whatever challenges that may come your way. When doing housework, praise God for the blessing of having a house to clean and pray for your household. At the grocery store or cooking dinner, praise him for your daily bread. When you are lying in bed at night, pray for your spouse. It’s not important how you do it or where you do it, the only thing that matters is that you keep that conversation with God flowing.

The concept of praying throughout the day is not a new one. Remember Paul’s words to the Thessalonians? “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.