The new year has come. With it comes excitement for what lies ahead, new memories to be made, old memories to remember and for some people, new resolutions. New promises to keep, and new goals to make.

The other day, I realized something that I had been doing that was good. Really good for me.

I had been setting my alarm clock earlier so that I would have time to grab a cup of coffee and sit down to read my Bible and pray and journal before the day started.
I loved it. Or, I should say, God gave me a love to do it and enjoy it rather than seeing it as a chore or something to "check off" on my list of things to do everyday. It was a wonderful way to start my morning. It felt refreshing.

And then, out of the blue, I stopped.

I stopped setting my alarm earlier. I stopped really digging into the Bible and praying. Now my devotions consisted of me quickly reading a Psalm, or not even a whole one before my eyes closed and I turned out the lights. (Don't get me wrong-God can use reading a Psalm before bed to minister to your soul. And I still do that sometimes.)

When I realized this, I questioned myself.
Emily, why would you stop something that was good? I'm not just talking about "the movie was good" type of good. I'm talking about "it was ministering to my soul" type of good. Why would you stop something that is spiritually filling you up? Why would you suddenly stop when it was bringing you closer to God?

I came up with some answers.

1. Satan. HE doesn't want me waking up and reading my Bible. He doesn't want me to wake up and spend time praying. No, sir.

2. Sleep. Oh the bitter sweet relationship I have with it. I love sleeping. God made us so that to stay alive, we NEED to sleep. End of my point, right? Wrong. You see, it's easy to make getting enough sleep an idol. Now don't get me wrong, I know that I need to sleep. I know that I will get crabby and sick if I don't get enough of it. BUT, it is a totally lame excuse for me to use even when break ends and school and everything else is happening.

So, I guess the next obvious question was. . .what's keeping me from starting to do it again?

And the answer is. . . nothing. Nothing that I can't overcome with God's help.

In closing, I just want to encourage you not to stop like I did. (whether you read your Bible in the evening or morning) Don't come up with excuses that don't even make sense. Don't stop doing something that builds your character as a person and/or your relationship with the Lord. (even if its not something spiritual, you can still apply it to, oh, say. . .exercising/weightlifting) (:

Don't stop.
Why stop?