This September, journey with us as we learn to notice the holy invitations God is placing before us—and find the courage to faithfully respond.

If you were forwarded this, you can join our list to receive our free daily prayer email here.

Prayer

God,

Help me stop waiting for my life to become more extraordinary before I pay attention to it.

Open my eyes to the holiness of what is already here.

Help me be present with the people in front of me, faithful with the work in my hands, and awake to the beauty around me.

If You are inviting me to something new, help me notice.

But if Your invitation today is simply to be fully here, help me receive that too.

Teach me to find You in the ordinary.

Amen.

Verse of the Day

Reflection

What if the holy invitation isn't somewhere else?

What if it's here?

In the dishes.

In the conversation.

In the work you already have.

In the child who needs your attention.

In the page you're writing.

In the meal you're making.

In the walk you're taking.

In the person sitting across the table.

We can become so focused on discovering our next thing that we overlook the holiness of the thing already in front of us.

We wonder what God might be calling us toward while He is quietly inviting us to be fully present where we are.

Sometimes the invitation is to begin something new.

Sometimes it's to stay.

Sometimes it's to create.

Sometimes it's to rest.

Sometimes it's simply: be here.

There is a particular kind of faithfulness in receiving the ordinary day as a place where God can meet us.

We don't have to wait for the extraordinary to live awake.

The holy is often hiding in plain sight.

And perhaps that's why paying attention matters so much.

Because when we become attentive, the ordinary begins to look different.

The coffee isn't just coffee.

The conversation isn't just conversation.

The blank page isn't just a blank page.

The Monday afternoon isn't just another Monday afternoon.

It is our life.

And God is here within it.

Encouragement

Invitation

Look at your day today through a different lens.

Ask: Where might God be inviting me to be more present?

Don't go looking for something extraordinary. Pay attention to what is already here. Then be still.

From our Community of Creators...

Love Does That

Seeing far too many people go through hardship alone, Kari Bartkus became determined to show up and be present when those around her were hurting. Through her work at Love Does That, she serves as a spiritual director to hurting Christian women, but she uses a modern-day letter writing approach perfect for those drawn to quiet spaces and written words. Her signature program, Journal Gently, allows women to learn a gentle approach to healing from past grief and trauma, using journaling as a spiritual practice to talk with God about their hurt. Her podcast, also entitled Journal Gently, similarly provides a sacred space for women to meet with God on the pages of their journals, especially when life is hard.

Learn more!