The early morning light shone through the window onto her Bible. My Mom had a cup of steaming coffee in her hand as she studied the open pages. Her feet tucked under her on the Indian patterned couch.

When she heard me enter the room, she looked up and smiled. A genuine smile of invitation to spend this early morning quiet with her. She said, “Listen to what I’ve been reading…” and turned her eyes back down the well highlighted pages with notes all in the margins. 

“What do you think that means?” She asked, and waited for my answer. 

I thought for a minute and answered in my teenager’s confidence. My Mom listened to every word and asked me questions to clarify what I meant.

No matter how many mornings I interrupted her quiet time, Mom never made me feel like I was an intrusion. Instead, she always invited me in, and whether I was 5 or 15, she shared with me what she was learning and asked for my thoughts in return. 

Our life wasn’t perfect. Growing up we had hard days that left me sobbing into my pillow at night. And though my Mom didn’t have all the answers, she dug my anchor in deep to the One who did. 

Through her early morning quiet times, worship music, and reliance on Jesus, I learned what it meant to abide. What it meant to remain with Jesus through the good times and hard times because he first remained steadfast with me. 

Abide: 40 Ways to Focus on Jesus Daily, is the continuation of that story. It’s what I’ve learned from my Mom, other wise women, and my own experience about what it means to connect to Jesus not just in the morning, but as lifeblood running through my days. 

Psalms 1:1-3 says,

 Oh, the joys of those who do not
    follow the advice of the wicked,
    or stand around with sinners,
    or join in with mockers.

But they delight in the law of the Lord,
    meditating on it day and night.

They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
    bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
    and they prosper in all they do.

If you consider that tree, it doesn’t just have one or two roots holding into the bank. If it did, it would topple in the first storm or flood that comes. Instead, it has many, many roots that keep it abiding in the bank, remaining connected, even when the storms come. 

Those that follow God also meditate on his word day and night. It is a constant remaining, abiding, in him that helps them stay rooted.

Abide:40 Ways to Focus on Jesus Daily helps you to find those roots. Rather than a book of theology about what abiding is or a list of rules about what you should do, it is a book of 40 suggestions, a practical how-to abide, no matter your season in life or your personality type. 

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Come learn more about my God Story and how my Mom’s quiet time shaped my own journey and more about what it means to abide, in the Abide Facebook community, where I shared my longer God Story:  Click here to join!

If you’d like ideas to help you practically abide in Jesus starting today, order Abide: 40 Ways to Focus on Jesus Daily. Just click the image below to order!