Plan Your Summer Routine Now

For many of us, the day of graduation is fast approaching. Whether it's you or someone in your home who is about to finish school, we are all filled with anticipation! No more assignments, no more studying for tests, no more schedule planning, no more early mornings and late nights. From administrators to students to homeschool moms, nearly everyone breathes a little easier when summer break finally arrives.

And with summer comes a change of schedule, whether due to a summer break or a planned family vacation. Such changes are wonderful opportunities to reset our hearts, minds and bodies. Often, I hear of people picking up books they've delayed reading, tackling house projects that had been put off, and spending more time at the beach.

All these changes amount to a unique challenge for many Christians—how do I remain consistent in Bible reading and prayer, when my whole routine is thrown off? The answer in a nutshell is this:

Adapt!

Rather than try to maintain your old habits while in a new schedule, choose to adapt. Look at how things are changing and create a new routine that fits this summer season. Right now, you likely still have a little time before any significant changes hit your routine. So make plans.

Look ahead and adapt your spiritual habits to the schedule that's coming.

Consider waking up a bit earlier while everyone else sleeps in, or sitting in your car to read the Bible after your gym workout, before re-entering the chaos at home. If you're going to be traveling, pack a small travel Bible or load a Bible app on your phone before you leave, so a beach getaway doesn't become a broken routine. However your schedule changes this summer, make sure that time with God still has a place in it.

Maybe as you read this, you're realizing you don't have much of a routine in the first place. That's okay - summer can be a good time to start one. Whether you're adapting an old routine or starting fresh, here are the building blocks of a healthy habit:

• Set aside a block of time to read and pray when interruptions are unlikely. This could be early morning, a lunch break, late at night – whenever it works for you.
• Choose a New Testament book (I'd suggest John, Colossians, 1 Peter or 1 John to start) and try reading through one unit of thought each day. That might be anything from a paragraph up to a chapter. Stop when you get to the end of that thought and re-read it again.
• Read with a pencil or fine-tipped pen that allows you to underline without bleeding through to the other side. Mark phrases and verses that stand out to you.
• Find one thing in the passage you read to pray about. It could be about God and His character, or how you're to live, or a truth that you've been reminded of.
• Close your time in prayer. Don't begin with requests, but begin with praise. Praise God for what you saw of Him in His Word. Then seek His forgiveness for any sins that God has made you aware of since you last prayed. Thank Him for the grace He has extended to us through Christ and ask for His help in living for Him as you continue your day.
  • This is the ACTS pattern: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication.

Don't let this summer be a break that breaks the good habits you've built. But remember, the goal isn't a perfect record. God's pleasure in you isn't dependent on whether you had a quiet time today. His Word is simply too good to ignore!! Plan now, and look forward to what He has for you to discover.