The other day my daughter asked for a marker. I handed her one, and the next thing I knew I saw her writing on her hand with a sharpie! I asked her what she was doing, and she explained to me she was reminding herself to do devotions that night. You see, my 14-year old daughter has a hard time remembering things, staying organized, and managing her time. So, her solution to “not forget” to prioritize her relationship with God was to write a “D” on her hand.
I love her heart. I’m not sure she remembered to pull out her little devotional that night. Chances are she was on her bedroom floor, surrounded by paints, nail polish, and half-done art projects. Chances are she lost track of time and realized by the time I came to turn her light off she had forgotten about her devotions.
I’ve questioned at times how good of a job my husband and I are doing at instilling a solid faith in our daughters. Reading and comprehension have been academic challenges for them, so reading the Bible hasn’t really taken off for them yet. Life gets so hectic that even though we plan on family devotions in the evenings, sometimes our follow through is a little spotty.
Yet, I know that God sees my daughter’s heart and I know that he is pursuing her. Nearly every time she comes home from youth group, she comes home glowing, explaining how she had a God-moment during the worship experience. We continue to ask God for wisdom in how to help her establish her own connection with him so that when she leaves our home, she’ll be solid in her faith.
The fact that she wrote that “D” on her hand tells me that she is looking for a way to make God a priority in her life. It gives me confidence that although life is hectic and she is forgetful, she sees the importance and is looking for creative ways to make sure she spends time with him.
If daily devotions are not a part of your routine, I encourage you to find a way to write a “D” into your life every day. It may not be on your hand with a sharpie. But possibly on your calendar? Or maybe a sticky note on your mirror? Whatever it takes, however creative you need to be, I pray that you can squeeze time into your day for Jesus, even in the most hectic of seasons.
Holli Aparicio is a homeschooling mom to Lydia (13) and Sofia (12) and a lover of all things prayer. She has served in prayer ministry roles at Substance Church, Prayer Ventures and Arise Ministries and as a guest writer for the Substance Moms Blog. When she isn’t busy homeschooling her two daughters, she takes great joy in equipping others to encounter God in prayer and hear his voice through workshops and retreats. She lives with her husband, Ricardo, and her two lovely daughters in Maple Grove, Minnesota.