As Christian women, we all want to nurture our relationship with God on a daily basis. Finding time to spend with the Lord isn’t as easy as most women would like it to be, though. Between juggling work, raising children, and managing households, the average prayer during the week for most women sounds something like, “Thank you, Lord, for getting me through another day.” Fortunately, there are simple steps even the busiest Christian woman can take to enhance her prayer life on a daily basis. Check them out:

Make Prayer a Part of Your Daily Routine

If I am being honest I find it difficult to cut out time to meditate and pray.. Running errands, taking care of babies, and other pressing matters can easily take precedence over nurturing your prayer life if you don’t intentionally set aside time to talk to God. To make sure that your prayer life doesn’t get pushed to the back burner, find a time that you can realistically devote a few moments each day to the Lord. Once you find a time that works for you, write it down in your planner so that you don’t forget, then stick to it. Before you know it, stepping away from the chaos to collect your thoughts and pray will be something you look forward to each day.

Choose the Right Place to Pray

While you can pray anywhere, some places are certainly better than others to help you get the most out of your time with God. When considering where the best spot may be, try to find somewhere that’s:

• Quiet
• Calming
• Distraction-free

The living room first thing in the morning when your family is running around getting ready for work and school probably isn’t the best option. Sitting down at the breakfast room table before everyone wakes up may be a good option. Another wonderful place to clear your mind and focus on prayer is outside. Enjoying a cup of coffee on your patio or strolling around your neighborhood in the evening are great opportunities to disconnect from your device, take in the beauty of God’s creation, and devote a few minutes to praying.

Incorporate Prayer into Your Morning Ritual

Prayer doesn’t always have to include stepping away from your life. It can just as easily be done while you carry on with your everyday responsibilities, such as getting ready in the morning. Listening to the Bible, a Christian podcast, or religious music while you cook breakfast or run errands is an effortless way to enhance your prayer life without adding another task to your daily to-do list. Best of all, it will start your day on the right foot by directing your mind to God’s goodness.

Write Down Your Thoughts to Pray About Later

Sometimes prayer intentions or ideas will come to you while you’re in the middle of doing something important, but when you go to pray about them later, you can’t remember the intentions anymore. To keep your conversations with God fruitful and ensure that you never forget an important prayer intention that comes to you when you’re busy, record your thoughts in your planner. Writing down the things you’d like to pray about later will also provide a record of ideas that you can use during prayer time in the future. For instance, on a day when you can’t think of anything to say to God, you can reference the planner for things you thought to pray about in the past. 

Find a Prayer Partner

Just as it can be effective to have a buddy hold you accountable when you’re trying to get into shape, it can also be helpful to have a friend encourage your prayer life. A great way to find a prayer partner is by joining a Bible study or women’s small group. By surrounding yourself with other women who are interested in growing closer to the Lord and incorporating him in their lives, you can foster your relationship with him, too. This way, when you feel lazy or unmotivated in your prayer life, your prayer partner can give you the encouragement you need to keep going.

Keep it Short

If you think that prayer time has to be lengthy, complicated, or fully planned out, think again. Your prayers can be as short and simple as you’d like them to be. Think of praying as talking to a friend. Sometimes, you only have five minutes to text a loved one to check in with them, and that’s ok. The same is true with God. You don’t have to dedicate an hour a day or have everything you’d like to say premeditated. Like with any good friend, it’s often the little moments that you spend together that make the biggest impact. 

Journal

When you can’t seem to get your thoughts straight or you have a lot on your mind, writing in a journal is an effective way to get everything out. To help get the conversation between you and God flowing through journaling, set the mood by lighting a candle, turning on soft music, and stepping away from the busyness of the world. If you haven’t kept a journal since childhood, don’t fret. There’s no wrong way to write down what’s on your mind. You may be surprised by how therapeutic it can be when you give it a try.

Use a Planner with Bible Verses

Little things can make a big difference in redirecting your mind to God as you go about your day. Just like placing a picture of your children on your desk will help you think about them as you work, using a planner with Bible verses incorporated on the pages is a wonderful way to lift your mind to the Lord when you may be focused on other responsibilities. A few simple words from Scripture may be all it takes for you to take a deep breath, focus on your blessings, and tackle whatever your day holds with courage and peace.

Finding time to talk with God in the midst of a busy schedule, doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. Find a place, such as your planner, to write down prayer lists, or plan your day so there is opportunity to pray and meditate.