It’s another cool, gray and misty day here in the evergreens! Days like this certainly have been plentiful this year, and we are itching for some warm sunny weather! As I moan and groan to my loved ones around the country, I’m quickly met with a “must be nice!” considering I grew up in Arizona where they have already welcomed triple digit weather, and my friends in Kansas are experiencing anything but consistent weather. One thing days like this are made for? Curling up in a comfy spot and getting some reading in!

Reading in this chapter of my life is somewhat of a rare treasure. As I work full-time and am busy raising a young family, a day can rush by before I even think of opening a book. I sure have a lovely collection of books though, for that someday when I have more time to read. I might have a problem….my ratio of books to my somedays is definitely out of balance! Still though, it’s important to me to find time where I can, quiet things down, and escape between the pages.

I wanted to share with you one of the books I am loving right now, and how I’ve fit it into my busy schedule! Living a life of abundance in this season, definitely does not imply that I have an abundance of free time, it just means I have to get a little creative and make the most of my minutes! A spot where I have some minutes to spare? That early, groggy, and fairly painful spot of just waking up in the morning, and anxiously awaiting my coffee to brew. Let me be honest with you….mornings are ugly for me and anyone who crosses paths with me. I’m not a morning person, unless I’ve been up so late that I now have greeted the wee hours into the sunrise. To get my head and heart aligned with a more successful path to my day, takes work, and over the last year, I’ve tried to be more intentional with the first few minutes that introduce my day.

Sitting next to my coffee brewer in the mornings, is a devotional called Devotions from the Front Porch by Stacy Edwards. It’s a lovely book filled with devotions, all accompanied by beautiful snapshots of life’s simple and sweetest moments. Each devotion is short in length, yet filled with relatable experiences that help me to align my heart for the morning. I love that in the time it takes for me to tap the brew button for my morning coffee and fill my cup, I can easily read a devotion or two. Each devotion is centered around a specific verse, connecting life’s everyday with valuable lessons and reminders. One devotion considers soaking in the scripture just as one soaks their cornbread in buttermilk. While soggy cornbread doesn’t sound particular appealing to me, I can’t help but smile, because I’m reminded of a beloved neighbor back in Kansas who used to tell me how he’d get up in the late night, crumble some of dinner’s leftover cornbread in a glass, and pour buttermilk over it to enjoy as a late night snack. Oh how I smile thinking of that wonderful man whom I miss so much. I’m thankful for a devotion that reminds me of fond memories, and that to truly delight in the Lord, means spending time in the word and the goodness of God.

There are so many devotions I could tell you about in this delightful book, but I think for it to really soak in, you just have to read for yourself! One of my goals here in our time together, is to share with you ways I find abundance in my every day, and today, it’s really about finding abundance in the marginal moments. My morning coffee brew time is on the fringe of a day not yet quite started, but still ample enough to set my intention for the day. I look forward to spending time with The One who is always ready to greet me at my coffee brewer. I hope you’ll give it a try and see if these minutes are meaningful for you as well! Having my devotional out next to my coffee each morning, reminds me that I have a Father who would love to welcome me to the day, offering more encouragement than scrolling through the morning’s earliest social media posts.

So friend, I encourage you, dust off a devotional or uplifting story you haven’t read in a while, and place it next to your morning coffee or tea. Better yet, grab yourself a copy of Devotions from the Front Porch so you can tell me what you think! I’d love to hear if sharing these few moments with The One who loves you most, has been a positive start to your day!