The sun is just starting to rise outside my window. I’m walking on my treadmill and wishing for coffee. While I’ve managed to get my feet moving this morning, I’m having trouble getting my mouth to do the same. I’m in a challenging season and want to talk with God about it, but I can’t find the words to say. Have you ever felt the same?
My dear friend, cohost of the More than Small Talk podcast, and fellow author Suzie Eller says this in her new book, Prayer Starters…
Trusting God can feel fragile in hard seasons. Some of us grew up in church, and we sang the words from that classic song: ‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus…. Then circumstances or an event or a season made us question what that looks like. When we are in a difficult place—physically, emotionally, or spiritually—we may feel as if we are reaching for Jesus with all our might but aren’t sure how to talk to God about what we are going through.
Suzie created a podcast to go with her book too and as I continue walking on my treadmill, I press play on a 3-minute episode just as I have been every morning. She shares a short devotional and a prayer starter, then invites me to talk with Jesus too. It’s enough to get me started.
I tell God I feel weary and wounded, that I’m struggling to move forward. I share the deep confusion I feel about what’s next. I ask for help.
I don’t instantly receive a magical cure for what ails my heart. But it is a beginning to my day being better than it was before, to breathing in new grace. And I’m finding so often that’s what I need—to simply get started.
Say the first word of a prayer.
Take the first step on a walk.
Make the first decision to get out of bed and try again.
Because without firsts, nothing else comes after. I can get caught up in grand plans, big dreams, and idealized visions of what could be. But even the longest, most glorious adventure starts with a single step. Even the most profound, soul-stirring conversation begins with one word.
“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin” (Zech. 4:10).
Maybe the work He’s calling you to is an impossible project.
Maybe it’s a person who’s struggling right now.
Maybe, like it is for me, it’s embracing the process of healing.
Whatever your work is, God is not asking you to get it all done today. He is inviting you to simply get started—one moment, one prayer, one step with Him. He will meet you where you are, He will get you where you need to go.
Gratefully,
Holley
Are you finding it hard to pray sometimes too? Suzie’s book Prayer Starters: Talking with God about Hard Times and her podcast will help! I start most mornings with Suzie’s words, and they truly make a difference in my day.
