Most of us reach for something almost immediately after waking up.
The alarm.
The phone.
Messages.
Email.
The news.
Our list of everything that needs to be done.
Before our feet even touch the floor, our minds can already be filled with the worries of the day.
But what if tomorrow morning we did something different?
What if the first person we spoke to was Jesus?
Before the World Gets Your Attention
There will always be something demanding our attention.
Work needs us.
Our families need us.
Our phones want us.
The world gives us an endless stream of things to think about, worry about, and respond to.
But before giving everyone else our attention, we can give a few minutes to God.
The Psalmist prays:
“O Lord, in the morning thou shalt hear my voice.” — Psalm 5:4
Imagine beginning each morning by simply saying:
“Good morning, Jesus. This day belongs to You.”
Give Him the Day Before You Know What It Holds
We don't know what will happen today.
There may be wonderful news.
There may be an unexpected difficulty.
Someone may test our patience.
A prayer may be answered.
Another prayer may require more waiting.
There may be something God asks us to surrender.
So before any of it happens, offer it to Him.
“Jesus, I give You everything that happens today—the good, the difficult, my work, my conversations, my worries, my joys, and my crosses. Use all of it for Your glory.”
Now even an ordinary day has become an offering.
Give Him the Person You're Worried About
Maybe there is already someone on your mind when you wake up.
Your spouse.
Your child.
A parent.
A friend.
Someone who is sick.
Someone who has fallen away from the Faith.
Someone facing a difficult situation.
Instead of spending the morning worrying about them, place them immediately into God's hands.
“Jesus, take care of _____ today. Protect them, guide them, strengthen them, and bring them closer to You.”
Then say a Hail Mary for them.
You may not be able to accompany that person everywhere today.
But their Guardian Angel can.
And God is already there.
Give Him Your Work
Your job can become part of your prayer life too.
Before beginning work, say:
“Jesus, I offer You my work today.”
Offer Him the frustrating task.
The difficult coworker.
The long commute.
The dishes.
The laundry.
The paperwork.
The appointment you don't want to attend.
The ordinary things nobody notices.
Holiness isn't reserved for monasteries and convents.
Some of our greatest opportunities to love God are hidden inside very ordinary days.
Read Just a Few Verses of Scripture
You don't need to read three chapters before leaving the house.
Read five verses.
Take one verse with you.
Maybe it is:
“Jesus, I trust in You.”
Or:
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” — Psalm 22:1
Or:
“I can do all things in him who strengtheneth me.” — Philippians 4:13
Return to that verse throughout the day.
Let God's Word become louder than your worries.
Try Ten Minutes
Tomorrow morning, before scrolling through your phone, try this:
2 minutes: Thank God for another day.
2 minutes: Offer Him your work, family, and intentions.
3 minutes: Read a short passage from the Gospel.
2 minutes: Pray an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.
1 minute: Sit quietly and say, “Jesus, I trust in You.”
Ten minutes.
That's less time than many of us spend scrolling without even realizing it.
Then Watch What Changes
This isn't a formula promising that every day will suddenly become peaceful.
The traffic may still be terrible.
The children may still be difficult.
Work may still be stressful.
The problem you've been praying about may still be there tomorrow.
But you may begin approaching those things differently.
Instead of beginning the day carrying everything yourself, you have already placed it into God's hands.
Instead of allowing fear to have the first word, Jesus does.
Give God Your First, Not Only Your Leftovers
Sometimes God receives whatever energy we have left at the end of the day.
We give hours to everything else and then whisper a hurried prayer as we're falling asleep.
What if we gave Him our first few minutes instead?
Start small.
Tomorrow morning, don't reach for your phone first.
Make the Sign of the Cross.
And say:
“Good morning, Jesus. Thank You for another day. I give You my family, my work, my plans, my worries, my unanswered prayers, and everything that will happen today. Help me recognize You throughout this day. Keep me close to You and make everything I do an offering of love. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.”
Then begin your day.
And the next morning, come back again.
Ten minutes. Every morning. Just you and Jesus.
Perhaps growing closer to God doesn't always begin with doing something enormous.
Sometimes it begins by simply deciding:
“Jesus, You get the first part of my day.”
