But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

– Luke 5:16

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Sometimes, I have a hard time making space and time for my own relationships, particularly my relationship with God. It’s easy to get caught up in helping loved ones, making sure they have everything they need. The list of things I can do to help my husband on his bad health days is more than enough to eat up my entire day.

But the longer we’ve been married, and the more challenging we’ve found things, the more I’ve missed my old college days when I’d take my “walks with Jesus.” I’d wander the streets of Chicago, praying for an hour making my way through crowds of people who didn’t know me and wouldn’t stop to ask me for help.

Jesus often went to the mountainside to pray alone. His relationship with God was the most important thing for Him. We can learn from His example and withdraw ourselves, even if it’s to the crowded streets of a busy city. We need to step away from our responsibilities to have time without interruption to let God take care of us.

And for me, the simple act of walking alone, without my phone out, without a human companion beside me, gives me that precious time, even if just for 20 minutes.

God, thank you for meeting with me in my limited moments. Please help me to have more time for you; time when I can step away from everything else and just talk to you and listen to your Word. I need you more today than I did yesterday. I love you.