Monday has already started stacking itself by the door: the inbox, the laundry, the people who need something. Before any of it gets a turn, find one quiet corner. A porch step, a parked car, the edge of the bed will do.
"And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed." — Mark 1:35 (KJV)
This morning's prayer Lord Jesus, the whole town was pounding on your door, and you still walked out into the dark to find your Father. Teach me that. Today my phone will buzz and my list will shout, and every voice will sound urgent. Here, before they start, let me hear yours. Tell me what is mine to carry and what I can set down. Give me a clear yes for the right things and a calm no for the rest. Warm my hands around this cup. Let the stillness settle in my chest like sunlight on a floor. Then send me out the way you went, unhurried, glad, and sure of where I belong. Amen.