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As a Christian we want to live for Jesus. We want to walk with Him, talk with Him, love like Him. But there comes a time when we realize we can’t do that in our own strength. We can’t just wake up and decide we’re going to get it right today. We need Him to help us. We need Him to walk with us. He is our strength.
For a long time, I thought I needed to do big things to impress God—as if I could win His approval by how much I did or how hard I worked. But what God really wants is my heart. He wants me to walk with Him, to love Him, to know Him.
Every day is an invitation to walk with Jesus. He’s not asking us to perform for Him; He’s inviting us to draw near.
Jesus Found Me
When I became a Christian in my early twenties, Jesus became real to me. I finally saw Him with spiritual eyes and realized He wasn’t just a story from Sunday school—He was alive, and He loved me.
In those early days, I couldn’t get enough of the Bible. I would spend hours reading, praying, and studying. And some wise people told me, “Start your day with Jesus. Make Him your first priority.”
That became a habit for me, like brushing my teeth. If I didn’t spend that quiet time with the Lord, my day felt off. I carried that habit through my single years, through college, and into marriage.
When Life Got Full
But then life changed. I became a working mom with three small children, all under the age of four. My days were packed with work, motherhood, ministry, and just trying to keep everyone fed and alive.
I remember thinking, “If I could just quit my job, I would have more time for everything—including time with the Lord.” But I quickly learned that being a stay-at-home mom doesn’t magically create more time. In fact, I felt like I had even less. There was no drive time, no lunch break, no chance to be alone.
I found myself in a season where I physically couldn’t spend long stretches of time in the Word like I used to. And for a while, I felt guilty about that. I thought I was failing Jesus.
But He showed me that I was putting expectations on myself that He never put on me. He knew my season. He knew my heart. He wasn’t asking me for hours I didn’t have. He was asking me to invite Him into my day—just as it was.
Finding Jesus in the Small Moments
That’s when I started filling the pockets of my day with Jesus.
I began each morning with a simple prayer: “Jesus, I need You today. Please walk with me. Please give me strength to love my family well.”
I made breakfast our devotional time because that’s when my kids were quiet and listening. I counted that as time with the Lord because it mattered. It mattered to them. It mattered to me. And it mattered to God.
While I cleaned the kitchen, I listened to Bible podcasts or short devotionals to keep my heart anchored in the Word. I put note cards with Scripture around the house—on the fridge, by the sink—anywhere I would see them. I found that the small, simple reminders were powerful.
Even my children became part of this rhythm. One of my boys once painted a sign that said “Love and be kind.” I hung it on the refrigerator, and it became a daily reminder to slow down, love well, and be kind—especially when I felt my patience running thin.
I also found that time in the shower—those precious, uninterrupted moments—became a sanctuary where I could pray and process.
Jesus Meets Us in Our Season
It might look different now. It might not look like it used to. And that’s okay. Jesus meets us where we are. He honors the small, faithful steps. He’s not waiting for you to do more; He’s waiting for you to walk with Him.
He understands the demands on your life. He knows when you’re tired. And He isn’t disappointed in you.
What matters is that you invite Him in—into the chaos, into the quiet, into the ordinary moments.
Why I Share This
This is why I write the things I write and why I started Grace for My Home. Because there were times when a short blog post or a five-minute podcast was exactly the encouragement I needed to keep going. God used those little moments to remind me that He was with me.
That’s why I created my devotional book, Covered in Prayer: 31 Prayers to Cover You and Your Children in God’s Grace. And that’s why I’m working on a daily devotional podcast—so you can have quick, meaningful encouragement right in the middle of your busy day.
We need these reminders. We need each other. We need Jesus.
I want to cheer you on, the way others have cheered me on. I want to remind you: you’re doing a great job. You can do this. You can walk with Jesus today.
You Can Walk With Him Today
If you feel overwhelmed, if you feel like you’re not doing enough, I want to tell you: you’re doing better than you think.
Jesus is not asking you to impress Him. He’s inviting you to walk with Him.
Start your day with a simple prayer. Find the pockets of time you can fill with His presence. Let Him renew your mind with Scripture, even in the small moments.
You can grow closer to Jesus—right here, right now, in the middle of your real life.
With grace, Audrey
© Audrey McCracken Creatives LLC, 2025
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