Welcome back, friends! Summer is here! No more school and no more routines which sounds like a good thing! But without a normal routine, we can start to feel disconnected, drifting through our days without truly connecting to our faith or each other.
To help, I introduced a new series, Establishing New Rhythms in Summer: Embracing Ordinary Time. Over the next week, we’ll be exploring how we can embrace these new laid back rhythms of summer while also establishing easy rhythms that draw us closer to God and strengthen our connections with each other.
Today I wanted to focus on the rhythm of Praying Together.
As soon as summer starts, one of the first rhythms that absolutely falls apart for my family is praying together. We do so well praying together before bed during the school year but with the sleepovers and late bedtimes of summer, our nightly routine comes to a crashing halt. It makes me so sad when this happens because we all know that prayer is such a beautiful rhythm that brings peace, gratitude, and spiritual growth into our everyday moments. It also brings us together as a family.
To help you and your family establish a new rhythm of prayer in the midst of summer, here are some easy yet enriching ideas:
Morning Praise Walks
Begin your summer mornings with a family praise walk. As you stroll through your neighborhood, a local park, or a nature trail, take turns expressing gratitude for the new day and its blessings. Use this time to marvel at God’s creation—the blooming flowers, the chirping birds, the warmth of the sun. This practice transforms a simple walk into a sacred time of connection and thanksgiving. It’s a beautiful way to start the day with a grateful heart and a focus on God’s presence in our lives.
Outdoor Evening Compline
As the day winds down, gather outside for evening prayer. Light a candle, a lantern, or a fire, and recite Compline together. Compline is a beautiful, simple liturgy for the end of the day. The tranquil outdoor setting can make this ancient practice feel especially peaceful and grounding. The gentle glow of the candle, the sounds of nature, and the quiet stillness of the evening create a serene atmosphere for reflection and prayer. This nightly routine provides a beautiful closure to your day, helping you to rest in God’s peace.
Creative Prayer Journals
Encourage each family member to keep a summer prayer journal. Include not just written prayers, but also drawings, pressed flowers, and reflections on your days. Share these journals with each other weekly, celebrating how God is moving in each of your lives. This creative outlet can help everyone feel more connected and intentional in their faith journey. It’s a tangible way to document your spiritual growth and the ways God is working in your life throughout the summer.
I love these journals because they are unlined (great for drawing or painting) and the cover can be decorated!
Ordinary Time is a time for growth, reflection, and deepening our faith. By making prayer a rhythm of this season, we invite the sacred into our everyday summer moments. Let’s embrace this slower pace, delight in our prayers, and cherish the time we spend in God’s presence. Here’s to a summer filled with faith, family, and the joyous rhythms of praying together!
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