Sunrises. I am so thankful to be living in a world in which God paints a new sunrise every morning.

Dawn, followed by a glorious sunrise, is my favorite time of day. It’s the quiet stillness before the world wakes up, when I get to sit and be still and think, followed by the awakening of the world—the birds (especially in the spring and summer), the traffic, the sun. The sun, when we can see it, announces the new day in such a beautiful, glorious way—oranges, reds, pinks, purples and blues mingling together with cloud grays and whites. Every morning it’s different, and photos can never capture its complete beauty. (That doesn’t stop me from trying.)

For me, the morning is the time to sit down and be with God. To read my Bible, to pray, to journal. And when I get to enjoy the sunrise, what a blessing it is. Mornings really are new beginnings, sunrises a reminder that each day holds something beautiful, something to be thankful for, a blessing from the Lord.

Lord, help me to carry the reminder of the beauty of the artistry in your work throughout the day. If you do that with the sunrise, I can’t wait to see what you’re doing with me.