In the short span of what 2025 has been, God has already been moving in my life in a huge way.

Last year, I tried to read the Bible in a year and found that “fitting it in when I had time” often ended up with me quickly reading through my chapters or listening to them just to check a box of “being in the word.”

Around May, when final exams and life got busy, it inevitably was easy to just put that box at the bottom of my growing to-do list. Or the Sundays before a Monday exam, to sleep in, because “I needed the sleep” more.

Something clicked in me December of this past year, when I was reflecting on who I wanted to be and what practices I wanted to implement for myself in the new year. I had seen some tiktok of a girl explaining that HABITUAL time with the Lord is the true way to have a relationship with Him. I realized that yes, I’ve grown up with faith and yes, He’s always been my fall-back, but when you don’t start or end a day with Him, it’s so much easier to go through every day with a circumstantial mindset.

I realized that essentially, if I go up to the door but don’t knock, I can’t turn around and expect the door to open and to be let inside. You can’t have a close relationship from outside your friend’s house.

Though it’s only been 22 days of this year, starting my day off with Christ has been so refreshing. If I were to offer encouragement to someone that wants to grow closer to the Lord but doesn’t know how, I’d say just start with some time, an open heart, and an open Bible. His yoke is light and the reward of His presence in your life far outweighs the sacrifices to make for time with Him. My days are lighter, hard situations are easier, and I feel an abundance of peace and gratitude.

This is the yoke of our Lord! He gives good gifts to His children and desires deep communal connections with each of us <3