Sadie, our five-year-old granddaughter, dumped her prized collection onto the counter: a clump of moss, lichen-covered sticks, dirt-encrusted rocks, and a Y-shaped twig.
With a smile, she pulled me into a tight hug. “Gigi, that was fun. We found cool treasures on our walk.”
After my walking buddy added yellow dandelion flowers to the pile, she shared the news. “Mommy, come see what we found. I found more than Gigi. Gigi didn’t even see the sparkly rocks.”
Sadie had observed things I’d missed, like the mica-infused rocks she picked up. While we chatted, we washed the rocks with a toothbrush until the mica sparkled in the sunlight beaming through the kitchen window.
“Sadie, isn’t God amazing? He creates so many beautiful things for us to see. We almost missed the dandelions, but you spotted them.”
Our conversation led me to wonder how much of God’s bounty we miss. Busy schedules and a noisy world often deafen and blind us to His goodness.
Besides the wonders of creation which remind us of His presence and power, He provides “every good gift and every perfect gift” (James 1:17). He offers messages of His love, protection, and guidance. He gives us opportunities to serve others.
Questions to Consider and Actions to Take
How many of God’s treasures do we find each day, and how many do we miss?
How can we sharpen our observation skills?
Prayer and Bible study honor God and attune our hearts to His. Whether we set our clocks earlier or designate a later time of day, we need time to talk with Him, to be still in His presence and listen.
Morning prayers awaken us to notice God’s blessings. Even when the day starts faster than we anticipate and promises to be busier than a five-year-old on Saturday morning, we can voice prayers from Scripture before our heads leave the pillow.
Find verses to mark in your Bible or write them in a bedside journal. When you wake up, read the passage as a prayer. Add your personal greeting to the Lord, your praise, and requests. You’ll soon memorize the verses and pray them from your heart before your eyes open.
Morning prayers awaken us to notice God’s blessings. @JeannieWaters44 #Family #Prayer
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Scripture to Pray
My favorite morning prayer directs my attention to God and tunes my ears to His guidance:
Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust. Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You.
Psalm 143:8
These verses remind us to pray and look to Him:
Give heed to the voice of my cry, my King and my God. For to You I will pray. My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.
Psalm 5:2-3
This prayer asks for alignment of our words and thoughts with God’s:
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:14
When we lack wisdom in trials, we can offer this verse in prayer:
Father, your Word tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). I commit this trial to You, Lord and ask for Your wisdom.
Benefits of Morning Prayer
God has planned each treasure-filled day of our lives. Some gifts bring smiles, like a child’s giggle or a friend’s encouragement. A hymn of praise fosters worship and gratitude. A cool breeze or the smell of freshly cut grass helps us take a deep breath and rest for a moment.
Difficult moments may camouflage benefits. Tucked into a family challenge, God offers grace to endure. Hidden in a toddler’s temper tantrum may lie a lesson about our lack of contentment or insistence on our own way. Sandwiched between an unexpected bill and a pending decision, we can find a reminder to seek God’s wisdom.
Our heavenly Father sprinkles messages like sparkly rocks and wildflowers onto our pathway each day. Morning prayers based on God’s Word awaken our hearts to look and listen for His presence and His blessings.
Are you in a storm, seeking assurance of His peace? Do reminders of the Lord’s presence help you battle loneliness or despair? Would assurance of His power help you fight the enemies of fear and worry?
Start your treasure hunt each day with morning prayers and revel in the blessings you’ll discover along the way. Offer a prayer of thanksgiving for the Father’s goodness and determine to find more of His gifts today.
How do you seek God’s daily treasures?
(All verses are taken from the NKJV)
Morning Prayers: Opening Our Eyes to God’s Treasures @JeannieWaters44 #Parenthood #Prayer
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in the Quiver 
This is beautiful, Jeannie. In today’s world we need more stillness with God….more focus on His Word and blessings. And may we never lose the ability to see beauty in the little things like children do. Love you, sweet friend. Thanks for sharing this meaningful post.
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Linda, I’m glad you found a blessing in the post, and I appreciate your kind words, dear friend. Love you, too. What a wonderful reminder you included: “And may we never lose the ability to see beauty in the little things like children do.”
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Jeannie, such a beautiful post. A timely reminder for me to slow down and take time to see the beauty of God and His promises.
I love this, “Our heavenly Father sprinkles messages like sparkly rocks and wildflowers onto our pathway each day.” May I look for God’s blessings, sparkly rocks and wildflowers along my way and find peace in knowing of His goodness and love for me.
Also, may I continue to seek Him when I am in the midst of moments that might camouflage my view of His goodness.
Thank you for the wonderful reminder of morning prayers and to open our eyes to the treasures He has for us each day.
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Dawn, I share the desires you mentioned in your comments. God honors our time with Him and awakens our awareness of His blessings, doesn’t He? Thanks so much for reading In the Quiver and sharing your thoughts.
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Those precious moments with our grandchildren are the best! Like for you, my sweet girl can point our things I miss on our walks. I think our Father gives children special insight to remind us of important things. Thank you for sharing this scripture to support our prayer life and start our day off on the right path.
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I’m glad you have those sweet times, too, Katherine. Children teach us so much about discovery and joy. I think adults could use more of both on most days to awaken our hearts to God’s blessings. Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts.
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God’s treasures are everywhere. I love the excitement and faith of Sadie as she saw the value in what adults would pass over as not worth picking up. We can take the same lessons in every day life. Blessings are valuable whether small or large.
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Barbara, I agree blessings are blessings whether large or small. Children remind us to open our eyes to creation and the Holy Spirit reminds us of truth. Thanks for reading.
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Another inspiring and encouraging post Ms. Jeannie. It’s easy to see why In The Quiver is one of my favorite blogs to visit. Like your little Miss Sadie, I find I discover more when I’m closer to it. My morning “God time” sets up my entire day as I feel closer, more connected, to God throughout the day. When that happens, I’m able to see more of God’s wonder and beauty all around me. I’ve long believed that “Less world, More Word” is the key to surviving and overcoming this world we live in. Your post today proves it. God’s blessings ma’am; and I pray you and your grands have many more “Discovery Days” ahead.
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J.D., I agree morning times with God tune our spiritual eyes and ears for his lessons and other blessings. I like your connection of little people being physically closer to the treasures of nature and believers drawing close to God. He welcomes us at any hour, but I prefer morning Bible study and prayer. Thanks for your wise words.
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What a sweet, sweet journey of discovery for your granddaughter and you! You may have missed the dandelions, but you certainly perceived the presence of God. And now we’re inspired to seek Him and see evidences of His presence with us. Love this!
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What a kind message, Charla. Children and creation help us notice the blessings, don’t they?
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This is such an encouraging post filled with excellent practical help, Jeannie. Each day is a treasure hunt, if only we’ll seek Him. I find it helpful to specifically ask God every day to show me something He’s doing. He never disappoints.
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I love your idea, Annie, to ask God to reveal part of His work each day. What a great way to build a gratitude list. Thanks so much for your comments.
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What a beautiful post Jeannie. I love these kind of special moments with my grandchildren. It is a blessing to be able to share my faith with them too. Thanks for sharing.
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Yes, I agree it’s an honor to share our faith with children. As adults, we sometimes live life too seriously. It’s refreshing to view the world through the eyes of a child and ask God to open our eyes to His blessings. Thanks, Yvonne.
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So many wonderful verses to tune our hearts to God first thing in the morning! Thank you, Jeannie, for these treasures!
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I’m glad you found a blessing in the post, Kathy. I love verses that help me lift my heart to the Lord. Thanks for reading.
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