“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” — Mark 1:35

Most of the time, I know what I need to do—and sometimes, I even know how to do it. But the real struggle? The follow-through.

It’s turning good intentions into actual action.

I know I should eat cleaner foods instead of swinging through the Chick-fil-A drive-thru (again). I know I should prioritize exercise over Netflix. I know I need to be at church on Sunday and small group on Wednesday instead of parked at the ball field. I know I need more time in prayer and the Word—and less time scrolling Instagram.

I don’t need another self-help book to tell me what’s missing. But the gap between knowing and doing? That’s where I often feel stuck; that’s where my hustle starts to fall apart. 

So how do we bridge that gap? How do we move from wishful thinking to purposeful living—into rhythms that actually fill our souls and center our hearts on Jesus so that we can live for him? 

Well, if you’ve got a Bible—and I hope you do—turn with me to Mark chapter 1. Jesus gives us a clue.

Before going out to preach in Galilee that day, Jesus did something that might surprise us: He prayed.

“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.”

Here’s the Son of God—carrying the weight of His public ministry, healing the sick, casting out demons, proclaiming the kingdom—and yet before the sun rises, He gets away to a quiet place. To pray. To be with the Father.

Let’s look at what Jesus did—and how we can follow His example.

Step 1: Rise “very early in the morning, while it is still dark”

Jesus woke up early—before anyone else. While Scripture doesn’t explain why, if your life looks anything like mine, you can probably guess!

Life is busy. Chaotic. Loud. As soon as the day begins (usually with the sound of little feet running down the hall), the whirlwind starts: breakfast, clothes, backpacks, lunches, school, work, workouts, dinner, homework, baths—rinse and repeat. Most days, I start with the best of intentions, only to blink and realize it’s 10 p.m., I’m mentally and physically drained, and my to-do list is still half full.

I believe Jesus woke up early because He knew His time with the Father was the most important part of His day. Before the needs of the crowd, the demands of ministry, or the distractions of life, He prioritized communion with the Father. He couldn’t pour out unless He was first filled up.

So what does that look like practically?

Set a consistent bedtime and wake-up time—for yourself and your kids. You might be thinking, “Okay, I’m not a child!” But hear me out. One of the main reasons we’re running on empty is because we’ve never interrupted the cycle of mental, physical, and spiritual exhaustion.

We stay up late trying to tackle our to-do list or binge one more episode (or ten). Then we wake up groggy, rushing around, yelling at the kids like it’s their fault we were up until midnight laughing at Instagram reels.

It’s time to take back control of your mornings. Here’s how:

• Ask: What time do I need to be up to start my day peacefully?
• Subtract 30 minutes for quiet time with Jesus.
• Set your bedtime based on how much sleep your body needs (mine is 8 hours), and set your kids’ bedtime 30 minutes before yours.

Real-life example:
To get everyone out the door on time, I need to wake up at 5:30 a.m. So I set my alarm for 5:00 a.m. to give me 30 minutes alone with Jesus. That means I go to bed at 9:00 p.m., and the kids are in bed by 8:30.

Is it challenging? YES. Are we perfect at it? NOPE. Do we have nights where it’s not possible? Absolutely. But we have a plan, and that makes all the difference. Honestly, if we hit this rhythm five nights a week, I call that a win. Show yourself grace—but take the next step of faithfulness. God will meet you there.

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Step 2: Go to a “desolate place”

Jesus “departed and went out to a desolate place.”

We need a time and place to get alone with God.

And yes, it needs to happen before your kids wake up—and without your phone. Once the notifications start, or the kids are up, there’s no more peace. You’re not focused. And you’re not alone. I’ve even tried hiding in my closet—but it’s hard to hear from God when a toddler is banging on the door asking for milk and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

If Jesus needed a quiet, desolate place to seek the Father, how much more do we—people easily distracted by everything—need the same? We need space to let God actually renew our souls, to let His Word soak into our hearts, to allow the Holy Spirit to intercede on our behalf (Romans 8:26–27).

We treat Jesus like a Starbucks order—grab Him to-go and hope it fuels us through the day. And while there’s nothing wrong with worshiping on your commute (I absolutely do!), that cannot replace undistracted time with the Lord in the quiet.

So choose a spot: Your closet. Your desk. Your kitchen table. Your garage. The location doesn’t matter. The lack of distraction does.

Jesus needed a moment where no one needed to be healed, no one had a question, no one was hungry. Doesn’t that resonate with you? It sure does with me. You are allowed to protect this space. Unless someone’s bleeding or the house is on fire, everything else can wait. 

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Step 3: Remember our dependence on the Father

Mark 1:35 ends with: “and there He prayed.”

Jesus—God in the flesh—prayed.

Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus experience the same physical and emotional limitations we do. He was hungry (Matthew 4:2–3), tired (John 4:6), and He wept (John 11:35). And before His arrest, we see Jesus cry out in deep agony:

“Being in agony, He prayed more earnestly; and His sweat became like great drops of blood falling to the ground.” — Luke 22:44

Jesus prayed as He started his day. Jesus prayed as He carried on his ministry, and on the way to the cross, Jesus prayed. 

Later, in Matthew 26:41, He warns the disciples:

“Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Jesus knew that our flesh was weak. He knew that fellowship with the Father was the only thing that could strengthen them (and us) for what lay ahead.

So why do we so often try to go it alone?

We live like we’re self-sufficient. We try to hustle through life on our own strength, and then wonder why we’re overwhelmed, burnt out, and spiritually dry. But Jesus is standing there, ready to fill us with the power of His Spirit—the same Spirit that raised Him from the dead (Romans 8:11).

But we have to make space for Him.

We have to be willing to do what Jesus did: Rise early. Go to a desolate place. And pray.

Let’s walk in that kind of faithfulness this week. Not perfectly—but purposefully. Because He is always faithful to meet us when we come, and when we’ve met with him, we can hustle well.

💕 Products I Love This Week

Here are a few things that are making my mornings smoother, my quiet time sweeter, and my hustle a little more joyful!

📙ESV Journaling Study Bible

I love this version with wide margins for notes, prayers, and thoughts from my quiet time.

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📖Moleskin Journal

This is great for more in depth prayer journaling

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🖊️Journaling Kit 

Smooth, pretty, and perfect for journaling and planning your day.

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