Valentines weekend I went on a special date with Mr. Bailey.

This past weekend we went on a double date with some of our besties.

Friday night I am headed out for a girl’s night to celebrate a friend’s birthday.

Each month I make an effort to take each kiddo on a date even if that means I just take one of them with me to Target.

We all hear and read how dating is important and valuable to maintaining relationships, right? We date so that we have one on one time with our spouse without interruption, so they can see us showered, and so that we can eat out at some place that serves more than nuggets and fries.  We do it to create memories, re-connect, and perhaps make a new discovery. Dating is good. I am a fan!

But it hit me sometime on Saturday between a soccer game, a trip to the Disney Store with Grandma, and homework (yep, I am a student again) that I prioritize on the calendar all these “dates” but you know who I should be dating?

God.

Yep, you read that right.

God and I should be dating.

Jesus did say “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37

We have our daily time in the morning, I am in constant communication through prayer, I am in active ministry so it is not like we are distant from each other but just like the above relationships God and I should also be setting aside memory making time. We need to do things that intentionally draw us closer and allow discovery.  Instead of trying a new restaurant it could look like an act of service, instead of a trip to a Vegas it could look like a day retreat of quiet (I know, I know as moms we don’t really know the definition of that word anymore), instead of a concert it could be a commitment to listen to worship music all day.

A weekend at a local retreat center, laying on the grass with a sketch pad in hand, hot tea and a book by Henri Nouwen used to be regular in my life but then came a husband and two kids (wouldn’t trade them for the world) but the point is things got BUSY. So busy that God helped me create Cravings {The Devotional} so that all moms that feel busy can get God time. But here I am as a wife, mom of two littles, Children’s Director, student, speaker, writer, and a few more things on my list saying it is time.

Time to ask God on a date.

It is time to set aside space on the calendar to connect in new ways. How? When? Where? I will plan it. Just as I plan for soccer games, game night, hubby date night, and me time I can plan on God dates. Because let’s face it mamas we can’t do this motherhood thing without Him.

Every day I choose to place Him before anything thing else on my “to-do list that never ends” I find peace, I find I am slower to react, I find more laughter in our home, and I find purpose in all the DOING.

Soooo here we go. We are going to date God in the midst of motherhood. Do you have your calendars out?

I am thinking I will come up with a Top Ten God Dates list. Do you have a favorite God date I can include?