I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this recently, but my husband and I just went through a big milestone: buying our first house. Not only buying our first house– and, if you’ll allow me to brag for a second, within our first year of marriage– but also moving from New York to North Carolina. I’m sure this goes for anyone, but when I go through big life changes like this, I tend to try to create a new routine for myself. I try to get back to the basics. My life in New York was going out with friends on the weekend, working from home during the week, and spending time with my husband and trying to be productive in between.

Think back to a time as a child when you desperately wanted something from your parents. Possibly a toy, an outing, maybe a piece of candy from the checkout or an ice cream cone from the ice cream truck. Have it in mind? Did you promise anything to your parent at that moment? Possibly bribe them through good behavior or even the assurance of future good behavior? Think back on that moment, or any moment where you exchanged the promise of compliance for something you wanted from someone else. At that time, what do you think the motive behind your obedience was?

I have struggled with my strong personality that can at times be prickly like this pineapple. When I gave my life to the Lord, I knew I needed to change. Big changes happened in the beginning. Old habits just fell off– smoking, bad language, drinking in excess. Other things changed slowly; I developed new habits. I started to listen to different music. I started reading my Bible, praying more, attending small groups, making new friends, etc. Who I was– my personality– remained.

Sometimes the mountains in our lives can feel way too steep and it feels so much better to just pretend that they aren’t there. I am a master at doing this and always have been. But here’s a fun fact: just because you ignored those mountains in your life doesn’t mean they go away. One day, they pile up to the point that hope or faith sound like long-lost friends.

My grandmother has had the same morning routine for years. She wakes up and makes herself a cup of coffee, frothed with piping hot milk because that’s how she likes it. Once she has that all-important cup, she sits down at the kitchen table with her iPad, a notebook, and her Bible. As she works her way through her morning coffee, she worships, reads devotions, takes notes, and prays.