I think the real question here is how to develop a vibrant life—a vibrant "with-God" life. That, it seems, is the only life we actually have. So what helps us develop a life increasingly marked by energy, strength, sensitivity to the Spirit's promptings, and reckless abandon to God's ways? Here are four strategies that have been very helpful to me:

• Get enough sleep. Even Jesus' closest friends struggled to pay attention when fatigued. Your body matters; give it what God designed it to need. Here's an experiment: give yourself ample sleep for just four days and reassess your sense of connection with God. What do you observe?
  
  
• Get up on the right side of the bed. Often the demands of ministry cause us to wake up stressed or panicked before our feet even hit the floor—not to mention those waking mid-night hours! Pray through Psalm 23 before getting up in the morning. Memorize it so you don't have to read (you probably know almost all of it already), and use each stanza as a springboard for prayer as you anticipate the day to come.
  
  

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