God Will Meet YouSample

Take Advantage of Every Minute

As an award-winning author and journalist, Michelle Medlock Adams has quite a few accomplishments on her résumé. She’s written over 100 books that have sold 4 million copies. She’s earned top honors from the Associated Press as well as over 80 industry accolades. She helped write a New York Times bestseller. And now, she even co-owns a full-service literary firm.

As nice as those accomplishments are, none of them define why Michelle writes the way she does — or as much as she does. (She’s coming out with five new books in 2022 alone!) Instead, what drives Michelle is her tender love for Jesus and her desire to see people know him better.

Today, we get to see what Michelle’s love for Jesus looks like in her everyday life as she gets honest about the habits that help her feel spiritually refreshed.

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One thing that has helped me connect with God in my very busy life is simply taking advantage of every minute. Here's what I mean by that — I listen to encouraging podcasts by some of my favorite Bible teachers as I get ready for the day, and I listen to "Jesus music" when I'm driving somewhere. I always joke that I have the most sanctified SUV in Indiana!

Lately, I've also been working out to songs by Mandisa and TobyMac simply because they get me going! When listening to their music, I can jog longer and push myself harder. These practices certainly don't replace a quiet time in God's Word and praying to him, but they certainly enhance that time. I've noticed that my attitude is much better if I sing Mandisa’s "Overcomer" at the top of my lungs as I'm driving somewhere as opposed to belting out the lyrics to "Thriller.” (Yes, I love ’80s music and listen to it often—but not until I've had my daily dose of "Jesus music.")

Something else that I love is utilizing a Faith Planner. (I prefer the Happy Planner ones!) Because I'm a writer, I love to journal insights and write down things the Lord is showing me through studying his Word. I also love to write down prayer requests and provide updates as God answers those prayers. It's so encouraging to look back over my entries and see how much God has done! I think we often forget to pause and praise him for all that he has done, but the Faith Planner makes me more conscious of his goodness and attention to detail in my life and the lives of my loved ones. I know a Faith Planner might not be for everyone, but I love it so much!

—Michelle Medlock Adams, journalist and author, as told to Rapt Interviews