Swindoll - Good morning, Lord-- Can we talk?: a year of scriptural meditations

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Good Morning, Lord... Can We Talk? A Year of Scriptural Meditations

Copyright 2018 by Charles Swindoll. All rights reserved.

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version.

Scripture quotations marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible, copyright 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible, copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture verses marked NEB are taken from The New English Bible, copyright 1970, Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press.

Scripture quotations marked AMPC are taken from the Amplified Bible, copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org.

Portions of this book have been adapted from previously published material.

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ISBN 978-1-4143-8068-1

ISBN 978-1-4964-3402-9 (ePub); ISBN 978-1-4143-8492-4 (Kindle); ISBN 978-1-4964-3403-6 (Apple)

Build: 2018-05-09 17:07:14 EPUB 3.0

It is with great delight that
I dedicate this book to my sister,
Luci Swindoll,
whom most people know and love
through her twenty years of joyful ministry
in the Women of Faith conferences...
but it has been my unique privilege
to have known her and loved her and enjoyed her
through every day of my life.

B EFORE YOU GET STARTED on this journey with me, let me tell you what prompted me to write this one-year devotional book. Im a real believer in spending some time every day doing whats important rather than doing whats urgent. Ive made that a priority in my life.

My wife and I have been married since June of 1955. Both of us were young, and neither of us knew much about marriage or life, for that matter. But we knew this for sure: we really loved each other, and we couldnt bear the thought of spending our lives with anyone else for the rest of our years. So we married young and not only grew up together but grew closer from one year to the next.

That didnt just happen; it was the result of setting aside time for each other. Time to listen really hear each other. And also time to talk to open up and speak our minds. Those times also included time to think to think about what the other person was saying and, equally important, what the other person was feeling. And then there were times wed pray with and for each other. Occasionally, there would be laughter loud, spontaneous laughter other times, there would be tears. Those times together have become the defining moments of our day.

Weve spent intentional time connecting almost every morning throughout our marriage. We began our day with each other when our children were infants, while they were growing up, after they married and left the nest, and even when grandchildren started to fill our home with their delightful lives. To this very day, we still sit together every morning, mainly just to be with each other, to listen, to talk, to think together. And the result? A depth of love for each other and a true understanding of each other that only time together like that through the years can provide. Every morning were there together. We put whatever is urgent on hold as we address only what is important.

This has enabled us to cultivate a bond in our relationship that is both meaningful and unbreakable.

So when I sat down to write a book that might help others choose to do whats important instead of whats urgent, I realized that this would be my opportunity to address the kinds of things that Cynthia and I have been spending every morning talking about over the course of more than sixty years. The only difference is that youll be spending these important moments with the Lord, listening to Him and talking with Him as you seek to develop a relationship with Him that is deep hopefully deeper than it has ever been before.

Id like you to think of these brief times with Him as very special yet comfortable, relaxing opportunities for the two of you simply to meet together. Thats what prompted me to give this book its title, Good Morning, Lord... Can We Talk? As you meet and talk, I hope you will take time to listen well. Its amazing how much you can glean from quiet moments together, especially when its the Lord who is speaking to you!

Im grateful for the sensitive presence and assistance of my longtime friend Mark Tobey, who served as my editor as I was shaping my thoughts for this book. I knew from his help with other literary projects that he had just the touch I would need when trying to squeeze ideas into just the right words. Thank you, Mark, for the time and commitment you invested in these pages. Thank you for caring so much that each line be crafted well.

I should also express my thanks to many of my friends at Tyndale House Publishers for encouraging me to write this book and for their assistance in accomplishing the task. I am especially grateful for senior acquisition editor Jon Farrar, as well as Erin Gwynne, Kara Leonino, Jennifer Schindler, and Stephanie Rische, who have helped take the grind out of such an extensive literary goal. I extend my heartfelt appreciation to each of you.