We fostered rescues for years, and I learned so many positive lessons from that experience. God never ceases to amaze me in how He puts the pieces of past experiences and present struggles together to create a lesson with enough impact to make it stick.

One such occasion was with our first set of kittens. A young mom and her four kittens were ours for a few months as the babies aged into readiness for adoption. We watched as the momma, Harper, nursed her kittens. The connection fostered during that time, even between animals, was apparent and beautiful to witness. But, once the kittens were ready for adoption, they were taken to the rescue center and were not returned, leaving Harper alone for the first time in months.

I remember watching her pace the room, searching under stuffed animals and in cat towers, roaming the kittens’ favorite hiding spots, mewing profusely as she searched for her babies. She was distraught, and while I had to sit there, frustrated and confused as to why her babies had to leave, my sister had an idea. She tied a stuffed animal kitten to a hex bug–a robotic insect. We were both delighted to see Harper follow the kitty stand-in, trying to play with it. It gave her some comfort as we waited for her milk to dry up so she could be adopted, too.

Just like Harper’s milk dried up when she was away from her kittens and wasn’t nursing, so we dry up from God’s presence and inspiration when we aren’t connecting to Him.
We often wait for the feelings of passion and dedication and willingness to flood our hearts and make it easy to get up, create time, and do what is necessary for a God-connection.

But authentic, good things are hard to find and hard to hold onto. So, when you are tempted to close your eyes again before the day starts, allowing sleep to inhabit devotional time, remember this: don’t be surprised when you feel disconnected, unfulfilled, and unmotivated. To be connected with God and bring sustenance to others and connection to self, we must fight to overcome laziness and choose life-bringing actions. It’s a habit, one hard to build but easy to break.

We try to fill our time chasing stand-ins if authentic connection. For me, I pursue busyness and its appeal to my “yes girl” and productivity desires. It’s the most effective distraction because it’s an excuse valid enough to fall into repeatedly.

Just as Kate and I were frustrated and confused about why Harper had to live without her kittens, so I, reviewing seasons of distance between us, am always disappointed in my laziness to chase Him. It’s just that—laziness. I often wait for a flood of passion and inspiration to sweep me off my bed and throw me onto my desk, opening my drawers and, like Mary Poppins, organizing my perfect Bible study setup. But that’s not real life. One reminder which is always of importance is that emotion should not dictate action, but action, emotion. At some level, we have control over our feelings and actions. By making the first step, getting off whatever bed you are laying on, literal or figurative, and spending time mending your relationship with God, the passion and fire will come.

Coming out of a hectic summer, recognizing the patterns I fall into, this message is one God impresses in my heart daily. I’ve struggled to find words to write, so I’ve begged for inspiration. I’ve failed to spend time with Him, so I’ve prayed for diligence. But all that time, I didn’t hear Him while on the go or while dead-tired after a long day. I finally was sick in bed, which forced me to be still, which allowed Him to talk to me.

Throughout the Bible, God never forces His voice on anyone. So when I was busy, unknowingly pushing Him aside, I wasn’t giving Him a chance to speak. When we aren’t listening for it, it’s easy to become deaf to His voice. That is one reason why Sabbath is so important. It’s a day to retune your ears to His voice.