10 | 10 | 10 — Praise. Pray. Listen.

10 | 10 | 10 didn't begin as a devotional or a method someone was trying to create. It began with my parents, during a time when they weren't quite sure what to do next.

After celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, my parents decided to take a trip to Asheville, North Carolina, to begin recording their life story. I had encouraged them to document their journey together because there were so many things they'd experienced that I didn't want our family to lose.

Their story eventually became 72 videos.

But that first morning, things weren't going quite as planned. They had traveled there with a purpose, but they weren't sure how to organize everything, and even the recording equipment wasn't cooperating.

My mom remembers them finally saying, “Well, let's just pray.”

As she began praying, she felt the Lord impress one word on her heart.

Ten.

She didn't understand it at first, but as she continued praying, a simple rhythm began to form. Ten minutes of praise, ten minutes of prayer, and ten minutes of listening.

During those final ten minutes, my parents became still before God. And as they listened, they felt they received direction for what they were supposed to do that day.

The next morning, my mom wondered if the experience had just been a coincidence, so they tried it again. And once again, they felt they received direction during their listening time.

They continued spending those thirty minutes with God throughout their trip, and my mom began calling the direction they received their marching orders.

But I think what makes this story meaningful is that they didn't begin by trying to develop a new spiritual routine. They simply didn't know what to do next, so they decided to spend time with God.

I had heard my parents talk about 10 | 10 | 10 for years, but I had never really practiced it myself.

Then I found myself in a “tired” season of life. I wanted time with God. I needed time with God. But the thought of setting aside thirty minutes felt overwhelming when I was already carrying so much.

One day, my mom challenged me to try something different.

“Just try 3 | 3 | 3 and see how that goes.”

Three minutes of praise, three minutes of prayer, and three minutes of listening.

Nine minutes.

I remember thinking, I can do nine minutes.

So I tried it, and the word I remember most from those first few times was peaceful.

For those few minutes, I wasn't trying to solve everything happening in my life or figure out what I was supposed to do next. I was simply slowing down and turning my attention toward God.

But something happened that I wasn't expecting. Those nine minutes didn't leave me feeling like I'd accomplished something and could check it off my list.

They made me want more time.

I began finding thirty minutes so I could experience the full 10 | 10 | 10 rhythm. And eventually, the listening portion became one of the most meaningful parts of my mornings.

I started bringing my journal. Sometimes I would write what was on my heart, and other times I would begin writing to God and then sit quietly, allowing the conversation to unfold on the page.

I wasn't trying to fill every line or write something beautiful. I was learning to become still enough to listen.

And somewhere along the way, TWG became less about finding thirty minutes in my day and more about wanting time with my Father.

The idea is simple, but I want you to understand something before you begin. You don't have to start with thirty minutes.

You can begin with three minutes, just like I did, or five. And if you find yourself wanting more time, stay a little longer.

The rhythm is simply an invitation to make room for three things.

10 | 10 | 10 — Praise. Pray. Listen. is an upcoming 90-day devotional journal in the T | W | G — Time With God collection.

Through Scripture, personal reflections, and space for journaling, the devotional is designed to help you develop a rhythm of spending intentional time with God.

But this isn't about completing ninety perfect days or proving how much time you can give Him. It's about learning to know the One you're spending time with.

My mom challenged me to begin with three minutes, and those three minutes became the beginning of something I never expected: a time with God I began looking forward to every morning.

And that's what I hope you'll discover, too.

The number isn't the goal. The relationship is.