Devotional time is a habit to be built—and it's a time to prepare your heart for what lies ahead.

When you sit down to connect with God, you won't have a big "revelation moment" every single time. You might even get frustrated when you don't feel like your life has been changed by every verse you read. Often, the time you spend in God's Word is about getting to know who God is, how He communicates with you specifically and learning to trust His leading.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105 (ESV)

‍When we compare our time spent doing devotions to this verse, it brings a whole new perspective. God's Word is a lamp and light to guide you through everyday life. Not only that, it's a resource to equip you for what lies ahead.

‍If you decided to go for a hike in the summertime and decided to wear a warm coat and leave your water bottle at home, you wouldn't have a very fun (or safe) hike ahead of you. You need to prepare for the weather, the terrain and any challenges that might occur. And the same goes for our journey through this life.

‍We need to prepare for all that is coming in our future—and we don't have to prepare blindly for circumstances we can't see coming. Getting to know God through His Word will help you see where He's leading you, which areas to invest more time in and what beliefs to cultivate.

Think of it this way. If you want to be a professional gymnast or sports player, you'll need to prepare with a passion for that sport, the drive to practice and the endurance to keep going even when things get hard.

And if you have dreams for what you want your marriage and family to look like, you'll also need to prepare for that. You'll need to do the heart work and build the character you want to have as a spouse, parent, sibling or grandparent.

‍God's Word is the most solid foundation for everything you could ever do in your life. It's what keeps you steady, strong and grounded even when things around you are chaotic. Even when lies are pushing at you, the truth of God's Word will rise up at the perfect moments if you have it planted in your heart.

When you speak the Word over your life, you'll begin to settle your heart in hope and security. Declare verses like Isaiah 40:31 (NLT) and say, "With God's Word as my firm foundation, I find new strength each day. I reach new heights, run with endurance and walk through life with courage and peace."

If you struggle to get into God's Word on a regular basis, start with something bite-sized. You can focus on 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT) and start to declare, "I use God's Word as my guidepost for what is right and wrong. During my quiet time in the Word, it teaches and equips me to make the right choices." Declare that His Word is at work in your life!

Building a healthy relationship with God is so important and impacts every area of your life. We want to help you dig deeper into His Word by giving you this month's Walk in the Word collection. It's a printable PDF of eight Scripture declarations—and this month it's all about equipping your heart by getting into God's Word.

You can download this page and put it up anywhere in your home or workspace to remind you to keep God's Word and its instruction at the core of your life.

Click here to download the latest Walk in the Word and declare the power of God's Word each day!

P.S. If you'd like to get more of these collections in the future, you can sign up for our emails. At the beginning of each month, we'll send you some great resources to build your faith, including Walk in the Word. Click here to sign up.