March 29 is a special anniversary for me, and I never want to go back to the way it was before.

I’d reached a desperate point spiritually, and knew I needed to get serious about spending time in the Word and prayer. I’d tried unsuccessfully for years to stay committed to a daily routine. My frequent failures convinced me that it just couldn’t be done.

Until I heard a man share that he hadn’t missed his “daily quiet time” in more than three years. Three years! Surely he’s joking, I thought. And then he told us about the drastic step he took that helped him keep his commitment . . . he made a vow. A vow? Isn’t it wrong to make a vow to God?

When it came to that kind of commitment, I was a little timid to say the least! So I searched the Word and found the warning in Ecclesiastes that it’s better not to make a vow than to make one and break it. But I also found instances where vows were made to God—and kept! Why did I fear making a vow to spend time daily in His Word? Because I recognized the seriousness of it! It meant no going back—I’d have to keep that vow.

I struggled a bit before I knelt to voice the vow I’ve never regretted making. I don’t think I would’ve ever found victory in this area of my life without such a serious approach—I needed to go beyond trying and just do.

Other than salvation, nothing has been more life-changing for me than spending time in prayer and in His Word—daily—for several years now. In my next post, I’ll share with you some things that helped me stay consistent when I first started.

Vow or not, will you make a commitment with me to dig into the Word this month?