The sun is shining. Gardens are getting planted. Joy abounds in my neighbors, my kiddos, and myself. It feels so good to get outside on a nice day!

It got me thinking. What if we planned well in order to encounter God through intentional summer disciplines? So here’s five ideas for you to encounter and enjoy God on a beautiful day.

#1 | Nature Observation

Practice stillness as you sit and observe creation. Start by picking one small thing, like an ant. Watch how it moves, what it does, how God made its body. Imagine God’s delight as He created it. He looked at that and said, “This is good!” Slowly move to bigger things like a flower, then a creek, then a tree. Consider God’s attention to detail in all five senses, His creativity and love of beauty, and His joy in work. 

#2 | Gardening & Scripture Meditation

Consider studying or memorizing John 15:1-8 or one of Jesus’s gardening parables in Matthew 13 before going out to plant, water, prune, or weed. After studying or memorizing it inside, chew on it as you get your hands dirty. Meditate on the depths of the metaphors and see if you don’t have a new reflection as a result. 

#3 | Prayer Walk

Go for a walk in your neighborhood and pray for your neighbors as you walk past their houses. For those you don’t know, pray for opportunities to meet them and become aware of their needs. A perk of doing this in nice weather is that you’ll likely have the opportunity to pause and make small talk, learning their names (and the names of their dogs). Pray for believers in your neighborhood to be a unified light shining in the darkness, providing figurative and literal bonfires of God’s love for people to be invited and drawn to.

#4 | Silent Retreat

In my humble opinion, the most enjoyable time to take a retreat of solitude and silence is in summer. Ideally, you can hit a 75 degree day perfect for walking, hammocking, and studying the birds. Whether you go off on your own, using a guide like the “Resting & Receiving” Silent Retreat, or you try it out with a group, using the “Exploring Silence and Solitude” Group Retreat, a beautiful day is the perfect complement to listening for God’s voice. 

#5 | Memorize a Nature Psalm

There is something about nature that turns our hearts to worship. In fact, all of the psalmists declare that in their poetry. There are so many psalms about nature proclaiming God’s glory. A great summer discipline to practice worship is memorizing a couple verses or a psalm that can flow out of you in both intentional and spontaneous worship. For all you parents out there, try it as a family discipline and enjoy watching your little ones start to prompt the worship as they connect a sunset with Scripture. Consider these options:

For stargazing: Psalm 8:3-4
For sunrise or sunset: Psalm 19:1-6
For a nature walk: Psalm 23
For a mountain hike: Psalm 104
For solitude in nature: Psalm 139:1-18
For watching animals: Psalm 145:15-16
For camping: Psalm 148

Your Turn

What are your ideas? How do you enjoy spending time with God in nature? Comment below!