Awake and Aware

Wande Dees owes much of her vibrant faith in Jesus to music. Growing up in a mostly Muslim household, she wasn’t always able to go to church. But she found Christian rap online, which marked the beginning of her journey with Jesus. Today, as a Christian rap artist, she weaves faith, hope, and Scripture into her music—without sacrificing quality (with two GRAMMY nominations to prove it). Join us as we chat with Wande about her favorite spiritual practice.

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Mid-morning Bible reading has been working the best for me. Early in the morning, I’m usually too tired to process what I’m reading, and nighttime is just a setup to fall asleep. I also see the importance of starting my day off with God, so I don’t want to get too far into my day without reading the Word. So what I’ve started to do is place my iPad on my desk and head to my office after my basic morning tasks like showering and eating but before major tasks like working. This way, I’m awake and mentally alert, but I haven’t gotten into work mode yet.

This routine allows me to start my day with God and still be awake to process what I’m reading. I’ve found that this helps me read for longer amounts of time, have fun doing it, and really study the Scriptures. I enjoy these moments because God will often open my eyes to new things in the Word. I also enjoy it because then it becomes natural to share what I read when people ask what I’ve been up to.

—Wande Dees, Christian hip-hop artist, as told to Rapt Interviews.