Mornings are not my jam. I am more of a night owl girl. But here’s the thing: starting my day off right sets the tone for the next 24 hours. If I am not intentional about those first few minutes after the alarm goes off, I end up frazzled and frustrated most of the day. Taking steps to fuel my faith the first 60 minutes of my day makes a huge difference. I want to align my heart to the Lord’s the first thing in the morning.

The last few months have been the craziest ever. Some days, I am not sure I even want to get out of bed. Between this COVID crisis, all the racial tension, and the political discord, I am struggling to find my joy. I know that God is in control, and He will see us through even this, but my mind is on fire and full of negative thoughts. I need to quiet down the ping-pong match between doubt and fear going on 24-7 in my brain. 

Bruce laughs at me because many mornings I sit in bed and listen to what he calls my waking up song. But I am making a purposeful decision to make my morning different. I am determined to reprogram my brain to start my day with Jesus. I don’t want to listen to the voice of fear. I want to tune in to the whisper of the Holy Spirit. His mercy sings over me every morning — I just need to stop and listen.  

The Lord and I have a history. We have come far together, and I want to believe that God is not done yet. Even in this, He has a plan. His love is singing over me. He is at work in ways that I don’t see.  

Friend, how are you doing? I’ve spoken to so many of you who are struggling right now. You want to see His goodness. You want to trust His faithfulness. You are hanging on to hope even though you feel stuck.  

My sister, God sees you. He wants to speak life over you right now. He loves your fiercely, and He always goes to war and fights for you.  

Over the last few weeks, this blog space has been mostly quiet because I’ve been doing business with my God. I’ve slowed down and tried to really listen to His voice. I’ve turned off the chaotic news, stopped scrolling through the social media junk, and just sat at His feet.  

I’m determined to really hear from God first thing in the morning. It’s hard work — because I am a highly distracted woman with way too much on her mind…but I  am making some progress.  

Today, I want to share with you 3 simple things you can do to draw near to your God as you start your day. I promise you, this will make a difference in your overall disposition.  

3 Ways to Fuel Your Faith First Thing in the Morning

Start with a Simple Prayer.

Some days, I have no words to say to God when I wake up. So, I have started borrowing them. Most mornings, I echo the Psalmist and simply pray, “Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long.” (Psalm 25:5, NIV). I love using Scriptural words as I talk to God. These words of life help me replace the lies of the enemy with His life-giving promises.  

I treasured Beth Moore’s original prayer book full of topical Scriptures titled simply Praying God’s Word. It’s been a resource I’ve turned to over and over again when I am battling on my knees for my family. But just this week, I purchased this updated revised version that takes the topical readings and divides them out into 365 days of Scriptural prayers. On those mornings where I lack words, I can turn to Scripture and use this resource to help me when I am overwhelmed and too weary to form sentences. I’m super excited about adding Praying God’s Word Day by Day to my nightstand.

Another wonderful resource that has encouraged my prayer life these past few weeks has been to learn from my writing friend, Rachel Britton. This girl is a prayer warrior, and her website is packed full of wonderful intercessory resources! I loved discovering that I could sign up for her daily prayer prompts via email. This summer she also added “Prayers for Refreshment” via email for her subscribers. And, for all the Alexa fans out there, she has created an app with wonderful prayers that you can download and then ask Alexa to “say a prayer.” How amazing is that?

• “Lord, in the morning You will hear me; in the morning I will present my case to You and then wait expectantly for an answer.” (Psalm 5:3, NET)

Settle Your Heart with a Sweet Word of Encouragement.

When I am going through a hard season, I always keep a devotional book on my nightstand. I am a Bible study nerd, and I love getting into the meat of the Word, but on mornings when I am weary and can’t think straight because life is so incredibly stressful, starting with a sweet devotional read helps me calm down and encourages me.

 I’ve shared “5 Sweet Devotional Books to Cheer Up your Weary Spirit” here, but a new favorite this year is The Quiet Place by Nancy Leigh Demoss. This compact little book sits on my nightstand, or I can tuck it into my purse and take it with me on the go. It has 365 readings, and it has been a comforting friend to me in 2020.

• “I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word.” (Psalm 130:5, NLT)

Slow down your racing thoughts by writing out Scripture.

I finally invested in the Write the Word  journal a few weeks ago, and I have really enjoyed sitting down with my Bible and copying out large junks of Scripture in my beautiful Cultivate Forgiveness Journal. Every day, I am slowing down and reminding myself that God calls me to forgive as I have been forgiven. I am slowly writing His HIs Word on my heart as I put pen to paper, and it’s been good for my soul. 

Need more help to fuel your faith first thing in the morning? I’ve created a one-page printable of 12 Scriptural prayers to help you prepare your heart for your time with God as you begin your day. Grab a copy and start each morning for the next 12 days using these “Preparing Your Heart Quiet Time Prayers.” Sign up today as a member of the Wildfire Faith Community and  grab a copy in our Faith Fuel Library.

This week, you can make one simple change to start your morning with greater intention, and you will step into your day fueled by the power of the Holy Spirit. Saying no to negative thinking and soaking in God’s Word will empower you to walk with greater wisdom and experience fuller joy. You can overcome all the mental chaos of this present age as you make room for God to renew your thinking and restore your hope. Let’s trust that God is in control, and He has greater things in store for us.  

Starting your morning with God sets you up for success.

Let’s Chat: How do you fuel your faith first thing in the morning?

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Friends: As a social media influencer, I have a sweet list of my favorite reads to fuel a wildfire faith in my very own shop on Amazon. 

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