Why I can say… Hello Morning!

“Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.” (Psa 90:14, ESV)

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Almost a year ago, the Lord led me to Hello Mornings.

I was introduced to the Hello Mornings Challenge through a dear friend and fell in love with the concept immediately.  I have never considered myself a morning person, but would diligently set my alarm and rouse myself from the luxury of sleep and warm covers because it needed to be done.  I had things to do!!  I am Momma!!  So, when I heard the concept of rising “for your children” (and for your day) rather than “to your children” (and to your day) I thought, “Aha!! This is what I have been attempting to do for years… and I have lots more growing to do!!”

And the growing is what I hoped to achieve when I signed up for my first 13 week challenge.  And boy, have I!  I love the idea of setting my own specific goals of how I will carry out rising earlier to spend more time with my Lord and in His word, and better incorporating planning and exercise into my day.  I love that this ministry is completely free of charge!  (Rightly so!)  And, I also loved the optional (also free) 13 week long Bible study from the past session that so many of us in the group did and discussed together.  (This time the optional Bible study will be Meet Jesus, a walk through the book of John.)  The accountability of committing to daily check-ins with an online group of women who are also desiring to grow their morning devotion time is so inspiring and so very encouraging.

After the first challenge, I was hooked!  I signed on to become an Accountability Captain (aka AC, i.e. group leader), and here I am about to begin my third challenge.

This ministry truly touches my heart!  As Christians, it is so important for us all to be in the Word everyday.  To be with Him… truly, fully with Him, every single morning is a beautiful goal.   (This shouldn’t become legalistic, though.  God understands our schedules and knows our hearts better than we even do!)  But, let me assure you,  that sitting at His feet, delving into His word changes your perspective on your entire day!  Rather than dragging myself out of bed to get to work, and squeeze in a little quiet time with God first, I  now wake with joy at the thought of entering into a time of worship, prayer, and study.  He is wonderful!  Amazing!  And I just want to be in His presence, breathing in His fragrance, and lingering with Him.  Waking early gets me there.

“At daybreak, LORD, You hear my voice; at daybreak I plead my case to You and watch expectantly.”(Psa 5:3, HCSB)

“I look for you during the night, my spirit within me seeks you at dawn…” (Isa 26:9a, NET Bible)

So now, I say… Hello Morning!

I’ve added well over an hour to my day… and I’m getting to bed earlier to adjust my schedule.  And that’s an hour or more with Him… every morning.  Oh, how sweetly precious!  You see, I am a true believer in the power of the Word of God.  I believe that it is impossible to spend time with Him in His word and come out of that experience exactly the same as you were when you went in.  Being in the presence of the God of all creation changes your heart… for the better.  It makes us look, perhaps in some small way, a little more like Him.

Are you interested in having a similar experience?  There are groups in almost every time zone and across the globe, and women of all ages are welcome to join.  …And perfection is never a requirement; grace abounds within these groups!  Registration for the Summer 2013 Challenge (which runs May 6th-Aug 2)  is open today,  Apr 26 , through May 3 over at: hellomornings.org 

Blessings to you on your journey of making time with God a priority in your daily life!

Ali