Inspired To Action » Create An Effective Morning Routine

For When You Feel Discouraged…

Kat — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:43:56 +0000

Maybe you made big plans to get up early and read your Bible, pray, exercise and plan. Maybe you hit the snooze button this morning. Maybe you’ve hit it every morning for the past month.

Maybe you’re feeling discouraged right now. Or maybe you’ve been discouraged for awhile.

Maybe your past echoes of brokenness, fatigue and failed dreams.

Have I got a story for you.

This isn’t a story of triumph. It’s a story of pain, falling short and unfulfilled dreams. But it’s also a story of furious love. And a reminder that faithfulness in the face of our failures can bring the greatest reward of all.

Last Place Never Looked So Good

Barcelona. 1992. Derek Redmon was Britain’s greatest quarter miler.

BANG!! Off to a good start, his prospects for the race looked good. Until…

Until his hamstring snapped. Yes, snapped. He stumbled and fell to the ground. With cameramen snapping pictures and the world watching, he was consumed with the pain of his broken body and broken dream.

And then? He made a decision. To finish. He knew he wouldn’t come in 1st, 2nd or 3rd. He knew he wouldn’t cross the finish line in victory. But he decided he would cross that line. So, up he struggled and he hobbled down the track, grimacing in pain.

Then, in the background, something happened in the stands. A man, older, gray-er than Derek pushed past people, waved off guards and ran down the track. His face was filled with the furious love of a father.

He pushed away officials. He pushed away security personnel. He pushed away anyone who dared interfere. He wrapped his arms around his weeping son and together they finished the race.

Few could name the winner of the 400 meter gold that year. But millions of people remember Derek’s faithfulness and his father’s furious love.

You Do Not Struggle Alone

If you are struggling, whether it’s with getting up in the morning or life in general, never believe that your Father’s love is any less furious.

He DOES NOT stand at the finish line awaiting your triumphant victory. He runs alongside you, cheering you as you go. And when you struggle, when you fall, He wraps His all powerful, healing hands around you and and holds you as you press on. Together.

He will let nothing get in His way.

Enough of my insufficient words. Read what David said in the Psalms and then watch the video below.

Psalm 18

4 The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

5 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.

6 In my distress I called to the Lord;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.

7 The earth trembled and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains shook;
they trembled because he was angry.

8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.

9 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.

10 He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him
the dark rain clouds of the sky.

12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
with hailstones and bolts of lightning.

13 The Lord thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.

14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemies ,
great bolts of lightning and routed them.

15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, O Lord,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.

16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.

17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.

18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the Lord was my support.

19 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.

Grab Your Tissues Now…

(RSS and email readers, please click here to watch the video.)

Press on, my friends. For perfection is not our reward. He is.

(Originally posted on 2.14.10. I’m working on a group solution for everyone who had Hello Mornings Challenge registration issues. I’ll post it tomorrow or later today. Thanks for your patience.)

--------- Free Resources Just For You! Maximize Your Mornings eBook: Stop waking up TO your children and start waking up FOR your children. Mission Statements for Moms eBook : Learn why moms need mission statements and how to make one of your own! A Mother’s Prayer Calendar: A simple monthly calendar that will guide you through praying for your children. Praying Daily for Your Husband Calendar: A simple monthly calendar that will guide you through praying for your husband. Join our community on Facebook and Twitter! Or browse all the resources at Inspired To Action here.

Hello Mornings Registration Problems? Get In A Group Here

Kat — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:14:19 +0000

Photo courtesy of Michelle

Did you register for the Hello Mornings Challenge, but never receive a group assignment?

It seems as though, when our registration server went down in early January, quite a few registrations went with it.

So if you are among those who wanted to participate in the Hello Mornings Challenge, and you registered and even received a confirmation email, but then didn’t receive anything after that, we want to make sure you don’t miss out.

Find or Fill a Hello Mornings Group

I’ve opened a new section of the Hello Mornings Challenge Forums where you can find or fill a group. Here’s what you’ll do:

1. Click here to register for the forum.
2. Once you’re registered, find the Section titled “Find or Fill a Group” at the bottom of the list.
3. Start a new topic and title your topic with:
A. Your name,
B. your Time Zone (PST, MST, CST, EST, Europe/Africa or Asia/Australia
C. Your preferred format (i.e. Facebook, Forum, Twitter, Any)

For Example

It would look something like this:
Kat – CST – Facebook or Forums

Or if you’re willing to use any format
Kat – CST – Any

Then you can join together with others to form a new group or you can also look in the Fill a Group section to see if there are any group openings that matches your criteria.

Don’t Delay

I’ll be closing this section of the forums sometime next week, so be sure to visit as soon as possible to find or fill a group.

Please note: I will not be assigning you to groups. This forum is to simply help you connect with others to join a group or create your own.

A Little Song for Everyone Else

Rss and email subscribers, click here to view the video.

And for those of you to whom this post doesn’t apply, here’s a little something for you. A brilliant song from the Robbie Seay Band (Baylor alumni represent!).

The song is called Rise. I remember the first time I heard RSB it was love song he wrote for his wife (so I didn’t know it was a Christian band) and I thought, “Why can’t all Christian music sound this excellent?” Then I went home, looked up RSB and found one of my favorite bands. Excellent lyrics, excellent music. Enjoy.

The Hello Mornings Challenge Free Theme Song: Rise Up

Kat — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 13:09:41 +0000

The Hello Mornings Challenge Theme Song

I’d mentioned on Twitter that we have a Hello Mornings Challenge theme song and I’m excited to share that with you today!

Note: Please be sure to read this whole post and *then* download the song.

I’d wanted a theme song for a long time, but I didn’t have a spare $2,000 iTunes gift card lying around so I didn’t know how to get it to everyone for free.

But then, I remembered that the perfect song is already free.

Last year, Baylor University (my alma mater) started a campaign to encourage fans to get excited about cheering on our teams. It’s called Rise Up and the theme song, played at every Baylor football game as the team exits the tunnel onto the field is a song by the David Crowder Band called Rise Up.

The lyrics are perfect. The song is perfect. The verse it’s based on is perfect:

“Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.” Ezra 10:4

And it’s available here. For free.

I don’t have a fog machine or 40,000 cheering fans to accompany your morning rising, but I do have this song. (And I love to imagine heaven cheering for you.)

Download it. Put it on your phone, cd or mp3 player. Keep your headphones by your bed. And when your alarm goes off, press play. If you can stay in bed while listening to this song? Wellâ€¦

Here is a video of the song:

Because Moms are Like 300 Pound Offensive Lineman

As I was looking for this song on You Tube, I came across this video for former Baylor offensive lineman Danny Watkins (now in the NFL) and, stay with me here… it really inspired me as a mom. Watch it and you’ll know what I mean.

Rise up.

Monday. January 16, 2012.

“Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.” Ezra 10:4

This is where weâ€¦make history.

What we are about to embark on with the Hello Mornings Challenge is no small thing. It’s not a cute “bloggy” challenge for adorable little stay at home moms, precious young wives or nice sweet Christian ladies.

It’s not about getting through a Bible Study or checking something off a list. It’s not even about the challenge.

THIS is about meeting with the living God who loves you beyond your wildest comprehension.

THIS is about consistently putting yourself at the feet of the One who can heal you completely, equip you thoroughly, and use you powerfully.

“Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.” Ezra 10:4

THIS is where we make history.

THIS is is the start of a turning point in your life.

THIS is a new fork in the story of your family tree. Your children and their children’s children will have hope to know God like never before because of the foundation you build each time your knees hit the floor.

THIS is what it can be. Not because the Challenge is awesome but because God is awesome. Everything you are not, He is. Everything you need, He has. His pursuit of you didn’t stop at the Cross. He is faithful to meet you.

“Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.” Ezra 10:4

You are standing in front of the wardrobe, my friends. Step in. Push through. Let the crisp air nip your nose. God is on the move.

Free Hello Mornings Bible Study and Bonus Printables!

Kat — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:50:21 +0000

We have some fun goodies for you today!

The Hello Mornings Bible Study

I’m happy to announce the Hello Mornings Challenge Winter 2012 Bible Study. Katie Orr and Lara Williams have been working hard on it and I must stay it’s excellent. Simple yet in-depth.

We’ll be studying Psalms and the theme of our study is Run To Him.

They’ve done a LOT of work, including alternate days for those who want extra reading, optional memory verses from the text and a great overview of how you can get the most from each days’ passage.

We’ll be doing this Bible Study in partnership with Katie’s blog Do Not Depart. So each Friday she’ll have in depth insight into that week’s passage and a fun opportunity to discuss what we’ve learned. If you’re signed up for the Challenge I’ll include the link to her weekly commentary in each email so you won’t miss it.

Please note that you don’t have to be part of the Hello Mornings Challenge to participate in the study. Anyone can download it and participate in the weekly discussions.

Download the Run to Him Bible Study here.

The Hello Mornings Printables

My blog friend Amanda from Grace in Our Moments wrote about putting together her own Hello Mornings Notebook and that prompted me to make available a few printables I use often in my morning time in case you all want to put together your own notebook.

Included are a revamped Weekly Overview (similar to the one in the eBook, but updated a bit), Prayer Journal, Daily Journal, Daily Overview and a Weekly Project Planning form.

Download the Hello Mornings Printables here.

I hope you enjoy all these resources!

For future Hello Mornings Sessions, what resources would you find helpful?

Last Day to Register for the Hello Mornings Challenge

Kat — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:31:04 +0000

Today is the last day to register for the Hello Mornings Challenge. If you or your friends want to sign up, please do so as soon as possible. I will close the registration form promptly at 5:30am CST tomorrow morning.

Click this link or the button below to register or learn more about the Hello Mornings Challenge here.

The registration form servers for the Hello Mornings Challenge were down all day yesterday and are still down today. (pray?) I’ll leave registration open today and possibly longer depending on when the form is back up and running. In the meantime, you can enter your email address here (please double check it carefully when you enter it) – and I will notify you as soon as registration is working again.

Thank you for your patience!

-Kat

Why Your Life Is Like A Kitchen Counter

Kat — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:48:47 +0000

photo credit

Every day I walk in and make a crucial decision:

Do I set my stuff down on the counter or do I put it all away? And you know what affects my decision most of all…

Is there stuff already on the counter?

Because if there’s stuff already on the counter, it’s not worth trying to keep it tidy. It’s already not tidy so I might as well just dump my stuff.

But if the counter is spotless and glorious? I happily put each thing away where it goes. Things are wonderful and clean and I want to keep it that way. All is right with the world.

I call this kitchen counter inertia principle.

Because everyone loves imaginary pseudo-scientific principles.

Have you heard of inertia? It’s the (actual) physics principle that states an object in motion tends to stay in motion and an object at rest tends to stay at rest.

A tidy kitchen counter tends to stay tidy. A messy counter tends to stay messy.

And so are the days of our lives…

What is your life like?

Is it time to take back your kitchen counter? Time to take back your days? Your….mornings?

All it takes is a small action to get things in motion.

Sidenote: Registration for the Hello Mornings Challenge starts on Wednesday. Ahem…

Do you tend to drop stuff on your center when you get home? If not, do you have any organization tips to share? Click here to tell us!

We Need YOUR HelloMornings Story!

Kat — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:15:06 +0000

What was the biggest need of participants in the Fall Hello Mornings Challenge?

More encouragement!

In last week’s post, that was your most common suggestion. And, wow, did you all have a lot of great feedback!

You ask, we deliver!

We’re working hard to get all the encouraging emails and blog posts (and a few other things) in order ahead of time for the upcoming session of the Hello Mornings Challenge – registration starts on December 15th.

This Is Where You Come In

We are going to share YOUR stories in our weekly emails and on the blog.

If creating a morning habit has helped you, and you have a tip or two that might help someone just starting out, will you share your story below?

It’s so important that we share the stories of women from all walks of life and at all stages of “maximizing their mornings.” Everyone has wisdom to pass on and inspire.

Thank you! We look forward to featuring you! (Email and RSS readers, you might need to click here to see the story submission form.)

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Photo Credit

A HelloMornings Announcement and Question for You!

Kat — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

The other night the HelloMornings Challenge team met via Skype to discuss plans for the next session. It is such an honor to work with Katie, Lara, Michelle and my blogless friend Kellye. We have some great plans in store for you, but we also need your input.

The last session, the Challenge grew to about 2,000 participants – 3.5 times as big as the previous session! That was awesome. But as a result, we had a few growing pains. Not so awesome. So we are working to adjust things to make this Challenge as helpful to you as possible.

Announcement

Registration for the next session of the Challenge will start December 15. The Challenge itself will run from Jan 15 through April 15.

Help Us Help You

Would you take a minute to answer one or more of the following questions to help us make the HelloMornings Challenge even better?

And to make it a bit more fun, one commenter will win a little prize (most likely music or a book) for taking the time to share her thoughts.

1. Which area is the hardest for you to work on: Quiet Time, Planning, or Exercise?

2. What resources do you need that would help you in any of those areas? (workout ideas, planning help, etc.)

3. What are your biggest challenges to getting up in the morning?

4. Any ideas or suggestions on how we can make it better?

Share your thoughts and ideas by clicking here to comment!

How To Be Awesome

Kat — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 04:25:46 +0000

How to be an amazing mom…

How to be an incredible wife…

How to understand your purpose…

How to walk confidently in His Love…

How to know Grace and forgiveness…

How To Be Awesome

Step 1: Listen to Jesus.
Step 2: Do what He says.

“Oh…but, Kat, that’s so trite.”

If you’re anything like me, perhaps your eyes just glazed over? Or maybe they rolled back up into your head, where a little voice said, “Yea, yea, I know, I know…now where is the good stuff?”

Why is it that I want to do everything except what is necessary?

Why do I so readily gloss over the simple truth?

The books, the blogs, the magazines, the How-To guides, the personal coaches, the parenting tips, the TV shows – they are all inadequate compared to the truth, life and wisdom of the One who knows you, who made you….who wants you.

Sweet friend, if we aren’t quieting ourselves daily before God, reading His word, declaring His goodness, then what is the point of all of our other efforts?

If I can inspire you, motivate you to do anything, I pray it’s to put down my words, our words, their words and read His Word.

He has every single thing you need and He is faithful.

(Need a place to start? Download the Fruit of the Spirit Bible Study that many of the Maximize Your Mornings Participants have been doing.)

Let’s Help Each Other

What is your best tip for making time with God happen each day? Share it in the comments.

Motivation Monday: Mercy Comes With The Morning…

Kat — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 13:55:10 +0000

This is one of my favorite all time songs. It’s called the C.S. Lewis song by Brooke Fraser and according to my search of the archives, I haven’t posted it before. (Really?)

Not sure how that happened.

Above is the live version, which I adore. Below is the album with clearer sound so you can hear the lyrics, which are just phenomenal. (If you’re reading this via email or RSS and don’t see the videos, click here.)

If you’ve read the Maximize Your Mornings ebook or you’ve heard of the Maximize Your Mornings Challenge or you’ve seen the #hellomornings stream on Twitter, but you’ve not yet started the glorious habit of letting the God of all Creation speak the first words of the day into your life, I hope this song will inspire you to awake to the mercy that awaits you every morning.

Motivation Monday

I used to do a link up called Motivation Monday, and I thought I’d bring it back so we can all share the things that inspire us.

So, if you’ve written a post today or…ever…about something that inspires you, share it here in the link up below. Then click through and read everyone else’s inspirations for an incredible jump start on your week! Be sure to link back to this post so everyone can find the full list.

What has motivated or inspired you this week? Link up or share with everyone in the comments!