Getting Up Early Part 2

I'm going to attempt to start another post on this topic. Yesterday I got to the Title and that was it. Mothering duties called me to other things. :o)

This morning I would like to post about how I came to getting up early and give you some tips on making this transition easier. I now love getting up early and look forward to my morning time even the day before!

First of all, the Lord led me to a couple of blogs in whom the authors have become mentors to me (without their knowledge! ha). These women got up early and sought the Lord. One of these women, Jewel at Eyes of Wonder, has a really large family and you can tell that she loves her time in the morning as well. My first thought was, how can she speak so fondly about getting up early? She has never spoken about being frazzled, harried, or having an awful day. She always sounds so calm and peaceful. She can't help but to talk about God's goodness in her blogs. From her website, I found Laine's Letters (http://www.lainesletters.com/) which is letters to readers from a wonderful, inspiring lady who felt the nudge several years ago to get up at 4am. She speaks, almost in every letter, about the numerous benefits of her following after the Spirit's leading. I feel like the Lord led me to these sites because, quite frankly, I was so complacent I don't know if I would have heard the Lord if he had tried to speak to me about getting up early. I just loved to sleep. I still love to sleep, but I look forward to going to bed early to sleep instead of staying in bed late to sleep. I love forward to getting in to my soft, comfy pajamas and laying in warm sheets (warmed in advance by my heating pad..:o), reading a bit, and then going to bed. I even enjoy setting my alarm because I know it means time to get up and be with the Lord. Think I'm weird? :o)

Anyway, I felt like the Lord saying 5am. A few mornings I ignored or wasn't as faithful. When I was feeling frustrated by my day, it's like the Lord would whisper, 5am. I would repent and try again. The Lord always has the answers.

The benefits for getting up early and having time with the Lord exceed the time or the space I have to type on this blog. Just try it and you'll see the benefits for yourself. A few benefits that pop into mind are: strength (both physical and spiritual), wisdom, peace, self-discipline and control, patience, and many more.

Now, the downside is that the devil will HATE what you are doing. He will prey upon your weaknesses for awhile. When he sees he can't move you, he will move on. Yesterday, I had a bout of anxiety come upon me. You may know the feeling--worry in the pit of your stomach. I had a few things that I had to do that was at the back of my mind (or at the front of my mind)--A few things I dreaded without really a cause to dread. I was out hanging out clothes and I thought, "Why am I feeling so anxious?" And the scripture came to me, Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. I immediately gave my worries over to God and this morning in prayer I was reminded of how anxious I had been feeling and I thought, you know I wasn't anxious anymore the rest of the day! I'm not a person who worries, normally, but since I've been getting up early, I feel like I worry more about the unknown or what will happen, etc. I feel this is an attack on me. But, you know, it's nothing God can't handle. He knows what's going on.

Here are a few tips to help you want to get up early (or to motivate you):

Find a cozy spot for you to have your devotional time. A cozy recliner, a nearby lamp (who wants all the lights on in the pre-dawn?), a fleece blanket, whatever you need to get comfortable with the Lord.

Here is my spot:

Fix your favorite drink. I like a cup of coffee or herbal tea in the mornings. If I'm really sleepy, I will go for the coffee. Hot chocolate is another good choice.

Of course, those things are not necessary for your time with the Lord, so onto spiritual tips:

Read your Bible. I wouldn't use a devotional book or anything as a substitute. You can use one as a compliment, but use your Bible foremost. I read 4 chapters a morning, but you may want more or less. Pray about it. Pray about where to start. I'm in Genesis since I'm starting at the beginning and reading through the Bible. It is a wonderful book filled with exceptional stories of God's goodness and men of faith. God will give you a love for His word.

Pray. Sometimes I kneel at my 'altar' (see pic below) or sometimes I pray in my chair. Be careful not to get into a 'routine' prayer where you feel like you have to pray from a 'mental' list. This may be harmful to your prayer life. If you get to where you feel obligated to pray from a mental list or you will feel bad or like you haven't done your duty, then your communion with God may not be what He intends for it to be. Instead of praying from a list, pray what's on your heart. Pray for wisdom and patience. Of course, give Honor and praise to God first. Pray for a burden and for God to lay someone on your heart instead of praying from a list. I hope I'm clear on this and it doesn't sound like I know just how you ought to pray. That's not it. The Bible says, Teach us to pray. He will teach you to pray. Anyway here is a picture of my altar. It is just right.

Now you may have time to get a few chores done before the children wake up, which is an added bonus. I find that I might have time to wash dishes or to sweep, but most of the time, my littlest one will wake up a little after 7 or a little before. If I feel like I'm getting way slack on my housework, I will try to get up even earlier. I almost always have time to get on a load of clothes (which is what is easy to get piled up...laundry for 5 people...ha).Another bonus to getting up early is to see wondrous sites painted by God like this:

Lastly, you may fail. In fact, you probably will fail. But, God will give you grace to try again. There will be times when you sit down to read or to pray and the baby chooses right that moment to let out a wail. One that the husband may not be able to take care of. :o) You will be surprised at how the Lord will strengthen you that day for your efforts. Don't be frustrated at the baby. God will help you. He may even allow another opportunity.

Another bonus that I've noticed is that I'm not even really sleepy during the day. Sometimes, I will sneak a little 5 minute nap in while rocking the baby or something and it will help so much (used to that would just make me ill). You will be sleepy when it is time to go to bed, though. But, that's good, right? ;o)

God Bless You. It has taken me awhile to write this post, and I've felt inadequately more than a few times. In fact, I think the enemy has tried to make me feel like I'm not adequate enough to even blog about this. You know why--he doesn't want YOU to get this message. I'm NOT adequate, but I am a vessel of God and I pray that He will bless you and make you a Proverbs 31 woman and some day you can be a mentor to a young woman just starting out. YOUR blog can be read like dear Jewel's or Laine's and you can be a God-ordained help to many.

My children need me. Have a blessed day. PS. Quoted by my daughter--in play--right before I was about to send this post: I'm going to get my Father...He can do BIG things. Wow, that spoke to my heart.