Growth | Beginning Quiet Mornings
When I share about my Morning Time on social media, the most common question/comment is, “I cannot seem to get myself to get up. I am such a night owl.” I get it… believe me, I’ve been there!
I am very open about the reality of life seasons. I never endorse neglecting time in the Word, but I am aware that there are seasons for rising early (after the babies learn to sleep consistently) and seasons for milking every last minute out of our mornings for sleep (hello, newborn days!). So, be kind to yourself and if the mornings don’t work for you, find time throughout your day to have quiet time.
My baby had been sleeping through the night consistently for about a year and I started to notice my laziness when it came to mornings. My kids would always be the ones waking me and I would be frustrated that they came into my room with their, “I’m hungry,” demands. Why were they bothering me?? Don’t I serve them all day long?
Then, I realized that I had been out of the newborn season for awhile and it was time for me to start some better habits. It was time for me to rise early and be prepared in my heart and mind for the ministry before me.
I didn’t start by instantly rising at 5 am. I began by transitioning in 15 minute increments. I planned to turn in for the night 15 minutes earlier and then get up 15 minutes earlier. I would bump it up 15 every week until I was getting up at 5:30 or earlier.
Our flesh is strong. That bed feels warm and awfully cozy when we are snuggled in and it is still dark outside. That is why I brew coffee and make myself a cozy spot in the corner of our sofa to enjoy during my morning time. It helps leaving the warm bed not feel so grueling. 🙂 During the chilly months, I light my beeswax candle and set it on the table beside the sofa. I turn on the fire and make it an inviting place to wake to.
Obviously, that plan works gloriously when you have nothing going on and evenings flow the same day after day. There are times when we have a busy season and I have to repeat the process all over again because I have worn myself out and need the sleep in the morning, BUT I have come to realize that I always need to rise at least 30 minutes before my kids to read and pray. That 30 minutes of sleep is simply never more important (for me in my circumstance) than that time with God.
As with any good and worthy habit, it takes discipline for those of us who aren’t naturally early risers. What I love is that now I am a morning person and I feel like everything flows better. I get breakfast prepared. I get school underway in an orderly/timely fashion. I seem to be more productive all around. I dunno… I like that I no longer live for sleep. That feeling had become all too familiar. 🙂
I really liked this post. I can relate, I have 11 children on earth and have been in the newborn stage many times, and feel so much better rising before the kiddos.
Not always did I do this and I paid (and so did my children) for it.
You have encouraged me to start waking even earlier, and there is definitely something so profoundly beautiful in waking in the still darkness.
Thank you for sharing your life with us.❤️
Holly, I am so thankful that this helped in a small way. 🙂 Rising early seemed like a huge sacrifice in the beginning, but I learned that NOT waking early was really the hard thing to do… in the long run. 🙂