Some women hear their alarm go off and hop out of bed right away, ready to face the day. Other women hit the snooze button five or six times before dragging themselves out of bed. As a Christian woman, your morning routine might look different based on whether you are a morning person or not. It might also vary if you do or don’t have kids or if you work from inside or outside the home.
A morning routine shouldn’t be thought of as a legalistic chore. Rather, it should be thought of as a tool to help you get into the right mindset for the day. With the understanding that you have the freedom to customize your own morning routine to help you best start your day, here is a list of general elements a good morning routine for Christian women might include:
1. Set an early alarm
As a general idea, Christian women should consider setting their alarm for 45 minutes to an hour earlier than the rest of the house wakes up. Depending on your situation, this might be the only small window of calm that you have for the whole day. Waking up early grants you the ability to prioritize your physical and spiritual health, and it assists in getting you mentally prepared for the day ahead.
Non-early risers might have to work harder to discipline themselves in this area than early risers. If you don’t particularly enjoy mornings, you might try setting your alarm on the other side of the room or enlisting an accountability partner who will call you to make sure you’ve gotten out of bed. Be particularly mindful of the snooze button, and don’t fall into the trap of setting your alarm early only to snooze it until your normal wake-up time. Give yourself one or two snoozes, and then get out of bed to face the day!
2. Exercise and/or shower
Get moving to wake your mind up. Some options to consider are stretching, walking, running, or body-weight strength training. You might also enjoy biking or cardio. Consider focusing on one area one day and another area the next day. Shoot for 15 to 20 minutes of activity, and then finish up with a shower. Use this time to reflect on the previous day and ask yourself which areas in your life you need to work on or improve today. And be intentional about focusing your mind on prayer.
3. Pray
Take some time to thank God for the blessing of another day of life, and seek His guidance for the day ahead. If you have any concerns or feel anxious about anything in the coming day, pray about these things now. Choose to let go of your worries and to trust in the sovereignty of the Lord. Pray for wisdom and peace. Pray for the Holy Spirit to guard your tongue, and pray for God to provide what you need and protect you from sin.
Confess any shortcomings and failures to the Lord, and repent of the sin that His Spirit has convicted you of. Ask God to help you live for His glory and to open up opportunities for you to testify about Him. Ask for the boldness to live according to His will and to speak according to His truth. Pray for those people you have promised to pray for and for those He brings to your heart and mind. And pray for clear direction to walk according to His ways.
4. Read Scripture
Spend some time in the Word of God. Choose a Bible-reading plan, and read through the Scripture passage for the day. Observe what is being said within its context, and ask yourself what the original author was trying to communicate. Discern the timeless truths that you learn about God and people. And with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, determine what an appropriate application would be for your own life.
This does not have to be a long and drawn-out process. Try to aim for 10 to 15 minutes of prayer and Bible-study. This is the most important part of your morning routine because it focuses your mind on God and allows His Word to penetrate your heart and draw you closer to Him. Choose one particular truth from your reading and be intentional about reflecting on and applying that truth to your life as you strive to be more like Christ today.
5. Set some goals for the day
Take a few moments to set some goals for the day. Prioritize what is most important, and ask yourself what you have to get accomplished today. Write out a quick to-do list, and think through what your schedule will look like. Ask yourself if you have any particular goals for your head, hands, and heart. Is there anything in particular you want to learn about today? Is there a specific task you would like to get done? Is there a spiritual area you want to focus on or grow in? Then, enjoy the last few minutes of quiet.
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