CONNECTED!
Make Your Mornings Magical
By Stacie Ruth Stoelting
Guest Columnist
CBN.com –
Today, I yawn at the dawn. But wait! What is that I smell? Oh, it’s so magical. The strong, awakening aroma fills my room. Oh, it’s so wonderful. Oh, ho-ho! It’s coffee!
Morning makes coffee most magical, right?
Coffee can do so much for our mornings that it’s a wonder that no one has written a fairy tale about it. If someone did, it would likely be something like this:
Once upon a time, a town of peasants slept. No one wanted to get out of bed. Alarm clocks rang so much that their batteries died. Jobs were left undone. Children ran without adult supervision. (The children were never sleepy, you see.) And the adults and teens simply couldn’t do a thing.
Then, one day, the coffee fairy arrived. Her cocoa-colored dress and sparkling wings fluttered as she descended into the town. No one greeted her. They were still in bed. She grabbed a gramophone and shouted, “Here is a magical drink. It will help you all to think.”
How the people cheered! Mugs appeared in their hands and they sat up in bed. Soon, everyone brewed the beverage and lived ”hyperly” ever after.
Now, I know that coffee isn’t that magical. But it certainly can pry apart our eye lids. When we are alert of a morning, it’s a good thing. Mornings can be magnificent when spent with the Lord.
Yes, I’m naturally a night owl. Fellow recovering night owls, I feel your pain. I bite my lower lip with deep feeling. I know that it’s sometimes hard to believe that God made mornings. But He did. And they can be beautiful. (Hey, I heard you laugh!)
I’ve always been a night owl: When I was a baby, I kept my parents up all night. (My wonderful parents put up with a lot!) They no longer needed an alarm clock: I provided the free wake-up call, I mean, bawl.
I still struggle with the morning thing. But, if we remove the effects of the world, we can rediscover the beauty of the sunrise. We need to find a way to drown out commuters’ tooting horns, screeching tires, and radio/iPod music. Yes, I have breaking news to accompany your breakfast: Mornings can be beautiful.
When was the last time you noticed the sunrise? If it was at your after-prom party, then it’s time to discover mornings again. Here are a few beautiful, miraculous, and inspiring aspects that God points out in His Word:
Each morning comes with God’s special offer: new mercy and compassion. If the previous day stank, there’s hope for a new day. “Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. ‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘Therefore I hope in Him!’” (Lamentations 3:22-24, NKJV)
Schedule a daily FAQ with the Lord: Ask Him what you should do and where you should go, etc. Use mornings to cut out some stupid stuff from your schedule and really listen to what God wants you to do. “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.” (Psalm 143:8, NIV)
Instead of just bad breath, mornings can bring joy. Somehow, old problems don’t seem quite as daunting as they did the night before. Ask God to give you joy. He will.
“For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for a lifetime;
Weeping may last for the night,
But a shout of joy comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:5, NASB)
Have a daily giving thanks and praise session! But remember to stand when you do it. Don’t do it only while lolling in bed. (I sometimes fall back asleep!) Stand up and thank Him for a new day. (This can seem impossible at first. But, with time, it gets easier and easier.) God’s priests were told to stand and give thanks: “They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord.” (I Chronicles 23:30, NIV)
Instead of throwing the alarm clock, let’s focus on something good like God’s love. Let’s proclaim His love when we wake up. Psalm 92:1-2 (NIV): “It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night…”
Instead of picking up heavy burdens and dressing yourself with worry, undress yourself of your problems. Expect great things to happen and lay requests at the Lord’s feet. Psalm 5:3 (NIV) says: “In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.”
Take time for a solitary soul-spa with the Lord. A peaceful, deep time of fellowship with God does wonders. Jesus went off to a quiet, solitary place to spend time in prayer. That’s enough of a reason for us to do it: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35, NIV)
Most of all, be sure that you experience a sunrise for your soul: let Jesus shine His light into your heart.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, click here. Jesus can rescue you from darkness!
“And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” (II Peter 1:19, NIV)
Now, I need to get up from my chair and refill my coffee cup. But, then again, maybe I feel energized enough with some caffeine for my soul: praise for the Lord! But a little more coffee still wouldn’t hurt…
And the next time you feel the warmth of your coffee mug, think of Stacie Ruth Stoelting. After all, I’m likely drinking coffee, too. Cheers!
Note from the Author:
Connected! isn’t a typical monthly column. Think of it as an e-mail. Feel free to reply. Reply to: stacieruth@brightlightministry.com. After all, I want to be a friend and introduce you to my Best Friend, Jesus Christ. We’ll cover issues relevant to our generation. Most of all, we’ll connect with Christ. If you don’t know how to connect with Him yet, click here.
 Stacie Ruth Stoelting and Bright Light Ministry share how to have victory over tragedies and trials. She loves Jesus! And she loves to help people. (She knows what it feels like to “wistfully wish for help.” That memory helps to ignite her passion to help others.) At 23, she already has experience: At 15, Stacie Ruth wrote Still Holding Hands: Bonus Tips for Caregivers & Tips for Helping Families Facing Alzheimer’s, depicting her grandparents’ romance, and victory over Alzheimer’s. Celebrities (i.e. Pat Robertson) endorsed it and/or Bright Light Ministry. At 20, she sang for President Bush. In dramatic programs for all ages, she speaks, acts, sings and entertainingly inspires. Now, she is writing another book ( Whatever Happened to My Faith?). Feel free to invite her to speak and/or sing at your church or school. Visit www.brightlightministry.com.
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