Epiphani
Do you have a morning routine? Are there certain things you must do daily to be successful and to show up as your best self? Building a morning routine and more so, daily habits was one of the first things I dove into during my healing journey and now, these same habits continue to benefit me and really set my day off to a great start!
Today, Iām letting you in on a little of my morning and sharing šš¾ habits that make my day, along with why I do them / what they do for me. If anything resonates with you, feel free to claim it and implement it in your life. Even if not, I hope it gets you thinking about what you already do, or maybe could do going forward to show up and take the day!
Love you bunches š
šš¾ Habits that Make My Day
Reading the scripture of the day before I do (or read) anything else
Even though I do have more intimate time with God later in my morningā¦
Itās a small way of acknowledging and putting God first in my life and my day
It ensures Godās voice is the first I take in.
Laying in bed for a few extra mins.
I know many other gurus say that itās best to jump out of bed at the first sound of your alarm clock, but I have ALWAYS been a tiered alarm kinda girl.
One, I like to alert myself 15-30 mins before itās time to wake up and then get those last couple mins of sleep. (Kinda like, hey, itās almost time to wake upā¦ but not yet girl, so snooze away! lol)
Two, once Iām awake, I like to lay in be for a few minutes to...
Wake my brain up ā because you know sometimes, we wake up like, who am i? Where am I? Whatās going on? lol
Write down or voice record any dreams I had
Provide space for God to speak to me about my dreams and/or guidance He has for my day
Check my calendar and mentally prepare for whatās ahead (and sometimes start thinking about what Iāll wear)
Making my bed
As soon as I get up, I make up my bed (unless itās Sunday, then Iām washing my sheets š)
Even when my room gets a little junky on those busy weeks, a made up bed holds it together a bit and brings order to the (temporary) chaos.
I also like a clean palette to lay my clothes on before getting dressed.
Plusā¦
Making my bed minimizes the temptation to get back in it, and
Who doesnāt like to snuggle into a made up bed at the end of a long day š
Opening my blinds
Letting the sun in is a key to setting my atmosphere (& really notifying my body that itās time to really wake up)
I favor natural light over artificialāas much as I can do by sunlight, I will before turning on a light (and thaāts all day)
Not only is the sun good for you (vitamin D and other nutrients), but also, for me, itās another way of letting God in (NOT the āsun godāāwho dat?ā but the one true God who created the sun).
Thereās something special about nature overall, itās like a tangible way of seeing the Hand of God, and I need that in my life on the daily!
Having breakfast
Major key alert!
When Iām not fasting, having breakfast is absolutely necessary for me!
One, it fuels the first half of my day.
This is where I can intentionally load up on nutrients my body needs
I do want to get to a point where every meal consistently is healthy and nutrient-rich.
I do my best, but tbh, I havenāt 100% found my flow with meal prep and shopping to make that a consistent realityā¦ yet.
So long story long, breakfast is my superstar meal that holds down the fort just in case lunch and dinner fall short.
My favorite way to do this is with a smoothie.
You can throw so much in there ā fruit (take your pick of vitamins & minerals), spinach (or other veggies), yogurt (hello probiotics), seeds (fiber power!), protein (šŖš¾), powdered supplements, and whatever else you want or need at the time!
Sometimes, Iāll also pack some oatmeal or overnight oats, especially if I know I have lots to do and wonāt have lunch for a while.
Bonus
Scriptural Affirmations
I pull scriptures based on the season I am in or ones God leads me to, and read them aloudāsome daily, and some weekly.
Sometimes I personalize them with 1st person pronouns (I, me, etc) and other times, I just read them as theyāre written.
Faith comes by hearing, so itās a way to establish and strengthen my faith in what God has said.
Saying it aloud as an affirmation is also like making a decree and speaking it over myself and my life.
Itās basically a way to say what God says about me and my life, and to show that I agree with His Word and plans.
Keeping my phone on DND until after quiet time with God!
I am definitely pro-block out all the noise!
I started doing this even before we had the DND feature on our phonesāI would just resolve to not read any messages, answer any calls, or go on social media (when I had it) until my morning routine was complete and I had already set the tone for my day.
Initially, I did it because I was worn out by people or news swaying my mood and focus before I could even establish myself for the day.
It would throw me off!
I recognize the importance of getting anchored daily before letting in the winds and waves of life, people, work, etc.
I find that when I allow myself time to wake up, be fed by God, and fuel my mind and body, I am much more ready to take on the world, and to actually do so with grace and kindness.
Itās really as much for everyone I am to interact with that day as it is for me š
There are a few other things that are a part of my morning routine, but these are my main non-negotiables. I need these šš¾ eāery day to be successful!
What do you do every morning that makes your day?
For years now, God has been refining my definition of health and the ways I take care of my mind and body. Somewhere along the way, I started feeling like, āAm I being extra?ā š¤ & maybe to some, I am, but the real truth is that I kinda forgot to remember the āwhyā for many of the measures God has had me implement over the years, and also the positive results of following through. And honestly, some things I forgot or didnāt realize were actually instructions from God and not just me wanting to feel/do/be betterāto be clear, wanting to feel or do better is reason enough on its own, but when obedience to God is at hand, Iām likeā¦
This is why recording Godās instructions, as well as the journey that follows, is so important, whether on paper, by video, in a voice note, etc. Health wise, itās also a good idea to record and circle back to your āwhyā for implementing a certain habit or routine, eliminating a certain food(s), etc., especially when itās been a while.
God has healed my mind and body in MANY ways over the last few years through measures Iāve shared across quite a few of our Wellness Wednesday videos and blog posts (and some I havenāt yet shared). From menstrual cramps, to bloating and indigestion, to intense seasonal and elemental allergies, to depression, and Iām sure thereās more. (Thank you, Jesus! šš¾)
But to be candid, I kinda got a bit lackadaisical in carrying out some of the things God used to heal me in the first place. Granted, there are indeed certain things that are only relevant and applicable during the healing process, but this weekend, I was reminded that the lifestyle changes God has had me make over the years are meant to be carried out for a lifetime, or at least until the next instruction. I guess I kinda started thinking, āwell, if Iām truly healed, then XYZ shouldnāt hurt me anymoreā or āā¦being meticulous about XYZ isnāt a big deal anymore.ā It was actually quite the opposite and in some ways, I had to be reminded of this the hard way š„“ lol.
In our faith Friday series, weāve been talking about obtaining and maintaining deliverance and freedom through Jesus Christ. Just like we implement certain things to get free and continue doing them to stay free spiritually, the same applies to our physical healing and health.The changes the Holy Spirit leads us to make with our eating, our physical activity, our visual and audio intake, etc. are often not just meant to heal us from illness, but also to help us lead healthy lives going forward.
I guess I kinda missed that second part, but thankfully, the Holy Spirit is our faithful Guide, teaching and instructing us in the way we should go and bringing us back when we veer off even a little.
So, long story long, donāt stop doing the things the Lord instructed you to do at first until/unless He gives another instruction. Continuing to treat your body with special care even after healing doesnāt mean you werenāt fully healed, but rather the opposite. Jesus did His part in sending the healing, and we must continue to do ours, obeying the promptings and instructions of the Holy Spirit to continue to care for our temples. Donāt intentionally or unintentionally re-contaminate what Jesus has purified by His Spirit and your obedience, and that applies both spiritually and physically. Maintain the vision He placed before you of a fully healed, healthy, and wholesome you, and do not cast off restraint. & if youāve āfallen off the wagonā a little (or a lotta) bit, be encouraged & GET BACK IN THERE, SIS!
āFor a righteous [woman] may fall seven times and rise againā¦ā (Proverbs 24:16)
I hope this helped someone today, but even if not, it certainly blessed me! ššš¾
I love you all bunches! Have a healthy & wholesome week š
Calling God up like...
Last week, we talked about the importance of embracing the new you and your new season and being transformed by the renewing of your mind. These are both keys to receiving and walking in the freedom Jesus sacrificed for us to have so that we would be able to serve Him and the Kingdom of God fully. Though we touched on some of these topics a bit last week, I wanted to share the unique experience that often occurs after deliverance (& salvation) specifically, because I recognize that it is similar, but different from the normal process of growth.
Being set free from sin and demonic oppression literally lifts burdens off of you that were never meant to be there, but may have settled in as ānormalā over time. As such, being set free will uncover parts of you that were hidden or suppressed, and God will restore parts of you that were cut off or blocked from blooming. As we are delivered, we will likely need to get to know ourselves all over again. This does not mean that weāre starting from scratch, but rather that we will likely need to go through a process with Jesus and ourselves to relearn who we truly are.
Once weāve been set free, we must come to Jesus and ask Him, who am I, really? What parts of me were really me? What parts werenāt? Some things will naturally go away because they were literally tied to the demonic influence you were under, but there are also nuanced parts of what youāve thought to be your personality that may not actually be a part of who you are.
In addition to learning your true identity in freedom, there may be a re-creation or reshaping of your interests, likes, dislikes, etc. What does this new you like now that sheās free? How does she spend her time outside of her time with God or working on assignments? How does she dress? You donāt have to attack all of this by just sitting down one time and mapping it out. Instead, allow yourself the freedom to curiously and adventurously find out!
You will most likely find that your destiny changes. To be clear, from Godās perspective, itās always been the same, but now, your eyes will be opened to see it with more clarity. What you thought you were supposed to be doing with your life may not actually be aligned with Godās true, perfect plan for your life. His plan is likely bigger and definitely better, hence why you needed to be FREE to see, pursue, and walk in it. This may mean dramatic changes if you were far off course before, or could be minor track changes if you just wandered off the path a little. Either way, allow the Holy Spirit to redirect you and be willing to let go of anything He shows you isnāt a part of your destiny. Also, be willing to embrace what He shows you IS a part of Godās plan for your life!
Finally, (though Iām sure thereās more that could be said), you may realize that the relationships you were in only made sense with the you that was in bondage. It doesnāt mean that everyone is bad or you are better, but similar to what we talked about last week, if you chose most of your friends, acquaintances, and even romantic relationship while you were under the influence or oppression of a demonic spirit, it very well may be that the true you, who is now free, has little to nothing in common with those you chose before you were set free. Again, this is not one of those, āIām moving up in life and leaving yāall behindā points, but rather to say that you may not relate to them anymore, but also, they may not relate to you, the true you, and that is okay. Youāre literally a new person, so you may not even be their cup of tea anymore or vice versa, and thatās okay, too. And even if you are being tolerated for historyās sake, thereās a strong possibility that true acceptance and deep connection may not be there anymore, and thatās okay.
This is not a post where Iām here to give you the steps for how to navigate these changes, because tbh, Iām still navigating some of it myself. However, I just want to let someone know that what you are experiencing right now post deliverance, the learning who you are all over again and the reshaping of your life and interests, the shifting of your relationshipsā¦ itās normal. Spend time with Jesus and let Him relay to you who you are and also, spend time exploring the new you.
Love you bunches! š
P.S. You may also see that you have ānewā spiritual gifts. They may have been there all along, but have only had a chance to surface now that the oppression has been lifted. This is another area to discuss and explore with the Holy Spirit and seek His Will for how He wants you to use them! š