Right on time!

This morning I awoke an hour earlier than my alarm goes off and my heart was heavy.  I couldn't get back to sleep.  Ideas, solutions and even consequences were fighting for the spotlight in my mind.  I was desperate to solve a challenge I am facing in my life.

It has been an odd week for me and I couldn't quite put my finger on it until I got out of bed this morning and grabbed my Bible.  Let me see if I can explain to you what God wanted to tell me this morning.

I have never been a very consistent person with my devotions all my Christian life.  I'm a 'spurter'.  I would go in spurts.  Last November I did the writing challenge of Nanowrimo.  But I added my own slant.  If I am going to challenge myself to write everyday - which I want to do anyway, then I will make myself do my devotions first before typing a single word.  It worked.  I got up every weekday morning an hour earlier and did my devotions and then typed on my manuscript.  I was amazed at my own consistency - something I'd struggled with for years.  Even after the writing contest was over I maintained my regular quiet time with God, waking early on school days to read my Bible and study. (I wish I could say I maintained my writing time too.)

Typical for me is that I can sustain something for awhile until I hit a speed bump.  Those bumps - for me - are as simple as a change in routine.  My speed bump was going to be Christmas break.

Imagine with me playing a video game of Mario where he can't jump.  He can play and kick mushrooms or whatever he needs to do just fine until he has to jump up on a new level.  He can move backwards and forwards but he can't go up.

That is how I felt.  As soon as there was a change in my routine all my hard work would be gone.  It would take me months to get going again.  Maybe that doesn't describe you but that was my life to a 't'.

However this time was different.

How Great Thou Art

This month as I am striving hard to complete 50K words in the Nanowrimo contest I have taken on a wider, bigger goal that that as well.

If you've been following along with me you know that this is my second year doing Nano.  (See previous post here.)  However last year my goal was just the 50K.  This year I wanted to swallow the whole experience - write every day a certain amount of words.  In order to do that I needed to be disciplined.  To be honest, discipline is something that is often absent in my life.  I am more of a whatever-you-feel-like-at-the-moment kind of gal.  So before I entered into this contest I decided it needed to encompass more than my writing.

I decided to be disciplined with God too.  So I set my alarm for 5 am every week day.  I get up, make a tea and a fire and sit down on the couch with my Bible and  a devotional book.  Then after spending half an hour with God I open my laptop and start to write.  Depending how fast I type that morning I can almost complete the daily word count in the next hour before my children need to be wakened for school.  I was amazed at how a little discipline made a huge difference in my life.

• It renews my love for my Saviour   
• It gives me a boost for my day.  
• And before 7 am I can complete my biggest challenge of the day.

Now part two of this new me is how do I keep it going for a month. I am also not a good finisher.  I wanted to be successful not just in building a writing habit but more so a quiet time habit. Here I am on day 16 of the month long challenge and this is my progress report.  I have missed three mornings of writing.  I have missed zero mornings of quiet time.

How did I manage that yo may ask?  Once I slept in too long and just used my time to read the Bible instead of cracking my laptop open.  Then twice I woke up with headaches.  I read from my bible then curled up on the couch with a blanket and went back to sleep until my kids had to get up.

I don't tell you this to boast.  For I have done nothing incredible.  I have just been obedient.  I do tell you this to encourage you. Mostly though, I tell you this to share what happened this morning.  I woke at 5 am with a song in my head.  That is not all too different.  But today the hymn was How Great Thou Art.  It was so strong and clear I decided to grab a hymnal and sing through the song before I started my Bible reading.  It was a nice way to begin my morning with God.  Then I opened my devotional and the bible reading was from Psalm 66.

Shout for joy to God, all the earth! 
Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious. 
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! 
So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you. 
All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, 
they sing the praises of your name

It was one of those little reminders (a fingerprint of God on my day) that He is in control.  He reigns in my mornings and in my nights.  He reigns in my writing and in my other daily duties.

Then I shall bow in humble adoration, and there proclaim, my God how great Thou art.

If you need a little pick me up check out this video.