As often as I’m able to get up before the sun, I’ve been practicing the Miracle Morning–but with a twist. If you aren’t familiar with The Miracle Morning, you can visit my post here where I briefly talk about it.
I initially tried The Miracle Morning the way Hal Elrod prescribed it–Silence, Affirmations, Visualization, Exercise, Reading, Scribing. It worked just fine, but, for me, something was missing. Hal claimed that doing the Miracle Morning would have you waking up with the sun as excited as Christmas morning and I just wasn’t feeling that excited. Then it hit me. I was trying to make important the things that Hal deemed important. Meditation had never been my thing. Reading a book for 30 minutes was one of my favorite pastimes, but how was a random book helping me improve my day? And affirmations were certainly something I couldn’t get used to–looking in the mirror telling myself how great I am? That’s when I decided to use the Miracle Morning principles as a template for something I did find vital to making my days successful: my quiet time!
I feel like I have struck gold since I merged these two things!! Before the Miracle Morning I would try to get up and have a quiet time but had a hard time nailing down the steps involved. Many times I found myself floundering through a puddle of prayer, scripture, and distracted silence with no clear direction. Now, I wake up excited to have a structured time with God.
My Routine
Exercise. I usually start my quiet time with the exercise bit, though I don’t go all out. I save my serious exercising for later in the day. Instead, I do a few stretches or a series of yoga stretches to wake my body up. It’s rather difficult to stay awake for the rest of the routine if I’m still feeling groggy.
Silence. This step was originally meant to be a sort of meditative state or simply sitting in silence. Instead, I interpreted it as an opportunity to sit in prayer or to “be still and know that [He] is God.” I like to sit on the floor where I won’t be too comfortable so I can concentrate on what I’m saying instead of just doing the “thank you God for this day and thank you for my family and thank you for..” type of thing. I like to start by setting my intentions for the day with God and asking for His guidance as I open the Word. I then proceed to make any requests on mine or others’ behalf. Sometimes I will just sit and “commune.”
Affirmations. I like to transition from the silence piece to affirmations. Rather than affirming random things I want to be true or am working to make true, I like to say aloud the things in Scripture that are true so that I can own them for the day. I like to turn verses from commands to personal statements. Here are a few examples:
I am blessed because I do not walk in the counsel of the ungodly…but my delight is in the Law of the Lord, and on His Law I meditate day and night. I am like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, ready to bring forth fruit in season; my leaf shall not wither; and everything I do prospers. (Ps. 1:1-3)
I have no anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, I make my requests known to God. And God’s peace which transcends all understanding had mounted a guard over my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:6-7)
Whatever my task is, I work at it heartily (from the soul) as something done for the Lord and not for men. (Col. 3:23)
Visualization. Some people like to visualize their dreams or themselves already being successful at major goals they’ve set out to accomplish. Me, I like to just try and tackle one day at a time. I like to flow from my biblical affirmations into visualizing what I want my day to look like when it’s over. Typically I like to envision myself sitting down to a home cooked meal with my family; the house is clean and fresh; I’ve accomplished all my work for the day and done it with a cheerful heart.
Reading & Scribing. Finally, I like to end my Miracle Morning Quiet Time with the obvious: Scripture reading and note taking. Right now I am working my way through the entire Bible from start to finish. I like to read a chapter, or maybe even less so it can really marinate, and then read my favorite commentary to draw an application out of it.
And that’s how I’ve taken my Miracle Morning to a new level! I recommend reading the book The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8AM). It’s an excellent way to get inspired. Heck, you might even decide to throw your own twist on it like I did. For those who practice the Miracle Morning, leave a comment! What are some ways you’ve adapted your Miracle Morning to fit your values?
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