I have like a million reviews scheduled over these next few weeks.  Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but there are a lot.  So I was tempted to put this one, and the one coming Monday off for a few weeks.  I don’t want to bombard or annoy you.

But these two books are so potentially life-changing, and so fundamental to many people’s goals or resolutions for the year, that I feel like I’d be doing you a disservice to delay them, so…with my apologies for the glut of reviews in February, let me introduce you to Kat Lee and Hello Mornings.

It’s Been a While

I was first introduced to Kat way back when she did her first (or possibly the second) Hello Mornings challenge online.  This was something like a decade ago.  I honestly don’t remember a lot about the challenge itself from that time.  I don’t know if I learned specific tips then, or just benefited from the accountability.  (To that point, I hadn’t really had any major difficulties with mornings.)

Life Happens

But fast-forward a bit.  Three more kids.  Chronic illness.  I no longer do mornings well.  Physically, I don’t handle mornings well.  I have an infant, so sleep — and wake-up times — are unreliable.  The only way to ensure a consistent “typical” morning routine would be to get up early enough that it’s definitely before all of the children — and that is simply not the wisest move for my health during this season.  It’s better for me to get as much sleep as I can reasonably get in the mornings.

But what I noticed as I assessed my goals, moving from January into February, is that my spiritual goals were what were suffering the most.  “Project-y” things were getting done.  But the things built on routine were not happening, because routine wasn’t happening.  So what’s a mama to do?  If I can’t set up my morning the way I’d really like to, but I need that consistency, then what?  Enter Kat and her 3-minute morning routine.

Hello Mornings

Hello Mornings: How to Build a Grace-Filled, Life-Giving Morning Routine is just what it says.  It really is grace-filled, and it really is life-giving…and it really is accessible.

The idea is that a very small nugget of a routine — with an intent to focus on God, planning, and building health — can serve as an anchor, and be expanded (or not) as necessary and as you’re able.  I love the heart behind this.  Taking a step, any step, is better than immobility.  Habits build on habits.  These are things I firmly believe, and teach, but which Kat crystallizes for us beautifully in this book, specifically in relation to the morning routine.

There are three major sections to the book: Why Mornings?, Your Morning Routine Blueprint, and Your Morning Routine Toolkit.

The First section talks about why this is important, and general preparation.  Much of the “why” is summed up in this:

“If I believe God created me with a specific purpose and plan for my life, then He must have a purpose and plan for my year.  If He has a purpose and plan for my year, He has a purpose and plan for my days.  That means He has a purpose and plan for today.  And if my all-knowing, all-powerful, loving God has a plan for my day, why wouldn’t I want to be a part of it?”

Wow.  If that doesn’t inspire you to action, I don’t know what will.

Besides the why, this section includes some preparatory things, like knowing where you’re going to conduct your morning routine, anticipating your own hurdles, etc.

The Actual Routine

The second section is the heart of the routine, with chapters for “God,” “Plan,” and “Move” (which may not literally be “moving,” but is related to physical health).  Each chapter talks about the core routine — the anchoring nugget of a routine — as well as some ways to expand on and grow that routine once it’s established.  (Depending on where you’re at, you may be ready to “grow” it right away.  That will largely depend on whether or not you already have an anchor of some kind in place.)

There is a huge focus, here and throughout the book, on simply getting started, on doing something.  Too often we put things off because we’re not ready for perfect.  But as Kat says:

“To develop perfect, in-depth morning routines in all these areas could take a lifetime of work.  But we can’t wait a lifetime to connect with God, to live purposefully, or to take care of the health God has given us.”

It’s important enough to start now, even if all we can do right now is get started.

Building & Growing, and Wrapping Up

The final section of the book offers additional ideas for building on and growing in these areas by learning more about building habits, finding accountability, etc.

The simplicity of the basic routine, and the flexibility of it to expand or contract as needed, is a huge advantage of the book.  But at least as significant, if not more so, is Kat herself (and her tone/attitude).

At risk of sounding cheesy and ridiculous, Kat oozes Jesus throughout the pages of Hello Mornings.  And not in a fluffy, too-spiritual-to-take-seriously, makes-you-want-to-roll-your-eyes kind of way, but in an exuberant, overflowing, can’t-contain-it kind of way.  The subtitle promises grace and life in your morning routine, but there is grace and there is life within the pages of the book itself, too.

It’s both immensely practical, and immensely inspiring.  And completely judgment-free, which is refreshing.  There’s no hint of, “what a crappy Christian you are if you’re not already doing this,” or “what kind of mom doesn’t spend at least half an hour every day studying and color-coding her Bible?”  It’s a constant refrain of, “it’s important, so get started…do what you can, and we’ve got your back.”

This is a beautiful thing (and we’ll see it again in Monday’s book) that we could use more of in the Church — calling one another to more and better, but without condemnation for what’s in the past.

I really can’t recommend this book highly enough (even if your current morning routine is rockin’), and it is going on the required reading list for my teenager.

Hello Mornings: How to Build a Grace-Filled…Morning Routine {review} is a post from: Titus 2 Homemaker

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