Have you ever wondered how your fellow church ladies are always on top of praying for those on the prayer list, always finish their Bible study and reading early, and are so organized when it comes to serving on committees? Me too! I made it my mission to discover how they arrive so early with that level of organization, and it turns out it’s because of early mornings and a routine. It really is that simple, and I want to show you how to build a Christ-centered morning routine with your planner.
Creating good faith-based morning routines actually starts with good weekly routines; you can even do it if you’re not a morning person. After a day of worship focused on Christ, Sunday evenings are the perfect time to plan a daily routine for the week ahead, and your planner will serve as a brain-dump station for next week’s to-do list. Be sure to mark the page because you’ll be referring back to it A LOT.
Your planner should inspire you to God-led goal setting and encourage you to plan with Him in the lead. Life can get really busy, leaving you feeling rushed and at the mercy of the clock and deadlines, but using your planner to keep you rooted in Christ benefits your spiritual growth.
Why A Christian Morning Routine Matters
Having Christ-centered routines as a Christian woman and making consistent quiet time with the Lord a priority on your schedule puts the focus of your day on Christ rather than on yourself. Psalm 5:3 CSB tells us, “In the morning, Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to You and watch expectantly.” Bible verses like this one have a clear meaning of dependence on God and are a great way to direct our path for the rest of the day. Recalibrating this way each new day is submitting to God’s will for your time, rather than continually focusing on intrusive thoughts that distract you from Christ Jesus.
Why spiritual practices can strengthen your faith
(Mind you) I’ve used a planner to keep track of appointments and set deadlines for as long as I can remember. From elementary school through college, it was an absolute necessity to have a planner. Then I had children, and I again determined that it was necessary to have a planner. However, I needed a place to do intentional planning and to track more than just my daily schedule, including Bible studies, ladies’ meetings, blog post schedules, event times and locations, and signs to be created, among others.
Typical planners gave me room to schedule events and appointments for my day, week, or month, but they didn’t include habit trackers, let me write down my creative ideas, or record my prayers. I needed a planner that would encourage me to be in God’s Word and remind me to be diligent in prayer with a prayer routine. I wanted a planner that would help me stay on task with daily activities without making me feel stifled by my schedule.
I searched for a planner to help me accomplish all these, but alas, none could be found. I found some with added benefits and knocked a few things off my checklist, like a place to write and track habits, or one that would track Bible study but not prayers. Therefore, I set out on a creative journey to make my own.
I have been a stationery lover since childhood, and I consider myself a connoisseur of that love, self-proclaimed, of course! I felt I could make one that would help me stay focused, complete my tasks, and keep track of my schedule and prayers. Hence the name Journey, because it was a two-year journey of research and tweaking page designs until it went from just a planner to a “Guide To Prayer and Planning(link to the sale page).”
I truly believe God blessed me with the thoughts and ideas to create this planner, and it has become my mission to help other ladies combat the devil’s claim on their focus and time. A personal relationship with Christ, built through consistent time in the Word and an active prayer life, is essential to strengthening your walk with God.
Example of a Simple Christ-Centered Morning Planner Routine
Practical Steps To Build Your Christ-centered rhythm
Now that we know the best way to have a good morning routine begins at night, let’s explore the process and each part of your routine itself in preparation for the morning.
Step 1: Morning Prayer
The main priority always should be PRAYER and spending time in God’s presence. Before you start anything in this life, you need to pray, especially on how to build a Christ-centered morning routine with your planner. Journey provides a place for you to write a personal prayer(or 10) and even teaches you how to pray if you’re struggling to focus, like I was. Using the A.C.T.S. prayer method, you can come to Christ, adoring Him, confessing your sin, thanking Him, and supplicating on behalf of others and yourself. If you would like to pray as Jesus taught the disciples in the Lord’s Prayer, here’s a free guide to help you.
Step 2: Read Scripture and Reflect
Before reading, pray for God to open your mind to His word and help you discover His truths to live by. I typically read my Bible – one chapter of one book – every day. This allows me to focus on specifics and study verses of a single passage in-depth using my Verse Mapping Sheet. These sheets keep me focused on biblical principles, looking to Christ, and set boundaries for myself to stop my wandering. If I need more help, I use the Digging Deeper with Christ Sheet. Once you’re done, have prayer time again and thank Him for the time in the Word of God, how it cleanses your soul, and for your God-given purpose.
Step 3: Pray Over Your Priorities
After a prayer for your priorities, let’s determine them instead of letting the hustle and bustle of our daily lives take over for the week. Use your weekly dump list to determine your top priorities for the day. I like to rank my brain-dump list in a logical order to stay on top of what needs to be done now. Your ranking could look like this:
1. Critical-needs done now
2. Important-needs done, but there’s wiggle room
3. Maintenance-needs maintained to keep systems running, mostly updates
4. Routine-needs done, repetitive, low-importance tasks, ample wiggle room
5. Busywork-need done, fills time but adds little value
6. Trivial Tasks-time fillers, tasks that, if completed, are of little value, just icing
If your brain dump is a list of housework and business work, I suggest splitting them into two lists. On each list, number your tasks by type. For example, on the housework list, I personally give cleaning toilets a number 4; it needs to be done, but I can finish my daily work block before I swirl my toilet wand. However, dishes have a higher priority. It’s much more important that my dishes are clean before I work on an important block where I write, because I need food to stay fueled for my day.
Scheduling critical blocks at the start of your working day addresses pressing matters. Once you’re finished, send up a prayer of gratitude for your planning. Oh, and “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” Philippians 4:6. We make plans, but God directs our steps. If you let Him, He will lead.
Step 4: Practice and Express Gratitude
How to build a Christ-Centered Morning Routine with your planner is easier when you focus your day on what you can do for Christ. Gratitude will inevitably pour from your mouth and flow from your pen. Pray your gratitudes to the Lord and write them down. You can also use the prayer tracker in Journey to track gratitudes. Tracking gratitude helps you to look for the good in daily life (which can only be found in the Trinity). This practice will shift your mindset to focus on your Savior above any fear, shiny objects, or anything else this world has to offer.
Step 5: Surrender All Plans To God
First thing, before you begin chores or work for each day, surrender yourself, each family member, your business, and your plans for the aforementioned to God, releasing control to Him and trusting His guidance in your daily life!
Practical Tips For Staying Consistent
You’re looking for consistency in use, not perfection. Remember, Christ was the only perfect human to walk this earth; His children are not. Consistency starts with setting your tomorrow up for success today.
- Keep your Bible and Journey together. I take both with me when I travel, and keep them close to my favorite seat at home.
- Start with a few habits at a time, adding one or two new ones each week.
- Wake up at least 15 minutes earlier than you need to get ready for your day. Example: If you leave for work at 9, it takes you an hour to get ready, 30 minutes to eat, and 30-60 minutes for a good Bible study, you would need to wake by 6:15 AM at the latest.
- Remember to stay consistent and reach for done, not perfect.
How a Christ-Centered Morning Routine Transforms Your Day
Morning routines are about more than just helping you get things accomplished on your to-do list. Good morning routines reduce stress and overwhelm, helping you focus on Christ rather than your list. Improved focus, in turn, keeps you calm, leaves you open to accept God’s peace, and allows you to make good, not reactive, decisions. Starting your day with prayer and in your Bible strengthens your relationship with Christ, creating a calmer day, and that means all the world to me and hopefully you.
I pray that you are now prepared to pray about your plans, make your plans for the week on Sunday, read your Bible daily, pray some more, track your habits, and stay consistent. Journey is the perfect planner to guide you through prayer and planning. Just remember to focus on consistency, not perfection.
If you don’t know Christ, I would love to talk with you and tell you more about my Savior. If you need more help with prayer or planning or how to build a Christ-centered morning routine with your planner, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m available on Facebook and Insta and via my contact page here.
