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Welcome to Day 25 of our series, From Chaos to Calm: 15 Weeks to a Happy Home. Today I’m talking to you about why waking up early is a good idea.

Early Morning Wake Up Call @ AVirtuousWoman.org

From Chaos to Calm: Day Twenty-Five

Early Morning Wake Up Call

Scripture Memory: “She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.” Proverbs 31: 15

Download the .pdf version of this article.

At the beginning of this challenge, I encouraged you to rise early in the morning and have your daily prayer and devotion. I hope that you have learned to be fairly consistent in this.

–>>> Be sure to watch my video at the bottom of the post as I talk about a few different issues! <<<–

Today, I want to talk about the importance of the early morning routine and how, if you are not used to it, it can change your life! The Bible talks a lot about laziness. “Lazy hands make a [woman] poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.” Proverbs 10:4. (NIV) We talked briefly about self-discipline and I want to touch on it again today.

Having a lack of self-discipline is a form of laziness. The verse above tells us that a person who is lazy will be poor, but a person who is willing to be diligent will be wealthy. I can think of so many ways a person can be “poor.” You can be poor in spirit. You can be poor in relationships. You can be poor financially. You can be poor or “lacking” in just about anything.

related: The Disciplined Homemaking eCourse

I have heard so many women over the years tell me, “I am not a morning person.” Or, “I don’t get up early.” Or, “I just can’t wake up!”

Waking before your family and centering your heart on Christ before you start the day can profoundly change your life. It gives you the opportunity to gain the strength of Christ. Because when you are weak He is strong! It gives you the opportunity to have a right spirit and attitude toward your family.

Sleep is important. But sleeping in can be just a way of putting your needs before the needs of your family. Jesus came to serve, not to be served. And it can be (I didn’t say always) be a form of selfishness. There are exceptions and I talk about this in the video below. And I’m not saying this to discourage you. I want you to see how the mornings can be of benefit to you when you feel like you’re in a constant state of chaos.

You may be thinking, “But, I am so tired and grouchy if I get up early!” I’m gonna give you some tough love. You get to decide how you will act and behave. You get to decide what kind of attitude you will have. You get to decide what you think about mornings.

Change is possible.

Before I had children, I was most definitely a night owl. I loved to read books late into the night and sleep in late.

It took me a number of years before I learned to simply wake up early in the morning. I had to change my patterns. I had to go to bed early enough that I could get up early. I had to learn a new way. I had to learn that some things aren’t easy, but those things become easier when you do them every day.

Now, I usually wake up before my alarm goes off in the morning and I even wake up at the same time on weekends.

related: 5 of the Best Devotions for Moms + Free Printable

Successful people rarely ever sleep in late. They get up early and go about their day. I am not just talking about people who have careers and earn a lot of money. People who have neat homes, nice yards, must work hard to meet those goals. I’m sure you have heard the saying, “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man wealthy and wise.” It is true!

Even stay-at-home moms can and do benefit from waking early and getting the day started with anticipation and productivity. I know I’ve talked about this before, but my mom always woke up early and I don’t remember her ever being cross or snapping at me because she was tired.

She would come in my room and sing a good morning song and we would start our day, every day, with joy.

Because of her faithfulness and gentleness as a mother I did the same thing with my children. The way you start the day will set the tone for the rest of the day. Be a source of gentleness and joy for your family. It’s hard to be that way all the time – especially when we aren’t going to the Source of joy ourselves. We all need Jesus and starting your day in His Word is the best way to fill your own cup so you can fill your family’s cup.

As the saying goes, you can’t give from an empty cup.

Re-read the memory verse above. We are told that the Proverbs 31 woman rises early before the day breaks to prepare food for her family. God gave us this verse for a reason – it is important!

If you have not already made it a habit to prepare food for your husband before he leaves for work and make him a lunch, think about how surprised he would be if he woke up to delicious smells and a well-thought-out breakfast or lunch. You could even tuck a note in his lunch sack telling him how much you love him or that you will be praying for his day.

Check out: Meal Prep 101 for Beginners for ideas on how to make preparing food for your family easier.

Most men are fairly easy to please. (See note below.) They want to be loved and cared for by their wives. If he leaves home in good spirits; feeling like he is the luckiest man in the world with a beautiful, content, thoughtful wife at home; how likely is it that he will fall prey to temptation? He is more likely to walk away from temptation if he feels loved at home!

Continue to practice this daily. It will get easier! Ask God for the will to wake up if you really struggle. All things are possible through Christ!

Note: Writing on this subject is difficult because there will always be someone who feels attacked. My hope is that you feel convicted where you need to be convicted and that you let the rest go.

How has rising early helped you?

Watch the Video: When Waking Up is Hard

This video is an “extra” video about getting enough sleep. I wanted to clarify a few issues!

Note: Resources for women in difficult marriages:

Action Steps to Take Today

  1. Pray and ask God to show you what changes you need to make to your morning routine. Do you need to wake up earlier? Do you need to change your attitude in the mornings?
  2. Believe that God can give you a right spirit if you struggle with your attitude in the mornings.
  3. Commit to change.
  4. Download the Morning Mood Tracker here, if desired, and keep a record of your attitude over the next 20 days.
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My name is Melissa Ringstaff and I've been blogging here at A Virtuous Woman since 2001. I'm a pastor's wife and homeschooling mom living in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains of Southeastern KY. I believe in finding freedom from perfection and living life with purpose and I want to help you do exactly that.

I'm so glad you've stopped by to visit with me. I hope we can be friends!

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21 Comments

  1. Waking up early is what I struggle and struggle with. I have to get up very early to wake up before my household. My son likes to get up around 5ish to get his chores done and get ready for school. The statement about being selfish and teaching selfishness really hit me hard. That is the last thing I want to teach my children. Thank you Melissa for your inspired messages.
    Reply
  2. Your words are always encouraging! I have to admit I got a bit defensive about waking up early though. Not because it is not important and true, but my life makes it somewhat impossible so I took it to heart. After dwelling on it all weekend I have made improvement where I can. I just don't feel it is enough but like I said earlier waking up before everyone is somewhat impossible. When my husband and I first had our son, we planned on me being a stay at home mom. The finances did not allow for that so after 5 months I went back to work at the hospital, where I work three 12hour shifts a week. When I get home in the morning I immediately crawl into bed, sleep for 3 hours then spend the rest of the day with my son. I make sure I am awake with a clean, peaceful, happy home for my husband to come home to. Any advice for my particular lifestyle because I always do want to make improvements to be more of a Godly wife/mother? Thank you in advance and for your encouraging, spiritual lifting words everyday!
    Reply
    1. Hi Shannen, I totally understand. I certainly don't want you to feel guilty when you are doing everything you can do. If you listened to the podcast for this devotion, I did mention moms that have difficult schedules, work schedules, etc. that can make getting up early difficult or even impossible. Let me say this. You are doing what you can. You work odd hours and you need your sleep! And you need more than 3 hours! I don't what you to feel guilty. I have talked several times about life circumstances that get in the way of your "ideal" life. So, go with the flow. My advice regarding waking up early and before the rest of the family is for women who are at home, whose families have a typical schedule. God will bless you any time you give Him control and it sounds like you are doing everything you can to make your home a happy haven for your family!
      Reply
  3. I was also convicted by this message! I also have to get up around 5am to start my day before my husband. I'm not a SAHM yet, but will be after I have my second baby in June. I'll be in prayer over my morning wake up calls because it's definitely my biggest struggle in the household!
    Reply
  4. Melissa, Thank you for the reassuring words! I will listen to the podcast and I am so thankful that The Lord introduced your blog to me last week. I am now a daily follower but need to do some catching up! Always inspiring and even though I haven't been reading/following long it has already made a positive change in me and my household!
    Reply
  5. You could not have said that better! I have felt the Spirit dealing with me in this area and I have not obeyed. Truth and conviction is a powerful thing and God uses others that are bold, obedient and faithful to do His work here often. I needed to see all my excuses taken away and that I need to repent of selfishness and disobedience. Every part of your post was, to me, "like cold water to a thirsty soul". All the truth said in Love has actually given me a desire to begin to finally step into this blessing. Thank you!!
    Reply
  6. I struggle with as well but mostly because right now I have to work nights and I'm lucky to get 6 hours of sleep a day. I try to be a stay at home mom while working a full time job. I do my absolute best to make sure lunches are made, dinner's ready, homework done, groceries gotten and bills paid and I lack at keeping the house perfectly clean. My husband says he doesn't mind and understands but it drives me crazy! I pray this verse will give me strength to keep going.
    Reply
    1. Tonya, God knows your struggles and He will provide all you need. It's okay to not be perfect. Strive for your best, but don't beat yourself up for your circumstances - things you can't change right now!
      Reply
  7. I feel totally discouraged. i have a very hard time waking up before everyone else. Mu husband has trouble sleeping sometimes and often he wakes up before or at 5am and, he has to eat righ away otherwhise he starts feeling sick. My son is 13 and he never gets up before 7am... I usually do not make breakfast except for the weekends, we all make our own breakfast each morning as we have busy lives. I go to work everyday, is not like I stay home all day! I try to make dinner as much as possible but we are very active and enjoy going to the gym and sometimes a quick sandwich is all I can make. So my heart is troubled thinking I am a selfish woman and even though with the busy life I am still expeceted to be a virtuous one.
    Reply
    1. Cindy, I'm so sorry you are feeling discouraged. This series is not meant to discourage you. Is your family well nourished? Is there anything wrong with eating sandwiches if you are happy and enjoying your time together? Could you utilize your crockpot or try freezer cooking? Sometimes a quick sandwich is all I can make. I make a lot of big meals from scratch, but today we ate cereal for breakfast and macaroni for lunch because I'm behind on work and didn't want to cook. As for waking up in the morning, are you going to bed early enough to get the sleep you need? If you work outside the home, your schedule may be different - I work at home. Your life doesn't have to look like mine - just do what you can to live the life God would have you to live. Being a virtuous woman isn't about being perfect - it's about living life with purpose! This series is for women who struggle with self-discipline or have had chaos for too long in their homes and want to see change. Are you happy with your life the way it is? Are you content or is your heart being led to change things? Does God want you to get up earlier? Don't beat yourself up. Tomorrow is a new day! And HIS mercies are new every morning. God bless you!
      Reply
      1. Thanks for the words...they are well nourished for sure. I try to go to bed at 9pm so I can feel refresh in the morning but sometimes I just feel so tired... I can be somewhat undisciplined but I try hard to stay on track. I want to make changes in my life and I want it to be more fulfilling, sometimes i feel like I go thru the motions.... I pray to God that he gives me wisdom and strenght to change what I can in me and be what he created me to be. Bless you!
      2. Cindy, I understand because I've totally been there. For the last few years I felt sucked dry, drained out - however you want to say it, I just wasn't enjoying my life any more. I didn't have margin in my life. I was trying to do too much. I also believe I had adrenal fatigue. I had so much stress in my life due to circumstances beyond my control - and it took it's toll on me. It was so hard to wake up in the morning. At the beginning of this year I was desperate for change. I set boundaries and started telling people no. I decided that my priorities were - Home, My Family, and A Virtuous Woman. And if it didn't fall into those three categories the answer was / and is probably no. I wanted so much to just enjoy my children while I still had them - they are almost grown! I felt like other people were always taking my time and it was killing me emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Anyway, I in my journey to find more joy I wrote this series : 31 Days of Calm And as I wrapped that series up I just felt God speaking to me so profoudly that I followed it up with my Letting Go series - the first post of the Letting Go series is actually the last post of the 31 Days of Calm series if that makes sense - so really you should read the 31 Days of Calm and then the Letting Go series:
      3. Embracing Imperfection
      4. Set Free from the Bondage of Shame, Guilt, and Perfectionism
      5. Letting Go of Expectations
        6. The result of my journey of "letting go" this year has been amazing. I'm able to wake up early again like I used to and not feel exhausted all. day. long. I have more joy. I don't feel stress like I used to. I'm happy. I have a basic routine but I don't freak out if my schedule is messed up. My mind feels free and I'm able to talk to God in a way that was lacking two years ago. My heart isn't heavy any more and I don't feel guilty telling people that I can only do so much - I'm not super woman. I want to encourage - don't feel discouraged. God has a plan for your life and sometimes the way we learn best is through our trials!
  8. Just wanted to say thank you for your series, Melissa! I have been following the Chaos to Calm series and I really felt God led me to your blog! I have been blessed by your words -and especially your really humble replies to some angry comments in earlier posts, that just shows integrity and grace! I hope this is encouraging to you! I've been trying to follow your suggestions to wake up early, I admit, it doesn't happen as easily as I would wish - I've got a two year old and six month old and she hasn't settled in a good sleeping pattern yet. Working (and praying) on it! It is definately a journey to try to follow God's pace for a calling of housewife, letting go of all other things that I would prefer to do and just let His grace and peace lead...Thanks for helping me along this path! :)
    Reply
    1. Hi Terje, I'm so glad you've been blessed by the series. :) Thanks so much for your kind words! Having young children and waking up early is a challenge when you're not getting enough sleep... so give yourself some grace and just do the best you can. Getting up early really does pay off! Thanks for visiting with me. :)
      Reply
  9. Thank you for your challenge today. Getting up early is not a problem for me since I babysit at 5:45 in the am. However my husband is very OCD about things and prefers to make his own breakfast (as well as many other things). And works 24 on and 48 off, So he is home a lot. I am looking for some ways to serve him, but how do I do that when he does not want to be served?! I don't do it right no matter how hard I try. I have been really struggling with this area!! I want to serve him.
    Reply
    1. Hi Lindsay, you might try asking your husband how you can serve him better. My husband is kind of OCD about a lot of stuff too which makes it hard to know sometimes. Usually what I do is just ask him a question, "Honey, would you like for me to make you breakfast this morning?" or "What would you like for supper?" I sympathize with your struggle. Let me know how things go!
      Reply
  10. Waking up early is pretty much the best way to start the day. Granted, that may mean being groggy for a bit, or needing coffee, or a shower, and *then* being ready to get things done, but I have always found myself most productive if I've gotten up before 8 AM. I often wish, actually, that the time frame of about 5AM to 8AM could have the length of later nights (such as 10PM to 2AM or something - morning just isn't long enough!
    Reply
  11. I am not a morning person, but I know what you're saying is true. On the mornings that I wake before my children I feel so much better about starting my day. When I wake up at the same time as my children I just feel behind. We just had our 4th baby three and a half weeks ago. I've been sleeping in in the mornings since I'm up multiple times in the night for feedings. More than once this week I have thought that I should go ahead and get up before the family is up, but then I tell myself, "this is just a season, rest while you can" and I go back to sleep. But after reading this I'm convicted that I'm making excuses for myself. Thank you for this post. It's just the inspiration that I am needing!
    Reply
    1. You're doing great, mama! Be gentle with yourself and rest when you need to. But - sometimes we make excuses. Just be sure to give yourself grace when you need it. Newborn schedules can be exhausting!
      Reply

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