The Hello Mornings Blog

This post is by Jen Stanbro.

Growing up in the church, I was often instructed that giving God my time was important. So I did with fair regularity in my young adult and teen years. But as life got busier, I struggled to carve out time for the Lord, to fit time with Him into my life. Time with Him felt more like a ‘To Do’ on my long list. 

I remember the season when I started feeling a shift. I began to feel the difference between a day with quiet time and a day without. Giving God time f...

This post is by Kem Roper.

In my younger years, my motivation for exercise came from a place of weakness, not strength. I lacked self-esteem, social savvy, and the physical attributes that captured boys’ attention. So, working out—especially weight training—was my attempt to re-shape my body. Unfortunately, it didn’t re-shape my mind. I obsessed over the super-toned models on the cover of fitness magazines and tried to be them. Yet, no matter how fit I got, I never quite fit the mold.

I am ...

This post is by Shari Gabourel.

If I can pass along a bit of advice, it would be not to underestimate the remarkable benefits of connecting with God through His Word. Being deliberate in regularly engaging the Word of God is a practical and effective means to living and regulating your life in faith.

I think of it like getting in a recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals—from fruits and vegetables.

Before I go any further, you should know consuming fruits and vegetables IS ...

This post is by Jen Shultz.

I am supposed to be writing today about why the benefit of maintaining a Bible study in hectic seasons as well as the calm seasons is beneficial. And here I am at the eleventh hour completing my task because I am in a season that is chaotic. Honestly, we all have probably felt this way more than not since this pandemic began, right? Our sense of order and control went out the window with the first lockdown, at least here in my world. Note that I use sense of or...

This post is by Shaina Weisgerber.

I think at some point we all want to throw in the towel. We’re tired, stressed, undone and over it all. There are seasons that cause us to reevaluate everything we’re involved in and all the hats we wear. Whether you are knees deep in diapers, spit up and endless nights or, you’re grinding at a full-time job, momming so hard and barely have time to think; we all long for peace. 

You may recognize the name Christy Nockels. She and her husband Nathan were...

This post is by Jenn Kokal.

Do you ever find yourself in a slump?

Perhaps you suddenly realize how messy your house is, how you’re constantly running late, or how you just can’t seem to wake up early enough to read your Bible. It happens to us all. The problem is, we think we can fix our slump by doing a “better” routine that will help us “Get perfectly organized in 30 days,” or “Read the Bible every day without fail.” It doesn’t take us long to discover that these “better” routines don’t w...

This post is by Jen Stanbro.

Just before my first born came into the world, I began reading up on breast-feeding. There are so many incredible nods to God’s awesomeness in the way He carefully designed nursing to be a special time between a mom and her beloved, where mom provides the important things baby needs for healthy development, from cognitive health to a strong immune system, and far beyond. Amid gobs and gobs of information on the subject, I came across one bit that particularly ...

This post is by Cheryl Gilbert.

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me…and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” -Jesus (Matthew 11:28-30)

“Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day. You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.” -Dallas Willard

Jesus was rarely in a hurry, and he was uncompromisingly present. Remember that story in Mark chapter 5, when Jairus’ ...

This post is by Sabeth Kapahu.

We can practice all the spiritual disciplines, apply our therapist’s advice, and produce better results for those we help, but can we do all of these without ever having loved? Have we experienced transformational attachment to Christ, or are we just practicing disciplines to get by? These are some underlying themes of Renovated: God, Dallas Willard, & the Church that Transforms by Jim Wilder. Renovated shares the stories of friendship between and teachings ...

This post is by Hannah Oxley.

It’s 11 AM, and I’m sitting in my room on what is either my fourth or fifth day of quarantine (is time even real anymore?). I’m beyond blessed to have friends asking if they can drop off groceries, a mom who calls me every morning on her way to school just to check in, and a boyfriend who has visited every evening (double-masked and sitting on an uncomfortable kitchen chair 8-feet away from my bedroom door), just to make sure I laughed that day. 

Despite ...

This post is by Cindy Chen.

Welcome to February, where New Year's resolutions fizzle out and die. I struggle to keep a routine, set goals, or take steps consistently enough to build new good habits. But setting goals and building habits are vital for living a healthy, fruitful life. So how do you pick yourself up when you’ve fallen off the habit wagon? 

First, examine the resolution.

Was it the right thing to add to your life? 

Evaluate whether the routine you chose to establish is approp...

This post is by Kelli LaFram.

I stared down at the phone I was holding in my hand, reading and rereading the text I had just tapped out, but was hesitant to send. Why was this so nerve-wracking, so scary? It’s just a text, just an invitation. Wasn’t it? No, it was more. I was lonely and wanted friendship centered on Jesus, but it was also a risk. If I hit send on that invitation and it was rejected… Well, then my loneliness would only be amplified. 

Making the time for in-real-life (IRL) re...