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Between hitting the snooze one too many times, burned toast and spilled coffee, mornings can easily be the most hectic time of your day. Who has time to be still when the kids have mismatching socks, your keys have disappeared, and dirty diapers need changed? The stress-o-meter is already nearing red levels before you even get into your car and battle rush hour traffic. It is for this reason, and so many more, that your morning routine should consist of one critical person: Jesus.
One of the easiest ways to begin your day centered on Christ is to have a Bible and a good Catholic book on your nightstand. It’s a constant reminder each morning that God is with you and each night as you go to sleep that God is watching over you. On the other hand, let’s not let those books just be dust bunny collectors.
There are three components you need in your morning: prayer, Bible reading, and Spiritual reading.
Prayer: Before your feet hit the floor and you stumble out of bed, your lips should be speaking to God. Prayer does not have to be 20 minutes for a rosary or chaplet (although that is certainly great to include in your daily prayers). Prayer can be as simple as “Good Morning Jesus”. Just as you greet your spouse and your children in the morning, you should also greet your Lord. If you have more time and want to spend a few more minutes in prayer then certainly do so. The point in adding prayer and morning greetings to Christ is that it serves as much for reminding you that Jesus is there with you as it does for prayer to God. It’s a simple moment that the Holy Spirit can use during your day to remind you that you are not alone.
“Prayer is the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself” – St. John Vianney
Bible Reading: The Bible is the cherished love letter given to us by God and it is something every Christian should be familiar with and have read at least once. Do not be afraid of the Bible. It is intended for you. If you are a stranger to the Bible and have not read it then I would recommend starting with the New Testament. Beginning with the Gospels and continuing through the book of Acts is a great beginning. By the time you read the four Gospels and the Book of Acts, you will have walked the path of Jesus’ life and discovered the beginnings of the Church. Reading just a few verses a day will remind you of the God you serve, give you encouragement and grace for the day, and it will also provide truth to you in a world flooding you with lies. Reading a few verses of the Bible each morning only takes about 3-4 minutes, depending on how much you read. Reading the Bible is not an option for Christians. It’s a necessity if you want to know God.
“Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ” – St. Jerome
Spiritual reading: There is an enormous volume of spiritual reading available for you to take advantage of and improve your relationship with God. Books on saints, written by saints, theology, history, catechesis, apologetics and so many other options are available. There are even a lot of books, specifically from saints and about saints, that are free or very lost cost. Spending about 3-4 minutes of your morning reading a couple pages of good, healthy spiritual reading will draw you close to your faith, close to the saints, and help refocus your vision throughout the day.
“Only God knows the good that can come about by reading one good Catholic books” – St. John Bosco
“When we pray we speak to God; but when we read, God speaks to us” – St. Jerome
“Without good books and spiritual reading, it will be morally impossible to save our souls” – St. Alphonsus Liguori
There is nothing you can do during your day that is more important than investing in your soul and relationship with God. There is nothing that you can invest in during your day that will give you the greatest returns on your investment than time spent investing in your soul. No return on investment will ever be greater than eternal life with Christ.
It may seem like it takes a lot of time to add this to your morning. However, all three can be done in less than 10 minutes. Is 10 minutes of investing in your eternal soul worth it? In addition to the eternal benefits, it also provides immediate benefits. After spending time in prayer, Bible reading, and spiritual reading, you will notice your stress-o-meter is not quite as high before you leave your house. You will also begin to see as you face stress throughout the day, large decisions, bad news, or whatever the day brings that you will have a greater sense of peace and comfort. Then, as you crawl into bed at the end of the day, you will once again see your Bible and your books beside your bed and be reminded how the day began and why you are different.
Amelia Monroe Carlson graduated from the University of North Alabama with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism. Being raised as a Methodist during her early years, it was not until she entered college where she began to take her faith seriously. She was baptized as a Southern Baptist in Muscle Shoals, AL and began immediately serving in international missions and in the church.
During college, she became the Co-founder of an International Ministry, where she spent time traveling and speaking to church groups and in large conferences. She authored a Bible study and traveled abroad on mission work. She sat on the Mid-South Interfaith Conferences in Mississippi, where she defended the faith and discussed beliefs with leaders of various religions.
After a business trip to Washington D.C., where she was introduced to a former Baptist who converted to the Catholic Church, she was placed on a journey to enter into the Catholic Church.
Amelia is a military wife and currently residents with her husband and daughter in Tennessee. She is a nine time award winning journalist, receiving press awards for various categories including investigative journalism, best news coverage, and best single feature. It is her desire to help Catholics, particularly Cradle Catholics, see the beauty in their faith which converts see and appreciate the fullness of truth which the Church has held and guarded throughout history. It is her desire all Catholics fall as much in love with Jesus as she is, and love the Church to a greater capacity than they could imagine.
Amelia taught PRE for 4-6 grade at St. Mary Catholic Church in Bolivar, Tennessee from 2014-2016. She served as Youth Director at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church in Somerville, Tennessee in 2017-2018. She now teaches 7th grade (1st year Confirmation) PRE class at St. Philip. She's also a writer and frequent podcast guest on Our Warpath.
She has a strong devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Francis de Sales, St. Padre Pio and St. Maximilian Kolbe.
To contact Amelia for speaking inquiries at conferences, retreats, or parishes contact her via social media on Facebook (Amelia Monroe Carlson), Twitter (@2_catholic ) or send a text to: (731)518-6923.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ameliamcarlson
Twitter: @2_catholic (Catholic ministry account)
Twitter personal account: @ameliamcarlson
