My current obsession: Jess Ray’s latest album.

I’m going to come clean right away:

Yes, this crazy talent is my husband’s little sister. Yes, she’s the auntie to my kiddos, she was a bridesmaid in my wedding, and she will forever be one of my very best friends (and favorite humans) in the world.

But EVEN IF SHE WASN’T, I’d still be crazy about her music. I’d listen to it on repeat (as I do), I’d sing her songs to my kids every night (dimensions from her last album is Milly’s favorite), and I’d cry my eyes out every time I hear a new song. Heck, I cry year round at her songs.

Like just the other day when I was sick and exhausted and sleep deprived, just barely holding it together. As I drove home from preschool the song Gallows came on, and these words filled the car and changed my entire outlook for the day:

Someone’s on the prowl, trying to take us down
But we ain’t giving up now
A liar and a thief, coming after you and me
But we ain’t giving up now

The harder the wind will blow, the deeper our roots will go,
And the devil’s gonna hang, oh the devil is gonna hang,
The devil is gonna hang from his own gallows

I just THREW IT BACK IN HIS FACE. Just like Mordecai in the book of Esther, the devil’s gonna hang on his own gallows. He’s going to LOSE this war. We cannot and will not give up.

Again and again I said in the car with tears in my eyes: “the harder the wind will blow, the deeper MY roots will grow.” It gave me the strength to just keep going. And it was probably the 20th time I had heard that song, but this time it hit me with a new anointing.

I’ve had the privilege of having a front row seat to watching Jess become the artist she is today. Her latest album Parallels and Meridians has been on repeat in our home, in my car, and in the studio ever since it was released. I’m actually terribly late in sharing this album with you, because the full album has been out on Spotify for a few weeks now. But I wanted to really learn the songs, and let you know my top three and why I love them so much:

1. Humble heart - she put into words a theme that God has been teaching me for years - the lower we go, the more humble we become, the more we have to learn from others. Humility is a quality I hope my life is marked by, and is something I want deeply entrenched in our children. This song is a beautiful prayer, and it reminds me to embrace humility every time I listen in.

2. Morning song - I could pretty much listen to this every single morning. Olivia, who works with me, said she actually played this on youtube every morning before it was released on this album, which made me laugh. She said it’s probably her all time favorite song. For me, this song is so special because it has really ministered to me on really hard days and really good days. The gist: I don’t want to do this day without the Lord. “I love you, and I want to love you more than the day before.”

3. Did not our hearts burn - Jess’s testimony in a song. How she prayed a prayer when she was little, then re-aquainted with the Lord at a conference when she was a teenager, then began to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit and understand how personal and powerful walking with Him can be. Just so beautifully written. Just as the disciples said, “Did not our hearts burn within us?” when they were walking back wtih Jesus, Jess tells the story of her own life, saying “Did not our hearts burn inside our chests” when we encounter God at different times in our lives. Just beautiful.

TBH, I think my favorite songs on this album change week to week. So be sure to give the whole album a listen because every song is just that good.

And Jess, if you read this, I love you. I seriously cannot wait to see where the Lord takes you. No matter how big or small your audience becomes, I know Jesus is so pleased with you - and He’s the only audience that really matters.

Beautiful Album Photo by Sarah DeShields

To me, this topic never gets old!

I’m learning that morning routines are not a one-size-fits-all recipe, but that they change according to season. That’s a good thing.

Before having kids, my morning routine was tried and true and I never wavered from it. After having my first baby, I quickly realized that I didn’t know morning from night, and there was no routine other than “eat, wake, sleep” around the clock. I deeply missed my morning routine, but the Lord taught me all about abiding in Him throughout my day - a lesson even more important than sticking to my routine. (Maybe another blogpost for another day!)

I’m sure my routine will continue to change according to season - when all my kids go to elementary, middle, and high school, and when we are empty nesters one day. But I know I’ll keep coming back to it. It anchors my spirit, soul and body in such a wonderful way!

Know this: wherever you are in life, create a morning routine that works for YOU.

I love these words from Essentialism: “Highly creative people use strict routines to free up their minds. Most creative individuals find out early what their best rhythms are for sleeping, eating, and working, and abide by them even when it is tempting to do otherwise.... personalizing patterns of action helps to free the mind from the expectations that make demands on attention and allows intense concentration on matters that count.”

Bottom line: routines are LIFEGIVING!

So here’s the deal: I’m currently at home with a newborn baby. My morning routine? Non-existent. BUT, I have decided to share my morning routine I implemented when I was pregnant with two small kiddos, which is a bit more relatable than newborn life, when everything is turned on its head (including night and day).

My Morning Routine

6:00 Alarm goes off

6:05 Light candle, grab favorite blanket, set out journal, Bible, favorite pen and highlighter

6:15 Pour myself a cup of coffee, and sit in silence for 2-5 minutes.

This is my “wake up” time. I sit silently and pray, asking God to speak to me. It helps me not rush into “doing” too much.

6:20 Read Scripture

6:30 Journal favorite scriptures and what God is saying to me

6:45 Pray over my husband, my children, and the appointments and work I have planned for the day

6:55 Look at my schedule / tasks and ask God’s help to prioritize the most important things (Favorite book on this topic: What’s Best Next)

7:00 Read 10 pages from current book

7:15 Get up and get dressed for the day!

A few things that really help my morning routine succeed:

• I make coffee the night before and set it to brew a few minutes before I wake up. It is such a time saver and also makes me excited to get out of the bed - knowing the coffee is waiting for me!

• I also tidy the living room the night before and set out my Bible, Journal, Pens and Blanket in my favorite spot on the couch

• I use this alarm clock to wake me up with a sunrise. This allows me to sleep with a phone in a different room, and I don’t get distracted looking at my phone first thing in the morning.

• I keep a flexible attitude. If Milly wakes up early and snuggles me during this time, I always welcome her with a smile and put my arm around her. Sometimes I’ll stop my routine early, and sometimes I’ll give her a show to watch because mama needs to finish her time with Jesus. I just go with my gut for that day.

• I get in bed at a reasonable time. Otherwise sleep allllways sounds like the better choice!

I really have loved learning about how other successful people have a morning routine. Two of my recent favorites have been Michael Hyatt and Allie Cassazza.

Here is what I remember from learning about their morning routines through listening to their podcasts!

Michael Hyatt’s morning routine

• Wake up

• Make a quick cup of coffee

• Sit on the couch while listening to the sound of the ocean for 15 minutes

• Pray and read the Bible

• Exercise (usually a run around the neighborhood)

• Shower

• Eat breakfast

• Get dressed

• Begin working
  
  

Allie Casazza’s morning routine

• Wake Up

• Sit on the ground and drink a cup of coffee

• Walk around the room and pray for her day and her family

• Journal 3 pages (1 page of gratitude)

• Read a chapter in a book

So, I’d love to hear: What are your favorite morning routine habits? Do you have a morning routine, or would you like to start one?

Affiliate links have been used in this post!

I’ve never started off a year like this before!

Around the clock nursing, exhausted, learning the rhythms of being a mama of a newborn and a 1.5 year old and a 3 year old… I have to say, it is not the norm for me but it feels SO good.

My norm on January 1st? Putting away all Christmas decor, decluttering, dreaming up my wildest and best work goals, eating black eyed peas and collards, going on a run, feeling fresh and ready to GO.

Today? Being. Just being mama. Napping. Resting. Yes, dreaming. But mostly eating as much as I want (still eating black eyed peas and collards!), nursing a hungry baby, watching Milly and Lyndon play / wrestle each other, and being HOME. No decluttering or re-setting or going for a run like usual. Being thankful that I’m smack in the middle of maternity leave, reminding me of what matters the absolute most this year: my family.

Also, today begins the Contentment Challenge: no shopping for unnecessary stuff for 3 months! It’s not too late for you to join us - there’s a TON of people doing this together. Go read this blogpost to download your free guide and get inspiring emails weekly! And check out the #contentmentchallenge hashtag to see who is in on it!

With that in mind, Quarter One is all about being quiet and content. Maternity leave, the Contentment Challenge, and focusing on the people right in front of me. Which is so fitting with my word of the year, and hopefully it will keep me from distractions as I really focus in on it.

MY WORD OF THE YEAR IS

Delight

I prayed through my word of the year quite a bit, an ended up landing here because of the two definitions I found in the dictionary:

1. To take great pleasure in

2. To please someone greatly

This year, I want to simply take great pleasure in the goodness of God around me. To enjoy and be grateful for my home. To slow down and watch my babies grow. To realize that these are the little years, the exhausting years, the wonderful years.

This year, I also want to love others well. When I read the dictionary’s definition “to please someone greatly,” my spirit translated that into “love others well” or “love others greatly!”

So, boiling it down, I want to take pleasure in all the Lord has done for me and DELIGHT in it, while also being very intentional about DELIGHTING others and loving them well. I hope that’s what 2019 looks like for me.

To be honest, that’s why I launched this site - to serve and to love YOU. To speak truth and lessons learned.

With that in mind, I share my 2019 GOALS:

Delight in Maternity Leave

• Play with each of my children

• Give myself grace in healing, nursing, and becoming a newborn mama all over again

• Enjoy not working!

• Check in with the team / work as I feel inspired to work

Have our most purposeful year of Nancy Ray Photography

• Photograph 6 Weddings

• 4 Quarterly Planning Meetings with the team + individuals

• 3 Growth Activities (A book, a conference, etc)

• Give away a WEDDING! (Yes this is coming!)

Reset our Personal Finances with JOY

• Complete the Contentment Challenge in Q1

• Create a 2019 - 2020 Financial Gameplan for Paying off our house

• Quarterly Meetings with Will for our Annual Saving, Giving and Spending Goals

• Monthly Budget Committee Meetings with Will

Be a friend!

• Host a girls night

• Monthly accountability partner check-ins

• Plan 4 Minki hangouts (Minkies = my 3 best friends)

• Have 1 couple (minimum) over for dinner each quarter

Create a life-giving home

• Read A Life Giving Home with the Nancy Ray Book Club throughout the year

• Weekly Questions with Will (Blogpost coming on this)

• Mind-Body-Soul time with each girl daily (Blogpost coming on this, too!)

• Quarterly de-clutter and donation run

Speak Truth & Teach

• Launch a Podcast and speak truth once a week

• Blog Weekly

• Send encouraging emails

• Speak at 3 conferences

Take care of myself!

• Read 6 (maybe 7) books with the Nancy Ray Book Club

• Join the YMCA or Run a Race

• Prioritize sleep when I can

• Maintain personal photos every month

All in all, I have 7 main goals for 2019, each with sub-categories that will fulfill those goals. In a year I’m learning to be a mama of 2 little ladies and one little man, that feels just right.

I can already tell that 2019 is going to be a special year. I’m coming in quiet on maternity leave, and I love that. My hope is to start this year quiet and rooted, to listen to and to love those right in front of me. And then to let the Lord lead and guide me in every endeavor, growing along the way.

If you blog your yearly goals, I would love for you to leave a comment including a link below! It is so encouraging to read others goals. And if you don’t have a blog, simply share your word of the year or one goal you hope to accomplish, so we can cheer one another on!