I used to get up around 5 a.m., jump into the shower, and enjoy picking out a nice outfit. I would get to work by about 6 a.m. Over time, this slowly changed to the point where I was having difficulty getting to work by 9 a.m., without a shower, and with unkempt clothes.
Not only am I physically tired, but every morning anxious thoughts seem to assail and debilitate me. Will I lose my job today? Will I have a panic attack at work? How can I go to work at that stressful place with those difficult people?
Out of desperation, I have done some searching to find a simple morning routine for those with chronic Lyme Disease or other illnesses. If several steps seem overwhelming, just do one step.
1. A Morning Devotional
I remember reading in the news about a woman who refused to go out the door without reading her morning devotional. Then, when she was kidnapped, she was able to not only to make it through this crisis, but she shared her faith and prayed with the perpetrator using her devotional. She stated that the only reason she made it through the ordeal was having a morning devotional. Psalm 1: 2-3
Now, I am that woman because with Lyme Disease every day seems to have a crisis. You see, life is a battlefield but with a chronic illness, I feel like I am always on the front line and I am constantly getting hit from every direction. For this reason, I must put on the armor of God every morning in order to withstand in the evil day.
Unfortunately, these evil days seem to intensify when my illness is at its worst. So, skipping my devotional is just not an option anymore. To learn what has helped me on really bad days go here.
Yet, I still desire to be so committed to God that I can receive these blows (even on the worst days) and bear fruit (like the women mentioned earlier). But, I can’t do this on my own. No, this takes the power of an almighty, all-powerful God. One way to find Him is through a morning devotional. John 15:4
I know he speaks to me every morning through his word. How do I know this? Because my devotional heals my wounds and sheds a light on my path for my day. Wouldn’t you like to have Him speak to you every morning?
Here is a link to my favorite simple devotional. If you want something longer, try this one. You can even listen to them as an audio in bed (more than once).
Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Psalm 143:8
2. Cast Your Cares On Him
I have learned, from Pastor Duke who lives with a chronic illness, instead of letting your fear of the unknown (or known) overwhelm you, cast each and every care upon Him in prayer. Keep praying until you don’t feel the stress or anxiety anymore. Go ahead and try it now.
Unfortunately, a lot of times I do not want to let go of my cares. That is why I have to search for verses on what ails me. Then, I pray these verses until I am at peace. Here are a few: anger, fearful, anxious, paranoid, unforgiving, help or revenge.
He awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. Luke 8:24b
3. Commit to Surrender
I have read about and know great people of faith who have one thing in common; they surrendered each day to God. We had a visiting pastor (1) who went into detail as to how he surrendered each day. He had a list of things that he committed to do in prayer. His list covered all areas from committing to more time with his wife to committing to uninterrupted pray and bible study for a certain amount of time.
My personal list includes sins that I struggle with and ways to turn it around that are based on the bible. I try to keep it simple. Below are a few examples:
- I commit to two devotions and praying for at least 15 uninterrupted minutes morning and evening.
- I commit to instead of judging others bringing the same judgment back to me and judging myself.
- I commit to absolute forgiveness and giving my anxiety or pain over to God.
- I commit to only rebuke with wisdom that is first pure, gentle, peaceable, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. Psalm 37:5
4. Give Thanks
There is something about giving thanks for a new day that makes my day a lot brighter. I read a book by Corrie Ten Boom about a concentration camp where food was scarce and some people had started to eat the grass. But in the morning, some would greet each other by saying, “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love endures forever.” Psalm 136:1. It seemed to be a way to speak the truth into each other’s lives and keep their sanity.
If someone in a concentration camp can give thanks for a new day, then, so can I, even with a chronic illness.
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love endures forever. Psalm 136:1.
5. Praise Him During the Difficult Moments
One thing I have learned from Joniandfriends.org is to praise God with a song during my difficult moments. So, whether you have to give yourself a shot, start your IV therapy, get help getting up or something else in the morning that is difficult, try singing a hymn to relieve any stress or irritation (3).
6. Keep It Simple Silly
Below are some tips as to how you can keep things simple in the morning. This list is not meant to be stressful so just apply the ones that are helpful to your situation. For a way to order your day and get your housework done efficiently today go here.
Keep things the same or at least similar. Here are some examples:
- Wear the same, easy hairstyle
- Wear the same color in clothes so you can reach into your closet and wear anything (4)
- Eat the same basic meals daily by rotating the vegetables, meats or fruits (4)
Sit as much as you can. See the examples below:
- Sit while changing your clothes
- Sit while brushing your teeth and hair
- Sit while cooking breakfast
Avoid the physically hard tasks until after breakfast. Here are some examples:
- Take a bath at night and use baby wipes or a cloth in the morning (to avoid standing in the shower)
- Skip the chores until you have eaten and taken all your supplement
- Skip the makeup and accessories
Combine like actions and try to do them at the same time (or get someone else to do them for you)
- Combine all your cutting – cut up all the vegetables and fruits for both your shake and your salad during one sitting
- Combine your boiling – boil enough water for your tea, your soup, and your oatmeal
- Combine pulling all the covers on one side of the bed and then the next side and so on
7. Think Turtle
My aunt, who has debilitating arthritis, told me that she can do more if she just slows down. I have also used this method not only in the morning but also at work. It helps keep me going longer when I use less energy during the day.
According to Wikipedia, tortoises generally have one of the longest lifespans of any animal and have been recorded to live longer than 150 years. This certainly motivates me to slow down!
8. Family/Group Devotions
I firmly believe that the only reason my family is still together is our daily family devotions. They are the spiritual glue that holds all the broken pieces together.
Our devotions are very simple. They include a short psalm, one proverb (using Matthew Henry’s commentary to explain it) and a page from a bible study. If it is a busy day, we will just go over a proverb or say a prayer together. I would recommend to include your caregiver, if possible.
9. Accept the Unexpected
I don’t think I have ever had a morning where everything went as expected. There is always an interruption. Whether it is the phone constantly ringing during my devotional or someone demanding their way, plan to meet the unexpected with God’s strength and not your own.
I know a lot of you might be like me and hate interruptions. What has helped me is to just accept most of these interruptions as being out of my control. If they are in my control, I may then humbly request a change. For example, I can request if we could allow the answering machine to get the phone next time. However, it is not my job to control the situation nor the people around me.
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Colossians 3:12
10. TAKE IT WITH YOU
There is something that happens when I end my devotional and time in prayer. I quickly seem to forget what I have just experienced and go back to my sinful self. Consequently, I have had to find a way to extend my morning devotionals throughout my day. Here are a few ideas but feel free to just pick one:
- Memorize the verse from your devotional (write it down and put it in your pocket)
- Meditate on the precepts that you learned and think about their application to your life
- Repeat your morning devotional later in the day (during your family/group devotion or during your lunch)
- Go back and read the surrounding verses
- Listen to a sermon on that verse in the evening
Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. Psalm 119:97
TIPS
Feel free to share your tips for a better morning routine in the comments below.
Sources:
- Duke, Dee. “Parenting Conference.” Sermon, Elko Calvary Baptist Church, Elko, NV, February 7, 2016.
- “Turtle.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, February 27, 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turtle
- Joniandfriends.org
- Automateacademy.com
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