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Hello Mornings: How to Build a Grace-Filled, Life-Giving Morning Routine
Are you ready to wake up for your life and not just to your life?
Don't worry; you don’t have to be a morning person to start each new day well. Join Kat Lee and thousands of women from countries around the world who have learned to maximize their mornings. In Hello Mornings, Kat introduces a simple yet powerful three-minute morning routine that integrates Bible study, planning, and fitness into a foundational morning habit that fits into every schedule. She then helps you build each of these core habits for life-long growth.
Everyone can find three minutes. And instead of adding one more thing to the list, Hello Mornings lifts the weight off women by revealing a grace-filled way to establish a powerful morning routine that offers
a simple way to incorporate the most-sought-after daily habits into a simple morning routine: God. Plan. Move.
the latest research on habit formation and development
practical tools to help readers develop and grow their own personalized, adaptable plan for mornings
stories of transformed mornings from women in every season and stage of life
Hello Mornings helps readers renovate their mornings to establish and grow a powerful daily routine—a long-term, Jesus-centered habit to anchor them in every season. Each morning can then become a launch pad into God’s amazing plan for their lives.
Don't worry; you don’t have to be a morning person to start each new day well. Join Kat Lee and thousands of women from countries around the world who have learned to maximize their mornings. In Hello Mornings, Kat introduces a simple yet powerful three-minute morning routine that integrates Bible study, planning, and fitness into a foundational morning habit that fits into every schedule. She then helps you build each of these core habits for life-long growth.
Everyone can find three minutes. And instead of adding one more thing to the list, Hello Mornings lifts the weight off women by revealing a grace-filled way to establish a powerful morning routine that offers
a simple way to incorporate the most-sought-after daily habits into a simple morning routine: God. Plan. Move.
the latest research on habit formation and development
practical tools to help readers develop and grow their own personalized, adaptable plan for mornings
stories of transformed mornings from women in every season and stage of life
Hello Mornings helps readers renovate their mornings to establish and grow a powerful daily routine—a long-term, Jesus-centered habit to anchor them in every season. Each morning can then become a launch pad into God’s amazing plan for their lives.
240 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2017
240 people are currently reading
1941 people want to read
About the author
Kat Lee
20 books36 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Kat Lee is passionate about teaching others how to jumpstart each day with a grace-filled, life-giving morning routine. She is a writer, speaker, podcaster, and founder of HelloMornings.org. She and her husband, Jimmy, live in Waco, Texas with their three children.
Kat Lee is passionate about teaching others how to jumpstart each day with a grace-filled, life-giving morning routine. She is a writer, speaker, podcaster, and founder of HelloMornings.org. She and her husband, Jimmy, live in Waco, Texas with their three children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
January 10, 2018
2.5/5 stars
So, this book did not make a great first impression on me. Here we go.
Negatives
My main issue with this book is that I felt from the very first chapter the gospel was presented very weakly, or even misrepresented because of ommission of the key points of the gospel. Kat Lee opens the book with this explanation:
“Friends, I don’t know where you are in your journey with God. I don’t know how many times you’ve tried to spend time with Him or read the Word or prayed and felt as if you failed. But I do know that He does not merely stand at the finish line awaiting your triumphant victory. Our loving God, our faithful Father, is fighting to come alongside you in the journey. To push past all the discouragements and distractions. To speak words of love, hope, and courage over you. To wrap His arms around you and finish the race with you. Because of Jesus, God does not require our perfection; He wants a relationship with us.”
This is all good and fine if she is speaking exclusively to fellow Christians, but I fear that for the many non-Christians that may be reading this book, she leaves out any real explanation of the gospel here. I kept looking for a fuller explanation, and Lee never got there. The truth is that God does require our perfection, but we are wholly unable to attain perfection, and that is why Jesus came - to cover our filthy sin with His perfect righteousness when we quit trying to save ourselves and put our trust in Him. That is why we who trust in Jesus no longer have to worry about perfection and can have a relationship with God. To me, she really missed the boat on explaining that here.
It didn’t help when later in the chapter she mentioned that some women reading this book may have had a great life and "wish they felt like they needed Jesus a little more". If a Christian is feeling that way I’m not sure they really understand the weight of their sin. Even if we haven’t had a single difficult thing to deal with in our entire lives, we are still in desperate need of Jesus because of our sin! We can't be righteous enough to be in a right relationship with God on our own. This is the problem Jesus came to solve! He didn’t come mainly to help us through the difficult seasons of life or to overcome our feelings of a lack of purpose, and I am afraid the way Lee presented things in this chapter gave the impression that this is all we need Jesus for.
Positives
Once I got past this frustration in the first couple chapters, I thought Lee had a lot of good things to say about developing a morning routine. I definitely appreciated her tips about how to develop habits effectively. She gives a lot of ideas for different habit-forming methods and how you can apply them to developing morning routine.
The Hello Mornings method focuses on three areas for a morning routine - time with the Lord, time to plan the day, and a jumpstart for making physically healthy choices during the day. I thought this was a thoughtful way to focus a morning routine in a short amount of time. She encourages developing a three-minute morning routine with these three things. While that sounds like it wouldn't be enough time, I liked the idea of having an "anchor" habit so that whether I have only those three minutes or a much longer stretch of time, I can start the day off right.
I also really appreciated how Lee focuses on the "why" of developing a morning routine, which is to serve the Lord better through focusing on Him first thing, making a plan to be effective for Him that day, and developing healthy habits so we have enough energy to serve the Lord well. The section at the back of the book where Lee includes different ideas for Bible study time was also a great thing to include, and I thought these suggestions were really solid.
Bottom Line
The bottom line here is that I'm a little bummed about this book. This would have been a higher-star-rating for me if it wasn't for my frustrations about the way she didn't explain the gospel.
While I can understand that she was mainly writing this book for Christian women, I don't think any Christian author should assume their readers already know the gospel, especially when it's a book about a subject that would be of interest to non-believers as well. I thought that because she didn't explain the gospel it gave the impression that she was saying that if you just "spend time with God" each day, you're good to go. That's just not the case. We need to trust in Jesus's sacrifice for us on the cross and His righteousness to save us from our sins and an eternity in Hell. Only when we understand that and stop relying on our own works to save us can we have a relationship with Him and look forward to eternal life. That piece was missing from this book, so I wouldn't recommend it to someone who I didn't feel was a solid believer already. So that was a bummer.
Note: I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher in exchange for a review. This is my honest opinion.
So, this book did not make a great first impression on me. Here we go.
Negatives
My main issue with this book is that I felt from the very first chapter the gospel was presented very weakly, or even misrepresented because of ommission of the key points of the gospel. Kat Lee opens the book with this explanation:
“Friends, I don’t know where you are in your journey with God. I don’t know how many times you’ve tried to spend time with Him or read the Word or prayed and felt as if you failed. But I do know that He does not merely stand at the finish line awaiting your triumphant victory. Our loving God, our faithful Father, is fighting to come alongside you in the journey. To push past all the discouragements and distractions. To speak words of love, hope, and courage over you. To wrap His arms around you and finish the race with you. Because of Jesus, God does not require our perfection; He wants a relationship with us.”
This is all good and fine if she is speaking exclusively to fellow Christians, but I fear that for the many non-Christians that may be reading this book, she leaves out any real explanation of the gospel here. I kept looking for a fuller explanation, and Lee never got there. The truth is that God does require our perfection, but we are wholly unable to attain perfection, and that is why Jesus came - to cover our filthy sin with His perfect righteousness when we quit trying to save ourselves and put our trust in Him. That is why we who trust in Jesus no longer have to worry about perfection and can have a relationship with God. To me, she really missed the boat on explaining that here.
It didn’t help when later in the chapter she mentioned that some women reading this book may have had a great life and "wish they felt like they needed Jesus a little more". If a Christian is feeling that way I’m not sure they really understand the weight of their sin. Even if we haven’t had a single difficult thing to deal with in our entire lives, we are still in desperate need of Jesus because of our sin! We can't be righteous enough to be in a right relationship with God on our own. This is the problem Jesus came to solve! He didn’t come mainly to help us through the difficult seasons of life or to overcome our feelings of a lack of purpose, and I am afraid the way Lee presented things in this chapter gave the impression that this is all we need Jesus for.
Positives
Once I got past this frustration in the first couple chapters, I thought Lee had a lot of good things to say about developing a morning routine. I definitely appreciated her tips about how to develop habits effectively. She gives a lot of ideas for different habit-forming methods and how you can apply them to developing morning routine.
The Hello Mornings method focuses on three areas for a morning routine - time with the Lord, time to plan the day, and a jumpstart for making physically healthy choices during the day. I thought this was a thoughtful way to focus a morning routine in a short amount of time. She encourages developing a three-minute morning routine with these three things. While that sounds like it wouldn't be enough time, I liked the idea of having an "anchor" habit so that whether I have only those three minutes or a much longer stretch of time, I can start the day off right.
I also really appreciated how Lee focuses on the "why" of developing a morning routine, which is to serve the Lord better through focusing on Him first thing, making a plan to be effective for Him that day, and developing healthy habits so we have enough energy to serve the Lord well. The section at the back of the book where Lee includes different ideas for Bible study time was also a great thing to include, and I thought these suggestions were really solid.
Bottom Line
The bottom line here is that I'm a little bummed about this book. This would have been a higher-star-rating for me if it wasn't for my frustrations about the way she didn't explain the gospel.
While I can understand that she was mainly writing this book for Christian women, I don't think any Christian author should assume their readers already know the gospel, especially when it's a book about a subject that would be of interest to non-believers as well. I thought that because she didn't explain the gospel it gave the impression that she was saying that if you just "spend time with God" each day, you're good to go. That's just not the case. We need to trust in Jesus's sacrifice for us on the cross and His righteousness to save us from our sins and an eternity in Hell. Only when we understand that and stop relying on our own works to save us can we have a relationship with Him and look forward to eternal life. That piece was missing from this book, so I wouldn't recommend it to someone who I didn't feel was a solid believer already. So that was a bummer.
Note: I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher in exchange for a review. This is my honest opinion.
Want to read
November 25, 2017Mornings are crucial for starting your day on the right foot, and Hello Mornings is a positive, upbeat way to help focus on your plans. Spiritually-focused, Kat Lee has a friendly way of writing, just like she's talking to you. She says early on that she's not naturally organized, so it's something she has to work on, too. Filled with strategies and good ideas, I found this a refreshing read with much self-acceptance. I hope to incorporate some of Kat's ideas. For example, she has a great discussion on time- if you have enough time, and if not, why not. It's an eye-opener for sure. This is a great read, I'm happy to have read it, and I plan to re-visit in the future.
Thank you to Kat Lee, Thomas Nelson, and Netgalley, for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.
Thank you to Kat Lee, Thomas Nelson, and Netgalley, for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.
July 3, 2019
Kat Lee shows how to enliven both faith and life in this simple, yet inspiring guide. Easy to follow, her approach to embracing God at day’s start and to living unabashedly in His love provide hope and increased vigor to anyone seeking renewal. Highly recommended!
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.
#HelloMornings #NetGalley
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.
#HelloMornings #NetGalley
January 23, 2018
This book had a great idea about taking just 3 minutes in the morning to focus and plan your day and start with a small prayer. Did it help me to stop being late and yelling at my kids to get in the car? Nope. But that would actually take a miracle.
May 30, 2022
Sometimes, even though I'm pretty good at habits and sticking to plans, I need reminders and helps to just keep me on track.
This book was really good about not only building a short morning routine that is achievable even on hurried days, but also about building habits in general.
The only downside was I felt like at times she spent too long making her point. I would get something and she would explain it a couple of different ways or share a couple of stories and it felt like filler. However, Lee has a great style and voice that made this a pleasure to read.
This book was really good about not only building a short morning routine that is achievable even on hurried days, but also about building habits in general.
The only downside was I felt like at times she spent too long making her point. I would get something and she would explain it a couple of different ways or share a couple of stories and it felt like filler. However, Lee has a great style and voice that made this a pleasure to read.
January 3, 2020
So I saw a post once that said something like, “I’m not a morning bird, I’m not a night owl, I’m more like a permanently exhausted pigeon.” And I have never related to anything more.
As a grad student, mornings can be rough, especially as I also tend to be a perfectionist. For years I have tried to find the perfect routine, where I got in a good workout, spent a long time in my Bible, and still get a couple of things knocked off of my to-do list before I had to be dressed and out the door for class or work. I had this idea that if I just woke up earlier I could get it all done and still have time to spare, but I was never able to convince myself to go to bed early enough to get up at five. Then the next morning, if I even woke up early, I was rarely able to get everything done. Other days I would wake up thirty minutes before I had to leave for class, so all that happened was throwing on some clothes and grabbing my coffee (plus a guilt trip for not getting more done). And thus I created a vicious cycle of setting unrealistic expectations for myself, failing them, guilting myself for failing, and then continuing to set unrealistic expectations but with a few tweaks, and starting all over again.
Thus enters Hello Mornings. Kat Lee starts off by telling her story of growth in this area. She has faced so many of the struggles that I do, and she was real about them. I appreciated this so much - I feel like so often self-help people are just naturally early risers who are full of energy, which I relate to in about zero ways. Kat continues by explaining the core of her morning routine: The three minute morning, which goes as follows.
God: Pray Psalm 143:8
Move: Drink a glass of water
Plan: Look at your calendar for the day and make a to-do list
So if I wake up thirty minutes before class, and this is all I do, it is still a success. I loved that this was so simple, but is so easily scaled. She makes so many recommendations on how to expand the three categories to fit in an actual workout and devotion time into your mornings in a doable way, suggestions on how to make it enjoyable enough that you actually want to get out of bed, and how to create habits that will not only improve your mornings but also your whole day. What makes this book special, though, is that it is based on grace. Her whole philosophy is reminds me of the Arthur Ashe quote, “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” She focuses on the long-term success instead of the immediate results, and this was just the perspective change I needed.
This book isn’t magic, but it’s pretty close. The processes within it require just enough discipline that I feel like I’m accomplishing something, but not so much that it’s overwhelming. I love that she writes in a way that equally involves scripture, scientific research, and personal experiences. Since reading this book, I look forward to waking up early and starting my morning. I enjoy preparing the night before, making sure I have a warm blanket and delicious candle ready. I even enjoy my exercise routine, which I don’t think I’ve ever said before. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking to get more out of their mornings.
As a grad student, mornings can be rough, especially as I also tend to be a perfectionist. For years I have tried to find the perfect routine, where I got in a good workout, spent a long time in my Bible, and still get a couple of things knocked off of my to-do list before I had to be dressed and out the door for class or work. I had this idea that if I just woke up earlier I could get it all done and still have time to spare, but I was never able to convince myself to go to bed early enough to get up at five. Then the next morning, if I even woke up early, I was rarely able to get everything done. Other days I would wake up thirty minutes before I had to leave for class, so all that happened was throwing on some clothes and grabbing my coffee (plus a guilt trip for not getting more done). And thus I created a vicious cycle of setting unrealistic expectations for myself, failing them, guilting myself for failing, and then continuing to set unrealistic expectations but with a few tweaks, and starting all over again.
Thus enters Hello Mornings. Kat Lee starts off by telling her story of growth in this area. She has faced so many of the struggles that I do, and she was real about them. I appreciated this so much - I feel like so often self-help people are just naturally early risers who are full of energy, which I relate to in about zero ways. Kat continues by explaining the core of her morning routine: The three minute morning, which goes as follows.
God: Pray Psalm 143:8
Move: Drink a glass of water
Plan: Look at your calendar for the day and make a to-do list
So if I wake up thirty minutes before class, and this is all I do, it is still a success. I loved that this was so simple, but is so easily scaled. She makes so many recommendations on how to expand the three categories to fit in an actual workout and devotion time into your mornings in a doable way, suggestions on how to make it enjoyable enough that you actually want to get out of bed, and how to create habits that will not only improve your mornings but also your whole day. What makes this book special, though, is that it is based on grace. Her whole philosophy is reminds me of the Arthur Ashe quote, “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” She focuses on the long-term success instead of the immediate results, and this was just the perspective change I needed.
This book isn’t magic, but it’s pretty close. The processes within it require just enough discipline that I feel like I’m accomplishing something, but not so much that it’s overwhelming. I love that she writes in a way that equally involves scripture, scientific research, and personal experiences. Since reading this book, I look forward to waking up early and starting my morning. I enjoy preparing the night before, making sure I have a warm blanket and delicious candle ready. I even enjoy my exercise routine, which I don’t think I’ve ever said before. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking to get more out of their mornings.
January 27, 2018
Too much Fluff
For the record, I love Kat Lee. I listen to all episodes of her podcast, and believe her ministry is amazing. But this book was 'meh'. If you have read Crystal Payne's morning series or have participated in a Christ-centered mornings challenge, you should skip this book. Yes, it's good information, but it's nothing that hasn't been discussed before in similar circles. I did use it as a nice refresher as to why my morning time is important, which doesn't hurt!
For the record, I love Kat Lee. I listen to all episodes of her podcast, and believe her ministry is amazing. But this book was 'meh'. If you have read Crystal Payne's morning series or have participated in a Christ-centered mornings challenge, you should skip this book. Yes, it's good information, but it's nothing that hasn't been discussed before in similar circles. I did use it as a nice refresher as to why my morning time is important, which doesn't hurt!
January 14, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. It had lots of practical advice for implementing good habits and starting your day off right! I loved how she had everything come back to our purpose of doing everything to please God and being prepared for what He's called us to do. Looking forward to putting what I learned into practice.
September 30, 2018
What a fantastic book! Borrowed this from the library but will be buying my own copy. So much practical and powerful advice and encouragement.
dnf
May 21, 2022 Definitely some interesting ideas. Will come back to this one at a different time in my life I think.
August 28, 2021
This book took me several months to read through as thought through and contemplated the material. The author goes into great detail about the principles behind what she calls "The 3-minute Morning". She does well in conveying the importance of making God the first priority of your day, looking to Him as you plan the day, and living a healthy lifestyle so that you can be used of Him to the greatest effect.
It's time to wake up for your life, not just to your life!
March 14, 2019
I am a big Kat Lee fan and love listening to her podcasts so I was really excited to get a chance to read this book. I knew it would be very helpful and I wasn't disappointed!
I really appreciate that this book is filled with resources, ideas and examples to help you kick-start your morning routine, without making it complicated. A good start to your day doesn't have to be long and complicated but we often get caught up believing that it does. Kat's method to starting your day off on the right foot busts that myth because it is so basic, it's hard not to be successful in implementing it in your own life! Through 3 basic steps, you too can get your day off to a great start...Kat suggests focusing on "God Time, Plan Time, and Move Time" and expands on these concepts throughout the book. She even suggests that this basic routine can be completed in about 3 minutes, which works even on your busiest morning! I also appreciate how this simple routine can be incorporated into all seasons of life...even crazy busy/tired mamas of little ones!
I really like that it's practical without being "preachy". Kat shares plenty of stories from her own experiences as well as wisdom and experience from others who have implemented the 3 minute morning routine themselves.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants their days to get off to a good start, but have struggled with consistency in routine and habit.
*I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review
I really appreciate that this book is filled with resources, ideas and examples to help you kick-start your morning routine, without making it complicated. A good start to your day doesn't have to be long and complicated but we often get caught up believing that it does. Kat's method to starting your day off on the right foot busts that myth because it is so basic, it's hard not to be successful in implementing it in your own life! Through 3 basic steps, you too can get your day off to a great start...Kat suggests focusing on "God Time, Plan Time, and Move Time" and expands on these concepts throughout the book. She even suggests that this basic routine can be completed in about 3 minutes, which works even on your busiest morning! I also appreciate how this simple routine can be incorporated into all seasons of life...even crazy busy/tired mamas of little ones!
I really like that it's practical without being "preachy". Kat shares plenty of stories from her own experiences as well as wisdom and experience from others who have implemented the 3 minute morning routine themselves.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants their days to get off to a good start, but have struggled with consistency in routine and habit.
*I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review
January 30, 2019
Kat Lee’s book centers on her 3 minute morning method of starting your day with, at minimum, a minute of prayer, a minute of planning, and a minute of a workout or drinking water. This is such a great way to start a good habit and maintain it throughout life’s ups and downs, sickness, traveling, etc. Obviously the goal is to expand that 3 minute morning to more time in God’s Word and prayer, planning, and healthy choices. I felt like she could have written more about the gospel, but overall I really loved listening to this audiobook. I think I would enjoy having a physical copy of this book in the future and I would recommend it to everyone!
April 22, 2018
Even if you are already a morning person... I chuckled when I randomly picked up this book to read because I already love mornings and have a pretty consistent quiet time. But, I was pleasantly surprised. Lee has some great insights sprinkled through the book, and the three minute morning routine is actually inspiring and freeing. I’m an all or nothing sort of person, and this book helped me realize that a little done consistently is better than a whole lot every once in a while. Also, the ideas for building little “impossible to fail” habits and then adding on to them were really good.
December 6, 2017
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I have always been a morning person, but not a very organized person. Kat Lee does a wonderful job at suggesting how to get on a morning routine with Jesus. This book is honestly really good and I highly recommend it to anyone trying to find just a few moments to spend with Jesus and not feel guilty.
June 22, 2018
I was hesitant to read another book about developing consistent morning routines and Bible study habits. What more could be said? However, I loved Kat's focus on why we are doing this and also on keeping it simple and building from there. I'm looking forward to implementing her ideas. It was also an enjoyable read as she writes with honesty and humor.
December 27, 2022
Practical and well thought out strategy for being more productive while remaining balanced and removing stress. I found many ideas to create a better well rounded "morning" that lead to more successful days. Great for those of us that are working from home. Make the days count!
December 26, 2017
Practical, inspirational and actionable. A good read close to the new year.
Read
August 10, 2020Not a big fan of the writing, but got a lot more out of the book than anticipated.
August 29, 2020
Simple, encouraging and just what I needed before starting on another year of homeschooling.
December 23, 2023
One of the best books I’ve read this year!
September 7, 2018
This book would be great for building or getting back to a good morning routine. It can sound over simplified, but I like how the author explains the meaning behind that, plus give ideas for how to build on those simple routines. Good ideas in the appendices for how to have a quiet time.
April 2, 2019
Eh.. Insert shrug of shoulders here.
December 7, 2017
How we start our day matters. I'm a life-long night owl. I've always struggled with getting up early and moving. The following quote convicted me. "So instead of saying, 'I don’t have time to exercise or read my Bible,' try saying, 'Exercising and Bible reading aren’t my priority.' If that feels awful, perhaps it’s time to do some realignment." - Kat Lee No matter what season of life you are in Hello Mornings will help you start and live each day with an intentional purpose for God. Through this book, Kat is your friend, sitting with you, sharing her story, encouraging you to grow, and helping provide useful ideas and tools. Kat writes: "Every morning I have a choice to trudge through the day without vision or direction, feeling purposeless and overwhelmed. Or I can connect with God, glimpse His direction for my life, understand who I can influence, and discern how I can grow and ways I can bring Him glory today." I like that Hello Mornings is Not about guilt, only accountability with enCouragement, Inspiration, Real Life Resources & Tools and a Worldwide, HelloMornings’ Sisterhood Community.
A ‘Must Read’ Book for every Woman.
A ‘Must Read’ Book for every Woman.
June 12, 2018
3.5 Stars. My morning routine had become rather lacklustre, in fact it would be wrong to call it a routine as I basically just woke up and hit the ground running. So I wanted to give my mornings a bit of a kick start and this book was the perfect remedy. Especially coming into the summer months when it is even more challenging be disciplined about rising early.
Kat's book is full of tips and inspiration on how to make your mornings work for you, incorporating the 3 essentials of God time, Plan time and Move time. There wasn't much startling or new information for me but it was good to be reminded and encouraged as to why a morning routine is healthy and beneficial. I especially appreciated her perspective on the "move time" section of exercising for God's glory and to strive for health and energy so you can serve and be all that he wants to be. She asks "Am I fit enough to do all God has called me to do with excellence and joy in this season of my life?" A challenging question.
Now, check back with me in an month or so to see if I put it all into practice!
Kat's book is full of tips and inspiration on how to make your mornings work for you, incorporating the 3 essentials of God time, Plan time and Move time. There wasn't much startling or new information for me but it was good to be reminded and encouraged as to why a morning routine is healthy and beneficial. I especially appreciated her perspective on the "move time" section of exercising for God's glory and to strive for health and energy so you can serve and be all that he wants to be. She asks "Am I fit enough to do all God has called me to do with excellence and joy in this season of my life?" A challenging question.
Now, check back with me in an month or so to see if I put it all into practice!
August 29, 2018
This is the best book that I read this year, followed closely by Relationships a Mess Worth Making. I love this book. It is super practical and it involves a great deal of how to options that make waking up in the morning a joy. I really recommend this book to anyone, no matter what season you are in, this book can uplift your perspective and make you much more productive, for God's glory.
March 3, 2018
I've enjoyed listening to Kat Lee's podcasts 'Inspired to Action' and 'Hello Mornings' and was excited.....no...ecstatic when I saw her book, Hello Mornings, was out to review. My expectations were met in this book! I've drawn stars by key points, folded down corners to mark favorite sections, quoted on Facebook, and shared a couple Instagram snapshots of the pages.
Kat Lee's platform, which she shares on her website, podcasts, Facebook community and now her book, is for women to start their day intentionally. Her three minute morning routine (which you can expand on in time) focused on soul care, time management, and your health. Starting simple eliminates most of the excuses we give for not spending time with God, nor being mindful of our time and health. In three minutes, you can read and pray Psalm 143:8, read your calendar/pray over your day, and drink some water. In time, you can expand the Bible time to include your own devotional plan, expand the planning time to include writing out and prioritizing items on your to-do list, and expand the health time to include a short workout or walk.
Kat focuses on developing a solid habit or ritual that part of who you are. In each season of life, it will grow and shrink due to the demands on your time, but it will always be there. Some of the points she covers include the importance of planning, setting up your personal space, developing accountability, establishing a habit, and the blessings that follow when you commit your first moments and your day to God.
This is more of a heart book, dealing with our personal excuses for avoiding this habit and calling us forward to see that more is possible. Honestly, I'm not sure what that looks like in this season. For me, it currently involves writing out my daily intentions the night before because my day starts off running, dealing with two hungry littles and a cooped up dog. I would love to have a slow morning to sit and savor the Word, make a plan, and exercise, but I can't convince myself to get up at 5 yet. :-) Especially not as long as at least one of the kiddos is up in the night. But Kat's book is grace filled, just calling us to do what we can in our season. If nothing else, we have three minutes in the shower or the work commute to pray, plan, and think of something to care for yourself (fill your water bottle, plan a healthy supper, stretch, walk the long route to the office, etc).
I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of the blogger review program with Booklook Bloggers. However, this book was on my dream wish list and all of the opinions are mine.
Kat Lee's platform, which she shares on her website, podcasts, Facebook community and now her book, is for women to start their day intentionally. Her three minute morning routine (which you can expand on in time) focused on soul care, time management, and your health. Starting simple eliminates most of the excuses we give for not spending time with God, nor being mindful of our time and health. In three minutes, you can read and pray Psalm 143:8, read your calendar/pray over your day, and drink some water. In time, you can expand the Bible time to include your own devotional plan, expand the planning time to include writing out and prioritizing items on your to-do list, and expand the health time to include a short workout or walk.
Kat focuses on developing a solid habit or ritual that part of who you are. In each season of life, it will grow and shrink due to the demands on your time, but it will always be there. Some of the points she covers include the importance of planning, setting up your personal space, developing accountability, establishing a habit, and the blessings that follow when you commit your first moments and your day to God.
This is more of a heart book, dealing with our personal excuses for avoiding this habit and calling us forward to see that more is possible. Honestly, I'm not sure what that looks like in this season. For me, it currently involves writing out my daily intentions the night before because my day starts off running, dealing with two hungry littles and a cooped up dog. I would love to have a slow morning to sit and savor the Word, make a plan, and exercise, but I can't convince myself to get up at 5 yet. :-) Especially not as long as at least one of the kiddos is up in the night. But Kat's book is grace filled, just calling us to do what we can in our season. If nothing else, we have three minutes in the shower or the work commute to pray, plan, and think of something to care for yourself (fill your water bottle, plan a healthy supper, stretch, walk the long route to the office, etc).
I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of the blogger review program with Booklook Bloggers. However, this book was on my dream wish list and all of the opinions are mine.
February 7, 2018
Hello Mornings is a book dedicated to building a three part morning routine that the author has found to do amazing things in her life. The idea is that you start your mornings with God Time, Plan Time and Move Time. She starts with a simple 3-minute version of this routine, and then gives you a myriad of ways that you can build on it. She also discusses habits, the power of a good routine, and why it's important to start your day with God so that the rest of your day falls in line with your spirit. To me that goes with something I've seen on quite a few accounts on Instagram since the new year, which is starting your day with the "Word before World"...or praying, reading scripture, devoting time to God before you reach for your cell phone.
I devoured this book. I'm talking, reading through a migraine devoured it. It is written like a good chat with your girlfriend, and never comes off as condescending or "holier than though"...which I hate to say I've found in some books of this genre. I think my favorite part is the fact that she starts with the simplest routine, one that anyone can accomplish and feel good about themselves for achieving. Her 3-minute version is to read/pray/memorize Psalm 143:8, look at your calendar for the day, and then drink a glass of water. That's it! Just that simple habit covers your spirit, your daily plan, and your health.
And honestly, although this is a very Christian book filled with tons of advice for people trying to build their relationship with God, the actual morning plan could be tweaked for anyone...although I'm not sure the actual book would be at the top of someone's list if they were not Christian. But the plan could be morphed to meditation or any form of calm spirit building practice, and then the rest of the plan kept the same. I feel the main takeaway is to start your day focusing on your Faith before life gets in the way.
The book has plenty of stories from other women, sharing how they've incorporated this plan into their lives...women in various stages and lifestyles, from working women, to stay-at-home mothers with little ones still. And my absolute favorite thing is the actionable steps and lists of how-to's that are peppered throughout, and the great resource section that really lays out everything that was covered more in-depth earlier in the book. I am a HUGE fan of practical tips that I can use TODAY to put into practice the tenets laid-out in a book.
I highly recommend it! You can find all of my reviews at www.tomesandtequila.com
I devoured this book. I'm talking, reading through a migraine devoured it. It is written like a good chat with your girlfriend, and never comes off as condescending or "holier than though"...which I hate to say I've found in some books of this genre. I think my favorite part is the fact that she starts with the simplest routine, one that anyone can accomplish and feel good about themselves for achieving. Her 3-minute version is to read/pray/memorize Psalm 143:8, look at your calendar for the day, and then drink a glass of water. That's it! Just that simple habit covers your spirit, your daily plan, and your health.
And honestly, although this is a very Christian book filled with tons of advice for people trying to build their relationship with God, the actual morning plan could be tweaked for anyone...although I'm not sure the actual book would be at the top of someone's list if they were not Christian. But the plan could be morphed to meditation or any form of calm spirit building practice, and then the rest of the plan kept the same. I feel the main takeaway is to start your day focusing on your Faith before life gets in the way.
The book has plenty of stories from other women, sharing how they've incorporated this plan into their lives...women in various stages and lifestyles, from working women, to stay-at-home mothers with little ones still. And my absolute favorite thing is the actionable steps and lists of how-to's that are peppered throughout, and the great resource section that really lays out everything that was covered more in-depth earlier in the book. I am a HUGE fan of practical tips that I can use TODAY to put into practice the tenets laid-out in a book.
I highly recommend it! You can find all of my reviews at www.tomesandtequila.com
February 17, 2018
Years ago, I stumbled across a Hello Mornings online Bible study group, and it helped me establish a routine of getting up early and spending a few minutes in God's Word. This practice has changed my life in every way, and I'm grateful that Kat Lee has put her methods into book form.
This book is a practical tool to help you prioritize time with God in the morning. It is full to the brim with practical help and suggestions. Her main idea is to start with a three-minute, three-pronged approach to morning time with God. She knows most of us feel like time with God doesn't "count" unless we have at least 30 minutes to set aside. But she argues that we can get major benefits from even three minutes with God, and I agree.
The days I begin with God go much more smoothly because my mind is focused on him all day long. The days I don't start with him, the whole day is off, and I realize later it's because I neglected my morning time with God.
My time with God doesn't feel like checking a box on a to-do list. It's more like taking my allergy medicine. When pollen is in full swing, I can instantly tell when I forgot to take my Flonase. As long as I take it every morning, I am better protected against irritants and don't notice them nearly as much. God's Word protects me in the same way.
I've also become more attuned to his voice throughout the day by familiarizing myself with his Word first thing in the morning. Kat knows that regular Bible study will do this for us, and more. Her friendly, down-to-earth, positive tone sounds like a girlfriend's positive encouragement. I also enjoyed her sense of humor and her grace-filled advice that squashes any guilt.
After 15+ years of reading the Bible every morning, I can attest that Kat's method works. This is an uplifting read with loads of practical encouragement. If you want to start a daily quiet time but don't know how, or if you want to get more out of your daily quiet time, this book is for you.
The Booklook Bloggers Program provided a free review copy of this book.
This book is a practical tool to help you prioritize time with God in the morning. It is full to the brim with practical help and suggestions. Her main idea is to start with a three-minute, three-pronged approach to morning time with God. She knows most of us feel like time with God doesn't "count" unless we have at least 30 minutes to set aside. But she argues that we can get major benefits from even three minutes with God, and I agree.
The days I begin with God go much more smoothly because my mind is focused on him all day long. The days I don't start with him, the whole day is off, and I realize later it's because I neglected my morning time with God.
My time with God doesn't feel like checking a box on a to-do list. It's more like taking my allergy medicine. When pollen is in full swing, I can instantly tell when I forgot to take my Flonase. As long as I take it every morning, I am better protected against irritants and don't notice them nearly as much. God's Word protects me in the same way.
I've also become more attuned to his voice throughout the day by familiarizing myself with his Word first thing in the morning. Kat knows that regular Bible study will do this for us, and more. Her friendly, down-to-earth, positive tone sounds like a girlfriend's positive encouragement. I also enjoyed her sense of humor and her grace-filled advice that squashes any guilt.
After 15+ years of reading the Bible every morning, I can attest that Kat's method works. This is an uplifting read with loads of practical encouragement. If you want to start a daily quiet time but don't know how, or if you want to get more out of your daily quiet time, this book is for you.
The Booklook Bloggers Program provided a free review copy of this book.
February 9, 2019
You can manage your mornings well
Kat Lee is the hostess of the "Hello Morning" Podcasts, the creator of the "Hello Morning.org", offers Bible studies, and is also a writer and speaker. Her goal with her book "Hello Mornings: How to Build a Grace-Filled Life-Giving Morning Routine" is to show the readers the importance of mornings for starting the day right. In reality the book is not only about mornings, but about living exceptionally and intentionally. Kat is very open and honest. She does not hide the fact that she is not naturally organized and has to work on her own routine. In spite of the fact that she encourages the readers to fit their lives and personalities, she also underlines that it is about progress not perfection.
The three important components for Kat in the morning routine are 1) God Time - time with the Lord, 2) Plan Time - time to plan the day or revise previous plans, and 3) Move Time - an investment into ones fitness. She encourages the reader to start with a three-minute routine of those items. In the last part of the book Kat presents the Morning Routine Toolkit and teaches how to built habits. It is important to her that the morning routine needs to start the night before with the necessary preparations of the family and the tools (Bible, Bible study, workout equipment, clothes, candles, drinks, snacks, ...).
I really recommend Kat Lee's book because it is open and honest and does not have an "one size fits all"-approach which I really appreciate. Her "keep it simple and build up from there"-approach is also attractive because the barrier to try to invest in a morning routine is lower than in other approaches.
The complimentary copy of this book was provided by the author and the publisher through NetGalley free of charge. I was under no obligation to offer a positive review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#HelloMornings #NetGalley
Kat Lee is the hostess of the "Hello Morning" Podcasts, the creator of the "Hello Morning.org", offers Bible studies, and is also a writer and speaker. Her goal with her book "Hello Mornings: How to Build a Grace-Filled Life-Giving Morning Routine" is to show the readers the importance of mornings for starting the day right. In reality the book is not only about mornings, but about living exceptionally and intentionally. Kat is very open and honest. She does not hide the fact that she is not naturally organized and has to work on her own routine. In spite of the fact that she encourages the readers to fit their lives and personalities, she also underlines that it is about progress not perfection.
The three important components for Kat in the morning routine are 1) God Time - time with the Lord, 2) Plan Time - time to plan the day or revise previous plans, and 3) Move Time - an investment into ones fitness. She encourages the reader to start with a three-minute routine of those items. In the last part of the book Kat presents the Morning Routine Toolkit and teaches how to built habits. It is important to her that the morning routine needs to start the night before with the necessary preparations of the family and the tools (Bible, Bible study, workout equipment, clothes, candles, drinks, snacks, ...).
I really recommend Kat Lee's book because it is open and honest and does not have an "one size fits all"-approach which I really appreciate. Her "keep it simple and build up from there"-approach is also attractive because the barrier to try to invest in a morning routine is lower than in other approaches.
The complimentary copy of this book was provided by the author and the publisher through NetGalley free of charge. I was under no obligation to offer a positive review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#HelloMornings #NetGalley
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