The filter of first

"I can't think in the morning. My body gets up, but my brain doesn't wake up until noon."

"I am SO not a morning person."

"My mornings are chaotic. No way can I connect with God."

"I'm a young mom. I haven't slept through the night in forever. I have to drag myself out of bed way too early as it is. I simply cannot connect with God in the mornings."

"I already get up at 5:00 a.m. to go to work. And now you are saying I have to get up earlier than that? That's legalistic and extreme. I can talk to God anytime during the day and He hears me."

We have all heard it.  We have probably all said it in one form or another at one time or another.  But regardless of our personal opinions and preferences, there is no denying the compelling case that the Word makes for meeting God in the mornings.

Whatever you do first in the day is the filter through which everything else in the day passes.

• If you start with texting, you are beginning your day through the filter of earthly relationships.
• If you start with Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, you are beginning your day through the filter of the thoughts and activities of other people.
• If you start your day with internet, you are beginning your day through the filter of earthly events, crises, and situations.
• If you start your day with conversation, you are beginning your day through the filter of the needs of your home.

Let your first thoughts be thoughts of Him.

Let your first words be words to Him.

Let your first communication be from Him through His Word.

But if your day begins through the filter of His Word and communication with Him, everything else that happens in the day takes on a totally different hue.

The filter of first.

Keep reading.  These are not my words, they are His…

Psalm 108:2-"Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early."

Psalm 143:8-"Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee."

Proverbs 8:17-"I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me."

Mark 1:37-" And in the morning rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed."

Isaiah 50:4-"The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned."

Psalm 5:3-"My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

Psalm 55:17-"Evening, morning, and at noon will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my voice."

Psalm 57:8-" Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early."

Psalm 63:1-"O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee:"



© 2014 by Melani Brady Shock

The filter of first

"I can't think in the morning. My body gets up, but my brain doesn't wake up until noon."

"I am SO not a morning person."

"My mornings are chaotic. No way can I connect with God."

"I'm a young mom. I haven't slept through the night in forever. I have to drag myself out of bed way too early as it is. I simply cannot connect with God in the mornings."

"I already get up at 5:00 a.m. to go to work. And now you are saying I have to get up earlier than that? That's legalistic and extreme. I can talk to God anytime during the day and He hears me."

We have all heard it.  We have probably all said it in one form or another at one time or another.  But regardless of our personal opinions and preferences, there is no denying the compelling case that the Word makes for meeting God in the mornings.

Whatever you do first in the day is the filter through which everything else in the day passes.

• If you start with texting, you are beginning your day through the filter of earthly relationships.
• If you start with Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, you are beginning your day through the filter of the thoughts and activities of other people.
• If you start your day with internet, you are beginning your day through the filter of earthly events, crises, and situations.
• If you start your day with conversation, you are beginning your day through the filter of the needs of your home.

Let your first thoughts be thoughts of Him.

Let your first words be words to Him.

Let your first communication be from Him through His Word.

But if your day begins through the filter of His Word and communication with Him, everything else that happens in the day takes on a totally different hue.

The filter of first.

Keep reading.  These are not my words, they are His…

Psalm 108:2-"Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early."

Psalm 143:8-"Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee."

Proverbs 8:17-"I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me."

Mark 1:37-" And in the morning rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed."

Isaiah 50:4-"The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned."

Psalm 5:3-"My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

Psalm 55:17-"Evening, morning, and at noon will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my voice."

Psalm 57:8-" Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early."

Psalm 63:1-"O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee:"



© 2014 by Melani Brady Shock

Every. Day.

It is no small advantage to the holy life to "begin the day with God."  The saints are wont to leave their hearts with Him over night, that they may find them with Him in the morning.  Before earthly things break in upon us, and we receive impressions from abroad, it is good to season the heart with thoughts of God, and to consecrate the early and virgin operations of the mind before they are prostituted to baser objects.  When the world gets the start of religion in the morning, it can hardly overtake it all the day.

~Thomas Case

© 2013 by Melani Brady Shock

Every. Day.

It is no small advantage to the holy life to "begin the day with God."  The saints are wont to leave their hearts with Him over night, that they may find them with Him in the morning.  Before earthly things break in upon us, and we receive impressions from abroad, it is good to season the heart with thoughts of God, and to consecrate the early and virgin operations of the mind before they are prostituted to baser objects.  When the world gets the start of religion in the morning, it can hardly overtake it all the day.

~Thomas Case

© 2013 by Melani Brady Shock

La. District Women's Conference 2013

What an awesome day!

A group of young women (192 of them to be exact) ages 18-30 gathered together for 2 1/2 hours to share the Word of God and be challenged to "unite our heart" to hear His Voice.

The challenge was given to establish a daily time with God every single day -- preferably in the morning -- and then breakout groups discussed how to effectively overcome the challenges we face that prohibit us from making that happen.

The panel was capably and skillfully moderated by Malinda Trentacoste.  The individual panel members each used their personal experiences and personalities to explain how they committed and processed through their own challenges in order to make sure that daily time happens.

The panelists included: Paula LeJeune, Leah Pagels, Holly Sponsler, Kendra Shock, and Danielle Cox.  What awesome women all of them are!

We made this blog available for group discussion, accountability, and motivation.  If you were part of this session, please leave your comments below.  And if you weren't here today, you can still be part of our online group, so just join right in!

I'm really thankful to be associated with such awesome, brilliant women with such bright futures!

© 2013 by Melani Brady Shock

La. District Women's Conference 2013

What an awesome day!

A group of young women (192 of them to be exact) ages 18-30 gathered together for 2 1/2 hours to share the Word of God and be challenged to "unite our heart" to hear His Voice.

The challenge was given to establish a daily time with God every single day -- preferably in the morning -- and then breakout groups discussed how to effectively overcome the challenges we face that prohibit us from making that happen.

The panel was capably and skillfully moderated by Malinda Trentacoste.  The individual panel members each used their personal experiences and personalities to explain how they committed and processed through their own challenges in order to make sure that daily time happens.

The panelists included: Paula LeJeune, Leah Pagels, Holly Sponsler, Kendra Shock, and Danielle Cox.  What awesome women all of them are!

We made this blog available for group discussion, accountability, and motivation.  If you were part of this session, please leave your comments below.  And if you weren't here today, you can still be part of our online group, so just join right in!

I'm really thankful to be associated with such awesome, brilliant women with such bright futures!

© 2013 by Melani Brady Shock

psalm 119:65

65 - Thou hast dealt well 

with thy servant, O Lord, 

according to thy word.

Oh, how true is this verse!  My testimony!  So often, it doesn't feel "well" according to society's standards, but oh so well according to His Word.

Affliction, sorrow, reproach, derision, stranger, forsaken, horror--words from David describing life.  I have felt all of these words.

Redeemer, faithful, grace, compassion, friend, lovingkindness, provider, healer--my life from His Word.

Oh yes.  Thou has dwelt well with me.

"No doubt," said the late Rev. J. Brown, of Haddington, Scotland,

"I have met with trials as well as others; yet so kind has God been to me,

that I think if he were to give me as many years as I have already lived in the world,

I should not desire one single circumstance in my lot changed,

except that I wish I had less sin.

It might be written on my coffin, 'Here lies one of the cares of Providence,

who early wanted both father and mother, and yet never missed them.'"

© 2012 by Melani Brady Shock