Win the Morning

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Psalm 118:24

Morning practice by Andre D Paredes, PhD

Morning Gratitude Routine

1Stay in the presence of God

Begin by acknowledging His presence. Be still. Breathe. Know that He is here, now, with you.

2Thank God for His love

Express gratitude for His unfailing love, His mercy that is new every morning, His faithfulness that endures forever.

3Purify intentions

Examine your heart. Ask God to purify your motives, align your will with His, and make your intentions worthy of this sacred day.

4Live as you would like to die

Consider: if this were your last day, how would you live it? Let that vision guide your choices, your words, your love today.

Morning Prayers

Thank you Jesus for giving me this day. Thank you Jesus for the opportunity to live it for you. Make me a blessing to those around me. Make my heart beat in time with yours so that I can bring your perspective to each situation that I find myself.

Father, my intelligence cannot compare to yours. Please give me the wisdom to see your plan in my life and help me to follow your direction.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.

The Jesus Prayer

Yes Lord, I want all that you ask and all that will please you.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind."

Loving God with all of these means the following to Andre

Heart

The Passionate Self

Fortitude

Living authentically, embracing desires aligned with truth, cultivating courage to be genuine.

Soul

The Humble Self

Justice

Surrendering to God's will, recognizing dependence on grace, seeking right relationship.

Strength

The Willful Self

Temperance

Persevering through difficulty, balancing effort with rest, disciplined pursuit of virtue.

Mind

The Thoughtful Self

Prudence

Seeking truth with honesty, exercising discernment, aligning thought and deed with what is good.

The opposite of this framework is emptiness. And emptiness is in everything sought apart from Him. This is how I seek Him in everything.

Silence & Stillness

Only someone who is silent is listening.

Disappear and let God be all.

Silent your desires.

To reach satisfaction in all, desire its possession in nothing.

If calmness is needed for thinking, silence is needed for love.