{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"4154 Before the Bell Rings","description":"There is something about the start of a new school year that carries both excitement and weight. The backpacks are packed, the outfits are picked out, and the alarm is set for a time no one in the house has seen in weeks. But before the bus pulls up, before the shoes are tied and the lunches are grabbed, there is a window of time that belongs to you and your family. And what you do with it matters more than you might think. It's before the bell rings. It's that morning window, the window that doesn't just happen. It is built. And if you are a parent staring down the start of a new school year, wondering how to make mornings feel less like a fire drill and more like a launching pad, you are not alone. Desire to be supported and encouraged by other like-minded women? Join us at the Kairos FREE Online Community. https:\/\/createyournow.com #ConfessionsOfAnUpsetMama #CreateYourNow #TodaysParent Every parent who has ever whispered "please let us not be late" through clenched teeth knows exactly what that chaos feels like. But what if the morning routine was less about getting out the door and more about getting grounded before the door even opens? Proverbs 16:3 says, "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans." To commit requires you to be intentional. And the morning routine is your family's first act of commitment for the day. It's the moment where you set the tone, not the clock. Think about it. Your children are walking into classrooms filled with so many voices: teachers, friends, social pressure, comparison, performance. The world is going to speak to them all day long. But whose voice do they hear first? What words land on their hearts before the bell rings? That is your territory. That is your gift. Charles Swindoll once said, "Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children." The morning is your first deposit of the day, and it does not have to be elaborate. It just has to be intentional. And remember, this is not about perfection. Milk gets spilled and cereal flies. Socks go missing. Someone will inevitably remember a permission slip at the last possible second. That is real life. But underneath the beautiful mess, there can be a rhythm, a steady beat that tells your kids, "You are loved. You are seen. You are not walking into this day alone." Psalm 5:3 puts it beautifully: "In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly." There is something powerful about teaching your children, by example, that the first conversation of the day is with the Lord who already knows what the day holds. You do not need a thirty-minute devotional at the breakfast table. "You need presence. You need purpose. You need a pause before the pace picks up." ~ Kristianne Wargo So as the new school year approaches, let me ask you this: What kind of morning are you building? Maybe it's time to anchor your morning. The K.I.S.S. ~ Anchor your morning before the rush begins! There is no reason to get all bent out of shape if you can prepare ahead of the day's pace.  SPEAK life before they walk out. Choose one phrase, one scripture, or one truth to say over your child every single morning. It can be as simple as, "You are brave, you are loved, you are beautiful, and God is with you today." Make it the last thing they hear before they leave. Words stick, whether they're good, bad, or ugly. So make your words the ones worth carrying. SET your own anchor first. Before your house gets really wild, give yourself five minutes. Not to check your phone. Not to review the schedule. Five minutes to breathe, pray, or simply sit in silence with the Lord. You cannot pour into your family from an empty cup. Fill up first \u2014 even if it is just a few quiet sips of coffee and a whispered, "God, lead me today." You got this, because God's got you. SIMPLIFY one thing that always causes chaos. Look at your morning honestly and identify the one recurring source of stress. Is it clothes? Maybe lunches? Finding shoes? Solve it the night before. Lay it out, pack it up, put it by the door. Removing one friction point creates breathing room, and breathing room is where peace lives. The morning routine is not really about the routine at all. It is about the foundation you are laying beneath your child's feet every single day.  "The day does not start when the bell rings \u2014 it starts when love speaks first." ~ Kristianne Wargo Please keep this in mind: This is not about your picture-perfect morning, where you show off in a highlight reel how, all together, you've got it.  You need a present one. You need a morning where your kids feel the steadiness of a home that is rooted in something deeper than the rush. And you are exactly the right person to create that. "Be present. Be incredible. Be YOU!!!"   \ud83d\udd14 Desire to be supported and encouraged by other like-minded women? Join us at the Kairos FREE Online Community. https:\/\/createyournow.com TAKE A.I.M. ~ Action Ignites Motivation  - This is a complimentary (FREE) coaching call with me. You will discuss your specific situation while gaining tools and strategies to move you forward. (https:\/\/form.jotform.com\/62988215824163) \ud83d\ude4f  Create Your Now TV on Pray.com (https:\/\/pray.com) \ud83c\udfa5  Create Your Now on YouTube (https:\/\/youtube.com\/createyournow) \ud83c\udfa7 Create Your Now on Spotify, Pandora, and Audible. \ud83c\udfb6  Create Your Now on iHeart Radio (http:\/\/www.iheart.com\/show\/263-Create-Your-Now-Your-Best\/) \u270d\ufe0f  YourBestSelfie@CreateYourNow.com  Instagram @CreateYourNow @KristianneWargo Twitter @KristianneWargo @CreateYourNow Facebook www.facebook.com\/TheKISSCoach www.facebook.com\/CreateYourNow   Cover Art by Jenny Hamson Photo by Canva.com   Music by Mandisa - Overcomer http:\/\/www.mandisaofficial.com Song ID: 68209 Song Title: Overcomer Writer(s): Ben Glover, Chris Stevens, David Garcia Copyright \u00a9 2013 Meaux Mercy (BMI) Moody Producer Music (BMI) One Songs (ASCAP) Ariose Music (ASCAP) Universal Music -  Brentwood Benson Publ. (ASCAP) D Soul Music (ASCAP) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission. ","author_name":"Create Your Now with Kristianne Wargo","author_url":"http:\/\/createyournow.com","html":"