Win the Morning: Start Your Day by Taking Every Thought Captive

(Based on Lamentations 3:22–23; Mark 1:35; Psalm 5:3)

How you start your morning shapes the rest of your day.

Before your feet hit the floor, your mind is already in motion—racing through tasks, worries, news alerts, and to-dos. For many of us, the day begins not with peace, but with pressure.

But what if the battle for your thought life is won—or lost—in the first hour of your day?

Chapter 12 of Every Thought Captive offers this simple but powerful truth:
If you want to win the day, start by winning the morning.

Mornings Are Sacred Space

In Mark 1:35, we see this about Jesus:

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”

If the Son of God needed quiet time with the Father to prepare for His day—how much more do we?

Jesus didn’t start with His schedule.
He started with solitude.
He didn’t check in with the crowd.
He checked in with God.

And when we do the same—when we begin our mornings in the presence of God—our minds become anchored before the chaos of the world has a chance to take over.

Lamentations: A Fresh Start Every Day

One of the most hopeful verses in the Bible is found in the middle of a book filled with lament and sorrow:

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
—Lamentations 3:22–23

Every single morning, God gives us a reset.
A fresh start.
A clean slate.
New mercies—not recycled leftovers.

But to receive those mercies, we have to pause long enough to notice them.

And that’s why winning the morning matters.

Practical Tips for a Strong Start

You don’t need a two-hour devotional to win your morning.
You just need intention.

Here are a few habits to try:

Before your phone, go to the throne. Don’t let texts, emails, or social media shape your first thoughts. Let Scripture do that.

Pray before your feet hit the floor. Even a 30-second prayer of surrender can set your heart in the right direction.

Read a few verses slowly. One psalm. A few verses from the Gospels. Let them soak in.

Say truth out loud. “This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24)

Remember, it’s not about quantity.
It’s about consistency.

Psalm 5:3—A Morning Pattern

David prayed:

“In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.”

Do you hear the rhythm?

Speak to God.

Lay your worries before Him.

Wait in faith.

This is how you train your mind not to be ruled by anxiety, distraction, or fear.
You bring your thoughts to God—first thing.

And then you go into your day not drained, but filled.

You Can Win the Morning

You won’t get it perfect. Some mornings will be rushed, distracted, or missed altogether.

But grace means you can try again tomorrow.
And the next day.
And the one after that.

Because His mercies are new—every single morning.

Available on Amazon or as part of the Good Questions Have Groups Talking subscription service at www.MyBibleStudyLessons.com.

Why Using Books as Curriculum Transforms Lives and Creates Disciples

I’ve been in church ministry long enough to make this observation: people don’t change much because of curriculum. But they do change because of books.

Curriculum often gives us bullet points and fill-in-the-blanks. Books tell stories. Curriculum tends to be consumable—used once, then shelved. Books become companions, mentors, and sometimes, life-changers. Curriculum offers information; books offer transformation.

When you hand someone a great book—J.I. Packer’s Knowing God, R.C. Sproul’s The Holiness of God, or Kyle Idleman’s Not a Fan—you’re not just delivering content. You’re giving them access to decades of wisdom, distilled in the voice of someone who has walked the road. These aren’t just Bible lessons; they are discipleship journeys.

Books allow for deeper reflection. They’re portable, personal, and penetrating. People can mark them up, come back to them years later, and say, “This chapter changed my life.” I’ve never heard anyone say that about a six-week DVD series.

When churches use books as curriculum—especially paired with open-ended, discussion-based questions (like the kind in Good Questions Have Groups Talking)—amazing things happen. Conversations go deeper. People become self-feeders. Discipleship becomes a lifestyle, not just a class.

Books are how God has formed many of His people. Augustine was moved by a book. Luther launched a reformation after reading Romans. C.S. Lewis, Dallas Willard, and John Ortberg have shaped generations of believers through pages, not programs.

If your goal is to check the box for another small group quarter, curriculum may do. But if your goal is to see lives changed—start handing people good books. Let them wrestle with big ideas, chew on timeless truths, and soak in the wisdom of those who’ve walked with God.

Discipleship is not about getting through a workbook. It’s about becoming someone new. And books do that best.