The Power of Starting Your Day With Intention

In the latest “To Be and Do” podcast, host Philip Amerson delivers a short thoughtful episode that invites listeners into a simple, transformative experiment. With the music of Ken Medema's warm greeting—“Clock strikes ten. Coffee time again”—The stage is set for a discussion about identity, spiritual depth, and the daily practices that ground us.

Here’s a recap of this episode’s heart, along with three key takeaway points.

The Importance of Knowing Ourselves

Phil dives straight into the central question: How do we know ourselves? What shapes our identity and gives us strength and hope? Far from offering pat answers, he challenges us to reflect on our daily routines. The familiar pattern—getting up, making coffee, reading the news—might set the day in motion, but Phil wonders what we’re doing to feed our inner selves.

He observes that for many Christians, faith has become “just kind of a veneer... the outer garment,” rather than something that truly shapes us from the inside out. This isn’t just a Christian issue; it’s a human one. Are we satisfied with a shallow version of ourselves, or are we willing to pursue something deeper?

Key Takeaway #1: Start Your Day With Devotion

Phil’s encouragement is gentle yet direct: “Begin and do a little experiment.” He suggests that, for the next week—or even the next month—we start our mornings with time for prayer and scripture reading. Not a marathon, he assures us—just a chapter from the Bible, ideally from the New Testament and especially the Gospels.

This is more than a religious ritual; it’s a re-centering practice that can ground our identity and purpose. Phil challenges us to make it a habit, not just for a season but, if possible, for life.

Key Takeaway #2: Move Beyond Surface-Level Living

A major theme is the risk of letting faith (or any guiding value) become a shallow surface layer. “Christianity has become in our time for too many, just kind of a veneer... but it doesn’t really go deep into who we are.” Phil calls us to something more—a thick, rooted presence in the world, one that informs how we live, love, and act.

Key Takeaway #3: Small Changes Create Lasting Impact

Phil’s invitation isn’t overwhelming. Rather, he advocates for incremental change—read a chapter, have a moment of prayer, and let this small act begin to alter not just your mornings, but your approach to life. As he poetically concludes, "From now till ever after, it’s a cup of love and laughter..."

Final Thoughts

This short episode asks us all—whatever our beliefs—to consider how our mornings, and our hearts, are formed. Are we just putting on an “outer garment” each day, or digging deeper? Phil’s gentle challenge is simple: try starting the day grounded in devotion and witness how it shapes the rest of your life.

Coffee in hand, a new day begins. How will you shape yours?