The Great Morning Revolution | Tara Beth Leach
Episode Overview
In this episode of Ministry on the Margins, Josh Olds talks with pastor and author Tara Beth Leach about her new book, The Great Morning Revolution. It isn’t a prescriptive “do these five things and your life will work” manual; it’s a pastoral invitation to begin the day with God—while your mind is still a blank canvas and before headlines, notifications, and to-dos set the tone:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}. Out of a personal wilderness season marked by grief, caregiving, and a brutal Chicago winter, Tara Beth sensed God’s nudge: “It’s time to rise,” and found a sustainable rhythm of mornings with God that reshaped her days:contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}.
In This Episode You’ll Hear
- How a night owl became an early riser through a season of loss and liminality
- Why the goal is presence, not performance—and how to avoid turning routine into legalism
- The G.R.E.A.T. framework: Gratitude, Reflection, Exaltation, Asking, Trusting—and what it looks like in real life
- Practical ways to begin with God in five minutes or an hour, in quiet or amid kid chaos
- Why sleep is a spiritual discipline—and how nighttime habits shape morning faithfulness
- How to keep authenticity and attentiveness within a simple, repeatable structure
About the Book
The Great Morning Revolution is part memoir, part spiritual guide—a gentle call to wake up physically and spiritually. Tara Beth invites readers to “begin with God” in whatever season they’re in. It’s not about a specific wake-up time; it’s about a set-apart moment at the start of your day when the Spirit can establish your steps and intentions. Her G.R.E.A.T. rhythm—Gratitude (naming God’s gifts), Reflection (Scripture and examen), Exaltation (praise/psalms), Asking (intercession aligned to God’s will), and Trusting (surrender through the Lord’s Prayer or Psalm 23)—offers a simple, life-giving path that flexes with your realities.
About the Author
Tara Beth Leach serves as senior pastor of Good Shepherd Church in Naperville, Illinois. A gifted preacher and writer (including Radiant Church and Emboldened), she ministers with a warm pastoral voice that helps people discover sustainable rhythms of grace in ordinary life. She and her family (plus two very cuddly corgis) make their home in Chicagoland.
Favorite Quotes
“While our minds are still a blank canvas…allow God to establish our steps and set the intentions of our days.”
“God is waiting for us to wake up. God delights in our presence.”
“It’s not prescriptive—find a sacred five minutes or a sacred hour that fits your season.” “We’re not doing this to please God—we’re doing it so we can be present with God.” “End your day with God so you can begin your day with God—rest is a spiritual discipline.”
