Quiet Time. It’s what a lot of us call our time with God.
But let’s be honest. Do you know of any woman who experiences “quiet time” after she becomes a mother?
In my house, a peaceful moment is about as rare as clean, paired-up socks and sibling civility.
When my kids were super small, I remember a well-meaning, but misguided older woman at my church telling me, “Don’t worry too much about spending time with God when your kids are little. You’re so busy. You’ll have time later.”
Perhaps. But will I still have my sanity? The demands and responsibility of motherhood meant that I needed God right then and more desperately than ever before.
I’ve left my house and sat in an empty parking lot to read my Bible. Locked myself in the bedroom to pray. Grabbed a few moments of godly wisdom as my bathroom reading. All in a quest to steal a few uninterrupted moments to pour my heart out to God and allow Him fill me up.
But that wasn’t really a plan. It was just a stressed-out young mommy trying to survive. As I adjusted to motherhood, I found some methods that helped me maintain regular — if sometimes brief — connection with God as I burped babies and tamed toddler (and now teenage) tantrums. Here’s four ways busy moms can find time with God:
Blowdry with your Bible. All mommies need self-care. For me, a few minutes blowdrying my hair as I read Scripture left me feeling less stressed and more beautiful. This was my “quiet time” for about the first three years of motherhood.
Pray while you play. Throughout the day, I would invariably lose something or hear about a sick or needy friend or family member. When the kids were old enough to understand, I would just stop and say a quick prayer with them. “Let’s pray mommy can find her keys.” (They knew that one by heart!) or “Grandma isn’t feeling well. God, will you please help her to feel better?” This helped me to keep the connection going throughout the day and helped train my kids to turn to God with their needs — big and small. Even at 15 and 12, I still do this. And they often initiate it, too.
Pour your prayers out. As a writer, there’s something very freeing about pouring my prayers out to God on paper. It brings a much-needed release. Plus, I can look back weeks, months or even years later and see how God has answered prayers and helped me grow as a woman and a mother.
Study with your sisters. God knows we need each other! As a young mom, I started leading Bible studies when my pastor’s wife and dear friend asked me. I thought she was nuts. But she had faith in me. I kept leading them because I knew that if I led them I would have to make time to be in the Word. This might not be right for everyone, but be open to God leading you out of your comfort zone to bring you closer to Him.
Whatever your method of choice, time with God will deliver you from mothering madness. Busy moms can find time with God. Even if it’s from behind a locked bathroom door.
Now I’m turning you over to God, our marvelous God whose gracious Word can make you into what He wants you to be and give you everything you could possibly need in this community of holy friends. Acts 20:32 (MSG)
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3 Comments
So cool. I just went to a brunch this weekend at my mom’s church where they talked about what it is to be a beautiful woman in Christ. She connected spiritual disciplines with self-care too: when applying makeup, think about what’s going on behind your face (in your thoughts); when bathing, consider what needs confession and spiritual cleansing; when getting exercise, consider what spiritual gifts you’re exercising and which need more movement! Love that. It really ties God-time in to anytime. Thanks for this post!
Great advice! I think mom’s are so great at multitasking because we have to do it in all areas of our lives, including our devotions and prayer time. I find that sometimes my greatest quality prayer time is in the shower where I can be alone and it is reasonably quiet. I also find that, if for some reason I didn’t get up early enough to do my devotions before the kiddos got up, that I can do them when the kids are watching a cartoon or eating lunch.
I, too, include them in prayers when we have lost something or someone is sick, etc. It helps teach them to go to God for everything, big and small, and they see that God is my Friend and there to help and that I rely on Him. Those lessons are invaluable!
It is hard to find that time many days! I admit to using the TV as a babysitter, so I can sit in the room with my kids, but their attention it on something else while I read my Bible.