Does it seem impossible to find time to open your Bible and spend quality time in the Word? This is such a real struggle, but especially when you have small kids or even if you have big kids. Just making the time and finding some peace and quiet can be a challenge. Today I want to give you 10 IDEAS to find time to get in the Word as a momma:
1: Get Up Early (With a Caution)
The first one, is one that I’m sure you’ve already thought about, but I want to give some caution to this first idea. And that is getting up before your kids wake up. I always say that if you were having any kind of interrupted sleep at night I don’t think this is a good idea. If you’re having interrupted sleep while nursing a baby or a kid in your bed, it is so important to your mental health to get quality sleep. If you fall into this category, consider using one of the other 9 ideas, but if your kids are sleeping soundly through the night I do think it’s worth considering getting up before your kids and soaking in the quiet morning to get into the Word.
2: Less, But Longer Dates with God
The second idea is to get into the word maybe once or twice a week, but for a longer time. Thinking about it more as a quality time with the Lord vs. just having an expectation that you’re going to be able to get a solid quiet time for an hour every single day.
This is not really realistic for a lot of people so this might look like just sneaking off to a coffee shop twice a week. Maybe having your husband or girlfriend swap off so that you can just get some quality time in the Word. You may consider staying up one or two nights a little bit later too. More of just readjusting the expectation that a long peaceful time reading your Bible is going to happen every single day.
We just have to adjust for this season, there certainly are seasons that you may have more time to daily drink deeply in the Word. Then there are other seasons it just doesn’t and so I’m going to give you some more ideas if you are in that second camp.
3: No Warm-Ups
Have you ever noticed that the first worship song at church seems to be the wake up, get ya going, warm up song…well the best way to describe how my quiet time feels is that it is me running to Jesus, no warm up song. It is me saying wow I have maybe 10 minutes before I am interrupted. No time for coffee, a blanket, a candle haha I just have to run to Jesus and ask Him to fill me up, no warm up song!
4: Lay Bible Out and Meditate
The word meditate literally means to chew on, like a dog chews on a bone. This is creatively finding ways to just taking some time to just really chew on a passage and just really let it roll around in your heart and your mind throughout the day.
It might look like writing the scripture or passage out on a post-it note and putting it right by the sink. Then while you are working through a sink full of dishes, God’s Word is there to be chewed on. The verse written on a notecard by my sink is Psalm 29:11 “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise person holds it in check.” I now know the verse by heart, because I spend a lot of time by the sink.
So get creative! Where do you spend time? Maybe where you fold laundry, wipe bottoms, sweep, read books to your kids, the list goes on and on, because us mommas are busy! By God’s grace these strategically placed verses will get into our hearts and into our minds. And we know that when we get the Word into our hearts and our minds it changes us.
5: Friend Swap
Plan a friend swap and maybe she keeps your kids for a couple of hours one time a week so you can go to the coffee shop and then yall can switch. I have a friend I am currently doing something similar with and it gives us both a much needed mom break. The same goes with your husband, maybe you give him an hour and he gives you an hour. If you are in the season where it’s just a lot with little kids, maybe your ears of break and quiet to really dive in with the Lord for an extended period of time.
6: Gym Childcare
Use your child care at the YMCA or whatever gym you’re using. If your gym has some kind of childcare if you could exercise for 30 minutes and get in the word for 30 minutes (or even just not exercise haha like I would sometimes do). Something like that so just don’t overlook the childcare that you may already have built-in to just give you that extended time.
7: Have a Decorative Accessible Bible Basket
I like to even put tissues in this basket haha. I don’t know why every time I sit down to read the Word that it seems like my nose starts to run. My point is to have everything together, so you don’t waste any precious time getting distracted grabbing or hunting down all the things. Could be tissues, highlighters, coloring pencils, a journal, a favorite commentary, a journible (here is a whole video on those) and of course your Bible.
Get creative! You should be enjoying this time, it shouldn’t be an obligation, but instead this time should be a delight. Think of some things that are really going to help you look forward to the time in the Word.
Sidenote: If it does feel like a chore or obligation, talk to the Lord about it. He knows already and ask for the passion, desire and plan to help you dive into a consistent time growing in your love for the Bible and your love for sweet time with Jesus. He isn’t mad at you and He desires for you to make the time for this to happen, so ask for His help and believe He will show you a way.
8: Write out the Word
I love Journibles sooo much! They are my favorite tool for writing out the Word. I will link a video here on what they look like inside and why I love them. But you certainly do not need one of these books, just grab a blank piece of paper and start rewriting the Word. There is a reason why many people learn their school notes better by rewriting their notes.
Revelation can sometimes occur when we put our pen to the paper. So just simply start at the beginning of a book and write a little each day. I have written about 10 books at this point (currently writing out the book of Acts) and it is a spiritual practice that I go back to often. It helps me slow down in my Bible and savor every single word.
9: Take the Word with You
Get a small compact Bible and just keep it in your purse. Take it with you everywhere you go. I don’t know if you ever watched the show Gilmore Girls but I think Rory always had a book with her. She said, “I just take a book everywhere with me. It’s a habit.” So consider doing this with your Bible. I will link one here that is a good price and I love.
10: Listen to the Word
Listening to the Bible is so easy! There are many free Bible apps you can use. I also like the paid app called Dwell. I love how you can change the background music, the voice who reads and even select a portion of scripture to play over and over to help with memorization.
Another idea is to consider listening to one portion of scripture over and over, but with different translations and versions to see if something new stands out to you. It just might help you hear John 1 in a fresh way when you listen to it with the ESV, CSB and even the commentary (not translation) version called the Message. Sometimes layering on the use of different learning styles can really help the scripture come to life and go deep into your heart, all while being with your kids.
I hope these tips have been helpful to kick start your journey getting in the word again. Maybe it’s been awhile, don’t beat yourself up. My husband loves the old saying, “the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago and the second best time is today.” So just start today!
