I received this sweet email from my friend who was in our small group. Once I started typing my response I realized this would be a great post for anyone else wondering this same thing!
Hey Megan,
I hope you and your precious family are doing well! We're getting settled here...just some frames left to put on the walls! it's certainly busy up here and you have to plan any outing around traffic. Thankfully Target is like 10min away and they have a full grocery section too, so I'm set :)
I wanted to seek your advice on something. I have really been struggling since the move, well really since Noah was born, to spend time in the Word. I will admit I feel that I've never had the Bible Study life I strive for, but even just spending 10 minutes has become harder and harder for me. Honestly, a lot of time I forget; a lot of time I feel my days are spent monitoring Lily and caring so much for Noah, I just don't know when to do it with balancing all the other house tasks. I know I have to prioritize it more and just find time to do it. You seem to have always done well this, from what I do know about you and FB posts and such, and you have 4 kids! I was hoping you could give me some advice :)
Thanks so much & have a great night!!
Miss you guys!
Jennifer
Well to say I thought this was the sweetest email was an understatement. I kept thinking, "Wow, I must have everyone snowed!" But then I sat down and thought honestly about it so here's my response...
Hi Jennifer,
We miss seeing you guys so much and hope you're settling into your new home! Thank you for your sweet note! I want to start off by saying there are lots of days I don't get it "right" when it comes to devotions, but here are some things that I have done that have helped me stay focused more on the Lord each day.
1. I put bible verses every where in my house! Yes, sometimes the day is so crazy and out of control that picking up a bible and getting ten minutes to read it is really hard. So surrounding yourself in scripture keeps your mind focused on him, especially in the heat of the rough moments with your kiddos.
2. I put bibles every where too. I have two bibles that are almost the same and I have one on my nightstand and one in the living room. I even keep one in the car! That way I can't use the excuse of walking upstairs and having to leave the babies alone to have quiet time. Put a daily devotional, pen, paper, etc with each bible also.
3. Next, make the kids a devotional basket. For little kids this could be picture bible, bible story books, even blocks or little people they can play with. While you sit on the couch with your bible, feeding the baby, you read the Psalm and the Proverb matching the date or pick a book of the bible. While you just READ the older child can play in the devotional basket that is only for that special time when mommy is reading her bible too. See where I am going with this? You're teaching Lily that there is time in the day to just sit and be with God. She won't learn this if you are only doing your devotions at night or during nap time. And to be honest, I just started doing this a year or two ago. And now my big kids that can read will go grab their bibles too. It's never perfectly timed every day. Some people can schedule their days to the minute, I've never been able to. But there should be an ebb and flow to the day where there is some moments to just sit in quiet. No t.v. or any electronics!
4. Give up the perfectionist notion that you will get an hour every day to journal and read your bible in absolute quiet and concentration. It's just not going to happen very often. When it does TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT! But for the regular crazy days your goal is to keep scripture and prayer at the forefront of your mind with whatever means necessary!
5. Every once in a while (maybe once a month), ask hubby to watch the kiddos so you can go sit at Starbucks and work on some quality bible study alone and with caffeine!
6. My favorite bible study right now is at shereadstruth.com There is now an app for your phone and it is awesome. They have not asked me to endorse their product this is just my unsolicited opinion. It's perfect because the scripture, the devotional, and the online forum is right there on the app for each day! You can be cooking dinner and doing your devotionals on your phone or Ipad. This is a HUGE help for me!
All in all the the new attitude is "Being with Christ throughout the day." Versus a long scheduled time of quiet. Those days will come back eventually!
Well, Jennifer I hope this helps! I definitely don't have it all figured out and I am still working on it myself. This is just my opinion and what has worked for me! Take what you need out of it and adjust however it fits for you! Just know that the Lord is with you all through the day! He will take whatever minutes you can give him!
Love,
Megan
Miss you guys!
Jennifer
Well to say I thought this was the sweetest email was an understatement. I kept thinking, "Wow, I must have everyone snowed!" But then I sat down and thought honestly about it so here's my response...
Hi Jennifer,
We miss seeing you guys so much and hope you're settling into your new home! Thank you for your sweet note! I want to start off by saying there are lots of days I don't get it "right" when it comes to devotions, but here are some things that I have done that have helped me stay focused more on the Lord each day.
1. I put bible verses every where in my house! Yes, sometimes the day is so crazy and out of control that picking up a bible and getting ten minutes to read it is really hard. So surrounding yourself in scripture keeps your mind focused on him, especially in the heat of the rough moments with your kiddos.
2. I put bibles every where too. I have two bibles that are almost the same and I have one on my nightstand and one in the living room. I even keep one in the car! That way I can't use the excuse of walking upstairs and having to leave the babies alone to have quiet time. Put a daily devotional, pen, paper, etc with each bible also.
3. Next, make the kids a devotional basket. For little kids this could be picture bible, bible story books, even blocks or little people they can play with. While you sit on the couch with your bible, feeding the baby, you read the Psalm and the Proverb matching the date or pick a book of the bible. While you just READ the older child can play in the devotional basket that is only for that special time when mommy is reading her bible too. See where I am going with this? You're teaching Lily that there is time in the day to just sit and be with God. She won't learn this if you are only doing your devotions at night or during nap time. And to be honest, I just started doing this a year or two ago. And now my big kids that can read will go grab their bibles too. It's never perfectly timed every day. Some people can schedule their days to the minute, I've never been able to. But there should be an ebb and flow to the day where there is some moments to just sit in quiet. No t.v. or any electronics!
4. Give up the perfectionist notion that you will get an hour every day to journal and read your bible in absolute quiet and concentration. It's just not going to happen very often. When it does TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT! But for the regular crazy days your goal is to keep scripture and prayer at the forefront of your mind with whatever means necessary!
5. Every once in a while (maybe once a month), ask hubby to watch the kiddos so you can go sit at Starbucks and work on some quality bible study alone and with caffeine!
6. My favorite bible study right now is at shereadstruth.com There is now an app for your phone and it is awesome. They have not asked me to endorse their product this is just my unsolicited opinion. It's perfect because the scripture, the devotional, and the online forum is right there on the app for each day! You can be cooking dinner and doing your devotionals on your phone or Ipad. This is a HUGE help for me!
All in all the the new attitude is "Being with Christ throughout the day." Versus a long scheduled time of quiet. Those days will come back eventually!
Well, Jennifer I hope this helps! I definitely don't have it all figured out and I am still working on it myself. This is just my opinion and what has worked for me! Take what you need out of it and adjust however it fits for you! Just know that the Lord is with you all through the day! He will take whatever minutes you can give him!
Love,
Megan
