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As a young mama, I struggled to find time in the Word.
I fretted over personal devotions, family devotions, and even my husband’s devotions. How guilty I felt falling into bed at night, realizing I hadn’t even cracked my Bible once during the day!
You may struggle too. Finding time is tough between midnight feedings and 5:00 AM bright-eyed, bushy-tailed toddlers. From running the evening game circuit to fighting the bedtime ritual.
But what if you could simplify the process? What if it didn’t have to be as hard as it seems in your head? I’ve learned a few tricks during my nearly 28 years of child-rearing on how to find time for devotions.
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16 Best tips to find time in the Word
1.) Keep it simple
It doesn’t have to be a production. It helps to be consistent, but lower your standards for this stage of life! Your devotions aren’t going to look like they once did BK. (Before Kids.) In fact, never again will they look like that stage because back then, you were only responsible for YOU.
2.) Write out Scripture and post around your home
Use post-it notes, 3×5 cards, or plain old paper and tape. Post in places you frequent aka the refrigerator (where the kids often hang out unnecessarily), your kitchen window, or your bathroom mirror. Then read it several times a day as you pass through!
3.) Target 15 minutes (but settle for 5)
Try to get a few minutes to read the Word and pray. Target 15 minutes if that seems do-able, but if you don’t make it the whole time, give yourself grace – something is better than nothing! God knows your heart and your desire to meet with Him!
4.) Install a Bible ap on your phone
Daily TruthBytes 4 Moms is a free app you can download to your phone. You Version, Bible Gateway, or First-5 are all favorite go-tos for the busy young mama (or the older mama such as myself)! They all have easy-to-follow reading plans.
5.) Occupy the kids
Use the Ipad, movies, outdoors – take advantage of these lull moments to read the Word on your phone (instead of surfing the web).
6.) Break up the time throughout the day
Snatch 5 minutes in the Word here and 5 on your knees there. And we’re supposed to be praying without ceasing anyway, right? Why not make a day of it!
7.) Listen to the Word
The Bible Gateway ap features an audio option! Listen while washing dishes, folding laundry, or getting ready for the day.
8.) Pray the Word
Pray the Scriptures you have posted. And, pray memorized Scripture. And use this free printable of 6 Powerful Scripture Prayers for the Overwhelmed Mom!
9.) Memorize the Word
Those Scriptures you posted? Memorize them for when formal devotions don’t happen. You can always review Scripture in your mind, whether your taxiing children, sauteeing chicken, or scrubbing floors!
10.) Keep your Bible open on the counter
Keep your place marked and ready to resume. When you walk by, the open Bible will be waiting, reminding, and inviting you to snatch a few minutes of rejuvenation.
11.) Ask hubby/friend/grandma to watch kids once per week
If you’re struggling because time in the Word is usual piecemeal, ask your husband to watch the kids for 30 minutes one night a week while you dig into the Word and pray.
12.) Use a combination of these ideas and make a schedule to do one of them each day
Monday – Scripture cards; Tuesday – during I-pad time; Wednesday – while the kids are at co-op; Thursday – listen while doing dishes; Friday – Bible on the counter, and so on!
13.) Share your plan with the fam
The best thing you can do to find time with God is to share your plan with your people. Tell your hubby, and if the kids are old enough to understand, explain what you’re doing. This causes accountability for you, and responsibility for them to respect and learn from your faithfulness.
14.) Meditate on the Word
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Joshua 1:8
Joshua, accepting the torch from Moses, had a huge job ahead of Him. God expected him to get busy kicking out the Canaanites and leading the Israelites into the promised land. But God told Joshua something else equally important – He told Him to meditate on the law, day and night.
Which means we moms can also meditate on Scripture while we go about our never-ending duties!
So what does meditating on God’s Word look like for a busy mom? Here are 10 ideas, using one passage of Scripture!
15.) No social media until after devotions
This is a biggie. I find time in the Word in the morning, and unless there’s a blogging emergency, there’s no social media or email until after devotions. Limit internet time until you’ve spent time with God. We get sucked in so fast and before we know it – 20 minutes flit by while we watch cat videos and share cute pictures of our kids spreading peanut butter on the walls. Learn to deny your inner social media freak.
16.) Get a set of ear plugs
Seriously – this works. I keep several pair handy. If the kids are safely occupied and you really want to concentrate, use ear plugs. Found at any local Walmart in the pharmacy section. You’re welcome.
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Remember mom, devotions are doable. Your time in the Scriptures doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. Devotions don’t have to be in the morning, in the quiet, or on a schedule. Time in the Word doesn’t have to be long, or at the same time every day.
If you’re waiting for the perfect season in life, it’ll never come. Just like they say about waiting until you can afford kids – it’ll never happen.
The important thing to remember is that God wants a relationship with you now. So break that devotional mental mold and get to spending time with Him – make it work!
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1 terrific devotion tool
From The Family Bible Toolkit
The brand new Family Bible Toolkit will help your whole family grow in devotional life with tools for men, women, and kids! Or, you can buy each set separately.
More Encouragement:
- Make your quiet time EASY & CONVENIENT with the Family Bible Study Toolkit. It has 40+ Bible study templates for the whole family.
- Organize your Bible study resources in one place with the Bible Study Notebook Kit. It’s FREE for a limited time.
- Help your kids grow in faith with the CREATIVE & SIMPLE activities found in the Family Bible Study Toolkit. These 20+ printable activities will make the Bible come alive & have meaning!
- Strengthen your marriage with simple devotional activities for the busy couple in the Family Bible Study Toolkit.
- The 10 minute Read & Respond Bible Study Method can help even the busiest of moms find time in the Word
- Bible journaling as a non-artist is made EASY with templates in the Family Bible Study Toolkit. You CAN worship through art!
God’s Word lights our paths for decision-making, step-by-step. But we must read it in order to receive that light. The Family Bible toolkit provides tools for the entire family – mom, dad, and kids!
Click here to watch a video about the toolkit.
What are some of your favorite ways to work in devotions? I’d love to know!
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Hey, Ruthie! I so appreciated your tips for devotions and the personalized Scriptures to pray. I’ve passed them along to another friend who has access to lots of mom’s working overseas. I think this can be a great encouragement to them (and their husbands and single co-workers,too!) Super ideas! Thanks for sharing!
Love,
Becky
Hi Becky, so nice to hear from you, that is wonderful! I pray those women will be encouraged by the blog post and the prayers. It’s super important to remember that time with God is time with God, no matter how it looks! We just need to draw near to Him, every day, in all the moments – messy or otherwise. Praying for your ministry, thanks so much for passing the post on. Love you!
Haha! Occupy the kids, get the ear plugs and listen to the world! At first glance, it seems strange! But I know it really works!
I have a friend with 4 toddlers. And 3 of them are always occupied by some work or sports activities. And the mom with earplugs is doing its work or read the bible.
Wow, These tips are really amazing. In fact, I really need post-it notes and 3×5 cards around my flat to get time in the Word cause 2 toodlers are taking most of my time ( by feeding, crying, even fighting…).
I SO get that!! We have to make this easy and accessible – else it will never happen during seasons of chaos. Thanks for your input – Walmart and Target will have just what you need! 🙂