Updated on June 5, 2013
posted by Nicci
My favorite time to be in God’s Word is early morning. And there are certain seasons that I get to do that. But when you are a mom who is up in the night with a little one (or several little ones), morning isn’t always practical.
Any other time though, doesn’t seem to work either because the kids are up. Can anyone relate?
Years ago I read a book by Jean Fleming called Feed Your Soul, in it she stated that “your quiet time doesn’t have to be quiet”. Just because the house isn’t perfectly still doesn’t mean you can’t read God’s Word and pray. That realization was so freeing to me. I had always had the idea that you should be sitting down, totally uninterrupted in order to have a meaningful quiet time. To hear that doesn’t have to be the case was such a relief to me. I could still have a profitable time in the Word and prayer while the kids were awake.
If you think about it, that’s not really a new concept. You’ve probably heard the often told story of Suzanna Wesley. When she needed to go to the Lord in prayer, she would pull her apron over her head, whatever time of day it was, and her children knew that meant she was praying and they were not to interrupt.
So, I started having my time in the Word in the late morning. I would get the kids settled with something quiet to do, then I would read my Bible and pray. Sure, there were interruptions and I had to learn to be able to concentrate in the midst of background noise, but that was ok.
One day all my children will be grown and I will have plenty of “quiet” quiet times. Besides, many moms whose children are already grown have told me that I will miss that precious “noise”.
My times in the Word have changed a lot over the years depending on what season of life I am in. They became much sweeter and more profitable though once I learned to be flexible with them.
Do you have a good idea for having your time in the Word with little ones around?
This post is linked at: The Better Mom, A Mamas Story, Walking Redeemed, Raising Arrows
What a great reminder that it’s more important than to have any time as opposed to “quiet time”. My kids’ are teens now so I don’t have the little ones running around needing me anymore. It should be easier to get back in the Word but I still struggle. Lately I’ve taken to reading my bible and praying in the morning, before the teens get up so I don’t put it off later in the day. I love the story about Suzanna Wesley. I’d never heard of it before.
I know what you mean about it being a struggle, now that I have older ones too I can more easily find the time to have my quiet time, but that doesn’t mean it’s easier to make the time. In the past I have heard older ladies say it wasn’t any easier to make the time when their kids got older, now I understand what they mean. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!