Quiet Time Tip #3 - No Time for a Quiet Time!

First, I have to share with you the joy of seeing the Good Morning Girls summer session begin! We are now at over 90 groups, 600+ women, 31 states and 5 countries represented. And I have one word for these groups - PERSEVERANCE!

As we walk with the King it takes perseverance. There will be days you literally cannot find a minute to be alone and just drink a tall glass of God's living word! Those can be frustrating days when you are honestly longing to sit at the feet of Jesus.

I have a solution for Mommies who are so busy caring for their little ones that they literally do not have the time. First let me share my dreamy ideal quiet time. I rise early and feel well rested and wide awake. I sit alone with a hot drink in my hand and bask in the presence of God. I can linger over his word with no interruptions and remain focused in a long steady prayer time for all my loved ones. I finish by journaling a few bits of what I have learned and then I move on into my day.

Here's my reality some days. The alarm goes off and I hit the snooze. The alarm goes off again and I drag my sorry self out of bed. I find my way to the kitchen and pull out my Bible and journal. I go to the cupboard to get out a mug and lo and behold a fuzzy haired sweet pea is staring at me. I say - "sweet heart go back to bed, it's very early and mommy needs her quiet time." And from behind her is a giggle of my other child - argh! How can you both be up and with so much energy? Please oh please, give mommy just 5 minutes alone with Jesus!

Some days it just can't happen. And it would be wrong for us to legalistically put pressure on ourselves to always create this dreamy scenario - as we would selfishly have to push our children's needs aside.

So what's the solution?

Learn how to meditate on God's word.

Joshua 1:8 says "Do not let this Book of the law depart from your mouth, meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it."

Meditating goes hand in hand with last week's tips on memorization. If you are memorizing then most likely you are also meditating. But it is possible to meditate and not memorize. Here's how a busy mom can meditate on a passage of scripture day and night.

1. Choose a passage of scripture for the week.

2. Write out the passage of scripture on a note card and slip it in your pocket - pull it out periodically and read over it. Keep it in your purse all week long and pull it out at convenient times and read through it.

3. Open your Bible in the kitchen on the counter to the passage you want to meditate on. All day long when you walk through the kitchen, pause, read the passage and then move on.

4. Read the passage out loud to the children during breakfast and lunch time. (This is our regular Bible reading time in our house - along with bedtime.)

5. Read the passage first thing in the morning as soon as you get out of bed.

6. Read the passage again one minute before you go to bed at night.

7. Write out a verse or two at the top of your to-do list so every time you look over it you can read over them.

Squeeze EVERY drip of nourishment out of the passage you have chosen all day long through these short readings of scripture. Meditate on God's word day and night. And you will soon find a life transformed by the renewing of your mind! (Rom. 12:2) Persevere!

Walk with the King!