How to Make Time With Jesus
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Ah, August 2017. I had just become a full time nanny. I got to work around 7 am, the two girls I watched usually slept until 8 am. While I waited for them to wake up, I sat peacefully at their kitchen table with my coffee, an intense Bible study (with a lot of reading/studying), and my study Bible. I spent a good 30-45 minutes in God’s word Monday-Friday while sipping my tasty coffee.
Fast forward to May 2021. I jolt awake to the sounds of my hungry babies around 7 am every day. (On good days I wake up at 6:40 am and quickly get dressed and make the bed). I peel myself off the sheets (wasn’t I just up at 5 am giving Asa a quick snack?), bring my babies to my bed, and start the routine of eat play sleep, that we repeat 12 hours a day. I feed them, dress them, read to them, play with them, and try to feed myself and sneak a cup of coffee. The first nap rolls around and it’s a mad dash to get as much done as possible in the hour and a half to two hours that they are asleep (that is if Oliver doesn’t decide to fight his nap or Asa doesn’t decide to wake up after 45 minutes).
Usually the first nap time looks like this most days:
-get dressed
-quick tidy
-clean the kitchen
-make a cup of coffee
-plan the day
-do a devotion
-workout
Now that’s IF nap time goes according to MY plan and not the babies’ plans. It doesn’t sound like much but it takes up the entire nap time usually.
In different phases of life, quiet time or devotion time looks different. In one phase of life I was able to spend a good amount of time studying the Bible and writing in my prayer journal. In this phase of life, even when I prioritize it, it’s challenging to get 15 uninterrupted minutes in with the Lord in the morning. In the past 5 months of motherhood, I have struggled a lot with postpartum depression and anxiety (one day when I am doing better I will share my journey here). I realized that there are a few things that are VITAL to helping my navigate these struggles. 1) Spend time with Jesus and allow Him to fill my cup, 2) exercise, 3) getting out of the house, whether it’s the grocery store or for a walk.
As a mom of littles, it is HARD to get in quiet time because life is unpredictable and waking up early is hard because you are exhausted. Even if you aren’t a mom, there are times when life becomes chaotic that makes it hard to find time to spend in God’s word and prayer. Maybe you work 12 hour shifts, maybe you are a college student with a full and demanding course schedule. Maybe you are a student with a part time job. Or maybe your work full time and take classes on the side. Maybe you are a teacher and your work day starts early and you almost always have to bring work home in the evening. Whatever it may be, you should find some way to prioritize spending time in the Bible. It is vital that we nurture our relationship with Christ by spending dedicated time with Him. It will make your days much better if you have a moment of quiet with Jesus where you unburden your heart and allow him to fill your cup. The discipline of “quiet time” is so important. Even in dry seasons where we don’t feel like we are gaining that much from our Bible reading, Jesus still meets with us. As long as we show up, He is always there to teach and to listen.
I have a few tips I’ve learned that I think may help you prioritize some devotion time in your day.
1 // Reading Plans
There are three apps I know of that have great reason plans! There is She Reads Truth, and the men’s version called He Reads Truth. These apps have great plans. Some of the plans are free, and others are $1-$2 (very affordable!). The also have community readings where everyone on the app can do the same reading plan and have discussions about it. When I have done the plans they take about 20 minutes to read. They contain a chunk of scripture and then a devotional to go along with it, followed with a comment section to connect with other women.
The other app is the YouVersion Bible App, which has HUNDREDS of free reading plans on any topic you could think of!
I love these kind of apps because they are so convenient. For me, I would read right from my phone while I nursed babies in the beginning, when our routine wasn't solidified. The convenience was exactly what I needed!
2 // Bite Sized Scripture
I feel like sometimes we believe that if we aren't spending x amount of time in God's Word, we aren't doing "quiet time" right. In reality, the Bible gives no instructions or commands on exactly how to seek God, other than in the morning and in the evening. There is no rule that says you have to spend 20 minutes minimum in your Bible every day to grow your relationship with Christ. Thank goodness, right?! The beauty of our relationship with Christ is that it is based on f r e e d o m. Life gets busy and full and chaotic. So take a bite, and not a whole platter. If all you can manage is to read one verse every day, that is enough. God can speak to you just as much through one verse as He can through an in-depth study of a book of the Bible. If you have morning drop off, breakfast for littles, play dates, grocery shopping, floors to clean, and dinner to prep, just read one verse in the morning. Make it your screen saver on your phone so that you can see it throughout your day. Meditate on one verse. Savor that one bite!
3 // Podcasts
Podcasts are an excellent way to get a daily dose of God's word in the unpredictable days of motherhood. If your to do list is lengthy, turn on a podcast to listen to while you fold that pile of laundry and on your morning commute to work. Somedays you may have more time and you can sit with your Bible and a notepad and take notes. There are hundreds of great podcasts and recorded sermons you can listen to. My favorite podcast right now is the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast.
4 // Short Devotion Books
There are tons of short devotion books out on Amazon. My mom recently bought this one for me and it’s the perfect way to meet with Jesus in this season of life. Not only is it short enough I can get through it without getting interrupted, but it is practical and applicable to where I am at right now. It has question prompts at the end to help solidify the point of the devotion. I’m a pen and paper kind of girl most of the time, so I love having a physical book I can hold and take notes in
Here are a few that I’ve found that you might enjoy!
Now, if you are in a phase of life where you can dedicate a chunk of time to your devotions, here are some studies I have done that I have thoroughly enjoyed. They are deep, hands on, and deepen your love for God's word.
5 // Remember That Jesus Meets You Anywhere
One of the most beautiful things about our Savior is that He understands. He is the only one who knows your heart through and through. He sees your every day. He knows, and He is prepared. Wherever you are at, whatever your life looks like, Jesus is already with you. He is ready and waiting to speak and work in your heart. Even if you can only manage a quick verse, or a worship song in the car, He meets you there.
Friend, I'm not sure what life looks like for you right now. Maybe you are in a place to spend an hour with the Lord everyday. Maybe you are in a "one verse" phase of life. Wherever you are, know that Jesus is waiting for you. He is there, and every moment that you show up with a heart prepared to listen and learn and lean on Him, He is there. Whether it's 3 minutes or 30 minutes, when you draw close to Him, He draws close to you. I hope you have found something helpful here.
until next week 🧡
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