How I fit in quiet time as a mom of five – and how you can too!

Spending quality time with God is vital to our life, but with the chaos of everyday needs bouncing around our heads and tasks that need to be completed, it can feel nearly impossible at times to get a few moments of peace, let alone enough time to strengthen our faith. How can we fit in quiet time with God when we have so many other things that need our attention? 

I get it. I’m a mom of five. Right now my kids are nine, just about 8, a week or so from turning 5, and twin three year olds. And four of those kids are boys. Our house is LOUD. Other than the night before we moved in this house has never been fully clean because the second I turn my back someone has messed up something new. Seven people means there are always laundry and dishes, no matter how many loads we wash. We don’t even do after school activities and I still can’t stay on top of everything – although having the kids help out certainly takes a bit off my plate! 

I need to intentionally carve out time in my day to sit with God.

This is why my quiet time is vital. I need to intentionally carve out time in my day to sit with God. It’s my time to pray, to worship, and to read my Bible. For years this happened in whatever spare moments I had but now it happens first thing in the morning. My alarm goes off about 530am but I’m a snoozer. Hubby can sleep through just about anything so the multiple times my alarm goes off doesn’t annoy him – thankfully! By the time I roll out of bed and get my coffee warmed up, it’s about 6am and I have 30-45 minutes to spend praying, reading my Bible, and journaling. I keep headphones on with worship music to keep me focused and it’s one of my favorite parts of the day.

 But what about you?

How can you fit in quiet time with God during the day?  

1. Wake up just a slight bit earlier

It doesn’t need to be crazy early! Yes, my alarm goes off earlier than I’d like but I don’t have tiny kids waking me up all night. However, my kids are incredibly early risers. Like by 6am early. This is why we taught them from the time they could learn numbers that they are not allowed to come out of their rooms until the first number is a 7. Then we set their clocks fifteen minutes behind. We do have moments of genius, I tell ya. 

If you are in a season of life where you can fit waking up even ten to twenty minutes earlier to read a few verses or spend some time in prayer I highly encourage you to make it a new habit. 

I know, you are a busy mom and you are up multiple times each night, early mornings might not work for you! Believe me, I get it. I was there for soooo many years. So lets look at a few other ideas. 

2. Listen to your Bible

Audio Bibles are AWESOME. When I was a new mom, and especially once we added baby numero dos, I was an exhausted mess. I fell asleep constantly while trying to read even a few simple verses. But then I discovered that the YouVersion Bible app has audio versions of multiple translations! I had to do the dishes anyway so while the kids were busy playing or napping I would stand at the sink and soak in the Word. 

3. Find a short devotional

There are an abundance of devotionals specifically written to be read in a few minutes. Sometimes they are even called “3 minute devotionals” or something similar. They are meant to refocus your brain and heart on what truly matters. Keep them stashed around the house (like perhaps, the bathroom?), or find a few short ones in the YouVersion app to work through. Don’t feel like you need to follow their pace either. Do one a week or a few a day, it’s up to you! 

4. Get your kids involved

Okay, so this won’t be as quiet as you might want but what a better way to set an example for your kids of spending time with God than to let them do it as well. Find a devotional or study you can work on together. There are thousands available online and many even include coloring sheets and memory verses.  

5. In the Shower

I’ve got this great friend that introduced me to the wonderful world of praying in the shower. Years and years ago she told me a story of how the only time she got alone was in the shower (she must remember to lock the door!) so it was her time to be alone with God. And God would get a hold of her in incredible ways! She has since gone on to start an incredible ministry helping abused children all because she took the time to pray and listen to God during her one chance at alone time each day.  

6. In the Car

Are you constantly in the car running from here to there? I’m guessing the music is automatically on. I know we are always listening to music or podcasts while driving and the kids can’t get enough Disney soundtracks. But the car can actually be a great place to spend time with God. Turn off the music and talk to Him. If your kids are in the car, invite them into the conversation. Prayer is a chance to talk to our Heavenly Father so open up and tell Him about your day and what’s on your mind. 

7. Breath Prayers

Have you heard of breath prayers? I learned about them in Loving My Actual Life by Alexandra Kuykendall. The concept is super simple – breathe in deeply while praising God and breathe out a prayer request. Nothing elaborate, just a couple words. “Heavenly Father, bring healing.” “Wonderful Savior, light my path.” I often use breath prayers when I need a few moments to collect myself when the kids are going bonkers or when I’m in a wicked stressful spot – like the dentist chair! The breathing is calming and the prayers focus my mind and heart on something so much better than my own thoughts. 

How do you fit in quiet time with God during the day?

Looking for more ways to spend time with God? Check out this post for ideas on spending time with God and growing in your relationship with him during everyday life moments. 

I’m linking this up with Salt & Light – a group for bloggers and readers to grow in their relationship with Christ. The goal for this group is to provide encouragement and community rooted in biblical truths. Whether you’re a blogger looking to share a little Salt & Light or a reader looking to gain some, we hope that everyone who joins will be blessed by this gathering.

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