“Mum! We have to turn around! I forgot something!”

My three sons are creative at the best of times, but during this extended time at home, they’ve produced even more than usual. (My house is testament to this fact. At this very moment, I have spotlights in my living room and recording equipment scattered across my dining room table. But a picture-perfect house is overrated, right?) 🙂

Last week my youngest son Kaden wrote and filmed a sketch for his comedy channel. It portrays various well-known Bible characters and their response to the crisis we now find ourselves in. He decided the best place to film was at our church, and so after securing permission from our pastor (uncles are great like that!) he began loading the car with props he needed to take to church.

The trunk was full of stuff—old rags for turbans, an umbrella for Noah, scarves, even a tree branch. We piled into the car and headed up to church.

But halfway there, Kaden realized he had forgotten one very important item.

No, not a costume or prop. Not the script.

The camera.

Yep. He had meticulously crossed off every item on his list to film the video, except for the one item he needed the most.

My friend, every time we spend a day without opening the Word of God, we do exactly the same thing. Our lives are full of things—important things. We cook and clean for our families and nurture our children. We work hard to pay the bills and provide for our loved ones.

But if we do all the things, and neglect time with Jesus, we forget the most important thing.

As Christians, most of us realize the importance of spending time in God’s Word and prayer, but sometimes the how-to of a daily quiet time eludes us. I remember when my three sons were young—it was hard to find time to spend with God. I had to make conscious, daily choices to ensure I had my time with God.

No matter where you are in life—parent of toddlers or teens, working part-time or full-time, in ministry or care-giving—life is busy. Over the years, I’ve discovered some things that helped me as I sought to have a regular, daily time with God.

One—Making my relationship with God my Number One priority.

Many years ago, I heard a teacher say that we always find time to do what we want to do. Ouch. That stung a bit when I thought about it, but it was absolutely true. I found time to eat, to shower, to go to work, to buy groceries, to do laundry, to talk to my friends and family….on and on the list goes. All these things are important, but they are not the most important. When we really grasp the fact that we are invited to spend time with the Almighty God of the universe, we will guard that time with Him and make it our top priority.

Two—Scheduling my devotional time.

I know, it may sound as if you’re putting your devotional time right up there with your dentist appointment, but hear me out. If we have our quiet time whenever we can squeeze it in, most days it will get squeezed out. But if we set aside the same time every day, we are much more likely to do it. I know this can be especially difficult with young children at home. (I remember those days of feeling tired all the time!) But even setting your alarm 15 minutes before the kiddos get up, or asking daddy to hold down the fort for a few minutes while you grab some quiet time with Jesus will do wonders for both you and your children.

Three—Having a plan.

I find it always helps me to have some kind of plan as I have my quiet time. This will change over time—you may choose to study a certain book or chapter, or perhaps do a word study. One of my favorite methods is SOAP—Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer. Just take a portion of Scripture and a sheet of paper. Read the verses, then write down your Observations about them, how you will Apply them to your life, and then Pray that God will help you grow from these truths. There are also many good online resources to help you study God’s Word.

Four—Remember that something is better than nothing.

Life has its seasons, and some are more challenging than others. Although we would all love unlimited, peaceful time with God each day, that doesn’t always happen. (Shout out to the young mommies again!) There will be times when the baby won’t sleep, the person you are caregiver to demands all of your attention, or the kids are sick. There will be times when you aren’t feeling well, the alarm doesn’t go off, and the boss asks you to work overtime. Life happens. But when it does, remember that even a little time with Jesus can go a long way. Taking five minutes to read a verse of Scripture, meditate on it, and pray for strength can change the course of your whole day.

The rewards of having a daily quiet time with God are invaluable. Through spending time with Jesus, we find strength in times of weakness, peace in times of turmoil, wisdom in times of confusion, and a deep, abiding love that far surpasses any earthly love.

“Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasure for evermore.” {Psalm 16:11}

Looking for a devotional book to help you spend time with God? Click HERE for more information about my book, Tales from Toddlers. It’s a 30-day devotional book full of fun stories, Bible study questions, and practical applications to help you dig deep into the Word of God. If you choose to purchase, THANK YOU! Your support helps keep this ministry going, and my blog ad-free. I appreciate you!