BIBLE FOR THE BUSY MOM Part 2: 

Now, how about “quiet time”? I admit, I’m not a fan of Christianese cliches like that. But I realize the importance of setting time aside regularly to pause and be in the Word. Since we are busy moms, we want to maximize this time 💪 Just say no to fluffy, emotional devotionals #aintnobodygottimeforthat If you only had one meal before a marathon, you wouldn’t grab a bowl of skittles. You’d go for a juicy steak or a vitamin filled smoothie or something, right? (I’d assume. I’m not a runner by a long shot. But you get the point.) We only have so many minutes in our study, let’s make them count. If you need a daily devotional to accompany your own time in the Word (never as a substitute), check out Spurgeon’s Mornings & Evenings. I love it. 

Invest in a good Bible translation (We’ll talk more about translations another day, but I recommend NASB and ESV) and, if you can, a set of commentaries by a trusted, proven Bible teacher (we use MacArther’s). 

If a commentary set isn’t in your budget, Matthew Henry’s Commentary is online for free. A good Study Bible is another affordable option (again, MacArther’s is great. I’ve heard good things about the Reformation Study Bible too). It’s helpful to have these tools around for digging deeper into passages). 

When I’m in the Word, I like to start at the beginning of the particular book and read through. That way I’ll have the context of whatever passage I read. You can’t open Moby Dick and read whatever sentence you lay eyes on and try to extract some sort of meaning from it and you shouldn’t do that with God’s Word. Each verse has a chapter and each chapter has a book and each book belongs to the entire Bible. It all fits together and should be studied as so. Sometimes, I’ll read a book a few times over to be sure I grasp and will remember it. Sometimes I’ll be in one book for a month or two or more. At other times, I’ll read through the Bible, a handful of chapters a day. 

During particularly crazy seasons, I gravitate towards the Psalms, both for their comfort and the way they can be taken individually (which helps when my focus and memory are lacking). There are so many ways to make the most of each moment and to be in the Word more. I’ll post a few more ideas in the comments and I’d love to hear your tricks for sneaking more Bible into your day too. 

Writing out Scripture is a helpful aid and post it notes of verses around the house and in the car help with memorizing. A Verse of the Day widget for my home screen keeps the Word front and center whenever I open my phone. I’ve also read of women who keep an open Bible on their counter and read a bit each time they pass by. 
The goal is to be IN the Word on a regular basis. It is a believer’s daily  bread!