A few months ago, Priscilla wrote about quiet times. Or lack thereof. As a busy mom of three energetic boys, she is in the thick of life – with all its demands on her time and energy. Are you there, too?
My days of running after little kids are now in my rearview mirror (sniff), but I still find that my time gets eaten up with different kinds of demands. Deadlines, work projects, family obligations……it seems that no matter what season of life a person is in, it can be hard to “fit in” a devotional time.
Last Sunday as part of a sermon series, one of my pastors, Tim Wallace, preached on getting spiritually fit and spent some time on the subject of quiet times.
“Think in terms of ‘Baby Steps,” he said, “Remember the movie, “What About Bob?” in which Bill Murray plays a psychiatric patient who is told to take baby steps in order to get better?” He showed a film clip of Bob being introduced to the concept.
How could I forget, when the phrase “Is this hand-shucked corn?” is forever ingrained in our family tradition? Pastor Tim suggested these baby steps toward establishing a quiet time that will help you grow spiritually.
1. Don’t start in Ezekiel. Pick a smaller, more manageable book, like Psalms or Philippians to get your feet wet, and start with a small time frame, like 15 minutes.
2. Find a place that’s private. (Hmm…does locking the bathroom door count?)
3. Get a Bible you can understand. There are many opinions about which is the “right” translation, but with so many reliable versions out there, you can choose one in language that you can relate to.
4. Get a reading plan. The “Hit and Miss System” is not a very good system when there are so many good ones to go with instead.
Need some resources for a finding a Bible Reading plan and developing your devotional life? Tim graciously shares a brief list he’s found right here. Please note that this is furnished to help get you going in the right direction and is not meant to be a complete exhaustive list. Baby Steps Resources
Rachel
Do you have a favorite resource for devotions or Bible Reading Plan? Tell us your favorite App, site, or source! We’d love to know.
