Quiet Time...At the Well

Amy from Raising Arrows asks us to ponder "Quiet Time" this morning.....

This is such an area that can "trip" us up as Christian women! We focus on the "doing" so much! I can have the mindset of "Martha" instead of "Mary". And, I can allow guilt and condemnation enter into my thinking.....

"I'm not having my "quiet time". Bad girl.

Or.....we can slip into legalism and the DOING. Had my devotions. Good girl.

But, what is so important is the RELATIONSHIP with the Lord!

Real.

Living.

Breathing.

Authentic.

I talk to God all day long. His presence is always here. He never leaves us. I need God more than just an hour in the morning. I need Him all day, every day, all through the day.

What I have found, though, is that I do need Him first thing in the morning.

If I don't focus my thinking on Him, my mind can go to all sorts of places that I don't want it to! I can easily slip into negative thinking.

So....while I am still in bed, before everyone else is up, I start talking to God.

Nothing fancy. Just start talking to Him.....

I love to walk in the morning. (And recently have begun to RUN. You can read about those lessons here!). I cherish this early morning time because as a mom of 5 little ones, it IS the only ALONE time I have each day. So, I make this my "quiet time." When I walk, I bring my "prayer journal" that has random scripture verses. I worship, ponder a few verses, pray verses, "put on my armor," pray for my family....spend time with God.

I also have prayer card that I use when I brush my teeth. It has a daily verse from Colossians that I pray while I brush.

I have a few flip-books with Bible verses and devotions around the house.

I have scripture posted around the house.

And- now don't be "grossed out"- but I take my bible in the bathroom with me!

I share all of this with you NOT so that you can copy it, but so that you begin to "look outside the box." Look at YOUR daily life.....find ways YOU can incorporate God into your daily life.

Now, please realize that although "quiet time" LOOKS different in different lives and that we can't be a "Pharisee" and impose OUR ways onto others or be legalistic about loving God, we DO need to spend time with Him. We must find ways in our lives to wash ourselves in the Word. Amy talks about reading the Word (in Children's Bibles) with her little children. We will all go through different seasons of life. Some seasons we will be able to sit for hours in front of the Word in study. Others seasons we will find "bites" of time with God whenever we can. It may look different from "conventional" quiet time. But, the most important thing is to FIND THAT TIME!

I recently struggled with this "quiet time" issue because I had not been spending enough time with God in ALONE time and I had become THIRSTY! Please read this post, "Lord I need You DAILY!"

Please visit the Well and read how others are spending their quiet time pursuing God!

Father God, I love You! My soul longs for You when I spend too much time away from You. Life is empty and my soul is THIRSTY! I can find myself in a pit.....So, Lord, I know that my spirit is made to be filled by You. I know I must make time in my life to be alone with You. I see Jesus getting alone with You early in the morning. I know prayer is so important. I know that You give us grace in seasons of our lives where time is scarce. Lord, I pray that You place in me a deeper desire to seek You. Lord, I pray that I would fall in love with You more and more and more.... Help me to find time in my day to be refreshed by You. Make that desire to sit at Your feet like Mary greater than any desire. I love You, Lord! In Jesus' precious name I pray. Amen.