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The Importance of ‘Quiet Time’

Aug6

It’s no secret that life is extremely busy for the majority of us.  And hopefully it’s busy in a good way… having fun with our families, enjoying our activities, etc.  However, with all that we continuously have going on, one thing we need to always maintain is a part of the day I refer to as ‘Quiet Time’.  It’s the time of day specifically set aside where you can think, pray, read your Bible, and prepare for anything you have going on.  And it’s so necessary whether you’re young, old, single, married, working, at home, retired, or some kind of combo.

Personally, I find the best time to do it is in the morning, even if you have to get up a little earlier.  I like choosing this time of day because it reduces the chance that this opportunity will get bumped and ultimately eliminated from my day if I were to wait any longer.  But, obviously, this time will vary among all of us.  And, if you have little ones, you just have to take it where you can get it, being that you’re much more on their schedule instead of your own! :-) (When I was in that phase, my prayer was that the Lord would hold on to me extra tight since my Bible reading time was so scattered.)

And, speaking of those toddler years, that’s when I actually started this habit.  I realized I was a much nicer mommy if I got up prior to the kids getting up, got a nice hot cup of tea in my system, and grabbed a few minutes to myself to wake up, sort out my thoughts, and lift up my praises and requests to the Lord.  I often have  to just sit for a few minutes and think before I start praying. (Otherwise my prayers tend to get a bit ‘wandering’). :-)

Then, when you add in some time to read the Bible, you find that you can start your day with your mind now immersed in truth, knowledge, and purity, and it becomes your go-to book to kickstart your day.  When I started reading the Word regularly during this time, I finally (for the first time!) succeeded in reading it from cover to cover.  Took a couple of years (seriously), but I finally did it.

Another reason I like to dedicate this time to the Lord is that, since I depend on Him for so much, and am constantly lifting up prayer requests to Him, I just don’t feel right doing this while not devoting due time to Him.  He doesn’t require it, or need it (He does just fine without my help), but I know He is pleased when we make an effort to meet Him every day.  Don’t we expect the same out of our own friendships and relationships?  One-way friendships only last so long.

It’s no secret that we are living in a fallen world, and getting into the Bible every day is like putting on armor for yourself as you are going about your daily activities.  The temptations we face on a regular basis are very real, and Satan is extremely cunning in how he presents them to you.  He is actively moving around and hoping to thwart anyone who is a threat to his efforts…

“Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”  Ephesians 6:11-12, KJV

If you’re new to reading the Bible and don’t know where to start, here’s a few suggestions:

1.  Any of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John).  These are four different accounts of Jesus’s time on earth written by men that were with Him during His time here.

2. The Book of James.  Such an enjoyable book… especially if you are going through a trial.  Many practical and applicable lessons in this book.

3.  Psalms and Proverbs.  Psalms is full of praises and prayers… reading this book is also a great way to deepen your prayers.  Most of the chapters are short so you feel like you are covering some ground as you are reading. :-)   And Proverbs is excellent for giving numerous life-lessons and advice on how we should live, act, and treat others.  Very straightforward in providing us instruction for our daily life.

4.  Genesis and Exodus.  These will get you into the traditional Bible stories you probably already know.  (The Creation, Noah and the Flood, Joseph and his coat, Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt.)

5.  The Book of Ruth.  A wonderful book for ladies, especially.  Chronicles Ruth’s and her mother-in-law Naomi’s life after both of them lose their husbands (and Naomi loses her sons) .  It is a solid example of faithfulness, loyalty, honesty, and thoughtfulness.  It is also an excellent example for men as well, as it involves Boaz, the ultimate gentleman.

And once you’re regularly in the Word, you might find that you are just sort of drawn to certain sections, at different times.  It often depends on what is currently going on in your life.  One thing I have found, though, is that even though everything I read now is something I have read before, it often speaks to me in a different way than it did before, and I will relate differently to it than I did before.  And I love that!

God provided His Word in such a way so that it feels so right to our spirits – like good, healthy spiritual food.  When we are regularly in it, it constantly tweaks our inner compass to be drawn to Him, and gives us needed discernment.  And, yes, it can be incredibly convicting… but isn’t it supposed to be? ;-)

Are you teaching modesty?

Apr25

So I mentioned in my bio that we’re approaching teenager-hood in our family.  Yep, our oldest is on the brink of manhood.  And he’s gonna be a big guy.  When I need to dash out to check the mail, I often throw on his strewn-about Vans or Tony Hawk shoes (my neighbors must get a kick out of this), and now I’ve discovered I have LOTS of wiggle room in his shoes.  I know our time left with him at home is dwindling and every day I am reminded of how many things my husband and I still want to continue instilling in him before he’s out on his own.

And one of these items is creating in him an understanding that he will be guarding the hearts of the women he’s around.  Like the women he’s going to date one day when he’s looking for a wife.  This is one of the reasons modesty is so important, ladies.  A godly woman knows that her body is for her husband’s eyes only… not everyone else’s.

When a man is courting a lady, no matter how lovely she may be, he doesn’t know for a while whether or not she will be THE ONE.  It might not be in God’s plan to marry the particular gal with whom he may be getting serious.  And if she’s not the one for him, she must be the one for someone else down the road, right?  Which means he shouldn’t be seeing something that is reserved for her future husband.

But God sure did do a mighty fine job making women appealing and beautiful to the men, didn’t he?  And it’s so tempting on these guys to take some easy glances at the ladies strolling by, bending over, etc.  So why make ourselves a temptation, ladies?  You will be causing them to sin.  My husband has personally asked me to address this topic as he sees a lack of modesty more and more in the workplace.  Not only does it become an annoyance, but it’s downright tacky.

It’s not very hard to wear a slightly higher neckline (or put on a cami underneath that plunging dress), or wear a longer skirt/pair of shorts, etc.  And if you have to bend down, make it a habit to put your hand over your shirt to keep it from revealing too much.  Believe me, there are a lot of godly men and teenagers that would greatly appreciate our help in this area.  It’s hard enough for them to get past the grocery check-out stands and not look at the brazen magazines plastered all over the place.

Start treasuring your body for the gift it is for your husband.  It is one of the most loving things you can do for him.  And teach your daughters to do the same as they are preparing to meet their husband one day.  And when your growing sons have been raised to know that they are to have a biblical respect for women, it will give them so much armor when they are faced with those shrinking hemlines.