Each week on Kate Motaung leads a writing group called Five Minute Friday with a one word prompt. We each write for five minutes. That’s it. No major edits. No second guesses. Just write and share with one another in a gracious community of fellow writers.
This week’s prompt: Quiet.
Growing up, I was taught that to spend time with God (and to be a ‘good’ Christian), I needed to have quiet times every day. I should wake up with the sun (or before it), read my Bible and pray for a minimum of 15 minutes at a time.
I worked at that practice from the time I was 15 years old until I was 26. There were seasons when this time was fruitful for me. Where I would hear from God, feel my burdens lifted, or have some new insight on Scripture. But I was inconsistent. And I often felt guilt for sleeping in or skipping my quiet time.
Enter motherhood.
Either there was no quiet time, because all times were busy times, or the quiet smothered me as I stayed home with my infant son.
To have a “quiet time” felt like a ridiculous suggestion.
It felt like one more thing expected of me that I could not complete and no one seemed to have any other ideas on how to meet with God.
Enter the Spiritual Disciplines. I’ve mentioned them before on this website, but practices that people have used for centuries have revived my spiritual life in ways my quiet times never did. They taught me how to spend time with God not in a block of time, but throughout my day. Through them, I have learned that God is always with me. Always providing. Always caring.
Breath prayers. Confession. Self care. Examen. Intercession. Rest. They each have had their place in meeting needs during a time of life which can hardly be considered quiet.
As I continue writing and working, I hope I can do them justice as I pass them on to you.
May God bless you and keep you.
Do you desire a new way to meet with God? Have you been able to keep up with quiet times – whether parenting or not?
Yesterday I took the plunge and started an online group for mothers called Mama’s Soul Group. We will be exploring spiritual practices together in the hopes of encouraging one another spiritually. You can find a link to the group and read about my vision and passion here.
If you do not want to join the group, I will be writing on these practices in the coming weeks here on my blog. Please sign up on the right side bar (or below on your mobile device).
Leah, I love that you’re bringing up the spiritual disciplines. They’ve been instrumental in maintaining a vibrant relationship with the Lord when traditional “quiet tiem” is not possible. Thank you for sharing so openly and frankly here!
Thanks Asheritah! Sorry for taking awhile to respond. I have not been blogging for over a week and missed this comment. Thank you for your word of encouragement and for stopping by to read my never linked, but written anyways FMF post. 🙂