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Wondering how a busy Christian mom finds time for Sabbath rest? Holly shares her best tips for finding God’s rest in a season with young children.

This guest post is part of a series on Sabbath Rest for Small Church Ministry LLC, where we help women create joy & success in small church ministry. Any opinions expressed within this blog post are those of the author and not necessarily held by Small Church Ministry.

Get ready to fall in love with this woman from Alabama! The first time I met Holly, I was blown away by her energy, positivity, and commitment to making a difference. If you follow Small Church Ministry, you will be hearing more from her in the future. Fingers crossed, Holly will soon be joining our team as a regular content creator.

Blessed Bits: Finding Time For Sabbath Rest When You’re A Busy Mama

As a mom to two wonderful girls, I sometimes find myself thinking back to the days before I was a parent and the things I took for granted …

  • Dates with my husband
  • Restaurants that don’t serve chicken nuggets
  • So much “me” time!
  • Seeing the surface of my dining room table
  • Movies that aren’t cartoons

Don’t get me wrong — I love my life as a stay-at-home/work-from-home/homeschool mama! I know that this season when my children are young and need me so much is temporary, and I am savoring it … but it is hard to find time for anything other than my responsibilities to my children right now. 

How Can A Busy Christian Mom Make Time For Sabbath Rest?

I have felt the struggle of making time for obligations and spending meaningful time with my children. When I have so much to do, setting aside an entire day for Sabbath rest seems impossible. 

  • Housework
  • Homeschooling
  • Work, meetings, phone calls, and emails
  • Errands
  • Church and service
  • Investing in others
  • Professional development

I used to think, “How on earth will I find an entire day to rest, when all of these things must be done, and my children and husband need my time and attention too?”

The Ideas That Didn’t Work!

I asked for some ideas from friends, and here is what I tried:

  • Getting up much earlier than my kids to have quiet time
  • Alone time outside
  • Closing my bedroom door and having a quiet time

I encourage you to try these things if you haven’t and see if they work for you!

Unfortunately, my kiddos have a sixth sense when I’m awake, and they wake up too. If they know I’m outside or see me outside, they want to be with me — and the same goes for if my bedroom door is shut, they knock and need me still. 

Then Came The Virus That Forced A Slow-Down

I was getting to the point of exhaustion with trying to keep up with all of the demands in my life, and not having adequate rest from life or Sabbath rest with the Lord. 

Enter COVID-19 and quarantine, 2020.

The forced slowing of my busy life.

Redirecting my focus from a never-ending task list to the basics: health, safety, and provision. 

Reminding me that I have professed my faith in a God who sees me, cares for me, goes before me, and promises me victory in all circumstances. 

Bringing conviction and correction — it’s the spirit of keeping the Sabbath that God presses me toward. He knows I don’t yet have an entire day of uninterrupted rest time to devote to Him. 

He shined a light on what I do have … a few blessed bits of time during the day.

5 Blessed Bits Of Sabbath Rest Revealed To This Busy Mom

1. A Blessed Ten Minutes

The ten minutes between waking up and dragging myself to the shower to get ready for the day. Here is what I do in that ten minutes now:

  • Keep a list of daily prayer requests on an index card taped to the wall next to my bed.
  • Pray for those people/needs.
  • Listen for God.

2. A Master Bathroom With A Door & Lock

This means time and privacy for:

  • Worship music
  • Pondering and reflecting
  • Prayer

I can spend some relatively uninterrupted time with the Lord without little people barging in with armloads of toys and pretend play expectations while I’m getting ready for the day.

My husband helps me with this particular task — he helps our earliest riser get her teeth brushed and serves her breakfast before heading off to work so that I can have that time to myself.

3. Mealtimes

While my children are busy eating, I have time (usually during breakfast and lunch) to get in the Word. Here is what I do:

  • Use the (free) Holy Bible app on my phone.
  • Download a Bible reading plan/devotional.
  • Read or listen to the daily scripture and lesson.
  • Reflect.

It can be done in the time it takes for a few chicken nuggets and orange slices to disappear from plates and the normal play ruckus to begin again!

4. Naptime

My littlest one takes an afternoon nap on most days, and my older one enjoys some quiet time to herself. There is usually a small amount of time in this 2-hour block that I can spend at rest before I need to finish up a task or spend some one-on-one time with my big girl. 

5. Weekends

My husband and I make time for each other to get a respite on the weekends at home since we are no longer feeling the pressure to be out and about for entertainment and other obligations — and we have opted to follow our state’s “Safer at Home” ordinance. Here is how I spend greater chunks of time on the weekends enjoying Sabbath rest when my husband can care for our girls:

  • A nap 
  • Reading
  • Working on a hobby
  • Time in nature
  • Baking

These are activities that help me recharge and bring me joy. I feel refreshed when I have uninterrupted time to do these things. 

Things I DON’T do on the weekends:

  • Work
  • Check work email
  • Over-commit
  • Focus on housework

We are choosing to use this time at home to focus on meeting each other’s needs and spending quality time with our children. We have made intentional changes in how we operate on weekends — no mad rush to clean the house or do chores, complete work projects, or be chained to our email.

And God Called Me Further

After weeks of learning to notice and take advantage of these blessed bits of time during days at home, and on weekends when I have extra support, God has invited me to step further in my time with him …

Bible Study

Not only do I read my daily devotional, but I also use the Bible app to go through studies for certain topics or books in the Bible that I want to understand more deeply. I also use the internet for research.

Joy

I am learning to close my eyes and take in a moment fully and rest in the joy I have. For example, since it is summer break from homeschooling, I have been able to spend some time on our back patio in the mornings — and I have loved breathing in the summer air, hearing the birds chirping, noticing the summer sky, and just being still in God’s creation. It’s a balm for my soul!

Supper With Jesus

This is an idea I had as a teen, new in the Christian faith. I did not grow up in a Christian home — I was the sole Jesus follower in my home for years! I had no smartphone, driver’s license, or neighborhood friends. So, I decided to have supper with Jesus, and here is how I did it:

  • Took my dinner to my bedroom
  • Turned off the tv
  • Put on worship or Christian music I liked
  • Read in my Bible
  • Prayed
  • Pondered
  • Listened

I was a new Christian, and little did I know how my attempt at connecting with Christ outside of my church community would bless me for years to come. What precious times! I need to do this more often …

Sabbath Rest In A Season With Young Children

The Lord knows there will be a day when my girls are grown and out of the house and when I have plenty of extra time for all the things on my list, even a full day of rest for the Sabbath! Right now though, in this season, I am learning to lean into all the blessed bits He provides during the day to rest in Him. 

Mama, let me encourage you — look for those blessed bits. Start out focusing on the spirit of the Sabbath, and let God lead you into more opportunities for rest in Him. He is faithful to do it!

Here is how you can begin:

  • Look for one blessed bit of time in your day.
  • Pray and ask God how He wants you to fill it.
  • Commit to it daily.
  • See how God grows your opportunities.

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