As a teacher, I had a back to school August so long and hard it bled into September and even a little bit of October. As a parent of a child with special needs, my son’s back to school start was also hard, however still way easier than years prior. But it still required additional effort and planning. And to add to all of that, my family was plagued by a season of mild sickness, one strep throat, ear infection and flu bug after another. My son battles seizures and can’t regulate his body temperature during sickness. So his simple sickness had more layers than a typical kiddo. With all of that, I found that I was sprinting my way through a rough season on very little sleep. 

In order to regain my footing I did what any good English teacher would do, I bought three books and decided to read them all at once. (Books fix everything, right?) I wanted to fill my cup, because it was empty. 

And guess what… a little over a month later, my cup is fuller. I’m not running on empty.  It wasn’t magic and no one book or thing fixed everything. But by engaging in thoughtful discussion with these authors, my mindset shifted and I gleaned a few things to apply to my life. 

These are a few of the books and resources really speaking to me right now:

The Lucky Few

This is a book I received as a gift last year. I started it then put in down. While I was sick with what felt like the flu 6 weeks ago, I picked this book back up. I devoured it over the course of three days. I didn’t realize how much I would have in common with a mother of three adopted children, two with Down’s syndrome. I could relate to her struggles. One quote spoke to my heart. “Just because something is hard, it doesn’t mean it’s bad.” I think this is counter cultural. We seek easy, convenient, and pleasurable. Having a kiddo with special needs is hard. Juggling sick kids and work, also hard. But it’s not bad. My kids are awesome. Typical sickness is normal, despite my son’s struggles with fevers and seizures. My job is important and meaningful.  My family is beyond beyond blessed, even in a rough season. Just because it’s hard, doesn’t mean it’s bad.

You are the Girl for the Job

This book is amazing. Like, I read chapter 10 and just started crying. I feel called to my job as a teacher, yet at times it can be incredibly hard. I could easily find a desk job that is less stressful. I want to please everyone and I’m plagued with fear and doubting if I’m even doing the right thing. (Okay, maybe that’s the same way I feel towards parenting) The illustrations in this book will remind you God is God. He is the hero, but we are the gals he has called to bring light and life to a world where he has placed us on mission. (Pg 65) What if the circumstances we fear the most are the ones that will afford us the most abundance? (Pg160) Sounds a lot like the “What is hard, isn’t necessarily bad.” quote from The Lucky Few.

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you or forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)

“I can affirm that you are the girl for the job because God has placed you right where you are, with all that you have, for a purpose.” (Pg 249)

Rhythms of Renewal and Grace

Filled with rhythms of resting, restoring, connections, and creating. It’s practical advice and self evaluation. These rhythms are intended to replace stress and anxiety with life giving purpose. (Pg 21) Just a good reminder that I have to fill my own cup in order to be the person I’m designed to be. “You cannot run if you cannot rest.” (Pg 76) This is the only book I haven’t completely finished. It’s longer and the text is deeper. It’s takes longer to read… in a good way. You need time to process and reflect as you read.  I’ve finished the first two rhythms: rest and restore. I’m moving forward into create and connect.

I love her thought that we don’t just do rest and restore for self care, self actualization, or just our own benefit but rather to fulfill God’s purposes of benefiting and engaging the world around us. (Pg 156) You know the saying, you can’t help others if… you can’t help yourself. Or the illustration that you put the oxygen mask on yourself first, before you can save those around you.

Stretched Too Thin

The author’s voice is more logical than I would typically enjoy, but it is so practical and removes “mom guilt.” So many motherhood books based on faith make me feel guilty for working. This book is for the working mom and acknowledges the real stress and struggles without suggesting you just quit your job and stay home. It reminds me I am a value to my family for working, but balances that with self evaluation and ways to set yourself up for success.

Unexpected challenges easily push us over the edge when we are feeling stressed.” (Pg 69) Yep, I’m always one sick kid away from losing my marbles!

“There is no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one.”

Nothing she says is ground breaking, but was refreshing and a good reminder. I especially liked the reflections after each chapter: A place to journal and evaluate your situation.

Made for This (Season 2 – Podcast)

Based off her bible study Stuck, this season is focused on identifying and evaluating our emotions, the places we get stuck, and the God who sets us free! Each episode has been enlightening and encouraging. The guest speakers are phenomenal. And I’ve managed to use my 15 minute drive to work as a way to shape my mindset.

Emily Ley’s  Teacher Planner

As I sat in a meeting with our campus administrators, I looked down at my planner: pale tan, coffee stained with bent edges. A $10 investment from Target looked like I felt: torn up, used, and broken. (I’m being maybe a little over dramatic… but I swear, October was rough) I felt compelled to change both my martyr  attitude at work and also attempt to be a little more put together. This planner is bright, cheerful, and because I bought it in October, it’s half off. ($30… go buy one now!) I can’t help but smile when I look at it. I mean, I’ll probably still spill coffee on it, but… here is to a fresh start. (Emily Ley also sells planners for busy families and you can sign up for her emails with organization tips and tricks)

All of these books and resources pulled at a specific theme: finding your rhythm.

I love this term and I think I will replace “season of life” as frequently as I can. As a new mom, I would hear, “It’s just a rough season.” I enjoy spring and fall, but we Texans just try to survive August heat and muddle through Winter. I don’t want to “survive” or “muddle through” any season of my life. I want to find a rhythm that works for my family. I want to find rest and restoration, and then move forward so I can create and connect with humanity. I want to trade stress and anxiety for a life of peace and purpose. Life is messy and imperfect, but we are called to find calm in the storm in the arms of our creator.

What to read next?

Here are  a few books on my radar. Is there anything else you would suggest? 

• Live in Grace, Walk in Love:A 365 Day Journey by Bob Goff
• Risen Motherhood: Gospel Hope for Everyday Moments by Emily Jensen
• When Less Becomes More: Making Space for Slow, Simple, and Good
  by Emily Ley
• How to Have Your Life Not Suck: Becoming Today Who You Want to Be Tomorrow
  by Bianca Juarez Olthoff

My quiet time isn’t super fancy. It isn’t Instagram picture perfect, despite my coffee cup pictures. It isn’t an hour long. But my quiet time is authentic, part of my daily routine, and fits my season of life. But I’ve seen friends hit a difficult season and the first thing that drops is time spent in the Word listening to God’s voice.

A three years ago I wrote about my quiet time not being quiet. (Link to blog post) All of that still applies, and a bit more; I’ve got another kiddo so it’s even more joyful (aka louder) around my house.

I have a beautiful friend and new mom who wrote about her adjustment to quite time after a baby. (Link to post) In her reflections, she found that God renews her strength even in her current sleep deprived season. I couldn’t agree with that more!

I’ve also seen the opposite. Friends who after a new baby or a tough season say “I can’t have a quiet time anymore. I can’t go to Bible study. I’m too busy. Too tired. I just can’t find the time. I’ll get back to it eventually.”

This makes my heart hurt because I’ve been there. Maybe it’s also because my quiet time hasn’t always been consistent.

I’ve had long periods of time where I wasn’t in the word every day, where I felt disconnected from a community of believers, and I made decisions based solely on my own judgment. Consequently, those periods are marked by moments of least joy, my least productivity, and feeling like like a ship without a sail.

There shouldn’t be a season for listening to God’s voice.

There are seasons to life. But listening to the voice of your God, your creator, isn’t for a specific season. It should be as important and as routine as being able to take a deep breath.

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Matthew 11:28-30 MSG

So how do I stay consistent?

1. Put aside preconceived non biblical notions of a quiet time. I grew up with a Southern Baptist Church Camp idea of quiet time: set aside a hour, be alone, be outside. Well, Jesus did go off to be alone from time to time. However, he didn’t set a timer. Waking up early, setting aside an hour is awesome but if your current season all you can manage is 15 minutes locked in the bathroom or 20 minutes during your commute, don’t feel guilty. Maybe you can’t swing daily, but five days out of seven you set aside to study. Maybe you can’t be alone. Maybe you need to study at the kitchen table while your littles are eating breakfast. Give God the time you have. Guilt stops us in our tacks. When the season changes, adjust and give more.

2. Build a community. Some call it having mentors, accountability partners, or discipleship but I call it my village. You know, the first ones you call or text when you need prayers. My hardest times have been when I wasn’t a part of a local community of believers (aka a church). Maybe yours is a Bible study group, or you text your BFF from college, a coworker or a Facebook group. But we all need someone to breathe truth into our lives.

3. Use the resources available. I remember when my only resource for bible study was a teen study Bible with a concordance or a Beth Moore Study. (Both awesome by the way) We are blessed to be in a generation with access to more: online bibles, online studies, a plethora of female Christian authors and studies. I’ve listed my favorites at the end of this post below.

4. Set realistic goals and be okay when you struggle. So, I’ve tried to do those Bible in a year studies before. I typically fall flat on my face in March. Between reading Leviticus and Deuteronomy during what I would call the hardest month for teachers, I get so far behind, I just quit. I need to admit it’s too hard, and set reasonable and achievable goals. A more achievable goal is just being in the word every day. Start one study and finish. Then another. Even if I don’t finish on the exact time table laid out. I’m an English teacher, and I have a twenty book challenge for my students: read twenty books in the course of a school year. But even those who don’t reach twenty typically have read more than the year before. They improved. The same goes for Bible reading: read a little bit more than before, know a bit more, be a bit stronger.

5. Respond in a unique way. Annotate, journal, sing, write, use colored pens! Okay, the colored pens is optional but truthfully the brain processes information better when we respond: talk it out, write it down, make notes. My mother’s bible was filled with notes in the margins. My digital bible has highlighted notes. My good friend does creative bible journaling. (Link here) IF Equip Bible study also offers creative ways to respond to the question of the day. However you choose to respond, those responses serve as a sign post of your thinking. I’m encouraged to keep going when I see where I’ve been.

You may have days when you get busy. Or a week of craziness where you forget. It happens. But hard moments are when you need truth the most. Make hearing from God part of your daily routine so when those hard moments come you aren’t scrounging around and grasping for nuggets of truth because they are already hidden in your heart.

Resources

1. A Good Bible
   1. She Reads Truth Bible – I had a Teen study Bible in High school, An Oxford Annotated Bible in College. This is my season for a beautiful, easy to read Bible. This one is perfect. It has built in study plans and devotionals.
2. Online Bible Studies (I use the APPs on my phone)
   1. IF Gathering/IF Equip – The app is super easy to use (and FREE) and you can respond through comments to a community of believers. The studies are engaging, current, and have deep, thought provoking questions. They also sell their studies on paper if you prefer.
   2. She Reads Truth – The app has several plans available for free, but I subscribe for a monthly cost less than a cup of coffee. Current plans are free online. I love the images they have and the lock screens you can add to your phone to help you memorize scripture. They also have BEAUTIFUL print studies. I typically only order those for Advent or Easter.
   3. YouVersion The Bible APP– An oldie but a goodie. Besides having the entire bible digitally and in multiple translations, they also have a plethora of plans of study you can try.
3. Print Devotionals & Bible Studies
   1. Savor: Living Abundantly Where You Are, As You Are – This is the kind of Devotional I can go back to year after year. It’s year long but it’s short and perfect to pick up when you are in between studies.
   2. 100 Days to Brave –  Annie Downs writes more towards a single woman’s life, however I love her heart. I bought this devo for my sister in law.
   3. Proven:Where Christ’s Abundance Meets Our Great Need   –   I did this study with a fiend. It’s really good. All of Jennie Allens’s studies push you to go really deep.  I would love to do her newest study: Made for This: 40 Days to Living Your Purpose
   4. Unshakable: 365 Devotions for Finding Unwavering Strength in God’s Word  – I haven’t done this one yet – but it’s on my wish list!
   5. Seamless:Understanding the Bible as One Complete Story  I haven’t done this study but I have had friends who have – perfect if you want to gain an understanding of the Bible as a whole.
   6. Looking for Lovely – I read the book but they study just goes deeper and ask questions. Perfect for a group to do together.
4. Inspiring Books, Audio Books & Podcasts: I use Audible for audiobooks from my favorite authors and listen to podcasts. (Note: I’m not really a podcast person, but it fits my season with littles and driving in the car so I’m trying) I realize that an inspiring book or podcast might not fit into your idea of “quiet time” but I have found that ANYTHING that put my thinking on God can ignite my passion and love for him. Always balance the voices of others, even inspiring people, with scripture.
   1.  I would recommend Jen Hatmaker (she narrates her own books and is hysterical) – A little over a year and half ago my 13 month old daughter was hospitalized with RSV and pneumonia. We were in the hospital for a week. I wasn’t sleeping. I was non stop holding her and woke up by nurses. This wasn’t the best situation for a traditional Bible study, but I needed some positivity. I downloaded her new book on Audible: Mess and Moxie: Wrangling Delight Out of This Wild and Glorious Life . I laughed, I cried, I prayed, I stayed positive in a disheartening situation. Her podcast is pretty awesome too. It runs the gamut between serious theology questions (such as the episode with Bob Goff) or just for fun (clothes recommendations, book series and reading lists). And because it frequents notable guest speakers it’s always exciting.
   2. Any author you love but don’t have time to read their book: audio book! Some of my favorite inspiring authors are: (This in no way is a complete list, but it’s a few of my recent favorites)
      1. Shawna Niequist – Present Over Perfect:Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living I loved this book so much I’m excited to read next one: Bread and Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table with Recipes
      2. Christine Caine – Undaunted: Daring to do what God calls you to do  (I haven’t read yet, but it’s on my wish list)
      3. Angie Smith – Chasing God – I love Angie’s heart a raw vulnerability.
      4. Annie Downs – Looking for Lovely There is a few chapters that changed my thinking: I watched the sunrise as I read Psalms and I painted my toenails as I prayed! (Also a bible study edition available )
      5. Rachel Hollis – Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be – A little edgyer, but she kept it real, and very motivational. She has a new book out I want to read: Girl Stop Apologizing. 
      6. Emily Ley – Grace, Not Perfection: Embracing Simplicity, Celebrating Joy – Her life seems picture perfect, at that’s hard for me to swallow considering I live in “hot mess” zone. But if she needed grace, I do too. I took away nuggets of truth from her, including starting a photo memory spot to reflect on my joy.
      7. Chip and Joanna Gains – The Magnolia Story -Their story is beautiful and inspiring. They speak openly about the  moments the listened to God’s voice.  Plus, the narrate the audio book so if you listen it feels like they are your friends and you are just hanging out.
      8. If you notice, I kinda have a theme going: simple living, celebrating joy and being who you are designed to be. But you really can and should curate your own list.

What books, devotionals, or resources would you add to the list?