5:00 am

Every household has it and every family needs it. A time of the day where all of its residents are asleep or otherwise occupied (I have to say that disclaimer because #teenagers and their sleeping habits vary), and should you wake up, it’s thrilling to know that no one is physically or mentally able to look at you, talk to you, or expect anything from you.

Except God.

For me, that time is 5 am – and it’s a work in progress. Years ago, it started at 6 am with early morning yoga and meditation and then through trial and error, enough Saturday school visits because my kids were always late, it evolved to become 5.

My sacred time. This time is amazing for me for the following reasons:

I feel God’s presence encamped around my entire family.

I feel the ability to set my intentions for the day.

Any writing inspiration I receive that is definitely from God comes to me at that time.

The world feels at peace.

I’m still in my pajamas.

I feel rested.

My hair is in a ponytail.

If you’re not a morning person, I know what you’re thinking. Believe it or not, I’m not one either. Despite that, 5 am gets me. I understand that it may not get you…but I know there’s a time that does and I challenge you to discover it.

 

The Rules

1. This is my time. I should not be interrupted unless it is an emergency. When the kids were younger, I would typically check on them when I first woke up. Now, if you are awake, you are welcome to come in the room, but I expect you to have quiet time as well.

2. This is sacred. We pray, we listen, and we praise. This is not the time to mention choir rehearsal or ask me what’s for dinner.

3. This time is structured. I proceed through my time in a particular order. That helps me stay focused so I eventually get ready for work. I don’t have as many time constraints on the weekend so it’s not as structured.

4. Weekends and holidays still have a quiet time, but maybe just not as early.

5. 15 minutes to just lay there is built in. Remember the part about not being a natural morning person? I need 15 minutes to get myself together. Wiggling my toes always helps.

6. The time is adjusted for my learning style and easily accommodates my ADD. I’ll read, I’ll look up the commentary behind a scripture. I’ll take notes. I’ll apply something I read to a current situation in my life. I almost never stay on track.

In order words, my time with God works for me. I want your time to work for you, so it probably won’t look exactly like my time. The only thing I think anyone absolutely needs for quiet time is a bible. A study bible is good, but as I’ve learned from my bible-scholar friends, the best bible to use is the one you have.

I get it. The theory of quiet time with God is great…but if you have kids, it can be challenging. From toddlers to teenagers, there’s something about that quiet time that, despite the boundaries, our children will want to experience it with us. On those days, I take a deep breath, tell them to get their bibles, and invite them to join me.

My teenagers are currently using teen study bibles, and one of them recently asked me a biblical commentary question and we couldn’t find it in any of our adult bibles. I was working on another writing project about bibles at the time and I remembered that I had a copy of the new CSB Kids’ Bible by B&H Publishing.

Y’all. One question. Four big people. This kids’ bible. We all wished we were 10 again. Not only did it answer the initial question, it included background information and before I knew it, I was preparing for my next bible study lesson while using it.

This bible has more historical information than a lot of adult bibles. The commentary is easy to understand and it supports the spiritual growth of children. There are even specialized sections that address the following:

How Do I have Quiet Time With God?

The History of the Old Testament

The History of the New Testament

The Names of God

The Names of Jesus

A comprehensive listing of the kids in the bible

and tips for developing their prayer lives.

After spending a week with the bible and deciding to use it as my main bible a couple of days, I posted about it on Instagram. I’ve since given it my 9-year-old nephew, but let’s just say I considered keeping it as a reference book at home. Click here if you are interested in purchasing the bible for yourself.

I honestly think I could talk about my love of bibles and my 5 am devotional time all day long. What bible(s) does your family use?