My Quiet Time Routine

(My KJV Journaling bible with my
personalized Bible Tabs & handmade
Book Ribbon) 

"How do you read your Bible?" 

"What do you do in your personal time with the Lord?"

"When do you have quiet time?" 

"How do you know where to start?"

These are ALL great questions!

Since a lot of people have asked me about my quiet time routine, I decided to dedicate this blog post to answering questions in that area.

First and foremost, I'd like to remind you of a few things:   Everyone is different. What works for one person may not work for another.  So feel free to develop your own routine and do what is comfortable for you!  My 'routine' changes when my life changes (Gasp!).  That's right.  When I was in college, my routine may have included quiet time at different times of the day depending on the amount of free time I had.  When I changed jobs, when my hours at work were cut, when I am babysitting, all of these things are taken into consideration.  Keeping your spirit in shape requires consistency just like with your physical body.

Here are the Details:

1. TIMING IS EVERYTHING! I PREFER having quiet time in the morning.  Not as soon as I wake up (when I'm still groggy & delirious).  But, once I've freshened up and fixed a cup of coffee.  In a perfect world, I'd wake up two hours before I need to leave the house every morning.  One hour to be spent on getting dressed, fixing my hair/make-up. The other hour spent on Jesus... in a perfect world!    Pick a time that works for you.  If I can't have my quiet time in the morning, I'll have it on my lunch break (my least favorite option) or late at night once the world has gone to sleep.
   
   In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up,
   left the house, and went away to a secluded place,
   and was praying there. - Mark 1:35
2. LOCATION IS KEY!  I love having my quiet time at home in my bedroom in this orange antique chair I got from my grandmother when I moved into my first apartment a few years ago.  Before then, I'd have quiet time on the couch in my dorm room.  If I was at my mom's house, I'd have quiet time in the living room on the couch.  I usually don't have quiet time on my bed... my mind is conditioned to use the bed for sleeping, so if I'm on my bed, I'll get sleepy and fall asleep on Jesus and we can't have that!  However, if I'm breaking my routine for whatever reason, anywhere quiet and scenic is good for me.  If I'm at work, I'll go in an empty work room.  If I'm on a trip, I'll go to where I can get a quiet view of a beautiful lobby or courtyard.
   
   But you, when you pray, go into your inner room,
   close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret,
   and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. - Matt. 6:6
3. WHAT DO YOU HEAR?  I love to play worship music in my quiet time.  It helps me to drown out everything on my mind and everything around me.  I usually play it in my headphones so that I'm not distracted by any sounds around me (phone ringing, people coming in and out, etc).  I have to listen to music to tune my ear and my heart to God's mouth.  After all, quiet time isn't about what I say, it's about what God has to say to me.
   
   David and all Israel were celebrating before
    God with all their might, even with songs and
   with lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals
   and with trumpets. -1 Chronicles 13:8
4. READ! READ! READ!  Now, I absolutely love my Bible.  My Boyfriend recently bought me the Bible I've always wanted.  It is a KJV Journaling Bible that I spent hours trying to choose in LifeWay.  Where do you start?  It doesn't matter where you start.  It matters more that you start. Sometimes I'll just ask the Lord where to go & open my Bible.  Other times, I read more on a passage that was preached or taught recently at my church.  If there's a scripture or sermon that's in my spirit, I'll start there.  You can always start on a reading plan or just start from the beginning.  
   And ye shall seek me, and find me, 

   when ye shall search for me with all your heart. - Jeremiah 29:13
5. PRAYER!  Who do you know that will spend time with you without talk to you?  Praise the Lord.  Get into His presence.  I use the ACTS method:  Adoration.  Confession. Thanksgiving. Supplication.  That's typically how a normal conversation goes, right?  You don't ever ask for something without first greeting a person, getting personal with them, thanking them.  Why would you do anything other than that for God.  Sometimes I pray out loud.  Sometimes I write in my prayer journal.  Sometimes I just pray in my heavenly language.
   

   If my people, which are called by my name,
    shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face,
   and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven,
   and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. - 2 Chron. 7:10
6. LISTEN!  Don't make your quiet time all about talking to God.  Be still before the Lord and listen to Him.  He desires to speak to you, give you guidance and instruction, and share His heart with you.    

Be still, and know that I am God:

 I will be exalted among the heathen,

 I will be exalted in the earth. - Ps. 46:10

I pray that you enjoyed reading about my quiet time.  But, more importantly, I hope you feel led to start a routine.  Evaluate your schedule, figure out what does and doesn't work for you and move accordingly.  As you draw night unto God, He will definitely draw nigh unto you!  Have fun!  Happy Studying!!!