If you are looking to improve your scripture study habits, this post can help. It is A Guide to A Scripture Study Routine for Busy Moms.
This post has many things that refer to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. If you are not a member of my faith, it's totally ok. I love you! Thanks for being here. Hopefully you can find some tips to help you in your own scripture study practice. I use language that is commonplace in my faith tradition. If there is anything that you don't understand, please ask me and I will explain it to the best of my ability.
Last weekend was General Conference, which is our biannual instruction from the leaders of our church. It was soooo good and I am on a spiritual high! One way to keep up that high is to better our scripture study routine. I have had a decent routine in the past, but there is always room for improvement and I am inspired me to change my habits for the better!
Why Should We Read the Scriptures?
In any church class, at any age group, when asked how to increase our faith we know the primary answers. They are Pray, Go to Church, Read the Scriptures, etc. But have you ever wondered why we are asked to read the scriptures?
At The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints it says, "The scriptures contain the word of God. Latter-day prophets counsel us to study the scriptures every day, both individually and with our families. Studying the scriptures can help us know Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, give us power to resist temptation, and strengthen us in our challenges."
Help us to know Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, resist temptation and strengthen us in our challenges? Those are some pretty amazing blessing for devoting a few minutes each day.
A Guide to a Scripture Study Routine for Busy Moms
So how do you get into a scripture study routine? Well, that depends on what your life is like. I have been a stay at home mom to babies and littles, a stay at home mom to bigger kids and now a working mom with a flexible schedule and a big kid still at home. My scripture study has looked different in each season of life. I say that to remind you that none of our routines will look the same because we all lead different lives. These are possibilities that maybe you haven't considered before.
Come Follow Me
Come Follow Me is a resource from our church to learn from the scriptures. Through Come Follow Me we are taught, "The ideal place to learn the gospel is the home. Your teachers at church can support you, and you can get encouragement from other ward members. But to survive spiritually, you and your family need daily nourishment from “the good word of God”."
Each Monday morning (I try for mornings but sometimes end up with afternoons and evenings) I make a printable with information from the church for the current week's Come Follow Me Lesson. The lessons the church provides are spectacular. I just make the printable to have something to hang on our fridge. The printable keeps the scriptures and stories in my mind (and my family's mind, I hope) as we pass by the fridge each day.
Instagram Prompts
I know social media can be addictive and a place of comparison and ugliness. But it is also an amazing way to connect with other like minded individuals. I use Instagram each day to remind me to read my scriptures.
My morning routine: Now that I have just one child in school, I get up with him and and he gets himself ready. While he is doing that, I grab my trusty heated blanket and settle in on the couch to read my scriptures. By the time he is done getting ready, I am usually done reading my scriptures. Then I take him to school and continue about my day.
I use the Instagram prompts from BofM365 and CFM365 for my morning scripture study. I love having the posted question on my mind as I am reading the suggested scriptures of the day. But my most favorite thing about the Instagram accounts is when others share their thoughts. I gain new insights daily from those amazing people who share their testimonies on the app. I connect with people around the globe who share a love of the scriptures and it sets a really good example for me.
Digital Scriptures
We don't really have an excuse for not reading our scriptures (although it's still really easy not to) when they are so readily available.
I love the Scriptures in the Gospel Library app. Once you've logged in with your church account, you can highlight, mark, make notes and the app keeps track. Each year I use a different color of highlight so I know when I marked the scripture. I love going back through my notes and highlights.
Podcasts
I am so grateful to the many dedicated people that are SO SMART and put out free podcasts so the not so smart people like me, can sit at their proverbial feet to learn.
Unshaken Saints is a podcast by Brother Jared Halverson, a professor at BYU. He does a very IN DEPTH dive into the Come Follow Me scriptures each week. I also like Bro Halverson because he used to live in my area and we were in the same ward. He is highly educated and ... I don't even know what else to say. You just have to listen. It is a long form podcast, so I usually turn it on when I am doing something that keeps my hands busy but not my mind like painting furniture.
Don't Miss This is another phenomenal podcast dedicated to studying the Come Follow Me scriptures for the week. It is by David Butler and Grace Freeman who are both hilarious and crazy intelligent about scriptures. It is very spiritual and highly entertaining. I usually laugh one minute and then get choked up feeling the spirit the next.
I also subscribe to their app. It sends out mini lessons each day that are simple and very impactful. (I am not a affiliate, just a big fan!!!)
YouTube Channels
Both Unshaken Saints and Don't Miss This are on You Tube as well.
Each Monday, Cali Black of Come Follow Me Study does Big Picture Monday. She goes over all of the highlights of the weekly Come Follow Me scriptures. I like to watch this on ... wait for it ... Monday, hahaha, so that I can be thinking about it all week and so I know the big picture as I do my daily scripture study.
So to recap. Each week I use the following resources to help me Study My Scriptures
- Come Follow Me
- BofM365 and CFM365 on Instagram
- Digital Scriptures in the Gospel Library App
- Podcasts
- YouTube Channels
Hopefully this helps give you some ideas on ways you can get into A Scripture Study Routine as a Busy Mom. Remember, the Lord loves effort and does not expect perfection. Just try to do a little bit and you will be rewarded with a greater testimony and love for our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
