What has worked for you?

A dear friend who just had their third baby asked me  recently. She was inquiring about how I was managing to study Scripture.

Having a newborn, no matter how many other children you have, disrupts your sleep, your schedule, your life. This also, though, provides you the opportunity to try new things and get out of that 'ole rut.

But there are other times of sick children, sick spouses, family needs, traveling, dry seasons spiritually, etc.

For those of you going through a demanding season (for whatever reason), here are some easy ideas that have worked for me: 

** Listening to Bible heavy sermons/conferences/podcasts on my Ipod while nursing or in the car or while unloading laundry/dishes ... Some of my favorites are John Piper, Francis Chan, Nancy Leigh Demoss, Focus on the Family, Family Life, etc.

** Memorizing Scripture with the kids over snacks/meals (for us this is also part of school).

** Reading through the Bible in a year - It's more to have a plan and chunks already determined - but just reading what I can when I can from the plan.

** Reading the Bible out loud when at the table with the kids. Whenever, however it happens.

** Letting hubby lead Bible reading time at night with the kids and I'll listen in.

** Listening to worship music that includes Scripture or at the least hymns which have sound theology in them (i.e. Indelible Grace)

Here are some helpful links:

Bible Gateway Bible Reading Plans

Pray magazine's website has tons of resources

One Place has lots of podcasts and audio shows to listen to

Sanctifying the Ordinary

Here is my calling today - thoughts from Justin Taylor and Martin Luther ...

(Justin Taylor's original Blog entry)

Luther on Sanctifying the Ordinary

One of Luther’s great contributions to our view of the family involved the sanctification of the ordinary. Many sadly neglect their family and their friends because they are pouring all of their time into “ministry”—neglecting to see that all of life should be ministry and every sphere should be sanctified. We must have eyes to see that the ordinary duties of life contain great spiritual significance. Luther describes the message that the world whispers in our ear:

Now observe that when that clever harlot, our natural reason . . . , takes a look at married life, she turns up her nose and says, “Alas, must I rock the baby, wash its diapers, make its bed, smell its stench, stay up nights with it, take care of it when it cries, heal its rashes and sores. . . ?” [LW 45:39]

But into this context Luther breathes fresh gospel air:

What then does Christian faith say to this? It opens its eyes, looks upon all these insignificant, distasteful, and despised duties in the Spirit, and is aware that they are all adorned with divine approval as with the costliest gold and jewels. It says, O God, because I am certain that thou hast created me as a man and hast from my body begotten this child, I also know for a certainty that it meets with thy perfect pleasure. I confess to thee that I am not worthy to rock the little babe or wash its diapers, or to be entrusted with the care of the child and its mother. How is it that I, without any merit, have come to this distinction of being certain that I am serving thy creature and thy most precious will? O how gladly will I do so, though the duties should be even more insignificant and despised. Neither frost nor heat, neither drudgery nor labor, will distress or dissuade me, for I am certain that it is thus pleasing in thy sight. . . . God, with all his angels and creatures is smiling—not because the father is washing diapers, but because he is doing so in Christian faith.[LW 45:39-40]

We must put on the spectacles of faith and see all of life as infused with meaning and significance by our Creator. Set in this context, Luther greatly elevated the place of the family within the church of Christ.

Excerpted from “Martin Luther and Marriage,” in Sex and the Supremacy of Christ.