{Self Care for Moms} Caring For Your Soul Day One: Spending Time with Jesus

Do you find yourself exhausted at the end of the day- dreaming of something (anything!) to pamper yourself with, all while trying to remember what the word shower means? As moms we give of ourselves from daylight to dark and often forget, or simply can't find the time, to take care of ourselves in the midst of it all.

My friend Heather (who blogs over at http://heatherandjosharnold.blogspot.com ) and I are kicking off a blog series today on our take of "Selfcare For Moms". Selfcare has been on my heart lately, as it's something I have struggled with since becoming a mom 16 months ago and a topic that seems to be hot in the blog world lately.

Our first week in the series will be:

Starting at the basic most part. If you don't meet your deepest needs as a woman, as a child of God, all the other types of self care will do no good- there will be an emptiness. Have you ever done it in reverse? Caring for your body, your home, your health all before caring for the person you are on the inside? The lady desiring to be unconditionally loved, to be sought after, to feel as if she has a purpose? The lady with dreams and ideas and passions of her own? The lady desiring to be loved and treasured by her Creator?

My friends, we often start at the wrong place.

When our souls feel weary and we need refreshment- instead of buying a new outfit, getting a new hair do, or taking a luxurious bubble bath, we must start in our souls. Although all those other things are nice, if we don't care for our soul then after the initial thrill is over we will still be left feeling like we need more. 

So that's where I'm starting today!

The most important self care we can do for ourselves as mamas, AND for our husbands, children, and friends is to spend time with Jesus.

Day One: Spending Time with Jesus

As moms we put a lot of pressure on ourselves.

Do you ever feel this way? I sure do! I feel like I need to accomplish a long list each day to fulfill my duty as "mom" or "wife". I stress if I feel like I'm not doing ENOUGH. I hit the floor running most mornings- working on my to do list. And before I know it I'm overwhelmed, cranky, and feeling like I need a time-out a lot more than my toddler does :) 

Too often I forget the most important thing I can do for my family is to LOVE JESUS and seek him daily. Only then will I be able to serve them lovingly, to put their needs before my own, to teach them right from wrong, and do it all with JOY. 

True refreshment, encouragement, and satisfaction comes from Jesus. And as a mother trying to give so much of herself, it's so important to draw strength from Him instead of trying so hard to do it on our own, and always feeling like we come up short. 

The days I choose to start with The Lord and focus on His word and time with Him in prayer are the days that I find myself feeling accomplished, joyful, and content.

So what are some tips for spending time with The Lord?

1)Make it a priority. When my eyes pop open in the morning, one of the first things I'm tempted to do is grab my phone and scroll through Facebook and IG as I lay there and wake up. A few weeks ago, I decided to make a deal with myself that I would spend time with God first before allowing myself to look at any social media. Gage still sleeps with us, so for the past few weeks I've had my quiet time in bed praying and reading my Bible before my feet even hit the floor for the day. My flesh wants to see the latest happenings on Facebook, but my soul thanks me when I get my priorities straight and start my day right.

2) Start small. As moms, we're busy. We may still have babies that don't sleep through the night. We may not even be able go to the bathroom without tiny feet following right behind us. I understand you may not have the opportunity to get up early and spend hours reading your Bible. But you probably do have 10 minutes at the beginning of your day to focus on The Lord. I have found that a cup of coffee, reading a few verses in my Bible, and then praying over the upcoming day does me wonders. It refreshes my soul, encourages me to love my family that day, and leaves me thinking over those verses throughout the day. 

3) Pray continually. Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Prayer doesn't have to be hard. God cares about the minor details! Being in conversation with Him throughout the day helps us in tough moments and fills us with joy in happy moments. Why feel alone when our Savior is just waiting for us to talk to Him?

By starting each day with Jesus, our souls are recharged and ready to conquer whatever awaits us. The first step to any self care is Him! Let Him love you like no one else and refresh your soul through Him alone. 

Be sure to go over to Heather's blog tomorrow for Day 2 of Caring For Your Soul.

Please comment with ways you cultivate time with Jesus!