{"id":707,"date":"2026-08-20T17:33:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T17:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thislittlelighthouse.co.uk\/?p=707"},"modified":"2026-10-11T20:54:03","modified_gmt":"2026-10-11T20:54:03","slug":"for-mothers-struggling-to-read-their-bibles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thislittlelighthouse.co.uk\/index.php\/2026\/08\/20\/for-mothers-struggling-to-read-their-bibles\/","title":{"rendered":"For the Christian Mothers Struggling to Read their Bibles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hey,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I see you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I get what it\u2019s like to have good intentions and how challenging it can be to find the time and head space to sit down and read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For years I\u2019ve felt intimated by the Bible. So many books, so many different versions and interpretations, and so little time, brain juice and desire (if I\u2019m honest) on my part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is it any wonder we struggle?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The year after our eldest daughter was born, my husband started a part-time degree in theology alongside his job. He would come home from his block weeks of lectures with new revelation about certain Bible passages as he learnt to read them in light of the context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I could see the excitement in his face and yet do you know what my (internal) reaction was?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018I barely have time to pick up my Bible, let alone try and understand it in light of the context!\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It seemed so much easier for him and seemingly impossible for me!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am so grateful that we have a God who sees us, deeply knows us and understands our struggles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My hope in writing this, is to let you know that if like me you are feeling intimidated or overwhelmed at the thought of reading your Bible, you are not alone and to encourage you in this current season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is hope!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have tried many different things over the years. Different devotionals, Bible plans and journals, but I often found they seemed to either just skim the surface when I was craving for more depth, or they were so lengthy that I struggled to hold my attention (hello multiple interruptions)!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have also tried (and failed) to get up at the crack of dawn and have a \u2018quiet time\u2019 only to experience disappointment and thoughts along the lines of \u2018I just need to try harder tomorrow\u2019, only for tomorrow to come and the same thing to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can be tempting to think that a new resource will solve the issue, and whilst there are some beautiful resources out there, there really is no substitute for keeping the main thing, the main thing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I started to realise that I needed to let go of perfectionism, or the \u2018ideal\u2019 quiet time, and instead start to see even the shortest of time in the Bible as an encouragement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So whatever season you find yourself in, whether it\u2019s one verse that you chew and meditate on during the day or week, or a whole chapter, I encourage you to find what is manageable for you right now, and go for it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OK, but where do I start?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The word Bible actually means \u2018a collection of books\u2019, so it\u2019s basically a library! If you are feeling overwhelmed and don\u2019t know where to start, try not to get too hung up on reading it in a particular order. You may wish to start at Genesis and work your way through, perhaps reading a New Testament book on alternate days, or you may wish to start with a book of wisdom like Proverbs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are part of a local church, you might want to see if there is a particular book that the sermons are currently based on and dig deeper into that. Our church recently did a series of sermons on James on Sunday mornings, so my husband and I read through James together – I was so much more engaged than usual when it came to the preach!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are reading this and you\u2019ve never read the Bible before, I\u2019d recommend starting with one of the stories of Jesus written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. You could get in touch with your local church and ask to explore any questions that come up with someone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One step at a time<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don\u2019t know about you, but when I read a passage, I want to understand it all and know how to apply what I\u2019ve read straight away! But I think that defeats the point. Unlike many books, the Bible is one you are meant to keep reading and rereading!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gently remind yourself that the aim is not to understand it all straight away. Write down any questions that come to mind. Pray about them. You could always explore them with your husband or a friend when you are ready. Each time you read, you\u2019ll notice new things and your understanding will deepen with prayer, time and digging deeper into the context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What about the context of a passage?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A really helpful free resource that I would highly recommend checking out if you haven\u2019t come across it already is The Bible Project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bible Project have produced videos (available to watch on YouTube) for each of the books of the Bible, which are incredibly helpful in providing some context to and an overview of each book as a whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are part of a small group as part of your local church or network, you could suggest reading a book together over the course of a month and coming together to discuss it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternatively, you could reach out to a Christian friend or mentor to see if they would be up for talking it through over coffee or Zoom. I know I find it so helpful to talk through what I have read with others, hear their thoughts and dig deeper together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visual reminders<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d like to end with a really practical bit of advice, which is to give yourself a visual cue. Whether it\u2019s leaving your Bible on your coffee table, by your bed (if you find evenings easier), or in the bathroom ready for a (hopefully) quiet moment on the toilet, think about how you can intentionally prompt yourself to pick it up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However old your children are, or wherever you find yourself on the journey of parenthood, I hope this is an encouragement as you seek to get into the Bible more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why not take a few minutes to think about your own personal hurdles and how you might overcome them. Perhaps think about what visual prompts you could put into place to help you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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