Christian Meditations

(Inside: Christian meditations for moms to help reduce anxiety and stress. These short Christian mindfulness meditations will help moms refocus and hear God’s voice.)

You just dropped one of your kids off at practice, picked up another, and are trying to decide what to make for dinner. Your days are filled with work, parenting, and waiting for password reset emails.

You are parenting tweens and teens.

It’s an amazing life phase, but also challenging. Decision overload is at its peak and yet we have the least amount of downtime to actually think about all the balls we’re juggling.

But friends, in the craziness, I’ve discovered Christian meditation and it’s giving me life right now. 

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However, these Christian meditations don’t just nourish moms, they also empower our kids.

When we take care of ourselves through meditation, we:

•   teach our children to go to God for help.
•   teach our kids to take care of themselves. 
•   model coping strategies.
•   model prayer and daily friendship with God.
•   show our children how to hear God’s voice.

There’s truth to the saying we see printed on mugs and bumper stickers “happy wife (or mom), happy life.”

So, are you wondering how Christian meditation for moms actually works between replying to your work emails and getting your tween to piano lessons?

This practice is so simple, and there are no rules to it. The ebook gives you a guide, tweak it to fit your personality and life. These meditations can be done as you walk the dog, as you’re laying down for the night, in the shower, or while in the car waiting to pick up your child from practice (my favorite). Use the full 8 minutes. Use 2 minutes. Just intentionally stilling your heart and focusing on the One who created you and loves you so much is powerful.

What exactly does Christian meditation look like?

In this rhythm of mediation, what tools are we using, and do they work?

We’re using science-backed proven tools to help us slow our racing brains, fill our bodies with peace, and hear God’s voice – that deep knowing – that He puts inside of his. Let me break it down…

Tool:	What we will do:	Why:
Deep Breathing	We will take deep breaths that completely fill our lungs. We’ll slowly breathe in and out and let our bodies relax.   Breathe in. (5 seconds)  Hold the air in your lungs. (1 second)  Breathe out. (5 seconds)	“Deep abdominal breathing encourages full oxygen exchange — that is, the beneficial trade of incoming oxygen for outgoing carbon dioxide. Not surprisingly, it can slow the heartbeat and lower or stabilize blood pressure.” Read more on the Harvard Medical Publishing website.
Mindfulness	As we breathe in and out, we’ll use mindfulness to help our brains go from all-the-things we have going on, to focus on the present. We’ll focus on the sounds around us, the feel of our heartbeat…etc. We’ll ignore the outside noises, let our worries fade, and be fully aware of now. This helps us sit full attention in front of Jesus, waiting to talk and listen.	When we focus on the future, we can feel anxious. When we focus on the past, we can feel depressed. Mindfulness is being aware of and living in the powerful present. Read about more benefits of mindfulness in Psychology Today.
Meditate on God’s truth	We’ll hover over keywords in scripture and let God strengthen us through them.	Meditation is a powerful tool we can use to let God renew and strengthen us. It’s good for our minds and our bodies. The article on Live and Dare outlines in detail the benefits of meditation.
Prayer	We’ll talk and listen to Jesus.	Prayer is so good for us.   Read my article on Extravagant Hope explaining why we should pray.  See how science supports the health benefits of prayer on The Health Site.
Silence	We’ll use silence to listen to how God stirs our hearts (or inner compasses).	There are 5 benefits of silence including improved memory, stimulates brain growth, stress-relief, better sleep, and heightened sensitivity. Read more on Medical Daily.

 

Look, moms. I know we are usually the cheerleaders, but we also need to be encouraged. The eBook’s Christian mediations help us in 3 important areas of our lives where our buckets need to be filled…

1. Knowing we’re loved

Moms need to feel loved. We need to know (and believe!) that the same momma-bear protective intensity in which we love our kids is the same way that our creator cherishes us. 

Through meditation, we can remind ourselves God loves us and is FOR US. We can view ourselves with the same tenderness that Jesus sees us.

Mommas, that can be a life game-changer.

2. Renewing our Strength

Sometimes, I wonder how God carries out His promise to renew us. But then, I see all the research that supports the mental and physical health benefits of prayer, meditation, mindfulness, silence, and deep breathing and instead wonder why I don’t fully use the resources He provides.

Science supports it – meditating on God’s Word and allowing Him to speak to our hearts is a healthy, empowering way to live. Meditation renews our perspective and strength.

3. Finding Direction

In my journey, I  so desperately want God to reveal the big picture and make the entire road clear. But, God wants a relationship with me. He wants to daily walk with me, so that’s how he communicates, telling me one step at a time.

So, after each step, we go back to him and discuss, then try out the next small decision. It reminds us that the journey is just as important (maybe even more important) than the finish line. 

Sitting quietly before Jesus in Christian meditation helps us find the next place to put our feet.

Convinced that you need self-care? I hope so. Let’s keep going. This is a more detailed look at what the structure of the 8 minutes of Christian meditations looks…

So, are you ready to reach for some peace in the chaos?

Do you want to get your hands on the Christian Meditations eBook? Head over to my Etsy shop to learn more. (Side note: I did offer this eBook for free for a limited time. That offer has expired. However, if you want to stay on top of my freebies and get monthly encouragement, sign up for my free monthly emails.)

Read the Full Series on Self-Care & Inspiration for Moms

Why is self-care so hard for moms? Y’all, I ignored it for so long, that I had an epic mom crash. (I talk about it over here.) I never want to go there again, so it’s game on, self-care!

I recently listened to a podcast by the author of my favorite book on creativity (affiliate link), Liz Gilbert, where she talked about how she feels like she has been given the divine responsibility of being in charge of “Liz,” so needs to do what’s best for “Liz.”

Okay, I hope I don’t mess up the interpretation of what she said too much, but let me tell you how it went into my heart…

God gives us the sacred responsibility of taking care of ourselves. So, I need to see myself in the 3rd person. I need to step outside of myself and say, “Cheryl doesn’t need to be doing that. She’s done enough..she needs sleep, or to say “no,” or to sit and pet her beloved dog.” 

For this go-go-go, do-all-the-things girl, that way of explaining our self-obligation was powerful. Self-care is vital. We better serve our families and communities when we are in a good place. So, be encouraged by the series on self-care and inspiration for moms…

Self-Care and Inspiration for Moms Series

RESOURCES
Free eBook: Christian Meditations for Busy Moms Just Like You
Best Podcasts Every Mom Needs to Hear
5 Best Relaxing Songs to Make Your Day Better
60+ Encouraging and Inspirational Best Books for Mothers

HEARTFELT STORIES
Need Hope? Look for it – Hope will Always Come Back to You
Momma, Go for Your Dreams! Let Faith Overcome Your Fear