Jody Collins
About the Author

Day job: teacher. Life job: learner. I’ve been writing most of the 40 years I’ve known Jesus I’m grateful for His patience and grace. I currently serve in our Women’s Ministry and on our church worship team…singing is my second language.

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
Find more at DaySpring.com
(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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    • Maureen, so glad this resonated with you….it’s all about just being with Jesus when we can, isn’t it?

  1. Wow, just wow. I can’t begin to find the words to tell you how much I needed this. I do feel guilty that I don’t have morning quiet time but honestly, I’m not that fresh or clear in the morning. Add getting two young kids ready for the day to the mix and I’m really not in the frame of mind to have a quiet time. My favorite is mid-morning when things are quiet, I’m alert and more relaxed.

    It’s kind of ironic that we’ve become so legalistic about WHEN to meet with God, isn’t it? I love the verse in Deuteronomy about when we are to teach our children about God: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

    So, pretty much all the time and as a constant part of our life, not a specific 30 minute chunk of our day.

    • Yes, friend you nailed it on the head. Especially with small children….that ‘first thing in the morning’ is nearly impossible. It’s the daily walking. Yes, that’s it. Thanks for reading.

    • ‘Spiritual’ looks different in each of us. Like Jesus, but different. Thanks for reading, Shelly.

  2. Exactly!!!!’
    Because when there is no “special” time of day, you can come more than once, more than twice, heck you can be like me and come as often as you can every day, especially when I am so full of joy I could burst. But I used to come everyday because I should and things got in the way. Now I have shot the shoulds, I find I want to come as often as I am able as often as I have something I need to talk about with him as often as I have dreams I want to share. it,
    Just a thought
    Susie

    • Susie–I smiled at your line about ‘shooting the shoulds’. Yessiree, good idea. And coming as often as we’re able to talk with Him and share our dreams. What a loving God He is.

    • ‘even when we think we’re not paying attention, He is.’ I used to pray while I was walking around at first grade recess, eyes on all the runners, jumpers and climbers, but when they needed something, they always came over with a, “Hey Teacher…” Kinda like that with us. God’s got His eye on everything.

    • Argh…….I know. There’s ‘God’s presence’ and ‘where He dwells’ but no ‘quiet time.’ He is everywhere we are when we call on Him. Thanks for reading, friend.

  3. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. For saying this outloud (well in text anyways). My soul always told me, “hey this is ok”, but when I hear others talk about their morning rituals of devotionals, hours of bible reading and alone time with our God, I always felt guilty. I pray. I seek. I worship. All throughout my day…in a continual conversational relationship with my Lord. I have always believed he has met me where and when I seek him without judgement, but it is sure nice to hear someone else say it too. Bless you!

    • Jeanne–I’m so glad this resonated with you. I had an idea I wasn’t the only one. It is really about prayer, worship, a continual conversation, a ‘walking around’ kind of faith.

  4. THANK YOU…I’ve been feeling guilty about this for years and I’ve worked it out with Jesus to take thought precious moments as they come throughout the day and spend my “quiet time” before bed.

    • Renae–some of my most precious times with Jesus are in the evening at the end of the day. I’m a morning person for sure and cannot really sit to listen while my head is full of laundry I need to do, lunch to make, bills to pay and so on. When the day is done I’m much more at peace and ready to be still. Thanks for reading.

  5. Wonderful to know The Lord has no restrictions to what time of day we come to Him just as long as we do. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

    • A continual abiding…yes. ‘Dwell’ was my word for last year and it just keeps coming up when I’m in the word.
      Thanks for your encouragement, friend.

  6. Thank you! I have two little boys who wake up if someone walks past their door no matter how early. I know this in my head, but you just confirmed this for me. I do often times feel that I do need an early shot in the arm just to be liveable in the morning though! 🙂 I do talk the to the Lord throughout the day but not always in the Word as often as necessary.

    • Joanne, may this just be an encouragement to you to ‘walk and talk’ Jesus knows about our days and the Father is eager for us to let Him be part of all we do.
      Thanks for your kind words.

  7. It’s so good knowing that God won’t get mad at me because some days I have no time to read my Bible. If I’m not working I go to soaking time at twelve at my church on Wednesday. I love the “Come when you come.” I don’t need to feel guilt for days that I can hardly breath between paying bills, grocery shopping, homework, church activities, take of tenants demands, and go to work. Yak! I forgot to list my time to cry! I need a vacation, with my Starbuck’s card loaded to the top

  8. 🙂 This was an awesome read. I woke up with this on my mind just this morning! You are awesome and I am so happy to be in a group with you and get to know you better!! Love, Patty

  9. Ugh! thank you for this. I’ve just started on my path and “scheduled” my time first thing….after the kids left for school. Soooooo not working. I was never in the right frame of mind and I surely wasn’t getting what I should out of it.

  10. Thank you for your words! For awhile I felt guilty that I wasn’t waking up at 6 before my baby’s first cries to get in some time with God. I found that it just doesn’t work for my current life stage though and instead have been using his afternoon nap as my quiet time. It’s about that time that I need the encouragement anyways and then I feel refreshed to finish out the day.

  11. amen! before I was married and kids, mornings worked fine and some extra at night if I could. but, then…. well, mornings were not good and neither was nighttime… so, I finally realized the only quiet time available without too much interruption was after lunch ..and that was what I looked forward to, and it was good. now , life again changes with many challenges and time is so precious, that anytime I can get a moment is good .. bathrooms always have a bible there just waiting 🙂 and one in the car … and I do find that God can meet me in spite of the day’s busyness. And one word from HIm is the blessing I need … use what and whenever you can!!

    • Robin, I thought I was the only one with a Bible in the bathroom and the car…..how He satisfies our hunger!

  12. Love it Jody! Aren’t you glad God’s not confined by our ideas and boxes and rules??! It’s so easy to forget. Thanks for a beautifully written reminder. xx

  13. Right on, Jody. Lately I have been thinking about all the rules we put on ourselves and others, most don’t really matter. loved that I read this post in the middle of the afternoon, after no devotions in the morning that I usually start my day with. So slipped away right then to pray. Thanks for the nudge

  14. When Jesus said “abide in me” he didn’t say it with any preconceived ideas about how we do it. His side of the bargain was that he would then abide in us. Wow. What a promise! What motivation to come to him,at whatever time of day/night works best for us.

  15. Thank you! I’ve been putting pressure on myself to wake before the kids each morning and failure is all I’ve been feeling as I oversleep everytime. The last part, Just Come, is so encouraging. I’ll have to tape that everywhere!

    • Sarah, Jesus knows right where you live and who you live with. I like your idea–tape the words up everywhere–‘just come!”

  16. There is true freedom in being able to get close to God at any time of the day! I’ve always had the impression that the early morning is more ‘spiritual’ than other times. We need to be free of legalism which brings guilt and ‘just come’ as someone else said.
    Thank you Jody, for encouraging me!

    • Denise, so glad this spoke to you, too. We’re funny, aren’t we? Early morning is a more spiritual time than what? Evening? Middday? No, God made it all. So glad of that.

      Thanks for reading.

  17. While early morning is the best time for most to do devotions–before the hustle and bustle of work. Any time will do with a quiet and content heart. “Just do it” is my motto!

    God is available ALL the time so just come to Him whenever you feel the urge and pray, journal, do devotions. He is not a person of legalism, so why should we be? We should encourage our friends to just come to Him daily–whenever it suits them best!

    Super post!

    • Beth, thank you for the ‘amen!’ I’m so grateful this simple word to me has resonated with so many people. I appreciate your kind words.

  18. How delightful to see you and one of your wonderful posts over here at (in)courage! And what an honest, good-common-sense approach to spending time with God. Your post got me thinking about our relationships with adult children–how we welcome their phone calls and visits anytime. So why wouldn’t it be the same for our Heavenly Father and his children?

    God bless you, Jodi. Keep writing, keep dreaming, keep believing, sister.

    • Nancy, your analogy of how we love to hear from OUR kids is so fitting. Yes, our Father is the same way. Thank you always for your encouragement, Nancy.

  19. I love this, Judy. I love that our two posts were so similar, but I feel like this is a message I need to hear over and over and over. That it’s not about me getting it right. Ever. And that he waits with open arms. Always. Blessings to you.