3 | Prepare to Dwell: Let's Make Our When and Where Statements and Be Set Up for Success!

Speaker: 00:00:00

Welcome back to The Dwelling

Place Bible Plan for Busy Moms

2

: 00:00:02

from Entrusted Ministries.

3

: 00:00:04

This is prepared to dwell episode three.

4

: 00:00:06

And I'm Stephanie Cock.

5

: 00:00:07

I have two purposes for this episode.

6

: 00:00:09

First, I wanna talk about why do we

need to be so intentional in looking

7

: 00:00:14

to the word of God for our parenting?

8

: 00:00:15

And secondly, let's get really

practical about how we can actually

9

: 00:00:19

fit this into busy mom life.

10

: 00:00:21

We set our kids up for

success all the time.

11

: 00:00:24

We think about how after the doctor

appointment they're gonna be hungry and

12

: 00:00:27

then we pack them a snack and a water.

13

: 00:00:29

But I don't think we really

do this for ourselves enough.

14

: 00:00:32

Let's be intentional and honest

today about what will make us

15

: 00:00:35

consistent in reading scripture.

16

: 00:00:37

The last thing I want you to feel as

overwhelmed as you listen to this,

17

: 00:00:40

but I also don't wanna neglect to

encourage you about the importance

18

: 00:00:43

of being in the word of God.

19

: 00:00:45

Moms are key disciplers in a home,

and if we don't have a biblical

20

: 00:00:48

worldview ourselves, it's really

difficult to pass it on to our kids.

21

: 00:00:52

I am gonna read a passage of

scripture with you that every

22

: 00:00:55

time I read it, it stops me in

my tracks and is a heart check.

23

: 00:00:58

I know it wasn't originally written about

social media, but it certainly seems

24

: 00:01:02

to apply to what moms are facing today.

25

: 00:01:04

It comes from second

Timothy chapter three.

26

: 00:01:07

paul was in prison and he knew he'd

be dying shortly, but these are some

27

: 00:01:10

of his final words he writes, but

understand this, that in the last days

28

: 00:01:15

there will come times of difficulty

for people will be lovers of self,

29

: 00:01:19

lovers of money, proud, arrogant.

30

: 00:01:22

Abusive, disobedient to their parents.

31

: 00:01:25

Ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unpassable,

slanderous without self-control.

32

: 00:01:32

Brutal, not loving, good, treacherous,

reckless, swollen, with conceit, lovers

33

: 00:01:38

of pleasure rather than lovers of God.

34

: 00:01:40

Having the appearance of godliness but

denying its power avoid such people.

35

: 00:01:46

For, among them are those who

creep into households and capture

36

: 00:01:49

weak women, burdened with sins and

led astray by various passions,

37

: 00:01:53

always learning and never able to

arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

38

: 00:01:58

As I said, I think this scripture

is so convicting for us today.

39

: 00:02:02

I don't wanna be a weak woman who

is allowing people to come into my

40

: 00:02:05

household or into my thought life and

take me captive by false doctrine.

41

: 00:02:09

I don't wanna be always learning

and never able to arrive at the

42

: 00:02:12

knowledge of the truth, and I don't

wanna be promised solution after

43

: 00:02:15

solution by algorithms without finding

peace from the God that created me.

44

: 00:02:20

I don't think we've ever had

more solutions at our fingertips.

45

: 00:02:23

And I also don't think moms

have ever felt more overwhelmed.

46

: 00:02:26

we need to thumb through the pages of

scripture rather than having our thumbs

47

: 00:02:29

scroll through content that's preventing

us from dwelling and abiding with Christ

48

: 00:02:34

is a really scary list in this chapter.

49

: 00:02:36

And I am just praying for you.

50

: 00:02:38

I'm praying for myself that the Lord

will help us to put off the things that

51

: 00:02:41

aren't life giving and to help us to

put on the peace and the joy and the

52

: 00:02:45

clarity that can only come from the Bible.

53

: 00:02:48

Like I said, the last thing I

want you to feel is overwhelmed.

54

: 00:02:51

But I do believe that we're

all desperately needing to

55

: 00:02:54

turn our eyes towards Christ.

56

: 00:02:56

If I can encourage you to replace

some scrolling time with reading

57

: 00:02:59

the word of God, then so be it.

58

: 00:03:01

Okay, that's my soapbox for today.

59

: 00:03:04

Now, let's talk about our

dwelling place logistics.

60

: 00:03:07

I wanna bring up.

61

: 00:03:08

The book Atomic Habits again,

because I think it's key in helping

62

: 00:03:11

us recognize what our habits are

and what will make us faithful.

63

: 00:03:16

One of the most helpful tips

I learned in that book was to

64

: 00:03:18

create a when and where statement.

65

: 00:03:20

These are really pivotal in helping

us accomplish goals and be consistent

66

: 00:03:23

in habit formation, and that's

what I wanna help you do today.

67

: 00:03:26

Not just to check something off a list,

but to have our hearts be transformed.

68

: 00:03:31

If you click on the show notes, there's a

link for our Entrusted Ministries website.

69

: 00:03:35

On our podcast page, you'll

fill out the section to receive

70

: 00:03:38

our free printable forms.

71

: 00:03:40

When you fill it out, you're

gonna get an email from me with my

72

: 00:03:42

favorite Bible reading resources, and

73

: 00:03:44

there's even progress trackers.

74

: 00:03:45

I am trying to do everything to

encourage you to stay the course in

75

: 00:03:49

whatever I think might be motivating.

76

: 00:03:51

There are a couple pages to

create a when and where statement,

77

: 00:03:54

because you are 43% more likely

to follow through with something

78

: 00:03:57

if you just write it down.

79

: 00:03:59

I want you to think about your life and

when you can be most consistent this

80

: 00:04:02

might sound silly, but every year I

put the Christmas tree in our living

81

: 00:04:05

room and to make room for it, I have

to take my cozy chair out of the

82

: 00:04:10

corner and move it to another room.

83

: 00:04:12

Last year, at the end of the Christmas

season, I realized, oh my goodness,

84

: 00:04:16

I wasn't as faithful in the word this

month, and part of it was probably the

85

: 00:04:19

busyness of the Christmas season, and

we were doing extra advent activities.

86

: 00:04:23

But part of the reason I fell

off the rails was also because my

87

: 00:04:26

chair moved, and that's where I

read my Bible every day this year.

88

: 00:04:29

When I moved that chair, I thought,

okay, Stephanie, what's your plan?

89

: 00:04:32

Where are you going to be reading?

90

: 00:04:34

It may sound ridiculous, but just

having that moment of intentionality

91

: 00:04:37

helped me be more faithful, and

I noticed this all the time.

92

: 00:04:40

If I wanna be consistent in using my

leave-in conditioner for some reason,

93

: 00:04:43

I just need it out on the counter.

94

: 00:04:45

Some things I have really set into

my day, but sometimes I need a visual

95

: 00:04:49

cue, and I'm just trying to encourage

you to think about yourself and

96

: 00:04:52

what's worked for you in the past.

97

: 00:04:54

write down on that document when and

where you're gonna commit to read

98

: 00:04:58

or to listen to the word of God.

99

: 00:05:00

Another tip from Atomic Habits

is the idea of habit stacking.

100

: 00:05:03

Think about something you're

already really faithful in, and

101

: 00:05:05

then add this new habit to it.

102

: 00:05:08

Let me give you an example.

103

: 00:05:09

I'm one of those people that

loves to let the sunshine in.

104

: 00:05:12

I like opening my drapes as early

as possible in the morning, and my

105

: 00:05:15

husband will tell you if he tries

to close 'em too early at night,

106

: 00:05:18

I have a really hard time biting

my tongue and I'm probably gonna

107

: 00:05:21

ask him to open them back up.

108

: 00:05:22

When I come down the stairs

in the morning, I open all

109

: 00:05:25

of the curtains in our home.

110

: 00:05:26

It's the first thing I do.

111

: 00:05:28

And I realized a while ago that

this was the perfect time to

112

: 00:05:30

be praying over my neighbors.

113

: 00:05:32

I look out each window on each side of our

home and I pray, and this has helped me

114

: 00:05:36

be really consistent because I've attached

it to something I'm already doing, and

115

: 00:05:40

that's what I'm thinking about for you.

116

: 00:05:41

In terms of listening to the Dwelling

Play series, what is something you

117

: 00:05:44

already do like getting dressed,

hopefully brushing your teeth.

118

: 00:05:47

Or maybe it's right after you're

dropping the kids off from school I have

119

: 00:05:51

intentionally selected the music so that

it's not gonna make you feel like, whoa,

120

: 00:05:55

girl, I needed three cups of coffee

before I could handle you at that level.

121

: 00:06:00

I wanted it to be soothing, but

still not make you feel like

122

: 00:06:02

you're on a hobby Lobby elevator.

123

: 00:06:04

Even though I love Hobby Lobby,

perhaps you're one of those people

124

: 00:06:07

that's saying don't you dare mention

Hebrew or Greek to me before.

125

: 00:06:11

It's a couple hours into my

day, and then you can pick the

126

: 00:06:13

moment that's gonna work for you.

127

: 00:06:15

Or if you're a working mom and

your commute is your only moment

128

: 00:06:18

of peace I'm a working mom

too, and I know how busy it is.

129

: 00:06:21

I hope that's the beauty of

podcasting, that there's a way

130

: 00:06:24

that we can make this work for you.

131

: 00:06:26

when you're making your

when and where statement.

132

: 00:06:27

I do wanna caution you against using this

moment to absolutely redesign your life

133

: 00:06:32

connect these to habits you already have.

134

: 00:06:34

Don't say something like, I'm

going to listen to the Dwelling

135

: 00:06:37

Place series while I'm flossing

and doing Pilates and oil pulling.

136

: 00:06:40

If those are three things that

you haven't been doing for a long

137

: 00:06:43

time, and if that's a struggle for

you to not do, you are my people.

138

: 00:06:46

And that's why I know to warn you about

this next, there's that accountability

139

: 00:06:50

element we talked about in the last

episode with Psalm 84, that biblical

140

: 00:06:55

motherhood often happens in community.

141

: 00:06:57

Consider asking a friend to commit

with you and then set some reminders

142

: 00:07:01

in your calendar for when you're

gonna check in with each other there

143

: 00:07:04

if you're staying on track

is a reward in order.

144

: 00:07:06

I know that's always motivating for me.

145

: 00:07:08

Remember, this isn't about perfection,

146

: 00:07:10

but about being renewed day

by day by the word of God.

147

: 00:07:14

I want you to picture that finish

line that you can run the race with

148

: 00:07:17

endurance just as Hebrews tells us too.

149

: 00:07:19

And when I first found that passage

in Psalm 84 that talked about that

150

: 00:07:22

little sparrow laying her nest at

the altar, I wanted something to be

151

: 00:07:26

a physical reminder to me about my

reliance upon the Lord, I went on

152

: 00:07:30

Etsy and I found this delicate little

necklace that has a little bird on it.

153

: 00:07:34

I'm gonna link that in the show notes

if you think that it would be helpful

154

: 00:07:37

to put that on every day and have it

be a reminder to look to God's word.

155

: 00:07:41

And for those moms who are listening

and thinking, you know what, actually,

156

: 00:07:45

this is kind of crazy, but I think I'm

gonna have a little bit more time to

157

: 00:07:48

be in the word than I have in the past.

158

: 00:07:51

Then I would highly

recommend get the word out.

159

: 00:07:54

It is an amazing resource that has

all these different tools to help you

160

: 00:07:58

develop your own devotional lifestyle.

161

: 00:08:00

My favorite review about it is my friend

Joanna said, get the word out, teaches

162

: 00:08:04

you to have the aha moments for yourself.

163

: 00:08:07

And once you learn to do that, you'll

never want anyone to make them for you.

164

: 00:08:10

If you have capacity, I

encourage you to look into that.

165

: 00:08:14

As I mentioned with the second Timothy

passage, I don't think that this is

166

: 00:08:17

just about putting on, it's about

putting off some things if after praying

167

: 00:08:22

through this, you just don't have a

clear when and where, but you're gonna

168

: 00:08:24

say, Lord, before I go on social media,

I'm gonna read a chapter of your word

169

: 00:08:29

and perhaps that's how you get through

the entire Bible this year by just

170

: 00:08:32

choosing to put God first in that.

171

: 00:08:34

Or put your Bible app on your first

page of your phone and tuck any tempting

172

: 00:08:39

apps way in a folder on the third page.

173

: 00:08:42

I'm not sure what this needs to look like

for you, but I do want you to ask the

174

: 00:08:47

Lord how you can make him a priority.

175

: 00:08:49

I have to admit, when I was mapping out

this reading plan, there were moments

176

: 00:08:52

where I was like, yes, we can do this.

177

: 00:08:55

And then there were moments

where I thought, what am I

178

: 00:08:57

asking these busy moms to do?

179

: 00:08:59

This is so overwhelming.

180

: 00:09:02

But I still have the burden that

it's so important that as we're

181

: 00:09:05

training our kids and trying to

teach them to walk in the truth, that

182

: 00:09:09

we need to know it for ourselves.

183

: 00:09:11

this is a culture that's so focused

on what we do, and I just want

184

: 00:09:14

you to learn to dwell with a God

that delights in who you are.

185

: 00:09:18

I know we're not gonna fit it in

unless we say no to some of those

186

: 00:09:21

things that aren't as life giving,

but please just know I am not trying

187

: 00:09:24

to minimize everything on your plate.

188

: 00:09:26

I'm just trying to coach

you into a better Yes.

189

: 00:09:29

I also wanna take this opportunity

to tell you that what we're most

190

: 00:09:32

known for is our biblical parenting

study Entrusted with a child's art.

191

: 00:09:35

And this is a nine month long study

that is most often done in churches,

192

: 00:09:39

but can also be done in home groups.

193

: 00:09:42

Our website is linked in the show notes.

194

: 00:09:43

If you wanna look more into it, if you're

thinking, this is great to go through

195

: 00:09:46

the Bible on my own for parenting, but

I would really love something systematic

196

: 00:09:51

to dig into so I can get closer to the

moms at my church, then that's for you.

197

: 00:09:56

And lastly.

198

: 00:09:57

Did you know that we have another podcast?

199

: 00:10:00

It's a weekly podcast with a little bit

longer interviews, and I have some great

200

: 00:10:05

conversations coming on how to parent

A DHD in a biblical way, I am also

201

: 00:10:10

sitting down with Dan Trippy, who is

president and co-founder of the Center

202

: 00:10:13

for Christian Thought and Ethics, and he's

gonna tell us how to talk to our kids and

203

: 00:10:17

engage with the culture regarding some

of the most controversial issues today.

204

: 00:10:21

In all that we do.

205

: 00:10:22

We are rooting for you and again, I wanna

say that we know we need Jesus every day

206

: 00:10:28

and we're thankful that we

get to look to him together.