Rhythms of Rest: Creating Sabbath and Spiritual Renewal as a Mom of Littles
When You Realize You’re Not Fine
I thought I was good… until I wasn’t.
Anyone relate?
Most days, all the lunches make it to daycare. I arrive mostly on time to work. I resemble a fully operational, mostly competent, responsible human.
From the outside, life looks held together.
But sometimes you hit a stretch of road where the thin thread keeping everything together suddenly snaps — and you are the one left spiraling and unraveling in ways you didn’t see coming.
That was me.
And somewhere in the middle of that unraveling, I realized something quietly but unmistakably:
I had been praying for peace…
without guarding my life from the things stealing it.
I didn’t have language for it then, but what I was craving were rhythms of rest — the kind that help overwhelmed moms step out of survival mode and into renewal.
(If this resonates, I wrote more about that shift in Biblical Simplicity — because peace often requires releasing what keeps crowding it.)
So 2025 became the year of new rhythms.
Not dramatic overhauls.
Not rigid routines.
Just intentional shifts that began protecting space for the kind of rest my soul had been craving all along.
Because here is what I’ve come to believe:
Rest rarely finds us accidentally.
We build lives that make room for it.
Why Rhythms of Rest Matter for Moms
Motherhood is beautiful.
And sacred.
And exhausting in ways few people speak honestly about.
The physical tiredness is real — but it’s the invisible load that often drains us most:
- the mental tabs always open
- the decisions that never stop
- the emotional attentiveness
- the quiet responsibility
Even when we sit down… our minds rarely do.
Yet from the very beginning, God modeled a rhythm for His people.
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” — Exodus 20:8
Not as restriction.
But as invitation.
And when ministry pressed in on Jesus, He told His disciples:
“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” — Mark 6:31
He didn’t say:
Earn rest.
Rest once everything is finished.
Rest when life slows down.
He simply invited them to come away.
The truth many moms need permission to hear is this:
Rest is not a reward.
It is a rhythm God designed for our flourishing.
The Year I Began Guarding What I Was Praying For
Once I saw how hurried my life had become, I knew something had to change.
Not perfectly.
Not all at once.
But intentionally.
These are the rhythms that slowly began restoring me — and continue shaping the way I live today.
Take what resinates. Leave what doesn’t.
Let this be permission, not pressure.
1. Removing My Phone From the Bedroom
An hour before bed, my phone now goes onto its stand in the bathroom.
Not my nightstand.
Not in my hand.
Not within reach.
I know many of us use our phones as monitors — I do too. But unless someone is sick, I don’t need it beside me all night. So I turn the volume up and let that be enough.
Truthfully, the constant monitoring often feeds the quiet undercurrent of anxiety many of us carry.
For generations, mothers slept without glowing screens beside them.
We are allowed to do the same.
And what I discovered surprised me:
When the phone left the room…
so did a surprising amount of mental noise.
No scrolling.
No comparing.
No “one last email.”
Sleep deepened.
My mind softened.
Mornings felt less like a battle to get out of bed.
Sometimes rest begins by removing what keeps interrupting it.
2. Creating a Weekly Sabbath (Even With Littles)
We practice Sabbath on Saturdays — in part because I serve in ministry and Sundays are workdays for me.
If your week looks different, let that be permission to choose the day that allows you to rest most faithfully.
Sabbath with littles is not effortless.
But it is possible.
And over time, it has become the day I enjoy the most.
Now it looks like:
- playing games with my kids without feeling guilty about the toilets that need scrubbing
- lingering at the table instead of rushing into bedtime routines
- playing at the park instead of watching them while I scroll on my phone
It required preparation.
For example, I now do laundry throughout the week so no one is out of socks on Saturday.
Small adjustments protect meaningful rest.
At first, it was harder before it became easier.
But now?
It feels like delight.
We spend six days laboring.
One day enjoying all that we labored for.
(This shift toward simplifying other areas of life — even our closets — has created surprising margin for what matters most. I share more about that in How a Capsule Wardrobe Makes Space for God.)
3. Quiet Car Rides That Make Space for God
In the mornings, on the way to daycare and work, I try to resist the urge to fill the silence.
Instead, the car becomes a small sanctuary — a space to pray, to think, and to notice what is stirring beneath the surface.
I choose the morning intentionally.
I am fresher then.
Less tired.
More focused.
Before the emails.
Before the decisions.
Before the noise.
And unexpectedly, the quiet invites creativity in my kids too.
They sing.
They imagine.
They act out entire scenes with their stuffed animals in the back seat.
Silence is rarely empty.
Often, it is where clarity returns.
4. Choosing a Devotional That Feels Like a Breath — Not a Burden
For a long time, devotionals felt like one more place I was falling short.
So I stopped chasing ideal and started choosing doable.
Recently, I found the Lectio 365 app, and it has been a gift.
Each morning, as I put on my makeup, I listen to a simple ten-minute prayer and reflection designed to refocus “my scattered senses on the presence of Jesus.”
Not long.
Not complicated.
Just grounding.
Sometimes the most sustainable spiritual rhythms are the ones gentle enough to keep among our everyday lives.
5. Remembering to Breathe
Have you ever been moving so quickly you suddenly realize…
Wait — am I even breathing?
I practice the 4-7-8 rhythm most mornings:
Breathe in for four.
Hold for seven.
Exhale for eight.
I try to repeat it at least four times before the day takes off before me.
And when anxiety rises, I return to the physiological sigh — inhaling deeply, taking in just a little more air, and then releasing it slowly.
It’s a way of reminding my nervous system that I am safe.
Sometimes I whisper a quiet reassurance to my own heart:
We are not in danger… the toddler just wants chicken nuggets instead of applesauce.
Small breaths.
Gentle reminders.
Both help us return to steadiness.
Because God designed our bodies not just to carry stress — but to release it.
6. Practicing Silence and Solitude
Each night, I lay my Bible on top of my alarm clock — yes, an old-school one since my phone no longer lives in the bedroom.
I set my alarm ten minutes earlier.
When it sounds, I can’t reach the snooze button without first picking up my Bible.
So I sit.
Not striving.
Not producing.
Not offering anything impressive.
Just being with Jesus.
When my mind wanders, I gently whisper His name to refocus.
Those quiet minutes remind me of something I am prone to forget:
I begin the day already loved.
Not earning it.
Not proving it.
Simply receiving it.
And from that place, everything else flows differently.
How Moms Can Begin Building Rhythms of Rest
If you feel tired in ways sleep alone cannot fix…
You are not failing.
You are human.
Start small.
Pick one — maybe two — of these rhythms and begin there.
I implemented these slowly over months. I share them not as a formula, but as an offering — a place for you to start.
From one mom to another.
Lasting rhythms are rarely built in dramatic overhauls.
They are formed in quiet, faithful steps.
Because the truth is this:
A rested mother is not an indulgence.
She is a gift to her family.
Reflection Questions for Your Own Rhythms of Rest
- Where in my life am I most depleted right now?
- What is quietly stealing my rest?
- Where might God be inviting me into a slower way of living?
- What is one rhythm I could begin this week?
These rhythms of rest for moms are not about perfection — they are about creating a life where your soul can breathe again.
If you’re in a season of little mouths to feed and little bums to diaper, you might enjoy The Life You Prayed For — a reflection on the weight of answered prayers.
A Gentle Invitation
Before you move on with your day, pause for just a moment.
Take one deep breath.
And ask:
Lord, what would it look like for me to receive the rest You are offering?
You may be surprised how personally He answers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are rhythms of rest?
Rhythms of rest are intentional habits that create space for physical, emotional, and spiritual renewal. Instead of waiting for rest to happen, these rhythms help build a life that regularly supports it.
What does the Bible say about rest?
Scripture presents rest as a gift from God. From the Sabbath in Exodus to Jesus inviting His disciples to “come away and rest,” biblical rest is meant to restore our souls and remind us we are not sustained by productivity alone.
How can moms practice Sabbath with young children?
Sabbath with littles may look different than traditional rest, but it is still possible. Preparing ahead, lowering expectations, and focusing on presence over perfection can help create a life-giving rhythm for the whole family.
Why is rest important for mothers?
Mothers carry significant physical and emotional responsibility. Regular rhythms of rest reduce burnout, support mental health, and allow moms to show up more peacefully for their families.
Where should I start if I feel overwhelmed?
Start small. Choose one rhythm that protects your peace — such as removing your phone at night or creating moments of quiet — and build from there.
