Living On Purpose In Christ | Journaling Prompts, Biblical Encouragement, Aromatherapy, Devotions, Bible Study, God's Peace

97 | No Time? No Problem! Bible Study Tips for Women on the Go

• Paula Behrens | Christian Coach, Pastor, Certified Aroma Freedom Practitioner • Season 2

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Ever glanced at your dusty Bible with a pang of guilt while racing through another hectic day? You're not alone. Drawing from my seminary years spent navigating dark country roads at 5 AM (dodging feral hogs, no less!), I share how God transformed my understanding of devotional time forever.

The perfect Bible study scenario—comfy chair, steaming tea, hour of solitude—remains an unattainable myth for most of us. But what if I told you that God's Word thrives in the messy, ordinary corners of your day? During my grueling twice-weekly commutes from Kosse to Dallas, Texas, I discovered sacred spaces in unexpected places: gas station parking lots where I'd read a Psalm while eating a breakfast biscuit, long stretches of highway where audio Scripture filled my car, and exhausted moments when a single memorized verse carried me through.

Your spiritual life doesn't require Pinterest-perfect settings to flourish. Remember the woman who touched Jesus' garment? She didn't schedule a lengthy appointment—she reached out in a moment and was transformed. God meets us in these brief, authentic encounters, turning ordinary moments into holy ground. Whether it's five minutes in the school drop-off line, a lunch break at your desk, or those quiet moments before the household wakes, He's there, ready to speak through His Word.

Ready to discover how God can meet you in your unique life circumstances? The Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour helps you create a devotional routine that works with your reality, not against it. Stop waiting for the perfect moment to connect with God—He's already waiting for you in the beautiful mess of your everyday life. Book your session today at PaulaBehrens.com/coaching and receive a bonus Aroma RESET to help you release what's been holding you back.

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Paula Behrens:

Do you ever feel like your Bible is getting dusty because your schedule is running your life? What if I told you that God can meet you powerfully in His Word even when your only free time is in the car, at a gas station or in the middle of a crazy commute? Back in my seminary days I lived in Kosse, Texas, a little town with quiet streets, rolling farmland and plenty of country roads. Twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, my alarm clock went off at four in the morning. By 5 am I was behind the wheel, diet Coke in hand, starting a three-hour drive to Dallas. Those weren't easy roads either. They were two-lane highways with no streetlights, winding curves and the occasional set of glowing eyes from a deer or worse, the threat of a feral hog darting across my path. My church members love to remind me, Pastor, if you hit one of those hogs, your car is rolling for sure. So every mile I kept my eyes peeled, praying as much for safety as I did for strength. But here's the thing. In that rhythm of exhaustion, biscuits from the Exxon station and the slow crawl into Dallas traffic, I discovered that Bible study doesn't require perfect conditions. God can meet you anywhere, even at 5 am, on a hog-filled country road, and if he can meet me there, he can meet you right where you are.

Paula Behrens:

So today I want to share seven ways God taught me to treasure his word in the middle of the busiest, craziest, messiest season of my life. But first let me ask. Are you finding it challenging to maintain your spiritual practices or yearning for a more peaceful, God-aligned day? I'm Paula and I've been there too. Balancing spiritual habits with a busy life can be difficult. I longed for a deeper connection with God but struggled with consistency. Then I found the perfect approach. If you seek simple ways to deepen your connection with God, this podcast is for you.

Paula Behrens:

Hey friend, I want to personally invite you to the Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour. This isn't just another Bible study or spiritual to-do list. It's a deeply intentional one-on-one session where you'll create a devotional routine that fits your life and reignites your love for time with God, all while using your senses. We'll partner together to design a peaceful, Christ-centered routine that helps you breathe again, spiritually and emotionally. You'll walk away with clarity, focus and a renewed connection to the Holy Spirit. Go right now to paulabehrens. com/ coaching. That's Paula Behrens B-E-H-R-E-N-S . com/ coaching, (no spaces) and book your session. It's time to stop trying to figure it all out on your own and start connecting with God in a way that finally feels like rest. All right, let's get started. Grab your Bible, dust off your journal and cozy up to your favorite beverage, and let's dive in.

Paula Behrens:

Time. It's the one thing we feel we don't have enough of, right? During my seminary days, I lived in a constant tug-of-war between demands, full-time classes in Dallas, full-time pastoral ministry in Kosse and a neighboring church, funerals to preach, weddings to officiate, sermons to prepare and members to visit in the hospital, and twice a week, that long pre-dawn drive on winding, unlit roads where my headlights seemed like the only lights for miles. I often thought to myself there has to be more time somewhere. If I could just get one free hour, I'd finally sit down with my Bible and do this the right way. But the truth was no extra hour ever showed up. My schedule stayed jam-packed and guilt often whispered in my ear. You're not doing enough. You should be better at this. Maybe you've heard that same whisper. You go to bed thinking I'll get up early tomorrow and read scripture. But morning comes, the kids wake up sick, work calls early or exhaustion hits harder than you planned, you tell yourself next week will be different. But next week never comes.

Paula Behrens:

Here's what God gently taught me on those long, dark drives. There is no perfect time. Waiting for the perfect time often means never opening the Bible at all. But even a few minutes reading a psalm before leaving the driveway, meditating on one verse during the commute or whispering a prayer between phone calls can anchor your day in his presence. Psalm chapter 90, verse 12, says: Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom. That verse became real for me. God wasn't asking me to stretch 24 hours into 25. He was asking me to invite him into the time I already have. Where in your schedule do you feel most pressed for time? Instead of waiting for more time to appear, what would it look like to invite God into just five minutes of that space?

Paula Behrens:

Somewhere around 6 am, after nearly an hour of driving, I'd pull into a little Exxon station. The glow of its fluorescent lights was a welcome sight after miles of pitch black country road. That station became my sacred landmark, my place to stretch and, most importantly, my chance to refuel with one of their homemade egg and sausage biscuits. Oh, those biscuits were good, greasy, hearty and exactly what my tired body needed. But you know what I learned? Just as my body needed fuel to keep going, my soul needed fuel too. More than once I grabbed my biscuit, slid back behind the wheel and opened my Bible to a psalm before pulling out of the parking lot. Some mornings it was only a verse or two. Other times I sat there longer than I intended, letting the words soak in before hitting the road again.

Paula Behrens:

I didn't always remember every detail of what I read, but the simple act of pausing to open God's Word transformed that stop into sacred space. I came to realize that the holiness of Bible study isn't about location, it isn't about atmosphere. It's about God's presence in the ordinary moments of life. For you, it may not be an Exxon station. Maybe it's the school drop-off line, the lunch break at your desk, or a quiet pause in the grocery store parking lot. Wherever it is, those little moments can be Exxon stops for your soul, ordinary places where God does extraordinary work. Jesus himself often met people in ordinary places, by a well, on a road, at a dinner table, and he still does that today. What is your Exxon stop, an ordinary, everyday place where you could slip in a few verses of scripture this week?

Paula Behrens:

Once I left that Exxon station with my biscuit and Diet Coke refill, I had about two hours left to go before hitting Dallas. That stretch of the drive often felt endless, flat highways, steady traffic and the weight of exhaustion hanging heavy. But my car became my classroom. I had already studied Greek in my undergrad years, so I wasn't juggling vocabulary cards anymore, but I still had readings and assignments pressing in. Yet instead of filling that time with stress, I began to use it as a sanctuary. I listened to scripture on tape yes, cassette tape back then and let God's word fill the miles. Sometimes I'd even recite verses out loud, letting my own voice be the echo chamber of truth. I'll tell you this there's something powerful about hearing God's word while the world is still dark outside your window. The steady rhythm of the car, the glow of the headlights, the hum of tires on the road, it became the background music for truth to sink into my soul.

Paula Behrens:

Many of you spend time in your car too, whether it's five minutes to the office or 45 minutes to the soccer field. Those are precious pockets of time you can redeem. Turn down the noise, turn on scripture or worship and let your car become your sanctuary on wheels. Romans, chapter 10, verse 17, reminds us, faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Those commutes are opportunities to literally hear the word and let it grow your faith. If you have commute time, how could you turn it into sanctuary time this week, through audio scripture, prayer or maybe reflection?

Paula Behrens:

That egg and sausage biscuit may have filled my stomach, but it didn't keep me full for long. By the time my first class ended in Dallas, I was already looking forward to a 20-minute walk to Schlotzsky's carrying a 50-pound backpack full of books. But scripture, even a single verse, had a way of staying with me all day. I began to see Bible study less like a formal banquet and more like steady snacks. Yes, there are seasons for big feasts in God's word, those quiet retreats where you can sit for hours in prayer and study, but there are also seasons where you survive on bites. One verse here, a psalm there, and those snacks of scripture can be just as life-giving. Jesus himself gave us the model when he said in Matthew, chapter 4, verse 4, man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Every word, not every chapter, not every commentary, just one word from God can feed your soul in ways that nothing else can.

Paula Behrens:

On the busiest days, I'd often find myself replaying a single verse from my morning Exxon stop while driving back to Kosse late at night. That one verse became my fuel, keeping me steady, reminding me of God's presence and anchoring me when fatigue threatened to overwhelm. Think about your day. Instead of waiting for the perfect moment to sit down with your Bible, how can you snack on scripture, taking in small, steady bites of God's word to carry you through? I used to have a picture in my head of what Bible study was supposed to look like, a steaming cup of hot tea, a cozy chair by the window, my journal open, an hour of silence, reflection and prayer. But my reality was far from that. My quiet time was usually crammed into the corners of long days and it looked like bleary-eyed reading before collapsing into bed.

Paula Behrens:

At first I felt guilty. Was I doing it wrong? Was God disappointed in me? But slowly he began to teach me. Bible study isn't about setting or perfection. It's about presence. Think about Jesus' encounter with the woman in Mark, chapter 5. She didn't have a long structured meeting with him. She reached out in a moment, touched the hem of his garment and was changed forever. Sometimes all it takes is a moment, five minutes, one verse, a whispered prayer, and God can do incredible work in that small space.

Paula Behrens:

I had to let go of the myth that my Bible study had to fit a Pinterest perfect picture. When I released that guilt, I discovered freedom. My car became a sanctuary, a gas station became a sacred space. A single verse became enough. Where have you believed the myth that Bible study has to look a certain way? How could you release that guilt today and embrace God's presence in your life?

Paula Behrens:

Sometimes, especially on those late night drives back to Kosse, I was too tired to stop and read anything new. My eyes burned from fatigue. But I had something better I had scripture hidden in my heart. Verses I had memorized years earlier became my companions. Isaiah, chapter 40, verse 31 was one I repeated often, But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint. Mile after mile that verse kept me company, reminding me that even in my weakness, God was renewing me.

Paula Behrens:

That's the hidden gift of memorizing scripture. You can carry it with you. You don't need a Bible in your hands, because the word is already in your heart. It becomes a well that you can draw from when you're weary, anxious or overwhelmed. And here's the good news, you don't have to memorize a whole book. Start with one verse, write it on a card, tape it to your mirror, whisper it as you drive. Before long it'll be yours to carry, fuel for the long, dark roads of life. What one verse could you memorize this week and carry with you into your busiest, hardest places?

Paula Behrens:

Looking back on those seminary years, I realized something important, God wasn't waiting for me to graduate before he spoke. He wasn't waiting for my schedule to lighten or my life to calm down. He met me in the middle at 5 am, on dark, hog-filled country roads, at Exxon stations with biscuits, in the quiet hum of a long commute and in exhausted moments at the end of the day. And he will meet you in the middle of your life too. You don't need to wait for things to settle down. You don't need to apologize for not having the perfect setup. God is waiting right where you are. Your Bible study doesn't have to be perfect, it doesn't have to be long, it just has to be real. God's Word is alive and it is more than enough for you today. Where is one messy, ordinary place in your week where you will commit to meeting God in His Word?

Paula Behrens:

Okay, let's do a quick reflection on seven ways to fit God into the busiest of days. One: God can meet you even in the pockets of moments you already have. Two: holiness isn't about the setting, but about his presence with you. Three: your car, your commute or any small stretch of time can become a moving sanctuary where God's word speaks into the ordinary rhythm of your day. Four: just like breakfast fuels your body, scripture fuels your soul and even the smallest verses can carry you through the long, exhausting hours of life. Five: Bible study doesn't require a flawless setting or uninterrupted hours. God meets us in the messy, real moments when we invite him in. Six: when you memorize or reflect on scripture, you carry God's word with you, giving strength and guidance wherever life takes you. And seven: God isn't waiting for your life to be perfect. He meets you right where you are, in the middle of your chaos, and invites you into his presence.

Paula Behrens:

And friend, t hat's the beauty of it. Bible study isn't about fitting your life into some rigid mold. It's about inviting God into the life you're already living. Whether you're on a dark country road at 5 am watching for feral hogs or sneaking five minutes of quiet in the middle of household chaos, God's word has a way of breaking through. He meets you right where you are, and maybe that's where you're feeling stuck right now. You love God, you want to spend time in his word, but the reality of your schedule makes it feel almost impossible.

Paula Behrens:

What if you could build a devotional routine that actually worked in those small time slots, in those Exxon-stop moments of your day? That's exactly why I offer the Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour. In these one-on-one sessions, we'll work together to create a devotional routine that fits your real life, one that doesn't add guilt or overwhelm, but instead leaves you feeling refreshed and connected to God. And for a limited time, I'm including a Bonus Aroma RESET with each coaching hour. This gentle, spirit-led process helps you identify past memories with emotional charges, the kind that silently hold you back from even trying to set new goals with God. Through this RESET, you'll be able to release what's been weighing you down and step into a lighter, freer space where meeting God feels natural again. So if your heart has been nudging you while listening today, this may be your next step. You can book your Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour and an Aroma RESET at paulabehrens. com/ coaching. That's Paula Behrens B-E-H-R-E-N-S . com/ coaching (no spaces). Book your session now, while the Peace RESET is still on the table.

Paula Behrens:

Thank you for tuning in today and remember, just like setting biblical boundaries, it's okay to say no to things that don't serve you well, like that third piece of cake at the church potluck. If you were blessed by this episode, be sure to share it with a friend and leave a review so that we can reach even more women like you. Check the show notes for all the links. Join us next time as we continue to discover how to live on purpose in Christ. Until then, keep leaning into him and walking in his wisdom. See you next time.