Come Away by Yourselves and Rest Awhile

Tami Kiser details three ways busy moms can follow the words of Jesus.

“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” (Mark 6:31)

Can busy moms ever come away by ourselves to a secluded place? It seems impossible, but our soul needs this time away. How can we do this in the midst of our crazy lives?

First of all, go to your “prayer closet” daily. Do you remember these other words of Jesus about prayer?

“But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.” (Matthew 6:6)

In some translations, they call the inner room a “prayer closet.” I’m not saying you should give up some space in your closet or, for that matter, pray in a closet surrounded by clothes, but rather find a place in your home that you can designate as your prayer space.

Maybe you already have a favorite spot where you pray. The reason for having a particular place is so that your body will know to go into “prayer mode” whenever you go to this spot. This can help immensely with prayer distractions. And this spot doesn’t have to be exclusively for just that. Your body can figure out that if it’s 7 in the morning and you’re holding a cup of coffee, you’ve entered into prayer versus it’s 2 PM and have a toddler on your lap with a copy of Ferdinand to read. (Although it's nice to note that all of our activities are done in prayer, right?)

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If you haven’t guessed, your prayer place can be a chair in the corner of a room, maybe the bedroom. Or it can be an actual kneeler. Or even the side of a bed with a nightstand as your altar. The important part is that it is a quiet place and conducive to prayer for you.

Many women put a favorite icon, or saint statue here, their rosary, and their favorite prayer books and prayer cards. Maybe a copy of their Magnificat. Just don’t overdo it. Too much clutter can distract us from the One who we are supposed to be meeting. Finally, I personally like a candle. It helps me focus.

Once you have your prayer space, commit yourself to coming here at least once a day. Perhaps at the day’s beginning. Here is your space to “come away by yourself.”

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Another way to “come away by yourself to a secluded place” is to go to Adoration. We would literally be going away by ourselves to be with our Lord. Sure, we get to be with Jesus at Mass, and that’s wonderful, but at Adoration, the time with our Lord seems more private and personal. The Adoration Chapel can be the “secluded place.” Often there are very few people there. Adoration is like that one-on-one time with the Lord truly there in our presence. We can just rest there in His loving gaze on us. We can listen to what He wants to tell us. We can thank Him for the grace and gifts that He has given to us. And finally, we can share our concerns and wants with Him.

The final way to “come away by yourself to a secluded place” is to go on a retreat. Again, this seems like a literal translation. Retreat centers are often in secluded places. Their purpose is to pull people out from their ordinary lives and give them this time away with Jesus. Many spiritual leaders and directors recommend a yearly retreat. Perhaps no group needs a retreat more than mothers, yet I bet this group has the hardest time getting away.

I’m not suggesting leaving nursing babies behind, or even going away for more than one night (maybe just start with a day!), but a time away to refocus, rest, and be with our Lord will do wonders for you and for the family you so love. Moms going on retreat return home as different mothers. I know this first-hand because I often went on retreat when I was a busy mom. And I know now, as someone who gives retreats, what a difference that these times away can make in the lives of the moms who give themselves to this. It just takes some commitment and planning, but it's so worth it

Perhaps no group needs a retreat more than mothers, yet this group has the hardest time getting away. #CatholicMom

This may sound like a commercial for a retreat because, as I mentioned, I give retreats and I actually own a retreat center. My husband and I are in our third year of hosting retreats for men, women, and families. We truly believe in the need for people to “come away." We started our ministry at Heart Ridge Retreat Center because we wanted a place for people to do this: to come away, be with our Lord, and to rest.

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