Be Still, My Screens {and a special giveaway}

*I am thrilled to share this post by my friend, Arlene Pellicane, today. I know you will be encouraged by her wise insights to help us all experience some peace and quiet!

What does it mean to be still?

Being still means to abstain from motion, to utter no sound, to be subdued, muted, calm, tranquil and quiet. It’s being free from noise or turbulence.

Doesn’t that sound nice … but a bit foreign or outdated in our noisy, busy world?

Beep. Someone messaged you.

Of course, you immediately check your phone because you want to know if it’s urgent or important. Usually it’s neither, but you have been trained to respond at a moment’s notice. If we are not careful, this rush of responding to blinking lights and buzzing gadgets can be addicting.

Are we listening to the voices coming out of our smart phones and computers more than we are listening to God’s voice?  

Have we traded stillness and silence for the constant hum of online living?

If you are living with anxiety, stress or fear, perhaps it is time to still your screens. Unplug the modem. Limit your time on social media. Turn the television off.

Instead, be still before the God who calms the storm so its waves are still (Psalm 107:29). Only He can calm the turbulence in your heart.

Screens often distract us from putting our focus on Christ. Think about the environment of your home. Is it a place where you can be quiet before the Lord to think about His goodness? Or is each room permeated by pixels, chimes and ringtones?

Maybe it’s time to still your screens.

And what about your children’s screens?

Ouch. I know.  

The average child in America is spending more than 7 hours with screens each day. That means for every 7 years of life, one full year is spent in front of a screen – 24 hours a day!

Make it your aim to be still in an overly wired, 24/7, always-on world. Model this screen-free calm to your children. Make sure they have parts of their daily routine which have nothing to do with screens.

The wisdom of Psalm 46:10 calls out to us,

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

My family created a video about my book Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World (co-authored with Dr. Gary Chapman).  Watch and see which family day looks most like yours.

It’s time to still our screens and know that He is God.

It’s time to still our screens to know our family.

This week, we’re giving away a copy of Arlene’s book Growing Up Social. To enter to win, leave a comment by Friday, April 29. For those super buys gals, just comment: I want to be still!

Today’s post comes from Arlene Pellicane, speaker and author of five books including 31 Days to Becoming a Happy Mom and 31 Days to a Happy Husband. She is also the co-author of Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World (with Gary Chapman). She has been a featured guest on the Today Show, Fox & Friends, Focus on the Family, FamilyLife Today, The 700 Club, and Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah. Arlene also is a regular contributor to Today’s Christian Woman.   

Arlene lives in the San Diego area with her husband James and their three children. To learn more and for free family resources such as a monthly Happy Home podcast, visit www.ArlenePellicane.com

*Special thanks to Lisa for the beautiful image at the top of today’s post!

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Do you want to know God’s voice and hear Him more clearly? Join Katy at the She Laughs women’s conference May 13-14 in Mesquite, Tx. Together, we’ll learn to recognize God’s voice and connect to His call!