Six Must-Have Bible Apps for the Busy Mama
Look, I know the struggle of trying to stay in the Word as a busy mom and just how frustrating it can be to find the right time or circumstances to really dive in. Before I had kids, I honestly didn’t feel the need for Bible apps on my phone or quick, easy access to a Bible because I could always rely on having that “sit-down quiet time” with my physical Bible and a devotional or Bible study. Back then, I was ALLLLL about the old school paper and pen method. But then in came a needy baby who then turned into a greedy, handsy toddler and every day of trying to have that picture perfect time in the Word just turned into a nightmare. Talk about needing some Jesus!
Since then, I’ve discovered so many cool ways to connect with the Lord and dive into his Word just by using a few apps on my phone, and I want to share these with you in hopes that you’ll be inspired to mix up your time in the Word or even just to START to spend time in the Word. With all that’s at our fingertips these days, there really is no good reason for why even the busiest mama can’t make time for it.
Without further adieu, here is my list of…
Six Must-Have Bible Apps for the Busy Mama
1. First 5
Why I like it:
offers short, easy-to-read Bible reading plans that include a verse of the day and often go verse-by-verse for in-depth study
includes prayer prompts for each day
gives you the option to set an alarm to wake you up with a notification
First 5 has become my number one app for devotionals / Bible study simply because it gives you great insight to think about and it doesn’t take forever to read through it. In fact, this app is called First 5 because it really only requires the first five minutes of your day (or ANY five minutes of your day, for that matter).
They have plans for so many different books of the Bible, which you can access at any time without having to pay for any sort of subscription.
Right now I’m going through their “Great and Hidden Things” study on the book of Jeremiah and it’s been so refreshing to have their perspective on each chapter I’m reading!
2. She Reads Truth
Why I like it:
has beautiful aesthetics
offers a large number of Bible reading plans that cover a wide variety of topics for $1.99 or $0.99 per reading plan
includes a comment section for connecting with other women
includes full Bible access (with limited translations)
I like She Reads Truth for similar reasons as First 5, but I especially love that there’s a full Bible within the app. Also, you just can’t beat how aesthetically pleasing it is!
The one thing I’ll give you a little pointer on is that if you want to go through a plan without having to purchase it, you can actually access all of their plans for free on their website. It’s not as convenient as using the app, but if you keep a She Reads Truth tab open in your phone’s Chrome browser (or whatever you use), it’s fairly quick to access!
3. Blue Letter Bible
Why I like it:
offers Hebrew and Greek translation for every verse
refers you to other passages in the Bible that use the same words as the verse you are studying
Trust me, you don’t have to be a “Bible nerd” to use this app or get something useful out of it. Although looking up Hebrew or Greek translations might sound a little nerdy or over-the-top, it really is a cool way to study Scripture and get more insight into a specific verse or passage.
For example, I remember using it last year when I was studying James 1 and how amazed I was when I came across a new and powerful way to understand and apply verse 2.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance (James 1:2).
Through Blue Letter Bible, I was able to learn that the Greek word for “consider” in that verse is actually hēgeomai, which can be translated to mean "command.” This changed the entire verse for me! Instead of it just being an idea; it was now a call to action. I realized joy isn’t something I’m supposed to just think about and hope happens on its own; it’s something I have to FIGHT for.
Can you see how even just examining one or two words of a verse in Blue Letter Bible can do so much in terms of helping you gain new insight and grow from the Word?
4. Bible Hub
Why I like it:
offers Hebrew and Greek translation for each verse
allows you to view many different translations for a single verse on one screen
allows you to view a large number of commentaries for each verse on the same screen’
Okay, I won’t lie. The Bible Hub app isn’t all that aesthetically appealing. BUT it is one of my favorites and one that I use even more than Blue Letter Bible or any other Bible study tools because I am OBSESSED with their commentaries.
Before discovering Bible Hub, I had never really spent any time reading commentaries. I thought it would take up too much time and I didn’t even know where to start. But then once I saw that Bible Hub offers SO many different commentaries all on the same page and that these commentaries were actually super helpful for understanding what I was reading, I somehow got hooked and now I love scrolling through them.
My favorite commentary that I’ve found through Bible Hub is called Maclaren’s Expositions and I honestly can’t count the number of times I’ve been in awe of something of his that I’ve read.
Contrary to what people might think, you don’t need a solid 30 minutes to get into commentaries. Even just a few minutes is enough time to allow something to jump out at you. If you’ve never tried reading commentaries before, Bible Hub is a great place to start!
5. The Bible by YouVersion
Why I like it:
includes full Bible access in over a thousand translations
has an audio format for listening to the Bible aloud
option to make highlights and take notes within the app
The Bible app by YouVersion is probably THE most downloaded Bible app. I most often use it when I’m just trying to read a passage or chapter and I especially appreciate how easy it is to switch translations.
The other day I was talking to somebody who had never heard of the Message translation and this just blew my mind because it’s one of my favorites. The Message translation, as well as every other translation you can think of, is available on the Bible app, which makes it super easy for you to mix things up in your Bible reading.
Also, if you’re one of those moms who never has her hands free, you’ll appreciate that this app can actually read the Bible aloud to you! Perfect for car rides, washing dishes, the shower, or helping you fall asleep at night.
6. Verses
Why I like it:
helps you memorize Scripture
Enough said.
I want to emphasize the practice of memorizing Scripture for a minute because I really do believe it’s one of THE most powerful activities that I have put into practice in the past couple of years and what has helped make the Bible come even more alive for me. It’s how my time in the Word became more than just a once-a-day sit-down thing and became an anytime, anywhere thing.
There have been times when I’m rocking my little ones to sleep in the middle of the night and have been so worn down, physically and emotionally. In those times it’s pieces of Scripture like Isaiah 26:3 that hold me together: “You will keep [her] in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because [she] trusts in You.”
When we have struggled with our finances or have been tempted to question God’s goodness over certain situations, I’ve been able to declare over myself Romans 8:28. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
When I’ve wondered if I’m ever going to measure up to the kind of wife and mom that I hope to be or when I’ve questioned whether the Lord is really working in my heart and transforming me, I’ve also remembered 2 Corinthians 3:18, “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory.”
There are countless truths we can find in the Word to memorize and declare over ourselves, and I love how there are apps like Verses that are designed to help us with this.
. . . . .
What I most want you to take away from this list is that there ARE options for even the busiest mama when it comes to spending time in the Word. I think it’s so easy to feel limited and constrained by motherhood or by our pace of life, but the truth is that there are so many resources and tools that make reading and studying the Bible simpler than it’s ever been. Whether you’re the busy stay-at-home-mama or the always-on-the-go working mama, YOU have the capability to dive into Scripture and be enriched by the truth of God’s Word.
My hope and prayer is that you always stay open to the idea of trying different tools and methods because It’s just incredible how much the Lord can reveal to us when we’re willing to step out of the box and try something new!