I'm sure you've been there...or maybe you're there now.
Stuck in a rut with your Bible study routine—or maybe you don’t have a routine at all?
I get it. Life gets busy. Between kids, laundry, meals, and all the little fires that need to be put out each day, it’s easy for Bible study to become just another box to check (or one that gets left unchecked altogether).
But just like we deep clean our homes in the spring, sometimes we need to do the same with our spiritual routines. A fresh start can breathe new life into our time with the Lord, helping us to grow in godliness and be the wives and moms He’s called us to be.
Why Your Bible Study Routine Might Need a Spring Cleaning
If your quiet time has started to feel dry, repetitive, or just plain nonexistent, that’s a sign it’s time to shake things up.
Maybe you've been relying on quick devotionals ("something is better than nothing") instead of digging into Scripture yourself.
Maybe you've lost your passion for studying because you don't know where to start.
Or maybe you’re simply in a busy season, and your study habits have slipped away altogether.
Whatever your situation, the good news is that God’s Word is living and active (Hebrews 4:12), and He is always ready to meet you—no matter how long it’s been.
Think about your home in the middle of winter. It gets cluttered, dusty, and in need of a good refresh.
The same thing can happen with our spiritual habits! We can fall into routines that aren’t serving us well, and without realizing it, we start feeling distant from God.
That’s why spring is the perfect time to reset—to clean out what’s not working and replace it with fresh, life-giving habits that help you stay consistently engaging with and growing in the Word.
How to Refresh Your Bible Study Routine
Okay but...how exactly do you go about “spring cleaning” your Bible study time? Here are a few simple but powerful steps to get started:
- Reevaluate Your Routine (or Create One!) – If you don’t have a set Bible study habit, now is the time to start! Even if it’s just 5-10 minutes a day, having a consistent rhythm makes all the difference. If you do have a routine but it’s feeling stale, ask yourself: What’s working? What isn’t? Do I need to adjust my time, location, or study method?
- Declutter the Distractions – Just like physical clutter makes it hard to focus at home, distractions can keep us from diving deep into God’s Word. Are you constantly reaching for your phone? Do the kids always seem to need something the moment you open your Bible? Try setting up a quiet, designated space, even if it’s just a corner of your bedroom or a spot at the kitchen table before everyone else wakes up. Yes, you might lose a little sleep, but it will be worth it!
- Choose a Fresh Approach – If you’ve been relying on devotionals, try reading straight from the Bible using an inductive study method like SOAP (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer) or Verse Mapping. Studying the Word for yourself (instead of only reading someone else’s thoughts) will deepen your understanding and help you grow spiritually.
- Make It Exciting Again – Sometimes we just need a change of scenery or a new tool to spark joy in our study time! Get a new journal, try using highlighters and sticky notes, or listen to an audio Bible while taking a prayer walk. Find little ways to make your time with God something you look forward to.
- Tie It to Your Role as a Wife and Mom – Your time in the Word isn’t just for you—it’s for your family, too. What you learn and apply will shape your marriage, your parenting, and your home. If you’re struggling with submission, patience, or showing love to your husband and kids, let your Bible study focus on what God’s Word says about those things. Ask Him to refine your heart so you can be the helper your husband needs and the example your children follow.
What to Actually DO During Your Bible Study Time
It’s one thing to set aside time for Bible study—but what should you do during that time? Here’s a simple, effective flow to guide you:
- Begin with Prayer – Ask God to open your heart and mind to His truth. Pray for wisdom, understanding, and a heart that is eager to learn and obey.
- Read a Chapter or Passage – Choose a book of the Bible and read it systematically (instead of hopping around). Take your time—this isn’t a race.
- Make Observations – As you read, ask yourself: What stands out? What do I learn about God? About people? About the context? Write these things down.
- Journal Questions and Insights – If something confuses you or you want to study a certain topic deeper, jot it down. Write out insights that feel like God is speaking to your heart.
- List Out Applications – What is this passage teaching you about your role as a wife? A mom? A woman of God? Write down one or two ways you feel called to live out what you’ve just read.
- Close in Prayer – Ask God to keep His Word fresh in your heart throughout the day. Pray that He would shape you, transform you, and help you apply what you've learned in your marriage, parenting, and daily life.
This process keeps you engaged, intentional, and growing every single day.
BUT NOTE THIS! If you only have 5-10 minutes, you likely will not be able to do all of that in one sitting. THAT'S OKAY! Begin with prayer, then do the next step from where you left off the day before, and then close in prayer. You don't have to do it at once.
That's where so many of us get stuck and quit. Don't quit. Just do as much as you can with the time that you have.
Sticking with It for the Long Haul
Spring cleaning isn’t just about tidying up—it’s about maintaining a fresh and inviting space.
The same goes for Bible study. To keep from slipping back into inconsistency, find ways to stay accountable.
Maybe that’s joining a study group, setting a reminder on your phone, or asking a friend to check in with you. And most importantly, pray! Ask God to give you a hunger for His Word and the discipline to stay committed.
Know that even if you don't "feel" like you're getting anything out of it, or you don't "feel" motivated to read or study, it's still an important discipline to develop and an instruction to follow, regardless of whether we feel like it.
Sweet friend, your time with the Lord is worth it. Jesus is worth it!
A refreshed, re-engaged, and re-energized Bible study habit will not only transform your heart, but will overflow into your marriage, your motherhood, and your home. Let this be the season where you fall in love with studying Scripture again.
So, are you ready to spring clean your Bible study routine? I’d love to hear how you’re making this a priority in your life!
Share your thoughts in the comments, and send this to a friend who could use some encouragement today.
You know what time it is...
Spring cleaning season is here, and while you may be busy dusting shelves and tossing out clutter, have you paused to consider that your heart might need a little decluttering, too?
Just like a messy home can make it hard to find peace, a heart weighed down by sin, distractions, or unaddressed emotions can keep you from walking closely with God - which in turn can wreak havoc on your marriage.
Hebrews 12:1 tells us to
lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us.
This is an instruction, which indicates that we have control over whether or not we do this.
If we want a deeper, more intimate relationship with the Lord, and a stronger, healthier marriage, we have to make space for God by intentionally, purposefully, obediently letting go of the things that get in the way.
Maybe you're struggling with bitterness or unrealistic expectations toward your husband; a grudge you’re holding against a friend; or just the never-ending to-do list that keeps pushing time with God to the bottom of it (which means it rarely, if ever, happens).
Whatever it is, there are some steps you can take to declutter the things in your heart that aren't serving you, your faith, or your family, and free up some space to invite Christ to fill you with godliness and fruits of the Spirit.
The first step in decluttering your heart is identifying what’s there.
You can do this by prioritizing your time studying Scripture.
When you spend intentional time in the Word, the Holy Spirit brings to light the things you need to surrender (Psalm 139:23-24).
If you don’t make space for Scripture in your life (daily if possible), you won’t even recognize the clutter you're carrying.
Spend time reading and studying the Bible, and then take a few minutes to journal out a few things you feel the Spirit is revealing to you that you need to let go of.
The next step is to actively let go of sin and negativity.
This is where you apply what you study.
If God’s Word calls you to forgive, you forgive. If it calls you to trust instead of worry, you surrender your anxieties in prayer (Philippians 4:6-7).
It’s not enough to simply acknowledge the clutter; you have to remove it. And just like with physical clutter, this is an ongoing process—not a one-time event.
As you take steps to declutter your heart, you’ll find that your time with the Lord feels more joyful and meaningful, your marriage will benefit from your softened spirit, and your joy in Christ will grow.
The final step is to replace the clutter with fruits of the Spirit.
In Matthew 12:44-45, Jesus tells us:
Then it [the demon] says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first.
When you simply try to stop doing or to release something, without replacing it with a godly alternative, you leave your mind, heart, and soul susceptible for the enemy to fill that space with even more clutter.
For example, you can try to stop thinking negative thoughts about your husband, but if you don't replace them with positive thoughts instead, you'll find yourself coming up with all sorts of other destructive assumptions to dwell on.
How do you cultivate the fruits of the Spirit? By practicing the core spiritual disciplines of Bible study, prayer, and worship.
If you need help getting started, I invite you to check out my free Quieting Your Mind Guide. This guide was created to help you learn how to experience deeper, more meaningful and fruitful connection with God in your quiet times.
Make time this week to sit with the Lord and ask Him to show you what needs to go. Then, be obedient in clearing it out and adding spiritual disciplines in so you can walk more freely with Him.
Hey sweet friend, pour a cup of coffee and let's talk about love—the real, gritty, God-designed kind that makes marriages thrive.
We hear “love” tossed around so casually ("Okay, love you, bye!"), but biblical love is in a league of its own.
It’s not just warm feelings or grand gestures; it’s patient, kind, and selfless. It’s the kind of love Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13—love that doesn’t keep score, isn’t easily angered, and rejoices in the truth.
It's the kind of love that requires action - intentional acts done offered from a heart of obedience, not necessarily driven by emotion.
And let's be honest: this kind of love rarely comes naturally.
When your husband forgets to take out the trash (again), or it feels like you’re carrying the weight of the family on your shoulders, the love that “always protects, always trusts, always hopes” can feel out of reach.
But here’s the beautiful thing: biblical love isn’t something we manufacture on our own. It’s the love of Christ flowing through us, empowering us to love in ways we never could on our own.
Understanding biblical love starts with seeing marriage as a reflection of God’s love for His people.
Ephesians 5 reminds us that a husband and wife are meant to mirror Christ and the church—sacrificial love on one side, respectful submission on the other.
It’s a dance of mutual care and humility, and when we embrace God’s design, it transforms the way we relate to each other.
This week, take a moment to read 1 Corinthians 13 with fresh eyes, imagining each verse as a lens for your marriage. Pray and ask God to show you how to love your husband with more patience, more kindness, and less self-seeking. None of us do this perfectly, but by leaning on the Lord, we grow in grace every day.
Let’s commit to walking this out together, one loving action at a time. The ripple effects on your marriage will be worth it.
Sweet friend, I have been where you are.
If you’re carrying guilt or regret from last year—missed opportunities, unresolved conflict, uncompleted goals, or just feeling like you’ve fallen short—I want you to know something: God’s grace is bigger than your mistakes.
Romans 5:20 says,
where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,
Letting go of guilt isn’t about pretending it never happened; it’s about trusting that Jesus paid the price for it and choosing to walk in the freedom He offers.
YES. It is a CHOICE to hold on to guilt or to release it.
Start by confessing your guilt to God.
1 John 1:9 says,
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Rest in that promise and allow His forgiveness to wash over you.
Next, recognize that nowhere in Scripture are we told to forgive ourselves. Why? Because God's justice is so much higher than ours. His sense of judgement is so much greater. If God Himself says we are forgiven, then our forgiveness is moot.
HE has forgiven you - and HIS GRACE is sufficient.
Holding onto guilt only keeps you stuck. God's desire is for you to move forward in new growth. Embrace the new mercies God gives you each day (Lamentations 3:23) and use them as a fresh start.
Instead of dwelling on the past, ask God how He wants you to grow and move forward - and then take action to do it.
Finally, surround yourself with encouragement. Whether it’s joining a small group, being intentional about studying God's Word each day to gain wisdom and be transformed, or spending time with wise, godly friends, find ways to keep God’s truth in front of you.
If you’re looking for a practical step toward renewal, join my 5-Day Spiritual Reset Challenge that starts tomorrow. It’s a week of daily prompts to help you let go of guilt, refocus your heart, and embrace the grace God so freely offers.
Let’s walk this journey of renewal together!
The start of a new year feels like a blank page, doesn’t it? There’s something so refreshing about knowing you can turn the corner and start fresh.
But if you’re anything like me, you might also feel a little overwhelmed.
There are a million and one new ideas for organizing your home. A thousand posts about how to reinvigorate and stir new passion into your marriage. Hundreds of suggestions for how to create routines that will help you to move your body and drink more water.
Or maybe it's your your faith that feels a bit stale, and you’re wondering which influencer to follow to rekindle that passion for God. Maybe you feel a little guilty because last year's resolutions didn't stick through the year.
Let me reassure you: God’s mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23), and He’s ready to meet you right where you are.
And friend - when you meet with Him consistently, that one single step will refresh EVERY other area of your life.
Here is my encouragement to you: instead of jumping into an ambitious Bible reading plan that feels daunting, start with one passage or chapter a day and ask God to open your mind to His wisdom and grant you understanding.
Couple this with prayer—an honest conversation with Him about your fears, your desire to grow spiritually, your needs for your marriage, kids, work, and friendships, and your desire to surrender everything to His perfect will.
Trust that He can and will work in your heart as you first make it a priority to seek Him in Scripture, and second make it a priority to lay everything at His feet in obedience to Him.
Consider setting a faith-led goal for the year. Maybe it’s to study one book of the Bible deeply (you don't have to read the entire Bible in a year in order to grow!), memorize Scripture (perhaps one verse a month?), or pray regularly with your husband (or pray for him, if praying together isn't an option).
Whatever it is, make it personal and meaningful. And remember, you don’t have to do this alone! Surround yourself with women who will encourage and support you in your journey.
If you know God is calling you to take this one step to draw closer to Him, I would love to invite you to enroll in the Wives of the Word: Bible Study Methods for Women course! Doors are currently open, but only until THIS Friday, January 10, 2025.
This is your opportunity to start 2025 refreshed, with the tools and confidence to study Scripture deeply (even on the days you only have a few minutes), apply God’s truths to your marriage, parenting, and life, and grow into the women God has called you to be - while I hold your hand and guide you step-by-step, and with the encouragement and support of other women learning alongside you.
Enroll now and take the first step toward a life of spiritual renewal and joy! Doors close Friday, so don't miss out!
Let’s start this year with hearts renewed and ready for what God has in store!
