Throughout this month, we've talked a lot about spring cleaning: our hearts, our marriages, our quiet time.
But how in the world do you find the time to DO any of that spring cleaning in the first place?
Most women - wives, mothers, and single women alike - often find themselves at the mercy of their calendars and to-do lists - that are often based on other people's priorities.
Our homes aren’t the only things that need a little spring cleaning—our schedules and boundaries do too.
Let me ask you something (and be honest with yourself here): Have you ever felt too busy to spend time with God?
You want to dive into Scripture, you want to pray more intentionally, but life just keeps piling up?
Between marriage, kids, errands, work, and all the little things that need your attention, quiet time with the Lord keeps getting pushed to “later”... except later never seems to come.
If you're too busy for God, you're taking on tasks and responsibilities that He hasn't asked of you.
God Never Asked You to Do It All
Somewhere along the way, we started believing that being a good wife and mom means saying “yes” to everything—every volunteer opportunity, every social event, every late-night task we could’ve asked for help with.
But God never called us to exhaustion. He didn’t design us to be so busy serving everyone else that we have nothing left for Him, for our husbands, or even ourselves.
Jesus Himself had boundaries. He didn’t heal everyone who asked. He stepped away from the crowds to pray.
He rested.
And if the Son of God didn’t try to do it all, why do we? (Tough truth: it's often our pride and need to control that makes us feel like we can and should do it all.)
If your schedule is packed, if you feel stretched thin, if you don’t even know when you last had an unrushed moment with the Lord—it’s time to declutter your commitments.
Spring Clean Your Schedule & Priorities
I want you to take a look at everything on your plate right now. Write it down if you need to. Then ask yourself these questions:
- Did God call me to this, or did guilt, pressure, or people-pleasing put it on my plate?
- Is this bringing my family closer together, or pulling us apart?
- Is this drawing me closer to God, or distracting me from Him?
- Is this an accurate indication of what I say I prioritize, or does it compete with everything I want to prioritize?
- Am I resting and restoring my energy, or am I running on empty?
If your schedule is so full that you don’t have time to pray, to study Scripture, to truly connect with your husband, or to just breathe—something has to change.
Not everything needs to stay on your calendar. Some commitments are good, but may not be God’s best for this season. It’s okay to say no.
Boundaries Aren’t Just for Others—They’re for You, Too
A lot of times when we talk about boundaries, we think about setting limits with other people. And yes, that’s important!
But boundaries aren’t just about saying no to others—they’re also about saying yes to what matters most.
I'm sure you've heard the saying that when you say yes to one thing, you're saying no to something else.
What do you need to say no to so that you can:
- Say yes to daily time with the Lord—even if it’s just 15 minutes before the kids wake up.
- Say yes to date nights with your husband—your marriage needs intentional care.
- Say yes to rest—rest that refuels you, not just mindless scrolling on your phone.
- Say yes to quiet evenings at home instead of overloading your schedule.
When you clear out the clutter and protect what truly matters, you’ll find more peace, more joy, and more of God’s presence in your everyday life.
What Needs to Change?
So here’s my challenge to you, sweet friend: Take some time this week to “spring clean” your boundaries.
Pray over your commitments. Ask God to show you what needs to stay and what needs to go. And then, be bold enough to make the changes He’s calling you to make.
God never asked you to do it all. He just asks you to walk with Him. And trust me—when you clear out the clutter, you’ll have so much more room for His peace, His wisdom, and His joy.
Need a little guidance? Grab your FREE guide, "From Overwhelmed to Aligned: A Simple Worksheet to Free Your Schedule & Focus on What Matters" to help you reflect on your current schedule and make space for what you know God is actually calling you to prioritize right now.
I’d love to hear from you—what’s one boundary you need to reset this season? Let’s chat in the comments! 💛
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.
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!
How well are you sleeping?
Not only does inadequate sleep affect your mood and emotions, but it also has long-term damaging effects on your heart and circulatory system, metabolic system, immune system, nervous system, brain function, and mental health.
Taking care of your body by ensuring you get enough sleep is vital in order to effectively care for your family, manage your emotions, and respond biblically to challenging situations.
Prioritizing sleep is an essential aspect of self-care that is often overlooked.
Check out the full post for tips and to download your FREE Sleep Checklist!
How often do you hear about nutrition as it relates to being a better wife (and this has NOTHING to do with weight loss or physical appearance!)?
When we treat our bodies well with proper nutrition, they function better, leading to improved emotional well-being. On the other hand, consuming excessive sugar and processed foods can leave our bodies struggling to process what they weren't designed to handle, leading to negative emotional effects such as lethargy, irritability, and anxiety.
Read the full post for a little bit about my own experience of maintaining a healthy diet despite being a busy mom. You'll find a few tips and suggestions for simple and convenient foods, along with how incorporating clean supplements into your routine can further support your physical and emotional health.
By prioritizing proper nutrition and taking care of your body, you will be better equipped to serve your husband and family.
Read more...
