I know it sounds strange and it is in no way meant to diminish anyone who is suffering these days, but I want to share some encouragement that there is hope among dire circumstances. And there is hope because of Him.
The Lord has changed me immensely in these past two months. I can take no credit. I didn’t “try” harder. I didn’t positively talk myself into a good place. It is truly an act that only He can do. He has been transforming me.
First, as someone who has wrestled with anxiety and worry over the years, I have never had more peace in my life than these past two months. That is a miracle in and of itself. I have come to terms with so much that I feel like I knew all these years, but now I am finally living it out.
Listen to the podcast about this here
I am not afraid. I don’t obsess over stats (I definitely would in the past). I haven’t worried about my husband’s job, or my income, or even my college-age daughter’s future going back to school. I know these things are all uncertain, and while I certainly have a healthy amount of concern, I don’t worry about the outcome.
The circumstances are not certain, but I trust a God who is certain. I have focused on the fact that He is in control and the circumstances of life aren’t nearly as important as how I handle them. And I also realize that my days are determined already and I don’t want to waste one single day He has ordained for me. No amount of worry will change my quantity of days, but I have control over my quality of days.
Another huge change I have seen is I am wholeheartedly serving my family again. All these years, while I loved being a homemaker, I am realizing now how much I wasn’t serving, but I was doing. And in the last few years, I found I was doing it just to get it done. My heart wasn’t in it to serve but to just finish a task. I would cut corners. I would just do enough. I never really went above and beyond.
During this time I have had so little else to distract me or hurry me, that I have found joy in setting the table, serving my children and husband, keeping the house tidy, and making a good meal. I have found joy in homemaking again. I am focused on the blessing of being able to do these things rather than the burden it sometimes feels in the usual hustle and bustle of life. Seeing my children who are almost all young adults these days, gathered around the table and laughing and sharing, is beyond a blessing.
I have found so much joy. My devotional is titled, Less Clutter and More Joy. And really it means the less stuff we have the more joy we find in Jesus. Because our ultimate satisfaction only comes from Him. Not things of this world. And yes, while this time has stripped away many of the things we hold dear, it has also stripped away the unnecessary and the things that were actually distracting me from my true purpose.
I find joy in setting the table beautifully. Not because I am trying to make it Pinterest-perfect or impress anyone (I mean, no one is coming over these days!), but because it feels nice to serve. I find joy in throwing on my apron each day. Not because I feel obligated, but because I am embracing my home again. I have never been one to decorate or get caught up in the details- I always saw it as not my gift and almost frivolous for me. But now, I am choosing to embrace some details merely for the fact that I want to set the tone of my home.
I even found this super cute apron on Etsy! I love it. It is yellow and it is vintage. It reminds me that simplicity is good. And doing it for the right reasons is better. And for now, while I have this time, I will embrace homemaking and embrace the slow lifestyle.
I have also found so much more time for God’s Word. My new Simply Living for Him Online Community is writing out Scripture verses every day together, and I love the act of writing out verses. I am filling my notebook with Truth and my mind and heart with what it is meant to be filled with. I am spending so much more time in my community than other social media- because quite frankly, social media isn’t an uplifting place to hang out these days. If you want to check out our new SLFH Online community for all women visit www.simplylivingforhim.com/community. We would love to have you!
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