Re-Prioritizing and Strengthening Faith

I’m sure you have all noticed that I haven’t been blogging as much. For the last year or so I have to admit that I’ve been feeling pretty burned out. Not just with blogging but basically tired of feeling like I never had time to breathe and also worried that my blog wasn’t the best thing for my family. I had said it before but I literally felt like I was trying to do so many things that I wasn’t doing very good at anything. And most of all I really felt like I was failing in my family. Our children are little for only a certain amount of time and I really felt like God was calling me to focus on them and my role as mother/wife.

So little by little that’s what I did. A couple months ago I started saying, “No.” Something that if you know me is really hard for me to do. Frankly, I stink at saying no. I love to think that opportunity surrounds us so saying no can sometime feel like losing an opportunity. But I needed to realize that it just might not be the opportunity that God wanted for me.

That’s the other thing I started to do… I started turning to God. I started investing time in strengthening my faith – in to becoming a better Christian. I’ve read some of the most amazing Christian books lately (I’ll have to do a separate post on those) and really began trying to be a better person for my family.

I also began to work harder at laying a stronger Christian foundation for our boys. Little things like reading the Bible every night (here is a great children’s picture Bible my boys love), listening to Sunday School songs on the way to school (there is a great playlist on Spotify by the Cedarmont Kids), and teaching the boys that they can pray and talk to God all the time. We pray every day in the car before going in to school and the boys always join in as we loudly proclaim. “Let the whole car say…. AMEN!”

I’ve been glad that God gave me a nudge to re-prioritize but it’s definitely come with challenges. I find that for every PERSONAL “thing” I take off my plate it gets filled with two more things for the KIDS. I dropped off one board that I enjoyed personally and ended up on the PTA board. I’ve slowed down blogging but that was replaced by Luke’s homework, piano lessons, sports practices and more. The whole time I keep thinking that my schedule is going to get lighter but find that I’m still running around like a mad woman. But that’s how life is, right?! I think many moms and dads will tell you the same thing. I know there are many dads out there who get home from a day at work to head to baseball practice or outside to teach a child how to ride a bike.

I believe that’s what being a parent is all about. There is a certain amount of selflessness needed. I’m not saying forget who you are and don’t do things just for you. But it is true that children require sacrifice. But you will also be rewarded with an abundance of gifts from them.

Above all I’m still trying to learn to let it be the Lord’s word that defines me and my continued path. As Ephesians 2:10 says –

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

I have really been trying to focus on being what HE wants me to be and not just what I want myself to be. It’s hard to know who that is some days but I know he’s working throughout my life each and every day. I just need to keep listening and following.

And don’t worry… I’ll still be blogging. It just might not be as much.

Thank you for always reading, understanding and following me throughout my journey.

From a fashion standpoint do you have a poncho sweater in your closet? I am LOVING this one from StyleWe and it comes in black and grey. They are a stylish, warm option for winter. I love how you can wear them with a pair of leggings or even jeans (just so EASY). Keep scrolling below to shop some more I love!