I hope you had a great Christmas! My family enjoyed a quiet Christmas at home.
Things were different this year for a few reasons. I didn’t do a lot of the things I normally do for the holidays:
- For the first time in 17 years, I didn’t do Operation Christmas Child boxes.
- I didn’t buy and mail presents to my friends out of town.
- I didn’t do Angel Tree at church.
- I failed miserably at doing an Advent calendar for my kids. (Although they’ve forgiven me since we gave them a puppy a week before Christmas.)
This year, it was all just more than I could handle, in my heart and in my schedule. My heart was especially heavy these past two months, as my parents’ divorce will soon be official. Divorce is hard on kids of any age, even adult children.
Additionally, I felt like I had very little margin, time and energy to do these things I normally do. When I look at my calendar, we had something going on just about every single day. My to-do list ran over with so many things.
It was a bit much for me.
How about you? Are you weary from the hustle and bustle of the holidays? Are you in need of a breather?
Me too.
So here’s a few things we can do to reset:
- Get back in God’s Word: When I am overly busy, it’s easy for me to skip reading my Bible. I prefer to do it in the morning, but sometimes the demands of the day or the unplanned things of life (oversleeping, children losing their shoes, etc.) steal my attention. And within a few days, I find myself grouchy and irritable, signs that my soul is hungry for God’s Word. So let’s try to get back into a routine of spending time with God. The verse at the top of this post is one of my favorites and encourages me to make time with God a priority.
- Take some time for yourself: You have been busy overseeing all the holiday things and serving those around you. You deserve a breather! Look at your calendar and schedule some time to do what refreshes you. (Maybe you’ll have to wait until your kids are back in school, but that’s okay. Scheduling it now will give you something to look forward to.)
- Dream for 2018: What do you want to accomplish this next year? Spend some time dreaming and making goals for 2018. Share them with a friend to help keep you accountable.
- Prioritize Soul Care: As women, sometimes we think coffee, a pedicure or a shopping trip will fill us up. While those things are enjoyable and provide a much-needed diversion, they don’t keep us refreshed for long. Sometimes when I have a few hours out, I come back feeling like I needed more time. And it’s often because I didn’t spend time nourishing my soul. So make sure you schedule time to be with God, worship God, be inspired, and do what God created you to do. When we spend time doing these things, our souls feel nourished.
It was around this time last year that I felt burned out from the holidays and had not spent much time and effort on soul care. When I finally got out of the house and sat in the quiet of Barnes and Noble, God gave me the idea for Restore. He reminded me that I wasn’t alone—that other moms need restoration and refreshment too.
So I’d love for you to join me at Restore – Soul Care for Moms 2018 on January 19th! I know you’ve been busy and may not have had a chance to get your ticket, so I’ve extended the early-bird registration through today, 12/27.
Because we’re blog and e-mail buddies, use the coupon code SUBSCRIBER for $3 off your ticket (no expiration).
Earlier this year, I wrote two blog posts I think you’ll find helpful as you make time for a much-needed breather:
Can I pray for us today?
Lord, We are tired and we are weary from so much going on during the holiday season. Thank you so much that we can come to you for the rest our souls need. Nothing is too hard or heavy for you. Please help us to reset: to make the time to be with you, to read your Word, to be inspired, and to have fun doing what you created us to do. Thank you for being the restorer of our souls. Amen.
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