Karis & Titus over the holidays
Happy New Year!
It is a joy to be back here with an update for you all…We had a wonderful holiday season and I am eternally grateful for all that the Lord has done in my life through the trial of dealing with insomnia. God has been so good! He has taught me that self-pity leads only to depression. It is an unprofitable practice! Cultivating a spirit of gratitude has been my desire. What great blessings He has poured out on me! He has guided me to recognize that I was putting my faith in methods and medicines and not trusting in His sovereign care. Once I stopped trying all these different methods, and rather simply trusting that if He desired me to sleep, He would grant it, I began to sleep better. I also cut back in many different areas of my life. My husband and I carefully prayed and agonized over what we needed to let go of, and the Lord graciously sustained me. Taking a technology break for three weeks was so valuable. We had to let go and re-evaluate what God has called us to as a family. I am here to testify that God is a merciful, sustaining God. He cares for each of His children intimately. Even when I was overwhelmed to tears, He has sustained me. He has taught me to continue working as to the Lord even through my tears. Here are a few notes from my journal over the last few weeks:
“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!” – 1 Cor. 9:24
The Lord has used this verse to show me the importance of continuing to fight the good fight, even when I am weary, tired, or overwhelmed, He calls me just to do the next thing. Fix my gaze upon Christ and His calling! He has called me to wifehood and motherhood…well, then I will do it! I will serve as unto the Lord by doing the next thing. Don’t get consumed with the huge to-do list. Simply ask, what is the next thing? Do it with all your might! Making breakfast? Changing a diaper? Work through your tears if necessary.
‘Many a questioning, many a fear,
Many a doubt, hath it’s quieting here.
Moment by moment, let down from Heaven,
Time, opportunity, guidance, are given.
Fear not tomorrows, Child of the King,
Trust them with Jesus, DO THE NEXT THING.
Do it immediately; do it with prayer’
Do it reliantly, casting all cares;
Do it with reverence, tracing His hand
Who placed it before thee with earnest command.
Stayed on Omnipotence, safe ‘neath His wing.
Leave all resultings, DO THE NEXT THING.- Anonymous
Aaron and I over the holidays
Overall, he has taught me to be still before the Lord, as Psalms 37:7 states, “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act.” I worry, I fret, I doubt His care, but this verse commands me to be still, to wait, to simply trust that God has a plan. He may call me to continue to endure this, but for now, I will be still. I will cultivate my relationship with the Lord by daily coming before Him and renewing my mind in His word.
What does the future hold? I am not sure…it may include more sleepless nights, but overall, I know I serve a sovereign God!
Where will I go from here? I am excited to begin blogging again, but I am purposefully cutting back. My plan is to post 2-3 times per week (2 posts consistently is my goal). I am still praying about what I ought to write about and where to take this blog, so I would love your prayers and input. I am just taking it a day at a time still. I want this blog to be about strengthening wives and mothers to be passionate about cultivating their homes, joyfully serving their husbands and children. I don’t want it to be about Lindsay. I want it to be about the LORD. That is my prayer for this New Year. Stay tuned…
Lindsay, I wish you many blessings for you and your beautiful family in this new year!
Aaron and you look like you got some good rest during the holidays.
Your blog is an amazing project, so inspiring and generous. I think it stays true to its name. Thank you for all you share so sweetly with other homemakers out there!
lindsey –
have you thought about compiling some of this into a book? i have really appreciated your perspective and thoughts (Christian wife/mother, living green, eating whole foods, simple living, raising babies to serve the Lord…) you should think about it! blessings and peace in the new year!
-sara
Hi Lindsay. Thank you for this post. I have been discouraged about some health problems lately, and this morning while reading the Word, the Lord reminded me of what He had taught you through your insomnia. Thank you for your words. I am encouraged to trust. TRUST and rest. Psalm 18, especially the first few verses, blessed me this morning, and I thought of you too.
I just wanted to share with you that your blog has been a blessing to me (and, therefore, my family). I have especially enjoyed your posts on nutrition, as well as your recipes. It is so hard to find Christians who eat the whole foods way! I do pray that the Lord would bless you & give you direction!
Wish you and your family a happy new year!
Thank you for this article – it was a great encouragement for me in a very difficult situation. You and your life always seem so perfect, you seem to be a perfect mother and wife and I could never imagine that there are times when you feel overwhelmed and struggling. Your thoughts and the poem have been a great inspiration for me and gave me the firmness and the trust to do the next thing.
Thank you.
I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate your blog, not only for all I’ve learned from it, but just how you approach it. I appreciate that you only post 6 times a week (or 2 now) and that when you do post it is thoughtful and purposeful. Of all blogs I have peeked at, yours is the only one I have stuck with. So many others post incessantly and then the posts are so much less meaningful. Then it just becomes one more thing I can’t keep up with. Thank you for your encouragement in the Word and focus on your role.
I just want to say that I have been reading your blog for a while and I LOVE it. I love that you talked about Psalm 37:7 in this post, I just discovered this verse during my quiet time today and God is definitely speaking to me through it. It is so sweet how God can use the same verse to speak to people in different situations!
Thank you, thank you for all you have been inspired to write. I really appreciate all of your posts. I know that you will write what you feel prompted to write about and we will all continue to be blessed! You are an inspiration to me. Thank you.
I have only been following your blog for a few months, but I wanted to thank you. I became a stay at home mother with the birth of my son but struggled terribly with it. I loved being with him but couldn’t figure out the ins and outs of managing my home, sanity and values in my new role. I was ready to give up and go back to work and put him in daycare. Your blog has helped me figure out how to live green, be frugal and get the most out of my role as wife and mother. You will never know what you’ve done for my family, but we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
I pray that the Lord gives you the strength and direction you seek.
I just wanted to thank you for your encouragement and for sharing your life with us. I’ve learned so much, questioned many things and made choices from many things I’ve read. Your words are encouraging and your fruit shows through your faith.
Happy New Year to you and your family.
Best,
Happy new year! It’s good to see you back and so filled with grace! I haven’t been a reader for long, but have been touched in the short time I’ve been reading. Thanks for being such a blessing for so many!
I came across your site several months ago and it has a been a blessing and great encouragement to me since. I too have two small children and lately it has been a struggle to joyfully serve them. There have been several occasions, including today, that I have read a timely posting that has helped me to refocus on Christ and not myself. Thank you for the rich Christ-centeredness that is evident in everything your write.
Hey Lindsay,
I just want to let you know that I really enjoy your blog! I am 18 and aspire to be a wife and mother someday in the Lord’s timing… You mentioned about worry in your post and I thought maybe this article would help if you have time to read it.
http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/thinking-biblically-about-worry/
Happy New Year!
-Emily
Lindsay,
Your blog has been a blessing to me. I am 48 years of age and wish that when I was your age I had the Godly insight that you share in your postings. You are such an encourager and an inspiration to women of all ages. You and your beautiful family are in my prayers.
Glad to see you are back. I do not post much; but do enjoy your site!
My daughter and I were just talking about insomina. One thing someone told me years ago was to sit and pray and list my blessings while having trouble sleeping. The thought was that if it was Satan trying to keep me awake and then defeated through sleepiness during the day — he would stop – not wanting his efforts to draw me closer to the Lord. If the insomia was for other reasons – well I would be strengthened spiritually through the time I spent awake. It has helped me through the years.
So glad to see you back. I hope to visit more regularly this coming year. Happy New Year!
Blessings,
~Martie
I’m glad you’re back! I’ve missed reading your posts. Your children are absolutely PRECIOUS!! Karis looks just like you! Blessings!
Hi Lindsay. I just wanted to say that I always enjoy and am encouraged as I read your posts. I also appreciate your transparency of this post. While I don’t struggle with insomnia, I do struggle with staying balanced and keeping my priorities in line. I pray you will find a way to balance caring for your family and your ministry through blogging. I am a christian wife and homeschooling mom of special needs children, so I appreciate all your topics, especially relating to homemaking, health/environmental concerns, and striving to be an excellent wife and mother. Thanks so much for sharing your time, talents and knowledge with others. Love and peace in Christ, Sarah
Good for you Lindsay. I am always in awe of all you do. I hope you get some “Lindsay” time in there.
Speaking of prayer and input I do have a request maybe you could address in your blog some time. I have prayer and meditation ADD. The way you speak of your quiet time with the Lord and listening to the Lord makes me long for that. I don’t actually hear anything or feel anything while I am praying. I am unable to keep my mind from wandering. Do you think prayer is a learned skill or something that comes more naturally? Is prayer the same thing as meditation? Perhaps I am in the minority with my problem. I am hoping this will be helpful to others and worthy of posting about.
Thank you for continuing on your blog! Blessings to you and your beautiful family.
Lindsay, I just wanted to let you know how much I have learned from your blog over the last several months that I have been keeping up with it. I’ve learned so much about being frugal & healthy all to serve the Lord better with all of our resources. I have referred several of my friends to your blog & they have found it very helpful as well. Thanks for all the time & effort you put into blogging. I, for one, really appreciate it & am encouraged by your posts on a regular basis. Happy New Year! – Meghan