As Christmas came to a close in 2022 I had no desire for big goals and dreams. Quite the opposite. I needed rest. I slowed into the new year. Even leaving our tree up until January 6 to soak in every ounce of the twelve days of Christmas. In this time the Lord gave me a word for my year: foundation.
And as we end the twelve days of Christmas today, I reflect back on the foundation that God mercifully allowed me to set for my life. I turn 30 next month and have my feet on solid ground as I enter into my third decade.
This past year, 2023, has been radical in shaping the values I desire to live my life from. Proverbs 14:1 guided every decision I made throughout the year.
“A wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her own hands.”
And so I evaluated my actions to see if any were pulling my home down. I started with decluttering my life of excess. Excess materials, time wasters, dreams that had faded. I decluttered our house. I logged off of social media. I dumbed down my phone. I stopped trying to fill masculine roles in my home. I became serious about the food I was allowing to take up space in my fridge and pantry.
And once I purged the unhealthy habits, new ones started sprouting new life. My home became easy to manage and maintain. I found joy in taking care of what the Lord provided. I began this blog. I took my time to mull over my thoughts rather than slapping halfhearted words on Instagram to play the algorithm game. I turned my phone into a “dumb phone”, disabling most apps so my phone became a place to call and text and listen to music. I surrendered the pursuit of making money in this season to fully embrace my role as a stay at home mama, allowing me the space to start homeschooling my son. We bought chickens, found raw milk, bought a quarter cow and started baking sourdough and making our meals at home and from scratch.
While all of these are the fruit of setting a firm foundation I would be remiss to not acknowledge Jesus Christ, my Lord, who gave me all of the grace to make exponential changes.
“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that is already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:11
What cannot be summed up in changes made throughout the year is the silence and solitude I walked into. The face to face community that sprung up around me. The sabbaths and rest our family delighted in. The blessings and provision poured out on us. The scripture written on my heart. The deep roots in my Savior who offered so much goodness in a year of great sacrifice. The trust I feel in Him. The desire to walk in His ways and on His path. To read His word and fact check everything in front of me with His character and will. Matthew 7:24-27 tells us,
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
The favor of the Lord rested on our home in 2023. He gave us the grace we needed to take off what was no longer ours to carry and step into something deeper, fuller, richer but also quieter and simpler.
At the end of November I heard it. Worship. Just a soft nudge in my heart as I was enjoying Thanksgiving with my in-laws. And I know that is what I’m called into this year. A deep reverence and adoration for God with my whole spirit, soul and body.
The beginning of the year feels like the dawn. And so I pray with David in Psalm 5, “In the morning, Lord you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.”
I wait with an expectant heart and open hands to see all I am tested and trusted with this year. Thank you Lord for the grace to continue on your paths.
