You guyyysssss!!!! It’s been far too long, but honestly I’ve been enjoying every moment of being (mostly) offline. Here’s why:
These last 6 months (!!!) have been a time of such transformation for me. Here’s a quick recap:
Jeremiah Anthony came into our world 3 weeks early – three days before we closed on our new house and 4 days before we moved (things I don’t advise anyone to do in the same month, let alone the same week!) I’ll share his birth story soon, but suffice it to say it was quite the chaotic adventure. You never know what to expect, right?
With all those sudden changes crashing down on us in the span of just a few days, we had to take the crash course on reprioritizing and relearning what balance truly means. Turns out I needed an entire shift of perspective when it came to work-life balance. As I was reading the Finding Work Life Balance devotional by the Theology of Work Project, I was struck by how they described this dichotomy:
The problem with the work-life “balance” concept is the image of two competing forces: one always prevails over the other, except for those rare moments when “life” and “work” are in perfect tension. However, in Jesus’ own life, and throughout scripture, we don’t see “balance.” What we do see is rhythms of work, rest and celebration, all centered on loving God and others.
Mind. Blown. It seems so simple, yet so elusive. I’d been going about this all wrong. Here I was trying to figure out how to get my life together by juggling my new responsibilities as a mom, trying to take care of myself, attempting to keep my house in functioning order, all while wrapping my head around a game plan for how and when I’d get back to ministry and work since “maternity leave” was now off to an unexpected start. But that wasn’t the answer at all. When we approach life with that outlook, it’s a surefire recipe for burnout, loss of motivation and overwhelm. Only when we make God our focus and let Him inform our priorities will we find a centered life that’s not a win-lose balancing act.
With this new understanding, it became a bit easier for me to rein in that urge to get everything done and simply focus on what’s most important: Jeremiah. God’s calling for me in this time is to be the best mother I can be to my son. I’m blessed to be able to be at home to nurture and care for him everyday – and those moments shouldn’t be spent fretting about housework or “real” work because he won’t be this little forever (*tears*). He won’t always need me in the same way he does now. As he grows, what he’ll require will change and what I’m able to accomplish around the house and in my career will evolve as well. But he’s my new priority. No deadline in the world will ever be so important.
Rest assured, while I know this now, putting it into practice daily is still hard work. Retraining my brain to not be so task-completion oriented is still a loathsome work in progress (I’m really bad at it, honestly). I’ve found that disconnecting from tech – my phone, social media, email – has been really helpful in my efforts to just soak up each moment with this precious baby and truly be present when I’m here with him. That being said, it takes GREAT discipline to still get things done and not just spend all 24 hours cuddling him. 🙂
To that end, I’ve discovered 5 new mom must-haves that really help me stay centered with these new, and sometimes daunting, priorities.
Full Disclosure: Please note the list below includes affiliate links, which means I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. I use all of the products personally and recommend them because I’ve found them super valuable.
Planner – I still believe in the power of writing things down with good, old-fashioned pen and paper. Spending some quiet time each morning thinking through my day while Jeremiah is still asleep helps me get in the right mindset for tackling whatever to-do’s I have. It also sets me up for that unparalleled feeling of success and satisfaction that comes from checking things off a list (yes, I’m totally and unashamedly that person).
Prayer Journal – Reading Pricilla Shirer’s book Fervent has totally transformed my approach to prayer. It’s one of my all-time favorite and most highly recommended books because it’s just that powerful. No exaggeration. In fact, I’ve read it twice now, and it just keeps getting better, more impactful. This last time reading it, I started a prayer journal to write down all of my prayers and the Scriptures I’m using to anchor them. (The power of pen and paper!) I just grabbed one of the pretty notebooks I keep in the house and designated it as a prayer journal, but you can totally go for one of those beautiful prayer journals with devotional prompts, Bible verses and reflections too. My time spent in prayer each morning really is the key to starting my day right every time – focused on God and tuned in to what He’s called me to do. The day just goes so much more smoothly when it starts with prayer!
Blue Letter Bible App – I absolutely adore my HCSB study and parallel Bibles, but when I’m sitting in my dark closet early in the morning (that’s where I pray – no distractions or triggers to send my brain down the to-do list rabbit hole!) trying to find that one scripture I’m thinking of or searching for something that reflects what I want to say, this app is truly the best, easiest concordance. The parallel Bible feature and interlinear concordance are among my favorite elements, as they help me to see different versions at once AND find where a key word is used elsewhere in the Bible. It’s the nerd’s best sidekick in Fervent prayer!
Moby Wrap – Seriously a God-send! I love not having to choose between extra snuggle time and getting things done during the day- from writing and editing to cooking to folding the laundry. This is us right now:
The one I have is the super breathable bamboo fabric, which is perfect for a hot-body baby like mine and wonderful for a hands-free day out. Helllooooo Target!
IGNITE Stable Ball – Weird thing to put on this list, I know, but it’s totally a must. I’ve had on and off lower back trouble for the last 8 years and since then my doctor suggested I get one of these to sub as my office chair. It’s been a huge help for that ANNNNNNND who would’ve known it’s a miraculous baby soother? Yep, just bounce bounce bounce and the boy will be knocked out in no time! I guess I could actually use it for home workouts too… There’s a thought. 😉 This one in particular is weighted so it doesn’t roll around the house of its own will… there’s probably some exercise benefit to that feature, too. Ha!
Overall, I guess what I’m really learning is to live in the moment; to appreciate this season God has given me, and to cherish every single day because time is fleeting. This little guy will be grown up before we know it, and my business and career will continue to morph into new and exciting phases as God leads me on this journey. Every stage has its highs and lows, but all are a blessing. Relish the experience. Keeping God at the center helps maintain this perspective and truly illuminates just how precious every moment we’re given really is.