Growing Our Family: Finding Balance During Life Changes
This is such a full season of life for our family as we prepare to welcome our newest addition this Summer, baby Taylor. With seasons changing and life moving in all directions, it can be challenging to balance it all while maintaining a sense of normalcy.
Balancing time with my husband, my kids, family and friendships, homeschooling, and all the many tasks vying for my attention can be demanding.
The greatest realization that I've had in this season is that God only gives us what He knows we can handle. He also wants to show us how to manage it. We are to seek Him for direction and guidance in every season of life. When we let go of control and ask God to help us navigate He can move freely in our lives.
As I've been releasing my need to control all of the things and seeking God for guidance He has begun to reveal how He desires me to walk through this season. I want to share what he is revealing to me different ways to navigate changes in my life while maintaining a life of balance and peace.
Seek God Daily
Do you ever get lost trying to get to a new place without GPS, or maybe even a familiar place? That is how I feel when I jump into a day without sitting in the presence of Jesus. He is my guide in this life, He knows all that is ahead so why would I try to go through it on my own? We may think we know where we are going (without a GPS) and sometimes we get to our destination, but wouldn't it be more peaceful to follow our guide?
Intentional Time with My Husband
We are both constantly pulled in different directions with work, tasks, taking care of the kids, and maintaining other responsibilities. It is so easy to fall into the trap of getting through days together rather than living life intentionally together. In this season of life, we understand the importance of creating space to connect. Whether that be waking up before our kids to pray together or planning mid-day coffee dates when he is off work on a school day. One thing we know for sure is that we can not be who God has called us to be as a couple or parent if we don't create time for one another. It is not an option it is a necessity.
Intentional Time with Each Child
Something that I love to do with my oldest is take him out on a date, just the two of us. Creating time for each child to have your undivided attention creates an environment of trust and security. Just as you would your spouse, your children need to feel seen, heard, and appreciated. During this time, we can connect, I can listen to him without interruptions, and I can fill his cup. I never want to get caught up in just taking care of my children, but rather them remember that we spent intentional time together creating memories.
Plan it Out
This is a big one. I haven't always been good at this, and to be honest, I am still working on it. As seasons become fuller, I realize that the more I plan (with room for adjustments), the smoother my day is. For example, on homeschool days, my oldest looks at our fridge calendar and can see His schedule in detail. He knows what to expect and can reference it throughout the day to see where we are. There have been times when I didn't map the day out, and let's just say it was chaotic. Just as he needs that visual plan to be successful, so do I. Otherwise, I am left with what feels like millions of thoughts floating in my head with no structure of how to execute them.
Prayer:
God, thank you for blessing our lives with abundance. As we walk through different seasons and our days become more and more full, please help us slow down enough to seek you for direction. Thank you for entrusting us with all you have placed before us, you’ve equipped us with all we need to thrive. We trust your way and will lean on you constantly, finding joy and peace in all seasons.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
