Weather Report

When was the last time you checked the weather? If I had to guess you have checked a weather app in the last week, if not in the last twenty-four hours. Knowing what the weather is going to do affects us. It is often the answer to questions like What clothes should we wear? When should we take a walk? What activities are we able to do today? What safety precautions do I need to be taking?

Weather can even affect our attitudes. Bright sunny weather can cause us to feel joy and a renewed sense of happiness. Pro-longed grey, rainy, cold weather can go from cozy, let's make soup to depressing quickly. Extreme heat can lead to irritability and uncomfortability. Knowing the weather can help us plan, adjust and ready our mindset.

So let me ask you a different question. When was the last time you checked the weather in your home? For most of us it probably has been a minute since we looked at what our homes felt like, not just the look and vibes, but how the people inside them were operating with one another. What is the emotional temperature when you wake up in the morning? What is it when the kids are done with school in the afternoons? How about when your spouse walks through the door?

I was recently required to come face to face with the temperature in our home and let me tell you, it was uncomfortable to say the least. I didn't want to face it. I say didn't want to face it because it wasn't that I didn't know what was happening, I did and had for a few weeks. I just didn't want to do the hard heart work it takes to turn it around. First though let's back up to how I was required to come face to face with it.

My husband and I have a check-in journal that we go through periodically usually when one or both of us feels that we aren't operating on the same page and need to do a "check-in." What I love about this journal is that it has written questions for you to fill in and then your spouse can read them. I know for me writing what I am feeling and sharing it that way to then discuss is a lot easier for me than putting into words what I want to say initially. So when Thursday rolled around (our weekly at home date night) my husband said he wanted to do the check in journals. So we did and let me tell you there were some tears...that's okay!

When we know something isn't right or we know that God has been telling us to do something or to choose something better and we haven't been listening that builds up. It often looks like the complete opposite of the fruits of the spirit because we haven't been filled up by the spirit. We are being a Jonah and running away from what we know we are supposed to be doing. In this case, I wasn't prioritizing my time with the Lord and the fruit of THAT was bitterness, a woe is me mindset and a loss of joy. Shockingly my husband had noticed. It was affecting us as a couple and our parenting.

He lovingly pointed to moments over the past few weeks where my words or actions had hurt him. Ouch! That hurts me because in my heart of hearts that isn't the wife I desire to be. He was mentioning things that I deeply desire not to be true of me. YET...in the recent it was. I want to pause here for a moment in case this is hitting on your heart too. Hear me when I say that these negative actions are not my identity. My identity is firmly rooted as a daughter of God, a co-heir with Christ NOTHING can take that from me. However, when facing conversations like this it can be easy to feel like the other person is saying that is who you are even when that isn't what their words are saying. This side of heaven we will ALWAYS have struggles. We will always fall short.

BUT God...

God is rich in mercy, grace and forgiveness.

So this where I had to take a deep breath and confess and repent. Confession is so powerful because it brings light to the darkness. The things we try to keep secret will come to light. At some point we will have to deal with them. Thankfully for me, my loving husband saw it and took action to sweetly lead me to this place. A place where I said NO more. I will choose to be obedient. I will choose surrender over my stubbornness. I will choose God. Quiet time with the Lord needs to be back in the routine no matter what.

Our priorities have to be aligned God, then family. This is how we fight for our family is by surrendering it to God. By starting each day at His feet, in His word so that we can be filled by Him in order to walk in what He has called us too. I will tell you this friend, ONE day of choosing my Bible first and the atmosphere of our home changed. It wasn't easier, the to-do list didn't get shorter, the baby wasn't less fussy, but my heart posture was changed. My interactions were kinder, softer, more Christ-like.

So when was the last time you did a weather check on your home? I want the peace that passes understanding for you friend. The chaos and noise of this world isn't ever going to stop, but we can do something about the chaos and noise in our homes. How we lead our children, how we love our husbands and how we serve in both the small and big things. It isn't easy, but it is worth it.

Small obedience can have a BIG impact.

Start tomorrow.

Open your Bible before your phone. Spend five minutes reading a few verses and then spend five minutes eyes closed breathing in the presence of the Lord. Not asking. Not at first. Just being excited and expectant to see Him, to feel Him, to listen to Him. See what the stillness opens in your heart. Lay it before the Lord.

I promise you doing this is going to completely re-oriente your day and it only took you ten minutes. I am so excited for you to experience this because it is truly the sweetest. It doesn't need to be quiet. I did this, this morning with a babbling baby by my side and a husband making breakfast in the kitchen. God still showed up. He isn't looking for perfectly curated prayer corners, He is looking for hearts choosing Him above the chaos.

If you are interested in our Check-in Journal that we use order your own here. It is truly one of the best tools that we have implemented into our marriage.

Together: A Check-In Journal for Couples

$14.00

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