Psalm 63:1 O God, you are my God, I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.
I love fall. It’s probably my favorite season until I get to Spring then I’ll probably tell you that is my favorite season. There is something about the crispness in the air in the mornings, the leaves changing colors, and the beauty in getting ready to start something new. My entire being cries out for a refresh. I think especially in the times we are in it is important to take the time for a refresh. Here are three ways I take inventory at the start of fall.
My Surroundings
I always purge the house in the fall. The entire house. Every cupboard, closet, and room. Nothing is left untouched. There is something so cleansing about getting things organized again. I feel lighter. I can find things again. I rediscover things I had forgotten about. It helps me feel the world around me is less overwhelming because I am organized (at least for a short time!)
Myself
A good friend of mine told me how he spent some time doing a heart, soul, and mind purging. Essentially, he was carrying a lot of things that he didn’t need to carry around with him. Things like bitterness. Unforgiveness. Bad Habits. Anger. Frustration. Any of these things sound familiar in your own life? Imagine taking the concept of purging the house and applying that to yourself. Yikes. I’m not sure I want to see all the things I’m holding in my heart.
Is there anything holding you back today? I’m thankful we can simply confess those things that are holding us back and give them over to God to help us overcome. It may be a process, but God can redeem anything.
Routines
Fall is a great time to look at how you are spending your time. What are you prioritizing? Lately, I have had a really hard time with quality time in the Bible. I get so frustrated at myself that I’m not living up to what others are doing that I start the shame game, which spirals into me not doing anything at all. This isn’t a healthy routine! I can feel myself craving the time and yet I convince myself I’m not good enough and won’t do it right so why even try? These thoughts are not from God!
God has been gently nudging my heart and saying, “Just show up.” So I did. I put aside my pre-conceived ideas of what quiet time “should be” and I showed up as I was. I mixed it up and started a new translation of the Bible, tying in some audio versions as well. It has been a great way to restart.
How should you start the great fall purge? Here is what I do:
- Write down the things you may want to do around the house that may give you more order.
- Next write down the areas of yourself that may need a little attention.
- Consider your routines and write down some things you’d like to do differently.
Start at the top of the list. You do not need to complete everything in one day! One step at a time. It took me a month to purge my house and we’re not fully done yet. The friend that was working through his big issues said it took him a few years to finally let go and be free and he needed to seek help along the way. It takes each step of the journey to get to the final destination.
Today is a great day to get started!
