577: How to Thrive When Your Life is Just too Overwhelming with Author Jennifer Cowart
What happens to your time when you have a rare moment, and nothing is scheduled on the calendar? Does it immediately get full of all the things that aren’t on your to-do list, but could be? Jen Cowart, a pastor, Bible teacher, and author, recently experienced a season with extra margin, and she chose to be intentional with her time instead of letting others fill up her calendar. (Can you even imagine?)
In today’s episode, Kathi and Jen discuss how to thrive when your life is just too overwhelming. They talk about:
Jen has two copies of the Thrive Bible Study to give away to Kathi’s listeners. For your chance to win, answer this question in the comments: What area of your life would you really like to get practical about creating margin in?
You are meant to thrive. You may need to get still before the Lord and do a little work, and that work may be to embrace who He created you to be.
*This episode is sponsored by United Methodist Publishing House.
Thrive Women’s Bible Study: Living Faithfully in Difficult Times
Walking in Faith…even when times are tough. In Thrive, author and teacher Jen Cowart helps women develop the habits and attitudes necessary to thrive, whatever their circumstances. Leading readers through the Book of James, a letter written about enduring hardships, she lifts up six characteristics of mature Christians. From endurance and humility to controlling our words, Jen helps participants find the divine and the practical in living faithfully.
Jen’s teaching has inspired thousands of women across the country. Her authenticity inspires others to open their hearts and minds. One reviewer wrote, “Her ‘realness’ and her vulnerability just work together to open your heart to dig deeper and deeper.”
Components for this six-week small group study include the book, leader guide, and DVD.
For your chance to win a copy of the Thrive Women’s Bible Study, answer this question in the comments: What area of your life would you really like to get practical about creating margin in?
Let’s stay connected
To share your thoughts:
Leave a note in the comment section below.
Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help, and I read each one.
Subscribe on iTunes or subscribe to our newsletter now.
Jennifer Cowart is the Executive and Teaching pastor of Harvest Church. Jen is a gifted Bible teacher and speaker and the author of four women’s Bible studies, Thrive, Pursued, Fierce, and Messy People, and several studies co-authored with her husband, Jim. She and Jim love doing life with their kids.
560: Untangling Your Faith While Decluttering Your Home: An Honest Conversation
In today’s episode Kathi dives deep with author Amberly Neese, as they discuss how their clutter journeys and spiritual journeys collide. Feeling guilty about getting rid of things we no longer need, or being paralyzed by the fear of needing more in the future, reveals what we believe about the goodness of God and how much we can trust Him to provide for us.
How do we untangle our faith while working through our cluttered closets?
Recognize how God provides for our needs – often through the generosity of other people.
Take the words “bad” and “good” out of the conversation in regards to buying. Recognize the patterns and make different choices in the future.
Think of the person who will receive the items you donate and pray for them.
Keep what you use, and be okay without the excess. A house with less clutter allows for more peace and joy.
Amberly is giving away 2 copies of her new Bible study – Untangling Faith: Reclaiming Hope in the Questions Jesus Asked. To enter to win, leave a comment below telling Kathi and Amberly what is it that you are untangling in your life?
Pre-order your copy now in order to access the online study with Amberly. Simply send your purchase receipt to Amberlyby email.
Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to be notified when the next episode is released. When you do you will also receive a free Clutter Free Kit with handouts and video interview with Kathi!
Untangling Faith: Reclaiming Hope in the Questions Jesus Asked
A six-week Bible Study focusing on the questions Jesus asked in the New Testament
Are you struggling to provide guidance to your children in their faith deconstruction? Have you ever struggled to find your faith footing? Join Amberly Neese as she explores the questions Jesus asked as a way to reclaim that faith. Chapters explore our own questions like: Can God Be Trusted? and How Can I Grow in Faith? Amberly’s unique humor and wit help the whole group find their way through deep and rich issues of personal faith, doubt, and growth.
In her trademark style, Neese combines Bible study with delightful humor to create a refreshing and engaging experience that will encourage and equip others to pursue deeper relationships and true belonging by loving, serving, and helping others (including our kids) do likewise. She describes Untangling Faith as an exploration of the big questions of faith through the lens of the questions of Jesus.. The study is designed to encourage, empower, and equip participants to ask questions, seek answers, and find hope in the journey.
Components for this six-week Bible study, each available separately, include a Participant Workbook with daily reading and reflection, a full Leader Guide to help plan full group sessions, and video sessions with six 20 to 25-minute segments (with closed captioning). Order your copy here.
Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
Subscribe on iTunes or subscribe to our newsletter now.
Meet Our Guest
Amberly Neese
Amberly Neese is a speaker, humorist, emcee, and encourager with a passion for “GRINspiring” others. She is currently on two national tours, writes Bible studies with Abingdon Publishers, and tries to save the world one coupon at a time.
With a master’s degree from Biola University, Neese serves as a professor at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and an adjunct professor at Grand Canyon University. She and her husband, Scott, have two adult children and live in Prescott, Arizona, where they enjoy the great outdoors, the Food Network, and all things Star Wars.
Do you feel guilty that you’re not doing more? Keeping your house up to snuff? Taking care of yourself and others? If guilt seems to follow you around wherever you go, then this episode is for you!
Kathi is talking with author and Bible teacher Barb Roose about her struggles with perfectionism and performance, and how that affects both her closet and her faith in God.
Here are Barb’s 3 rules for a better closet:
Don’t wear it if it makes you sad.
If it doesn’t fit your current body or style, get rid of it.
Don’t let fear or shame make you keep clothing that doesn’t fit your current size.
Barb says that our closets are full of memories, and our relationship with God is the same way. How can we move on from experiences in our past that bring up feelings of guilt today? Barb has been on a spiritual journey: moving from a place where guilt robbed her of feeling like she could connect with God, to a place of freedom and understanding of how big God’s love is.
Her life has been changed by focusing more on the promises of God, and less on her performance for Him. Her favorite prayer in a time of need? “Save me O God.” That 4 word prayer is a whole prayer. Barb reminds us of God’s promise from Isaiah 43: “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown.”
So take a deep breath, remember God’s promises to you, and then do the next right thing.
Giveaway
Barb is giving a copy of her book to one lucky Clutter Free Academy listener! To enter, let us know in the comments below what is one thing, figuratively or literally, that you want to declutter from your closet.
Finding Jesus in the Psalms: A Lenten Journey
Looking for less guilt and more Jesus? That is what Barb Roose promises you will find in her new book, Finding Jesus in the Psalms: A Lenten Journey. Inside you will find an exploration of Jesus in the Old Testament as we see Jesus through the Psalms of David. Each week features one psalm that focuses on how Jesus is showing up in the reality of life. God has a much bigger plan and we have a hope that is not just for today, but is a hope for eternity, especially when life is feeling really hard.
Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
Subscribe on iTunes or subscribe to our newsletter now.
Meet Our Guest
Barb Roose
Barb Roose is a popular speaker and author who is passionate about teaching women to live beautifully strong and courageous in spite of their fears so that they can experience God’s great adventure of faith and purpose for their lives.
Barb is a real woman who has experienced depression and anxiety, parenting challenges, family addiction trauma and long seasons of walking by faith in unanswered prayer. Rather than teaching audiences to follow God to get what they want, Barb inspires audiences to discover that God is all they need!
Writing creative and challenging Bible studies brings Barb great joy! She’s the author of multiple Bible studies, including: Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus, I’m Waiting, God: Finding Blessing in God’s Delays, Joshua: Winning the Worry Battle and Breakthrough: Finding Freedom in Christ. She is also the author of multiple books including Surrendered: 40 Days to Help You Let Go and Live Like Jesus Devotional, Winning the Worry Battle: Life Lessons from the Book of Joshua and Enough Already: Winning Your Ugly Struggle with Beauty . Her newest book is Finding Jesus in the Psalms: A Lenten Journey.
Barb lives in NW Ohio and she is the proud mom to three adult children. Barb enjoys traveling, reading, walking and whenever possible, she prefers to eat dessert first.
494: An Abundant Place Celebration and How to Have an at Home Retreat for the Woman Who Can’t Get Away
Kathi Lipp is here with friend and co-author, Cheri Gregory, to celebrate the release of their new book of devotionals: An Abundant Place. If you have found yourself overcommitted, overstressed, and in need of a mental getaway, Kathi and Cheri have written this book for you. In this special episode, the pair share their favorite ways to declutter their mental space, prepare for their time with God, and gather their favorite quiet time essentials including:
Favorite Beverage
Cozy Blanket
Furry Friend
Once you have all the things necessary for your retreat with God, sign up for the An Abundant Place Book Club here.
An Abundant Place: Daily Retreats for the Woman Who Can’t Get Away
Have you reached the point where one more thing on your to-do list is one too many? Do you find yourself praying, “Lord, I don’t think I can handle any more stuff?”
Kathi Lipp and Cheri Gregory have been there. They want to encourage you, but even more important, they offer helpful solutions to make your everyday life easier. Get good advice on how to plan ahead, set boundaries with others and yourself, and be more intentional about self-care without the guilt.
Let Kathi and Cheri help you find a place of more joy and abundance, one devotion at a time.
AND if you order your copy of An Abundant Place today, you are still eligible for pre-order bonuses including the An Abundant Place journal and the special podcast series “Devos for Dropouts.”
GIVE-A-WAY ALERT! Kathi and Cheri want you to have the key ingredients to a successful stay-at-home retreat! Leave a comment telling us what stay-at-home retreat item you would adore most, and we will draw two people to win a copy of An Abundant Place, the (In)courage Devotional Bible, as well as all of Kathi’s must-have items for a cozy at-home retreat!
Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
Subscribe on iTunes or subscribe to our newsletter now.
Meet Our Guest
Cheri Gregory
Cheri Gregory delights in helping women draw closer to Jesus: the Strength of every tender heart.
Cheri is the co-author of four books, co-host of the Grit ‘n’ Grace podcast, co-leader of the Sensitive and Strong Community Café, and founder of Write Beside You communicator coaching.
Cheri and her college sweetheart, Daniel, have been married for 32 years and live in California near their two adult children.
Kathi and her favorite declutter bud, Tonya Kubo, are with us, talking about what Jesus has to say about our stuff. Have you ever wondered if there is a deeper reason why it’s hard to get rid of our stuff? We talk a lot in Clutter Free about the fear, guilt, and shame attached to our clutter. Looking at these deeper reasons brings realizations that will propel us forward and …
Teach us about the spiritual aspect of clutter
Answer questions about stewarding our stuff well
Give vision for long-term change
Clutter Free Bible Study Online Course
We all know that our clutter can keep us from doing the things we really want to do. But what does the Bible say about our stuff? In Clutter Free Bible Study: What Jesus Has to Say About Your Stuff, Kathi helps us go deeper into the will of God for our lives and tells us how clutter keeps us from living that life.
The online version of the Bible study is set up as a six-week study and includes the downloadable version of the workbook. It also includes a weekly video session with Kathi to help you go deeper into what Jesus says about your stuff and tips to overcome clutter.
Once you’ve signed up, you’ll receive immediate access to the online study materials.
Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
Subscribe on iTunes or subscribe to our newsletter now.
Meet Our Guest
Tonya Kubo
Tonya Kubo is the illustrious and fearless leader of Kathi Lipp’s Clutter Free Academy Facebook group and the Clutter Free for Life membership program. A speaker and writer, Tonya makes her home in the heart of California with her husband, Brian, their two spirited daughters, and one very tolerant cat. Visit her at www.tonyakubo.com
Just like me, you want to start your day right. Right? And for much of the world that involves a green smoothie and some hot yoga.
But for those of us who follow God, you and I know that the best way to start your day right is to spend some quality time with our creator.
Some things not to do:
Go from zero to 60 Maybe you heard a great sermon at church this weekend that talked about priorities, or were at a retreat that talked about the importance of quite time, good for you! It’s great to be inspired by people who love God and have had a difference made in their lives by spending time with Him. But don’t become so inspired that you try to change everything about your routine – that’s a sure way to think that a morning routine is impossible.
Instead of saying “I’ll spend an hour with God every morning.” How about, “Every day, I will start with a five minutes.” Five minutes every morning is a much better place to start than a 45 minute crash and burn session.
Thinking you can “squeeze it in” When has a morning ever offered up more time magically? When has it taken less time for your kids to get dressed, for your hair to dry, or for you to take the dog for a walk? Morning magic time doesn’t exist (except in Cinderella, but she had all those mice and birds to help her get dressed…)
If you want to start your day right, don’t put yourself behind before you even start.
Going too deep, too fast So you’ve decided to do your morning devotions and you think the book of Leviticus is a good place to start.
Let’s be a little kinder to ourselves – shall we?
In order to start your day right, find a devotional that will meet you where you are. You can work your way up to Leviticus – it will still be there when you’re ready – promise.
So how do you get yourself together in the morning if you do want to start your day right with time with God, but you are already feeling behind?
Round up Your Tools
What you need to accomplish this is pretty simple:
Your Bible
A devotional book
A journal
Your favorite pen
Reserve Time I know it’s hard to do first thing in the morning, but hear me out: When you start to live Clutter Free in every area of your life, including your schedule, it’s amazing what you can prioritize. As you start to put practices in place to make your mornings easier, but the night before being kind to your future self and setting up the coffee, picking out your outfit for the next day, figuring out what is for breakfast, and having your kid’s backpacks and your computer bag packed and by the front door. If you do any of those things the night before, I promise you, you’ve just given yourself a way to start your morning right with at least five minutes with God.
Set the Time I have an alarm on my phone that reminds me it’s time to sit down with God. I know when it is (7:15 AM) but knowing that the alarm is coming helps me do what I need to do so I can actually sit down for my devotions.
Set the Scene One of the ways that I work to anticipate my morning time is to set the scene; my coffee is set up the night before so I can enjoy it while spending time with God. I have my favorite blanket ready on the couch and a Yankee candle and a pack of matches next to me so that I can set my time aside as a little bit of sacred in what I know will be a very busy day.
Read Decide in advance what to read. I tend to either follow a Bible reading plan, or go with a daily devotional that I can read in about five minutes that is accompanied by scripture. Currently, I’m going through Unblinded Faith – Gaining Spiritual Sight Through Believing God’s Word. It’s a 90 day devotional that is set up perfectly for a quick morning read, but with enough spiritual depth that I feel like I’m able to carry the message all day long. Highly recommended.
Reflect (Mediation and Journaling)
Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1:8 (NIV)
If all you are able to do to start your day right is read a devotion, then start there. But, if you do it consistently, it won’t be enough. Eventually, you will want to go – and grow – deeper. That is where refection comes in – meditating and journaling.
I know that for years, I made meditation a much bigger and way more mysterious thing than it needed to be. But meditation is simply the practice of thinking about the scripture you just read, and then giving God the space and silence to speak to you on that scripture or anything else.
So when I’m going through a devotional, I read the chapter, and then go to my bible to read the scripture. Then I spend some time thinking about the scripture I just read, and then ask God to bring anything about that scripture to mind.
Finally, I have a journal where I write down anything I’ve discovered from the scripture or from the devotion that I’ve read. This is also where I can keep track of any prayer requests that come up in the morning or throughout the day.
My journal is simple. I have about a half a sheet per day where I can write things down. There is no elaborate system (those have never worked for me in the past.) This is just something between me and God, for no one else.
At first, creating a daily routine can feel awkward and as if you’ll never make a habit of it – but trust me – if this girl can learn to enjoy and embrace the routine of a daily quite time – I have high hopes for you.
In the comments below, tell us one step you can take to start your morning right – let’s all learn from each other!
