A Different Kind of Clutter

It happened again.
As if being sheltered-at-home during much of the COVID 19 outbreak wasn’t enough, over 4 million Texans found ourselves dealing with frozen/busted pipes, no internet, food shortages and electricity outages while wintering-at-home due to record low temperatures from SNOW-VID 21.
I received email after email and text after text with messages like…
School for our teenagers…canceled
Long weekend trip with new friends…canceled
How to thaw frozen pipes
Emergency electricity outages with rotating grid schedule
Internet service provider is working on getting internet back
Long weekend trip to Breckenridge with hubby…canceled
Loved ones and neighbors throughout the south dealing with all the above and much, much more...
All this after finding out two weeks earlier that our first family cruise was canceled for the second spring break in a row.
I found myself having a small, not so pretty, party of one pity-party.
There was too much going on.
Everywhere I turned, almost every email, text and post I opened had heartache and hardship.
So I had a choice. We all do in those moments.
I could stay in the very real funk of it all, or I could get out of the chaos.
It was time to do a deep declutter. A divine declutter.
Over the last four years one of the podcasts and leadership teams I have worked with is Clutter Free Academy with Kathi Lipp.
Although I wouldn’t call myself a cluttery person, there are areas in my house that need organized. I would say I have closet-clutter. I am neat, big picture organized and everything has its place, but if you look in that specified place, like say a Tupperware cupboard, a lid may fall out at you from time to time.
Throughout my time working with Kathi, I’ve learned some great principles for staying clutter-free.
Kathi uses a simple three step approach to decluttering. We’ve used it when getting ready to move as well as during times of spring cleaning and in everyday organizing.
Basically, when you enter a space to organize you bring with you three bags or tubs. With each item you come across you will either choose to 1. Keep it, 2. Get rid of it (trash, donate or recycle) or 3. Move it to another space where it belongs.
While dealing with my winter-woes, I found I had become cluttered in my thinking and desperately needed a divine declutter.
Have you been there too? When you find yourself overwhelmed or unsure? When there is just too much going on internally, externally or even both.
The only way to divine declutter well is through a powerful pause. I needed some straight up time with Jesus so He could help me organize my thoughts and feelings.
Time with God during a divine declutter will help you do the same three things that a room declutter does:
1. Get rid of it: Remove the things that try to distract, detour, and
discourage you. A powerful pause eliminates the distractions and internal
clutter. These are things that try to compete for the abundant life God wants
for you!
2. Keep it: Remain. Choose which thoughts and feelings you want to keep. A powerful pause makes space for you to hold on to the grace and gifts God has already given us like His peace even in our tough times.
"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." - Philippians 4:8, NLT
3. Move it: Rearrange thoughts and feelings to put things in proper order so we can reprioritize what matters most.
A powerful pause with a divine declutter helps you get the right perspective before you move on with your day with peace.
“Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” - Matthew 11:28
Friend, I hope this speaks to your heart today. When you can see and hear clearly on the inside, it’s easier to clear the clutter and deal with all the chaos on the outside.
Cheering you on,

P.S. If you are looking for a way to have a powerful pause in the quick morning minutes to get the right perspective before you you tackle your to-do’s, check out my Soul-Care for Go-Getters 31
Day Devo. Written specifically to help you refresh and refocus in five
minutes a day and perfect for a divine declutter.
P.S.S. If you need help in your decluttering or go-getting journey, download my Scriptures for Goal-Getters or What Matters Most To-Do List
& Goal Guide using the code: Free
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