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That time I took a year off blogging…

Friday ~ Posted by Karen Schravemade

I’m going to talk a little bit about why I took a year off blogging last year.⁠ ⁠ It’s actually quite a long story… so buckle up. ?

The thing is, there is so much more to a person that the little bit they show online. And to understand my decisions now, I need to take you back to the person I was before this blog…. and the person I still am outside of it.

In a nutshell, I was a writer before I became a blogger.⁠ ⁠

My life dream ever since I was six years old has been to write novels. It’s a dream nearly as old as I am.

As a little girl I wrote stapled together “books” and filled exercise pads with stories. As I grew older I cut my teeth on short story writing, won some competitions, and had a couple published. I wrote my first novel when I was 23, flew to America for a writing conference, and landed an agent. ⁠ ⁠

Around that time, God gave me a very clear word about my calling as a writer. I thought for sure the path would be straightforward from there. God wanted me to write, he’d gifted me to write, and I loved writing! All I needed to do was land a book contract and I’d be off and running.⁠ ⁠

Except I never did get that book contract.

My first book was shopped around, championed by a couple of editors who took it to publishing board, but ultimately turned down. We eventually shelved it and I started writing the next. ⁠ ⁠

Then I started having babies. ⁠ ⁠

Enter a new season where it was harder than ever to squeeze in any writing. I was sleep deprived and stressed out.

But I kept picking away at it, and when my next book was about a third written, it finalled in a big competition. Once more I flew over to America, certain that this time would be it. ⁠​

The door was about to open on my lifelong dream to be a published novelist.  

Except it didn’t work out that way. The book that finalled in the contest didn’t win. In fact, it received some pretty harsh criticism from the judges. The judging was based on the first chapter and a synopsis of the plot. And all three of them unanimously hated my plot.

⁠I flew home feeling crushed. That week I found out I was pregnant with my third child.

When I’m pregnant I stop sleeping, so I was instantly exhausted. ⁠If I’d known where I was heading with the story, I would have continued to peck away at it. But all the confidence had been knocked out of me, and I no longer trusted in my vision for the story. What was the point of finishing it if the plot was fatally flawed?⁠ ⁠

So, after a lot of internal wrestling, I shelved that partly-written book.

And stopped writing altogether.⁠ ⁠

I just couldn’t see my way past the roadblock that had landed smack in the middle of my path. And in the mental and physical fog that comes with pregnancy and looking after small children, I didn’t have it in me at that point to start something new.⁠ ⁠

I knew I would still be a writer one day. I never doubted that for a second.

The dream didn’t die. It was just put on hold. ⁠ ⁠

But I still needed a creative outlet, because that’s how I’m wired. So I began blogging.

Honestly, when I started, my sole goal was to build a “platform” so the next sales and marketing team at a publishing board wouldn’t turn down my novel. ?⁠ ⁠

Writers often struggle with what to blog about. (Especially those of us who are not published yet.) I knew I didn’t want to blog about writing. My intention was not to gather a tribe of other writers around me. I write women’s fiction…. so I wanted my blog to reach women.

I asked myself what I had to offer a group of women that they might actually want to read about. Well, I also have a passion for decorating.

Write what you know, they say.

At that point in my life, I was a full-time homemaker with small children. My life was our home. So, I began to blog about the home. 

It turned out to be a lot of fun. Also, a LOT of work.

It didn’t take long before I was hooked on blogging. I started immersing myself into it. And it took on a whole life of its own. ⁠ ⁠

Meanwhile, the dream that had been placed “temporarily” on hold kept getting pushed onto the back-burner. Just one more year, I kept telling myself. Next year I’ll make a financial success of this blog, and then I’ll allow myself to get back to writing.⁠ ⁠

Except that never DID happen.

What had started in support of my original dream – to be a novelist – had become a distraction that was literally keeping me from my dream.

If I’m honest, I carried a lot of internal rejection from my writing into the new season I began with blogging. I was getting my validation in the wrong place – from outside metrics of success. And if I couldn’t be successful at writing, then by gosh I was going to make a success of this blog.

I came at it with determination and competitiveness and a deep inner sense of unworthiness. I needed to PROVE myself.

There were a lot of reasons for that which I won’t go into, but suffice it to say, when I struggled to make a “success” of the blog (as defined by my own impossibly high standards and constant comparison with others in my space), it only made me more determined to succeed. I let it take over.

And along the way, I forgot the call that God had placed on my life in the first place.

I was listening to a sermon the other day by Sarah Jakes Roberts. She talked about the difference between TALENT and ANOINTING.

Most of us have a range of talents. (Please understand that I am not saying any of this to toot my own horn, but to be vulnerable with you.) See, I have a talent for decorating. I’ve taught myself how to take good photos for the blog. Out of necessity, I also taught myself graphic design, and found I have an eye for it. I even have a talent for marketing.

When it comes to all the different aspects that go together to make a successful blog, I knew I had enough talent to be just as successful as anyone else. So why wasn’t I?

Well.

Because there is a vast difference between talent and anointing. And while I might have been talented at blogging, it has never been my first calling.

I am talented at blogging, but I am ANOINTED to write.

And sometimes God asks us to lay aside our talents in order to pursue our anointing. ​

Once I realised I’d gotten off track, I had to repent of that.

A year ago I felt very strongly that God was calling me back to writing. It didn’t make a whole lot of logical sense at the time.

For one thing, I felt the blog was right on the verge of breaking through to the next level… if I could just keep going a little longer, do a little bit more.

For financial reasons, I also had to return to teaching last year, so my time would be more limited than ever.

Besides, all those judges had hated my book idea. Remember that, God?

He just kept telling me, over and over, in many different ways, to finish writing that book anyway.

It was a total exercise in trust. It didn’t make much sense. And yet I couldn’t shake it. I knew without a doubt that finishing that book is what God wanted me to do.

So, I obeyed. Between teaching, book writing, and four kids, the blog went radio silent. I just couldn’t keep up with it on top of everything else.

And somehow, I knew that was okay. I knew I’d let my priorities get out of sync. I’d gotten sidetracked from my most important dream. And I knew that if I kept saying “some day soon” to writing, that day would never come.

Hamptons living room

I finished the book last year. Flew to America for my third writing conference, a lot older and wiser than the 20-something girl who attended my first conference pre-kids, with stars in my eyes and no clue about the long and winding path that lay ahead.

It was a great conference. I have editors interested in my book – which, incidentally, is far too long. (Any surprises there? Ha!) So currently I’m in the thick of the editing phase, hacking the thing down with a chainsaw.

I’ve already been asked when my book is coming out, so I will just clarify right here that I do NOT have a book contract yet – far from it! All I have is an open door to send my work once I get the length trimmed down enough. There are no guarantees in this industry. It’s a tough market to break into. And I’m okay with that. I’m pretty used to long and slow by now. ?

Blogging is tugging at me as well. I feel God’s blessing on that – as long as I keep my priorities straight. I’ve learned my lesson there. When it comes to my vocation, writing is the main event: blogging is the supporting act. And as long as that support act doesn’t start trying to hog the limelight, I think we’ll be all good. 

So that’s my story, morning glory. That’s why I took a year off blogging. And why I’m now back at it (kind of). 

The thing is, I do NOT feel like I have the green light yet to jump back swinging into the blog-ring.⁠ I’m still juggling book edits, a part-time teaching job, and four kids, after all.⁠⁠ Instead, I’m dipping my toe in cautiously, mindful of what I’ve learned, and careful to keep first things first.⁠ ⁠

My word for this year is CONSISTENT. That means I’m okay with going small, as long as I can commit to it with consistency.

So my plan at the moment is a simple one. I’ve made a commitment to show up daily on Instagram. (If you don’t follow me yet, you can do that right here!)

And, I’m starting a new weekly initiative called ONE THING FOR THE HOME.

I’m so excited about being able to serve you better through it. More about THAT in my next post! 

 

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Lovely comments

  1. Rachael says

    Friday at 4:50 pm

    Karen, I don’t usually comment on blogs but your message really spoke to my heart! I don’t even know what your story is about, but from reading your blog you definitely have a talent for writing and keeping the reader engaged.
    As I was reading your story, I couldn’t help but think of JK Rowling, who was initially rejected from 12 publishers with Harry Potter, but never gave up.
    I find myself able to relate to some similar feelings of failure and confusion after things didn’t turn out the way I had planned, and have found comfort in these words:
    “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9
    If it is on your heart from God, keep going! Follow your calling in a way that serves the Lord and others, regardless of the final outcome! Heavenly Father sees your heart and would be so proud! Praying for blessing and encouragement upon your life Karen xx

    • Karen Schravemade says

      Friday at 5:49 pm

      Rachael, what an absolutely beautiful message. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your heart! This is so encouraging!! ? And I LOVE that verse! xo

  2. Freda says

    Friday at 7:37 pm

    Hi Karen This is a heart felt post. I too have written on and off, and your story has been a encouragement to me. It’s true we all have many talents but we have to pursue Gods Anointing Gifts. That really spoke to my heart after reading your story. Thank you for sharing. Wishing you and your family Gods Blessings. I will be checking out Sarah Jakes Sermon ?

    • Karen Schravemade says

      Friday at 8:14 pm

      Thank you sweet Freda!! I’m so glad you found this personally encouraging! Do check out Sarah Jakes Roberts, it really was a goody!! xo

  3. Damiana says

    Friday at 8:13 pm

    I can really feel your serenity and your acceptance of everything around you. There’s nothing like achieving our life purpose. Keep going 🙂

    • Karen Schravemade says

      Friday at 8:17 pm

      Thank you Damiana for these kind words! It really is a peaceful feeling when we know we’re living our life with intention and purpose. Even if we’re not “there” yet – just feeling on track is often just as good! After all, so much more of life is spent on the journey than at the destination! Thanks so much for your encouragement. ?

  4. Megan Schuiteboer says

    Friday at 9:40 pm

    Thank you for your beautiful honesty! As a fellow working mom/blogger, I understand the struggle is real. I appreciate hearing how you seek (and seem find) a balance with writing and family and all the other important things you do each day! Thank you for opening up your heart and your story!!

    • Karen Schravemade says

      Thursday at 10:56 am

      Megan, thank you so much for this!! I’m so glad you “get it”! I hope you find your own sweet spot also! xo

  5. Melody McConico says

    Friday at 10:45 pm

    I absolutely love this. Thank you so much for your honesty, obedience and showing up for your true dreams and calling. I am on a similar Journey. It’s funny how are “lesser” things take over. It’s often hard to release them fully because they also have a lot of goodness within them, but I agree- we were made to pursue the “greater” thing! I can’t wait to see how everything unfolds for you this year, and for all of us who are stepping out into uncharted waters with God to pursue our biggest dreams. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

    Many blessings. ?

    -Mel

    • Karen Schravemade says

      Thursday at 10:59 am

      Mel, this is the most beautiful comment. You have so much insight. Yes, that’s exactly what’s hard – releasing something that’s “good” in order to focus on what’s “best.” It’s not a simple choice, but when God gives us that clarity it all makes sense to us at a soul level. Wishing YOU every blessing as you step into those waters as well, beautiful lady!! xo

  6. Kenyatta Harris says

    Monday at 1:51 pm

    This spoke to my soul! I’m a talented decorator and have been struggling to make my blog a success because it’s not what I was anointed to do. I love it so much, but I really need to make sure it doesn’t replace what God has anointed me to do. Thanks for sharing

    • Karen Schravemade says

      Thursday at 11:01 am

      Kenyatta!! ? I’m so glad this helped bring you some clarity, lady!! Yes – we can have many interests and outlets – but the main thing has to stay the main thing. God has placed amazing gifts on your life, I pray you have the courage to step into them completely and without fear! xo

A blog by

Karen Schravemade

welcome!

Hi friends! So glad you're here! I'm Karen, Aussie stay-home Mum to four littlies, former teacher of Creative Arts, agented writer and interior decorator. I'm on a journey to bring beauty to my home and enjoy a more creative life with my kids - I'd love for you to join us. (Curious? Read more here!)

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5 years ago, I was struggling with social media ad 5 years ago, I was struggling with social media addiction.⁠⠀
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My compulsion to scroll on my phone was making me deeply unhappy, but I couldn't seem to stop. ⁠⠀
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It feels incredibly vulnerable, but for the first time, I'm sharing my raw and honest story about how I became addicted to social media, and the exact steps I took to break free. ⁠⠀
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I've gone from wasting hours on a mindless distraction that only ever made me feel worse about myself, to falling in love with God's Word and finding true rest + peace in his presence.⁠⠀
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I'm a speaker at the 2020 Christian Women's Self Care Conference, and the topic of my session is "Stop the Scroll and Feed your Soul - how to break social media addiction and find rest in God's presence."⁠⠀
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There are 55+ speakers in total, speaking on a wide range of topics relating to self care. Registration is FREE, but only for a couple more days until conference starts on November 9th! ⁠⠀
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If you want to hold your seat, just tap the link in my bio and select "Self Care Conference", which will take you to the registration page.⁠⠀
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I hope you'll be blessed!⁠⠀
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Meanwhile, please tell me I'm not alone - has anyone else ever struggled with this?? Do share. ⁠⠀
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PS... You can read more of my story in my latest blog post! (Link in bio -> Visit the blog). ⁠⠀
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I also shared this super cute DIY phone box to help you interrupt the pattern of mindlessly picking up your phone!⁠⠀
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xo Karen⁠⠀
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#selfcare #christianwomen #christianlife #socialmediaaddiction #phoneaddiction #selfcaresistersociety
If there's one word to describe how many women hav If there's one word to describe how many women have been feeling this year... it would be "depleted."⁠⠀
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I mean, for real. Who would've guessed back at the start of this year that we'd be dealing with a global pandemic, homeschooling our kids, financial uncertainty, and a total lockdown on many of our most comforting routines?⁠⠀
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Ladies, it's time to refill those emptied-out tanks before this year is out. I'm so excited to share that I'll be speaking at the 2020 Christian Women's Self-Care Conference, alongside 55 other bloggers, authors and speakers. ⁠⠀
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It's totally online, and our aim is to bless you with help and encouragement for your 2020-wearied soul! ⁠⠀
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Even better, registration is FREE until the conference begins on November 7th, so make sure you hold your seat today! Just click the link in my bio and choose "SELF CARE CONFERENCE".⁠⠀
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Hope to see you there!⁠⠀
⁠⠀
xo Karen⁠⠀
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P.S. Swipe - do you recognise one of those Day One speakers...? More on what I'll be speaking about, very soon! It's a goody!! 😉 😍⁠⠀
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#selfcare #selfcaresistersociety #2020⁠⠀
It’s Reconciliation Week in Australia and right It’s Reconciliation Week in Australia and right now my heart is so heavy with the injustice in the world that I’m struggling to even find the words.

Knowing that I’m inherently complicit in that injustice because of my privilege is sobering. At times I’ve been silent when I should have spoken and at other times I've spoken when I should’ve shut up and listened to the only voices in this narrative that really matter - the voices of those who’ve experienced this sort of prejudice from inside their own skin.

Racial injustice has always grieved my heart, but there’s a difference between empathy and kindness. Having empathy is important, but it’s not enough. Kindness speaks and acts. And right now I don’t really know what to say but somehow I feel it’s important to say something anyway, however imperfectly. Because there is nothing as deafening as silence in the face of systemic suffering.

I don’t know a lot. But I do know that Jesus was always on the side of the oppressed and marginalised. And the Bible tells us that one day, the last will be first and the first will be last. To me that means that in God’s new restored kingdom, these corrupt systems of the world will be turned on their head. In that day, those who’ve benefited from a system of white supremacy (myself included) will be the least. Those who’ve been oppressed and mistreated in this life will be honoured and elevated with the nobility they deserve. What a day that will be!! 🙌

But it’s not enough to know that someday it will all be made right. I hope to see heaven come to earth. I hope to see more black leaders, politicians, policy makers, authors, artists, influencers, CEO’s, entrepreneurs, bank managers, lawyers, judges, scientists and professors. The system is unfairly stacked and our privilege is self-perpetuating. I pray for it all to be turned upside down within our lifetime.

In the (paraphrased) words of MLK, let’s not prefer a negative peace which is an absence of tension (aka passivity, complacency, complicity, silence), over a positive peace, which is the presence of justice. “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!”
‭‭Amos‬ ‭5:24‬ ‭NIV‬‬
We’re in week one of homeschooling over here. Sc We’re in week one of homeschooling over here. School closures will last at least five weeks. I will not lie, I was anxious about how I would cope. But we are slowly finding our rhythm and perhaps one day in the distant future I’ll even have time to start scheduling posts to Instagram again. For now, this is a random mid week check-in to say, how are you surviving, friends? I’m thinking of you! Wishing you an oasis of calm in the midst of everything, whether it means getting up half an hour earlier than the kids for a morning walk alone, or locking yourself in the bedroom at night with a good book while hubby puts the kids to bed. #doneboth #wewillsurvive 💗
Easter iso style - camping on our land! When so ma Easter iso style - camping on our land!
When so many are feeling hopeless right now, we are thankful for the hope Jesus brings. 💚🧡 Happy Easter, friends!
There is no right or wrong way to be right now.⁠ There is no right or wrong way to be right now.⁠
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I've felt led to share some hope and peace with you this week. That doesn't mean you need to put any extra pressure on yourself if you are struggling to tap into peacefulness right now.⁠
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I'm an Enneagram 4, so I am well accustomed to getting trapped inside my own feelings. For the feelers, the weight of the world's problems can sometimes feel intense and overwhelming.⁠
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I was on the beach the other day, praying for a "4" friend who is struggling with this exact thing. And all of a sudden, all of these butterflies started flying from the sand dunes toward the sea, and out over the waves.⁠
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It was a windy day and they were being buffeted around. But I was so intrigued that despite their fragility, they stayed on course, flying directly into that strong wind to get to where they were headed. It started with one, then two, then dozens upon dozens of them. None of them were blown into the water or whipped out of sight. They just flew straight on, above the waves.⁠
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And it made me think of the sensitive souls of this world. Our "butterflies", who bring so much beauty with their creativity, perception, and deep compassion for others. ⁠
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Our butterflies are being extra buffeted right now by the winds of change and pain. That doesn't make them weak. In fact they have within them a surprising strength, to stay the course and to fly above the waves.⁠
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The thing is, you don't have to change who you are to be strong. You don't have to be something you're not. Your sensitivity is not a weakness - it's designed into your DNA by God. With so many people hurting and afraid at the moment, we need your compassion more than ever.⁠
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If you're feeling overwhelmed, it's okay to not be okay. Just trust that even if you feel buffeted by the winds, you are lifted by his grace above the waves, and you will not be drowned.⁠
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And even if you feel like you're flailing around out there, you never know, someone else might just be watching you, admiring your beauty and your grace. 🦋
I was reading a random little story the other day I was reading a random little story the other day from the book of Numbers, in the Bible. ⁠
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A king was scared of the Israelites and so he paid a prophet to curse them. Except every time they tried it, the guy spoke blessings instead. This is what he said:⁠
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"God has blessed, and I cannot reverse it! No misfortune is in his plan for Jacob; no trouble is in store for Israel. For the LORD their God is with them; he has been proclaimed their king." (Numbers 23:20-21)⁠
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Even the curses of the enemy will be turned into blessings for the people of God. ⁠
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He has given us an inheritance that cannot be shaken. ⁠
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💜 What blessing are you thankful for today? ⁠
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I'm thankful for the leadership of my local church, who continue to minister to peoples' needs both spiritual and physical. Our pastors have their own families and needs, yet they consistently look outward to care for their flock. ⁠
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Let me know yours below! Let's name as many BLESSINGS as we can!⁠
⁠
xo Karen
Thank you God, for your goodness.⁠ ⁠ For famil Thank you God, for your goodness.⁠
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For family and a home and a table to gather around with our loved ones.⁠
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Thank you that when so much else is changing, you remain the same.⁠
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Thank you that you are for us and not against us. That your heart is toward us. That in you is all we need, now and always.⁠
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We pray for those who are lonely and isolated and anxious and unwell. For those whose jobs and livelihoods are lost or threatened. Give us creative ways to reach out with kindness, that we can be salt and light in a dark world. ⁠
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Let kindness for others not feel like a drain on our limited resources, but a natural outflowing of your continuous, abundant supply. ⁠
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Shelves may be bare, but you always have more than enough.⁠
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Every blessing comes from your hand and we are grateful.⁠
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Amen
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind an “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid." John 14:27⁠
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There is truly nothing like God's peace.⁠
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The world can offer mindfulness and yoga and candles and calming diffused oils and self-help. Nothing wrong with any of those things, in fact they can be beautiful tools - I use all of them. ⁠
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But I can say from genuine experience that the peace God gives is not like the peace the world gives. It's on a whole new level. ⁠
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It's the peace that he gives when you're in the middle of a storm and the world is turning to crap all around you and you're at the very end of yourself and self-help has begun feeling like trying to drag yourself from a pit via a rope around your waist that you're tugging on with your own two hands. ⁠
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We can't always lift ourselves out of anxiety or fear. So drop the rope. Stop striving. And ask God for HIS peace. He has an abundant well of supply for you to draw from. ⁠
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Fear is trying to hold tight to control in a situation we can't control. ⁠
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Faith asks us to let go, to repent of our fearfulness and surrender it all to God.⁠
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How do you find this miracle of peace? In the letting go.⁠
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We were never meant to carry this burden anyway. ⁠
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How are you doing today? Let me know how I can pray for you. ⁠
⁠
xo Karen
I was praying yesterday and felt God telling me th I was praying yesterday and felt God telling me that it's time to make a transition. Instead of being a person who looks for support from others in times of stress or uncertainty, he wants me to offer support TO others. ⁠
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I've often felt like I don't quite have it together. I'm sensitive, I feel things deeply, I tend to get trapped in my own head and in negative thought spirals.⁠
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But I felt like he was saying that I have something to offer, anyway. Just because I've always been a person who views myself as needy or weak does not mean God views me that way. He can see the strength that is in all of us and he delights in calling it forth. I love how when Gideon was hiding in fear in a winepress, God's angel greeted him by saying "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."⁠
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He was the furthest thing from a mighty warrior at that point. But God knew the battles he WOULD win in his future. He saw what did not yet exist and spoke about it as if it was already a reality. He saw Gideon's true identity and spoke directly to that buried and hidden place within him.⁠
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So. Maybe all I need is a shift in perspective. From looking inward at my own lack, to looking up at him. HE is the source of any hope and help I can offer. And if he wants me to share that, it would be my privilege to obey.⁠
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So let me know... is there anything you're particularly struggling with right now? If you're feeling anxious or burdened, I would love to support you in prayer. 🙏⁠
⁠
xo Karen
We haven't been quarantined yet in Australia, but We haven't been quarantined yet in Australia, but I know many of my American friends are stuck at home right now. Either way - sounds like a good chance to do "one thing for the home."⠀
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If you're feeling anxious, it can really help to get out of your head for a little while and do something practical. We can't control anything in the outside world right now, but we CAN complete one concrete task to make our immediate environment feel calmer and function better. And sometimes just having that one little win is all we need to break us out of a negative thought-spiral and restore some equilibrium. ⠀
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If you're feeling a bit helpless and panicky, I hope this helps. It's one thing you CAN control. And doing something with your hands will give your mind a much-needed break. ⠀
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🌟THIS MONTH'S PRIZE: A $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD! 🌟⠀
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Here's a reminder of how to play:⠀
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1. Decorate, declutter or organise one thing in your home, this weekend. No task is too small! One shelf or one drawer is all you need to tackle to be eligible!⁠⠀
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2. Post your "after" photo on the Facebook thread (click through via my link in bio). Pics DON'T have to be spectacular - they're simply proof that you did it.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
3. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. (Click through to my Facebook page via my link in bio)⁠⠀
⁠⠀
4. Tag some friends either on THIS post or on the Facebook thread to play along! If you complete the challenge, you will get a bonus entry for EVERY person you tag.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
5. Entries will be given for every challenge completed this month. We play four times in March - once every weekend! You can participate once or all four times, it's up to you!⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Instagram. The winner will be randomly drawn at 8pm AEST Monday, following the last Sunday of the month. Giveaway is open internationally.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
I'll be going live on Facebook today at 2.30pm AEST to kick off this week's challenge and show you the space I'll be tackling today. International timezones are on the third slide - swipe right to see! Or click through my link in bio at any time to see the video saved on my feed.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
I hope you join us! This will be fun!
I’ve been quiet this week. In situations of flux I’ve been quiet this week. In situations of flux or stress my tendency is to withdraw and process. (I’ve learned this is very Enneagram 4 of me.) I also feel major reticence about adding to the current noise. I feel there are enough voices talking loudly all at once about the same thing and you don’t need one more.
So I give you instead a prayer for peace. If you are feeling anxious, let this be your exhale today. 💙
Weekend feels courtesy of the "Hamptons House"... Weekend feels courtesy of the "Hamptons House"... 😉⁠
⁠
What are you up to this weekend, friends?⁠
⁠
xo Karen
It's Friday! Time for our weekly "One Thing for th It's Friday! Time for our weekly "One Thing for the Home" challenge! ⁠This month I'm gonna raise the stakes and give away a $50 Amazon Gift Card. 🎉🎉WOOHOO!!⁠⠀
⁠⠀
You can win just by getting something done that you've been meaning to get to around your home! ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Here's how to play.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
1. Decorate, declutter or organise one thing in your home, this weekend. No task is too small! One shelf or one drawer is all you need to tackle to be eligible!⁠⠀
⁠⠀
2. Post your "after" photo on the Facebook thread (click through via my link in bio). Pics DON'T have to be spectacular - they're simply proof that you did it.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
3. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. (Click through to my Facebook page via my link in bio)⁠⠀
⁠⠀
4. Tag some friends either on THIS post or on the Facebook thread to play along! If you complete the challenge, you will get a bonus entry for EVERY person you tag.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
5. Entries will be given for every challenge completed this month. We play four times in March - once every weekend! You can participate once or all four times, it's up to you!⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Instagram. The winner will be randomly drawn at 8pm AEST Monday, following the last Sunday of the month. Giveaway is open internationally.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
I'll be going live on Facebook today at 2.30pm AEST to kick off this week's challenge and show you the space I'll be tackling today. International timezones are on the third slide - swipe right to see! Or click through my link in bio at any time to see the video saved on my feed.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
I hope you join us! This will be fun! 🤩⁠⠀
⁠⠀
May the odds be ever in your favour! 😉⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Let's get this accountability ball rolling - let me know below what you're thinking of tackling this month!⁠⠀
⁠⠀
xo Karen⁠⠀
⁠⠀
⁠⠀
⁠⠀
#onethingforthehome #organized #organising #organisedhome #organisedlife #organisedmum #homeorganising #tidyhome #organization #organizedhome #aplaceforeverythingandeverythinginitsplace
We are getting closer on the home build front... a We are getting closer on the home build front... after two years of sketching dozens upon dozens of floor layout ideas and ultimately trashing all of them, I finally have a plan I LOVE!! ⁠
⁠
It ended up being a highly collaborative effort between our architect and myself - he came up with a general concept and gave me external parameters to suit the contours of the block, and I then designed the internal layouts to fit. ⁠
⁠
Turns out that is exactly what I needed - some guidelines! Amazing how much better our creativity flourishes within constraints. It was way too open-ended before our architect came on board, and I was flailing around in all that freedom like a tadpole in the ocean. Within a day or two of having a blank footprint to work within, I actually had a decent plan. We've tweaked it a little since then, but it's virtually the same.⁠
⁠
I love it when something you've struggled with for the longest time suddenly just clicks. Has this ever happened for you?⁠
⁠
Now we just need to draft it up properly and then see if we can actually afford to build it. Lol. ⁠
⁠
One step at a time... 😆Celebrating progress today!⁠
⁠
xo Karen⁠
⁠
P.S. Let me know if you'd like to see a sneak peek of our plan in stories!!
So here's a little Enneagram primer to follow on f So here's a little Enneagram primer to follow on from yesterday's chat! This is just off the top of my head, so please take it with a grain of salt - there is SO MUCH more to each type than what I can sum up in a sentence.⁠
⁠
Here are the 9 types:⁠
⁠
1 - The Moral Perfectionist: self-critical, organised, driven by the desire to make things right and good⁠
2 - The Helper: relationally driven, people focussed, places others' needs ahead of their own⁠
3 - The Achiever: success driven and ambitious, gets things done, image conscious⁠
4 - The Romantic Individualist: creative, driven by the desire for uniqueness, feels things deeply⁠
5 - The Investigative Thinker: introverted and analytical,  detached from emotion⁠
6 - The Loyalist: community minded, a team player, driven by the need for security and anxiety about the future⁠
7 - The Entertaining Optimist: positive, energetic and playful, driven to squeeze as much fun out of life as possible⁠
8 - The Protective Challenger: a natural leader, confrontational, confident and determined⁠
9 - The Peaceful Mediator: conflict-avoidant, gentle and steady, driven to seek inner peace⁠
⁠
I'm a 4 wing 5, married to an 8 wing 7. They do say opposites attract 😆⁠
⁠
Do you see yourself in any of these descriptions? ⁠
⁠
xo Karen
ENNEAGRAM⁠ ⁠ Where are my fellow Enneagram fan ENNEAGRAM⁠
⁠
Where are my fellow Enneagram fanatics??!⁠
⁠
I've only recently "discovered" the Enneagram, and OH. MY. GOODNESS. What a game changer. ⁠
⁠
If you're not familiar with it, it's a personality typing system.  I've always been interested in personality differences and human behaviour - that's probably the novelist in me. But none of the other systems I've come across have resonated with me as deeply as the Enneagram.⁠
⁠
It is so accurate, it's almost uncanny.⁠
⁠
Basically, there are 9 types, representing 9 different ways of looking at the world, each with different motivations, behaviour traits, strengths and flaws.⁠
⁠
I'm an Enneagram 4. That's the "Romantic Individualist". It's an artistic temperament driven by creativity, love of beauty, a desire for uniqueness, introspection, and authenticity.⁠
⁠
I guess it's no surprise that when I had to ask my friends and readers to sum up my strengths for an assignment I was given, the two words that came up most frequently were "creativity" and "honesty".⁠
⁠
Enneagram 4's feel deeply and are very connected to our emotions. We'd  much rather have a meaningful conversation about deep feelings than make small talk about trivial things. ⁠
⁠
Each type can pull a little more to one or other of the numbers beside them, giving a different flavour. I'm a wing 5 (the "Investigative Thinker") which means I tend to be less temperamental/ moody, and more steady, reserved and analytical. ⁠
⁠
I'm also daydreamy, a big-picture thinker, and despise administrative details. My "fatal flaw" (each type has one) is comparison and envy. Ohhhhh yep, that certainly rings true. Because while we want to stand out and be special, which can be prideful, we also struggle hard with insecurity and feeling like we never quite measure up.⁠
⁠
Yes, yes and YES.⁠
⁠
If you haven't done the Enneagram test, do a search online - it's honestly so interesting and self-revealing.⁠
⁠
If you know your type, what number are you? xo
So I found out I have bronchitis. 🙄At least I f So I found out I have bronchitis. 🙄At least I feel less like a whiner - if I get sick I usually shake it within a couple of days, so I was starting to feel irritated with myself for still being crook after three weeks!⁠
⁠
Anyhow, could be worse, and I do feel like I'm starting to pick up again now. ⁠
⁠
This buffet in our living room holds a changing arrangement of mostly-white vases, with a bit of blue glass and green foliage thrown in for good measure. ⁠
⁠
Are you a chronic re-arranger, or do you prefer to leave things as-is? ⁠
⁠
To be honest, I've always been a "get it exactly how I want it then leave it like that forever" type of girl, but I've been loosening up and playing around more with my décor this past year, and it struck me that my buffet has gone through several style shifts now. I actually like it a little bit better every time I make a change! ⁠
⁠
Hope this new week will be an awesome one for you, friends!⁠
⁠
xo Karen⁠
BLACK vs WHITE⁠ ⁠ Let's talk kitchens! Our hou BLACK vs WHITE⁠
⁠
Let's talk kitchens! Our house build is on my mind, and even though we're only at the plan stage, I'm trying to nail down my ideas in a general creative direction. ⁠
⁠
The last three kitchens I've designed have been all white, with accents of grey. I really want to use black in my next kitchen. I love the drama of it (as we already established, I like a bit of drama. Ha.) I keep veering back and forth between all black, or some combination of black and white. ⁠
⁠
I'm interested to know... what would you choose? My guess is that white-on-white is still gonna be the most popular choice, and black will probably be controversial, but I could be wrong! ⁠
⁠
So let me know - I'm keen to hear your opinion!⁠
⁠
1. All white⁠
2. All black⁠
3. Black + white⁠
⁠
🖤♡🖤♡🖤⁠
Karen
It's Friday! Time for our weekly "One Thing for th It's Friday! Time for our weekly "One Thing for the Home" challenge! ⁠This month I'm gonna raise the stakes and give away a $50 Amazon Gift Card. 🎉🎉WOOHOO!!⠀
⠀
You can win just by getting something done that you've been meaning to get to around your home! ⠀
⁠⠀
Here's how to play.⠀
⁠⠀
1. Decorate, declutter or organise one thing in your home, this weekend. No task is too small! One shelf or one drawer is all you need to tackle to be eligible!⠀
⁠⠀
2. Post your "after" photo on the Facebook thread (click through via my link in bio). Pics DON'T have to be spectacular - they're simply proof that you did it.⁠⠀
⠀
3. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook.⠀
⁠⠀
4. Tag some friends either on THIS post or on the Facebook thread to play along! If you complete the challenge, you will get a bonus entry for EVERY person you tag.⠀
⠀
5. Entries will be given for every challenge completed this month. We play four times in March - once every weekend! You can participate once or all four times, it's up to you!⠀
⁠⠀
Giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Instagram. The winner will be randomly drawn at 8pm AEST Monday, following the last Sunday of the month. Giveaway is open internationally.⠀
⠀
I'll be going live on Facebook today at 2.30pm AEST to kick off this week's challenge and show you the space I'll be tackling today. International timezones are on the third slide - swipe right to see! Or click through my link in bio at any time to see the video saved on my feed.⠀
⠀
I hope you join us! This will be fun! 🤩⠀
⠀
May the odds be ever in your favour! 😉⠀
⠀
Let's get this accountability ball rolling - let me know below what you're thinking of tackling this month!⠀
⠀
xo Karen⠀
⠀
P.S. You can decorate, declutter or organise anything you like. No task is too small! Tackle a drawer, a shelf, or a storage tub. Do that niggly little job you've been meaning to get to. Hang that picture. Paint that stool. Sort through the kids clothes. We’ve all got that “one thing” - let us know yours! xo⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
#onethingforthehome #organized #organising #organisedhome #organisedlife #organisedmum #homeorganising #tidyhome #organization #organizedhome #aplaceforeverythinga
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