At the start of this year, I could feel the Lord drawing me closer to His Word.
And the more I sat with that, the more I realized how important this is—especially for us as mothers. There is so much that God wants to pour into us as we raise our children, as we keep our homes, and as we walk in obedience to the calling He has placed on our lives. But we cannot do this in our own strength.
One of the things the Holy Spirit impressed upon me at the beginning of this year was this simple but powerful call: draw closer.
Draw closer to God through His Word.
Through understanding His Word.
Through reading His Word.
Through allowing the Word of God to truly fill us.
When we allow God’s Word to fill us, something changes. The stories that are told in Scripture—the history, the things that have happened in the past—are not just accounts on a page. They are life. They are truth. And they build faith within us.
Those stories strengthen us. They give us the faith we need to carry on, especially through difficult seasons. Because the truth is, everyone faces hard moments in life. Motherhood is not easy. Raising children is not an easy feat. And we need God’s wisdom. We need His guidance. We need the knowledge that comes from Him.
And He is so faithful to His Word.
When we draw close to Him, He draws close to us.
Drawing Near While Caring for Our Families
As we continue through this year, drawing close to God will be a priority for me. But I also want to encourage you—especially as you care for your family and raise your children—to let this be a priority for you as well.
Drawing near doesn’t mean neglecting your responsibilities. It doesn’t mean setting aside an entire day or withdrawing from the work God has given you to do. It means being intentional.
It means taking the time to read His Word.
To meditate on it.
To reflect on what He has done.
Even the history we read in the Old Testament—the things God did, the ways He moved, the faithfulness He showed—those accounts strengthen us when we take time to sit with them.
Drawing near can look like listening to Scripture while folding laundry.
Meditating on what you read earlier that day while caring for the children.
Listening to the Holy Spirit before responding in a moment of frustration.
Because there are moments—especially when we’re tired, when we didn’t get enough sleep because we were up all night with the baby, or when something small sets us off—where the flesh wants to take control.
And it’s in those moments that listening matters most.
Responding From the Spirit, Not the Flesh
When we listen to God in those moments, He helps us respond differently. Not from the flesh, but from the Spirit.
Instead of reacting in anger, He helps us respond with grace.
Instead of speaking out of frustration, He helps us speak in a way that is helpful—to our children, to our husbands, to our families.
In a way that is respectful.
In a way that honors Christ.
But this doesn’t happen automatically.
It takes the Holy Spirit.
And it takes us being filled with something.
That something is not ourselves.
It is the Word of God.
As we care for our homes and serve our families this year, let our number one goal be this: to draw closer to the Lord through His Word. To gain a deeper understanding of His truth. To allow His Word to fill us so fully that we begin to embody Christ within our homes.
So that when we respond, we respond in a Christ-honoring way.
So that when we make decisions, we are led by the Holy Spirit and not by our flesh.
Standing Firm When Pressure Comes
This becomes especially important in difficult moments—when we hear negative words from family members about the choices we’ve made in raising our children, or about stepping away from a career or ministry to focus on what is often the first ministry: caring for the home and caring for our children.
Those words can sting.
They can stir frustration.
They can provoke responses that are not honoring to God.
But God is calling us to block out the noise. To quiet the voices and messages that do not align with His truth. And to remain focused on Him—being filled with His Word so that we can respond the way He calls us to, even under pressure.
Whether that pressure is financial, emotional, or circumstantial, being rooted and grounded in God’s Word helps us stay on the path He has called us to walk.
Rooted in the True Source of Life
The Bible tells us that the one who is rooted in the Lord is like a tree planted by rivers of water—bringing forth fruit in its season.
That image is powerful.
A tree that is planted by the water does not wither.
It does not crumble.
It flourishes.
Why?
Because it is drawing from the ultimate source of life.
And that source is Jesus Christ.
When we remain rooted in Him—when we draw near through His Word—we are able to build our homes. We are able to flourish. And we are able to walk faithfully in the calling God has given us.
An Encouragement for the Year Ahead
So as we continue on in this year, let us be encouraged.
Let us dive deeper into His Word.
Let us draw nearer to the Lord.
And let us trust that as we do, He will draw near to us.
This is how every wise woman builds her house—by staying rooted in truth, filled with the Word, and led by the Spirit of God.
