In the Middle of it All

There’s something about the middle that feels heavier than the beginning or the end.

We’re in the middle of winter. A winter that has been bitter and cold, keeping us all cooped up. Even the chickens have had a rough winter, and we have lost a couple to the cold. This is the long stretch where the newness and glow of winter have worn off, spring still feels far away, and the days blur together with gray skies and muddy boots by the door. We’re also in the middle of the school year, where routines are mundane, and everyone is counting weeks instead of fresh starts. It is where school gets difficult, tests get harder, and motivation dips. 

And on top of all that, we’re in a full season of ministry.

There are sermons to prepare, lessons to plan, children’s ministry needs, youth group, meetings, conversations, prayers, and the unseen weight that comes with caring for people well. It’s good work, holy work, but it’s also stretching. There is community work that is being done, unspoken work to keep people healthy and supported. 

Lately, life has felt like standing in the middle of a busy crossroads. Homeschooling still needs structure. The homestead still needs tending. Ministry still deserves our best. And somewhere in all of that, our family still needs margin, rest, and joy.

This tension. The desire to be faithful without burning out. Being overwhelmed beyond normal, which can sometimes leave me in bed battling depression, is what led me to start building something new. Something to help keep me focused and also keep rest and balance a priority. 

Over the past weeks, I’ve been quietly working on a custom planner, designed for people who live in overlapping callings. Deep desires and wants to do something more. Not just a “to-do list,” but a place to hold ministry responsibilities, home life, homeschooling, homestead work, and personal rhythms, all in one place. Something practical, flexible, and grace-filled. A planner that understands real life doesn’t fit neatly into boxes.

It’s still coming together, slower than I wanted but I’m excited about it. This planner is being shaped in the middle of real days, between lessons, chores, sermons, and prayer. It’s being built for seasons like this one, when everything matters and everything feels full.

If you’re also in the middle of winter, of a school year, of a calling that stretches you. I see you. You’re not behind. You’re not failing. You’re doing faithful work in a demanding season.

More details about the planner will be coming soon, and I can’t wait to share it with you. For now, know this: the middle is not wasted time. It’s often where the deepest growth happens.

Grace and peace from our homestead to yours. 🌿