• Home
  • About
  • Faith
    • Psalms of the Summer
    • The Gospel
    • Theology
    • Bible Study
  • Motherhood
    • Mom Moments
    • Mothering for Christ
    • Book Reviews
    • Teach Your Kids
    • Recipes
  • Expat Life
  • Shop
Ep. 19 How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe | Practical Motherhood
Motherhood

Ep. 19 How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe | Practical Motherhood

June 29, 2022

Hey there, you’re listening to Naptime Theology and today we are discussing the very practical topic of wardrobes and clothing. And, more specifically how us Christian moms can prioritize building a capsule wardrobe that will save time, look cute, and help us better steward our time and resources. 

Mundane and Majestic

Well, today is going to be a very practical episode. And before I begin, I just want to say that sometimes I’ve struggled with the practical side of being a wife and mother. I think I’ve always found more value in studying the Bible and knowing more about God. And, therefore, finding those things more important to post about or write about for my blog. And, of course, those things are valuable. But in my head I sometimes separate the mundane things, like organizing a closet, as something that doesn’t bring as much glory to God. I haven’t been seeing all of my work as a wife and mom as a way to give glory to God. 

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:31 that we are to do all things to the glory of God. That means even our mundane tasks at home are to be done for His glory. We also read of the Proverbs 31 woman in the Bible. She had many, many mundane and normal mom-duties that she did each and every day. Her example shows us that those things are important things to do well for your family and that they are done for God’s glory.

I personally love bonding with other women about practical things in our lives and our homes. But I think I don’t always make the connection to having those things glorify God each day. Maybe it’s the stark juxtaposition between scrubbing muck off the floor and reading a 16th century commentary on the book of the Bible. The mundane to the majestic. That is sometimes a big jump to make. But I’m really trying to focus on God’s glory in every moment of my life, even the mundane ones. Because the reality is that He deserves the glory for each moment, whether it’s mundane or majestic. So for this episode today, I pray that you can see how a mundane, practical thing like organizing your closet brings glory to God because it helps you to be a better steward of your time. And that also frees up more time to serve others during your day. That’s what I hope to encourage in you today, friend. 

The small things in our lives are not things we have to do before we can bring glory to God. If they’re in service of others and in service of your home, then they themselves bring glory to God. And that makes them important. 

Building a Capsule Wardrobe

So, let’s get to how to build a capsule wardrobe. I know you’ve been there: looking in your closet, not sure what to wear. You try on an outfit that just doesn’t feel right and then try on another. But nothing is working and all you can think is, “I have nothing to wear.” 

I have definitely felt this way and when I knew I was going to move here to Oxford, England I finally decided to do something about it. I decided to create a capsule wardrobe for myself. And, spoiler alert, I think it works really well and I’ll probably never not have one. 

What is a Capsule Wardrobe?

A capsule wardrobe is a collection of clothes and accessories that includes only items considered essential. These wardrobes first appeared in America in the 1940s as a way to purchase your entire wardrobe at once. They were advertised then as a small collection of garments designed to be worn together which harmonized in color and line. I saw an advertisement that noted the whole wardrobe could fit into one suitcase! Most capsule wardrobes are only meant to last for one season or around 3 months. Then you will need to shift items depending on the weather where you live.

I’ve personally seen capsule wardrobes become more popular in the last couple of years as the minimalist movement has also gained popularity. Some capsule wardrobes have as few as 30 items total and some grow to 60 or 100. It really depends on the creator of the wardrobe.

Why a Capsule Wardrobe?

Now you may be wondering why I chose to do a capsule wardrobe. For me personally, the biggest reason I made a capsule wardrobe was because I knew that I would be moving to a country and I needed to downsize all of our belongings, including my clothing.

But in general, creating a capsule wardrobe for yourself will really save you a lot of time. As busy moms, we don’t have a lot of time to ourselves as it is and simplifying your wardrobe can provide a few extra minutes in the day.

A third reason to create a capsule wardrobe is to keep your items to a minimum. Now, I’m not saying I fully subscribe to total minimalism, I think you can take it too far. But, in this category of clothing, it is way too easy to have so many clothes that you don’t know what to do with. As Christians we are to be good stewards of all things that we have, even our clothing. And I think that creating a minimal closet is one way to steward my clothing well. In the long run, I will end up being more intentional about each item of clothing I purchase and wear.

Speaking of purchasing, another reason to create a capsule wardrobe is so that you can save money. You may find that investing in some solid, everyday wear pieces costs money up front, but you’ll be wearing them a lot in a capsule wardrobe so it makes sense in the long run. I would say that you should be careful with what you purchase and make sure it is quality. And if you are able to shop around at thrift stores, or charity shops as they’re called here in England, you can save even more money on your minimal closet. 

My Personal Experience

I first created a winter capsule wardrobe when I moved to Oxford a year and half ago. I didn’t really sit down and make a summer capsule wardrobe because I think I was still adjusting to life here and, to be honest, I felt quite cold for most of last summer and still wore a lot of my winter items during June, July, and August. But, now that I’m more acclimatized, I have definitely benefited from having a summer capsule wardrobe. I don’t think I will ever go without having a capsule wardrobe put together ever again. 

Using a capsule wardrobe means that all of your clothing pieces will match and be in the same color palette. That makes it very simple to get dressed every day and simple to get dressed to go out. It also takes out the guessing of getting dressed because I’ve already taken the time to make sure the pieces go together and match ahead of time.

On a more personal note, I also think that having a capsule wardrobe has made me a better steward of my clothing. Now instead of having clothing in my closet that I don’t use because it doesn’t match or I don’t have the right thing to wear with it, I wear all of my clothing items. And, now that I have clothes I like to wear, I find myself taking better care of them so that they will last longer. I’m also not constantly looking for items to wear so I don’t spend a lot of money on clothing all the time. We can honor the Lord with how we steward our clothes!

And more so, when we are stewarding our clothing well, it will take us less time in the morning. So not only does it help us steward our clothing, but also steward our time. 

Utilizing a capsule wardrobe has really helped me and totally taken away the anxiety that can sometimes surround getting dressed in the mornings. And I think it can do the same for you! If you’re feeling like you have too many clothes and you want to downsize, or maybe you know you spend too much on clothing and you want to stop, or if you want to be a better steward of your clothing and your time, a capsule wardrobe may be your answer.

And you may think that I am recommending getting rid of all the clothes you own and buying new ones. Definitely not! I am a big fan of used clothes and keeping the clothes that you already own. You may have to whittle down your closet in this process, yes (especially if you only want to have 30 pieces). But I think there’s a good way to keep the clothes you love and work them into your capsule wardrobe.

How to Create a Capsule Wardrobe

So, how do you create a capsule wardrobe? I’ll walk you through the steps that I took and share what I’ve learned. I got a lot of information from my mom who has done capsule wardrobes for a while. And my mom got inspiration and information and a few specifics from Janice’s website called The Vivienne Files. That website has SO many options for capsule wardrobes and even more detailed instructions than what I’ll share today if you want to check it out. I will link it in the blog post for this episode. Just a word of warning though, there are a TON of sample capsule wardrobes to look at on her site. It’s really helpful, but I found that when I was preparing my capsule wardrobe I just had to stop looking at some point and decide on my colors and pieces of clothing. So, don’t get stopped in your progress by endlessly looking at the beautiful wardrobes Janice has created. 

Choosing Your Color Palette

The first step in creating a capsule wardrobe is choosing your color palette. When I made mine, this was an overwhelming task for me! How will I know what colors I want to wear for the next three months? 

There are lots of ways to choose a color palette for your wardrobe. You’ll need a few neutrals and few accent colors. I’ve seen whole capsule wardrobes based on a colorful scarf or inspired by a wallpaper print. 

But, the easiest (and most economic) way I found to find your color palette is to use your own clothes. You already have a color palette of sorts in your closet, you just have to find it.

So, pull out all your clothes and sort them by color. Then look at the colors you have the most items in and that could possibly be your color palette that you already own. It’s likely that you own a lot of similar colors, those are the colors you are naturally drawn too. And, those are the colors you will most likely want to have in your color palette. Your color palette should not be the rainbow, pick out at least two neutral colors and two accent colors.

This was the method I used to find my own color palette. I pulled out all of my clothes and sorted them by color. I had a lot of colors in my closet, but there were 5 that had the most pieces overall: navy blue, cream, gray, blush pink, and turquoise. 

See how easy that was? These are the colors I’m naturally drawn to and ones that I already own in my closet. This is a win-win situation because not only did I know which colors I liked for my palette, but I also didn’t have to purchase as many clothes cause I already owned these!

Now, if this method of using your own clothes doesn’t work for you, maybe you’ve pulled out all of your clothes and nothing really comes to the top for a color palette, then I suggest you take a look at the website I talked about above for inspiration.

You might also have just one or two pieces that you really love; those could be your inspiration for your entire capsule wardrobe palette. You could also look at the tones of your complexion and hair to help you pick your color palette. There’s a lot of flexibility in choosing your palette.

Keep in mind that your capsule wardrobe is not going to be what you wear forever. Depending on where you live, your capsule wardrobe will most likely change with the seasons, which is just three months. So, if you pick a palette and then realize you don’t like it as much as you thought, you can change it after a couple months when you prepare for the next season.

So, while there is a lot of flexibility in how you choose your palette and which colors you choose, there should not be flexibility in this next step.

Empty Your Closet

Now, this may be the hardest part of creating a capsule wardrobe. But it’s also really important to make your capsule wardrobe work! 

Get rid of the clothes that are not in your color palette.

Yikes! That may sound like a lot of clothes and a lot of waste. But if you used the method I did, where your own clothes created the palette, you shouldn’t be getting rid of too many clothes. 

When I made my capsule wardrobe, this rule made purging my closet very easy. I was no longer making decisions about how much I liked certain items, nor did I have to think about the last time I wore something. I simply just had to see if it was in my color palette. Then, when it wasn’t I could put it in the donate pile. And when it was, I could keep it in my wardrobe.

And, by the way, I do suggest you donate your clothing. Or, even better, if you’ve got the time, sign up for Poshmark, take pictures, and sell your clothing online. You could even use what you make from your old clothes to purchase new items for your capsule wardrobe.

I will say, it was a little bit difficult to get rid of everything that was not in my palette. I had this one black dress that I really liked, but navy blue is my neutral color, so it had to go. But now that I’ve used my capsule wardrobe for a while, I can tell you that this step is definitely worth it! 

You don’t want to keep that one-off item because you most likely won’t wear it. The whole point of a capsule wardrobe is that all the clothes match together and it’s very easy to get dressed every day. So get rid of whatever garments do not match your chosen color palette. 

If you did not find that many clothes in your closet to make up your palette, then maybe hold on to a few clothes that are not in your palette and get rid of them once you have filled in some of the gaps in your capsule wardrobe.

Fill Your Closet With Your Capsule Wardrobe!

Now that you’ve purged your closet and removed those items that do not fit into your capsule wardrobe palette, it’s time to fill in any gaps that are left.

This is another step that provides you with flexibility. Would you like to only have a certain number of clothes? Maybe 30 garments? Maybe you’d rather have more clothing and more options but all in the same palette? 

Whatever you choose to do, do it and stick to it. 

Maybe you already have three pairs of jeans that you love, don’t buy more. Focus on tops that will fit with your palette and expand that way. If you have plenty of tops, look for neutral trousers to go with. If your closet is full of dresses in your palette, find a sweater that can go over the top. Maybe you just need one or two more tops to complete your capsule wardrobe, that’s an easy fix.

I feel like I can’t give too many instructions on how to exactly build your wardrobe piece by piece because it will be different for everyone. This is where I would say that website or Pinterest comes in handy. Use it for inspiration regarding how many pieces to have in your wardrobe and what your capsule wardrobe should be made up of. 

Be sure to keep in mind what activities you do on a regular basis when filling your wardrobe. If you are at home all day with kids, go casual. If you work at an office, dress it up. You get the idea.

I have both my winter capsule wardrobe from last year and my summer capsule wardrobe I’m wearing right now detailed on my blog. You can take a look for inspiration at naptimetheologian.com.

And, just as a side note, if you do decide on a number like 30, you do not have to count your workout clothes or undergarments in that number. Just the outer clothes and shoes that you own.

If you’re not sure where to purchase clothing for your wardrobe, I would suggest getting it all second-hand! I love the thrill of finding the exact thing you’re looking for at the thrift store. When I was building my first capsule wardrobe, I made a detailed list of everything I needed on my phone. Then whenever I went to the thrift store, I would read through the list before browsing so I could look for exactly what I needed. Many times, I found exactly what I was looking for! And if I didn’t I used the Poshmark app to find some specific things. It’s a clothing resale app where people list their clothing and you buy it through the app. They have a similar app here in England called Vinted (that’s V-I-N-T-E-D). They are both good apps and it’s super easy to search for a specific item of clothing on them. I found it useful to be more specific when I was at the end of creating my capsule wardrobe.

Using as many of your own clothes as possible and shopping second-hand in this way will really make building a capsule wardrobe affordable for you.

So, once you’ve chosen your color palette and decided how many items you want, fill in the gaps by making a list of what you need and finding it to purchase. 

Try It Out | Wear Your Capsule Wardrobe

Then, when you’ve gotten all your clothing, it’s time to try out your capsule wardrobe. 

Go for a couple weeks without buying any clothing. Only wear your capsule wardrobe. 

Not only will this give you a chance to see your hard work in action, but it will also solidify your wardrobe as you go. You’ll find out exactly what you are missing and want to add to further complete your wardrobe. And, maybe you won’t miss anything, then you did a good job planning it out! This also gives you a chance to change your mind if you decide there’s something that’s not good. I’ve found that fine tuning your wardrobe is really worth it. Take the time to look for quality pieces that you like and will enjoy wearing often. And then keep those items, getting rid of others.

My Current Capsule Wardrobe

Having a capsule wardrobe has really made my life as a busy mom MUCH easier and I want the same for you, friend. So I hope you give it a try. I’ll just end by describing my current capsule wardrobe. 

I have kept pretty much the same color palette I chose when I moved here except that I’ve changed the cream color to pure white. I was finding the cream color to wash out my face and it is not often paired with navy blue in patterns while white is often paired with navy blue, so I’ve found clothes much more easily with white as a neutral instead of cream. So my current palette is: navy blue and white as the neutrals. Then turquoise and blush pink as the accents. I’ve found that I really like navy blue and white, so that’s mostly what I own. There are just a few pieces that are the accent colors.

There are pictures of my whole capsule wardrobe on my blog at naptimetheologian.com so you can go and see the individual items that I own. My current capsule wardrobe consists of 9 tops (one of those is a long-sleeved one), 4 outerwear pieces (a cardigan, a jean jacket, a pullover sweatshirt, and a rain jacket which is essential in England!), 2 pairs of jeans (a light wash color and a dark wash color), 1 pair of dress pants or trousers, 2 skirts, 6 dresses, 1 jumpsuit, 1 pair of tennis shoes, 1 pair of ankle boots, 1 pair of brown flats, 1 pair of wellies (or rain boots). That brings us to a grand total of 29 items! My goal is to keep my capsule wardrobe to 30 pieces, so I’ve done it currently! And I did find almost all of my pieces for my wardrobe at thrift stores here in Oxford. I only bought two of the tops brand-new and they are t-shirt type tops so they are not as expensive anyway. Everything else was either found at a thrift store or was still in my wardrobe from the winter time. The weather here is not all that warm to me, so I do still wear a few things that I also wore in the winter time (some dresses are especially easy to warm up in the winter with a pair of leggings underneath). And I wear my navy blue cardigan with almost everything. 

This time around when I made my capsule wardrobe, I was definitely more confident about having patterns in it which you can see from the photos. The first time I did my winter wardrobe, the pieces were all pretty much solid colors with a few stripes. So, I think that confidence comes with time. If you’re not feeling very confident in what to put in your capsule wardrobe, maybe try starting out with solid colors that match and building from there.

Well, I think that about finishes this episode. Talking through something like capsule wardrobes can only go so far in a podcast. So, head over to my blog at naptimetheologian.com to see the pictures of my current capsule wardrobe and my winter one too if you’re interested. You can also leave me a comment or ask a question there, I’m happy to help you in your capsule wardrobe endeavors! 

I love the camaraderie and fellowship that we women can have over practical things like building a wardrobe. It’s lots of fun to share fashion tips and inspiration together. I hope you’ve enjoyed hearing about my experience and the tool that works for me today. Give it a try and let me know how it goes for you. Thanks for listening to Naptime Theology today.

Pictures of My Current Wardrobe

My Summer Capsule Wardrobe

Related Posts:

How to Dress Modestly

My Winter Capsule Wardrobe

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

Tags:

  • capsulewardrobe
  • ,
  • fashion
  • ,
  • motherhood
  • ,
  • summer

Post navigation

Ep. 18 Grace Before the Curse | Genesis 3:8-13 | Book by Book

Welcome! I’m Deborah. So glad you’re here!

Here you’ll find encouraging, Scripture-filled posts and Bible study tips. Because theology is for every mom! Get to know me here.

Here’s what I’ve written lately…

  • Ep. 19 How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe | Practical Motherhood
  • Ep. 18 Grace Before the Curse | Genesis 3:8-13 | Book by Book
  • No Knead Artisan Sourdough Bread
  • Ep. 17 Dressing Modestly | Theology of Clothing
  • Ep. 16 Snakes, Deception, and Clothing | Genesis 3:1-7 | Book by Book

Listen to my podcast!

​

Never miss a post! Subscribe for early access and the free subscribers' resource library!

    We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.
    Powered By ConvertKit

    Instagram

    naptimetheologian

    Deborah Gandi
    Posting and ghosting on this one, friends! I try t Posting and ghosting on this one, friends! I try to take a long break from social media once a year and that time has come again. I'll be off for the rest of the month of July. If you've never taken a break like this, I definitely recommend it! I always feel refreshed and ready to encourage people again. You can read all my social media suggestions on my blog, linked in bio. July is also going to be a busier month for me... I'm out of town for two weeks and then moving to a new house down the road, so I don't need the distraction! But I'm happy you're here and I love connecting with all of you. Check out my highlights and feel free to send me a DM about anything, I will get back to you! 😘
    So, what is grace? This word is used so much in Ch So, what is grace? This word is used so much in Christianity. And so many little girls grow up with this word as their name. But what does “grace” actually mean?

Well, a simple definition is this: Grace is getting what you do not deserve. Or even simpler, Grace is undeserved favor. 

God, out of His kindness and love, treats us better than we deserve. That’s grace. He is constantly showing us His grace each and every day. 

We see grace in all good things that God gives to us. We don’t deserve anything good, only death and destruction because, again, we are sinners. But God gives us grace in our lives by treating us better than we deserve. We get to enjoy creations, food, marriage, children, and many other beautiful things in our lifetime. That’s all because of God’s grace. Because He hasn’t given us what we deserve. This is sometimes called common grace because it is available for all people in the world despite their sin, not just for Christians. Unbelievers also enjoy the planet and human relationships which are instances of God’s common grace in the world.

The Bible also uses the word grace in another way. First Corinthians 15:10 says, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.” This is God’s grace described in another way, as power for living out the Christian life. We see this also in 2 Corinthians 2:9 where Jesus says to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” This is God’s grace working to help us in our lives. We don’t deserve His help or encouragement, but He gives it to us because He treats us better than we deserve. This is grace. 

But the ultimate, saving grace of God is found in Jesus. As I said before, we know from Romans that the wages of sin is death. We also know from Romans 3:23 that all have sinned. So we all deserve death because we are all sinners. But God doesn’t treat us that way. Instead, He made a way for us to be forgiven for our sins through Jesus’ death and resurrection. That’s grace. Continue reading in comments ⬇️⬇️⬇️
    Sometimes I’ve struggled with the practical side Sometimes I’ve struggled with the practical side of being a wife and mother. Not struggled to get things done, but struggled to find value in doing those things. I think I’ve always found more value in studying the Bible and knowing more about God. And, of course, those things are valuable! But in my head I sometimes separate the mundane things from the spiritual things. And then I see the mundane tasks I have before me simply as things I need to get out of the way before I can really glorify God by studying His Word.

But that's not biblical. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:31 that we are to do all things to the glory of God. That means even my mundane tasks at home are to be done for His glory. We also read of the Proverbs 31 woman in the Bible. She had many, many mundane and normal mom-duties that she did each and every day. Her example shows us that those things are important things to do well for your family and that they are done for God’s glory.

I personally love bonding with other women about practical things in our lives and our homes. But I don’t always make the connection to having those things glorify God each day. Maybe it’s the stark juxtaposition between scrubbing muck off the floor and reading a 16th century commentary on a book of the Bible. The mundane to the majestic. That is sometimes a big jump for me to make. But I’m really trying to focus on God’s glory in every moment of my life, even the mundane ones. Because the reality is that He deserves the glory for each moment, whether it’s mundane or majestic. And His grace and regeneration in my life makes any mundane moment majestic. 

So I want to encourage you today, friend... The small things in our lives are not things we have to do before we can bring glory to God. If they’re in service of others, in service of your home, and quite simply the things that God has given you to do, then doing them brings glory to God. And that makes them important. 
.
Do you struggle with this connection too, though?
    A truth I've been mulling over and over again: "T A truth I've been mulling over and over again:

"There's not an hour that He is not near us; no not one, no not one."

I will wither and fade like these beautiful flowers. "What is man that You are mindful of him? And the son of man that You care for him?" (Psalm 8). And yet, Jesus promises, "Lo, I will be with you always." What grace!

No matter what we face, tears or triumphs, joys or sorrows, health or pain, Jesus will be there. Wherever we go, we cannot get away from Him. Even the remotest part of the sea (Psalm 139). Even if we are all alone, we aren't. For there's not an hour, not a minute, not a second, that He's not near us. No not one, no not one. ❤️
    I've recently picked back up the Gospel Primer by I've recently picked back up the Gospel Primer by Milton Vincent and have been reading it every day again... Wow! It's so good! Here's what I read today:

"Boldness is critical. Without boldness, my life story will be one of great deeds left undone, victories left unwon, petitions left unprayed, and timely words unsaid. If I wish to live only a pathetically small portion of the life God has prepared for me, then I need no boldness. But if I want my life to bloom full and loom large for the glory of God, then I must have boldness - and nothing so nourishes boldness in me like the gospel! The gospel gives me boldness first by banishing my greatest fear, the fear of God's eternal wrath. Indeed, Christ bore God's wrath upon Himself, not simply so I could escape that wrath on some future day, but also that I might be released from the daily fear of such wrath as I think ahead to judgment day. Because this fear hinders the ongoing work of God in me, the love of God continually expels this fear (whenever it appears) and nurtures within me a confident eagerness to face God on judgment day. Living in the daily relief of this fear frees me up to continue being perfected in confidence by the love of God, and it also serves to put all other fears, especially the fear of man, into perspective.

Additionally, the more I experience the life-transforming power of the gospel, the more confident I am in speaking it to others, both saved and lost. I know what the gospel can do in people's lives if they would believe the fullness of it, because I see what it is doing in me and in others. Therefore, I have increasing boldness to speak the whole gospel to others, even amid opposition...

Preaching the gospel to myself each day nourishes within me a holy brazenness to believe what God says, enjoy what He offers, and do what He commands. Admittedly, I don't deserve to be a child of God and I don't deserve to be free of sin's guilt and power. I don't deserve the staggering privilege of intimacy with God, nor any other blessing that Christ has purchased for me with His blood. I don't even deserve to be useful to God. But by the grace of God I am what I am and I have what I have."
    Mighty God, I humble myself for faculties misused, Mighty God,
I humble myself for faculties misused,
opportunities neglected,
words ill-advised,
I repent of my folly and inconsiderate ways, 
my broken resolutions, untrue service,
my backsliding steps, 
my vain thoughts.
O bury my sins in the ocean of Jesus' blood
and let no evil result from my fretful temper,
unseemly behaviour, provoking pettiness.
If by unkindness I have wounded or hurt another,
do thou pour in the balm of heavenly consolation;
If I have turned coldly from need, misery, grief,
do not in just anger forsake me;
If I have withheld relief from penury and pain,
do not withhold thy gracious bounty from me,
If I have shunned those who have offended me,
keep open the door of thy heart to my need.

Fill me with an over-flowing ocean of compassion,
the reign of love my motive,
the law of love my rule.

O thou God of all grace, make me more thankful, more humble;
Inspire me with a deep sense of my unworthiness arising from
the depravity of my nature, my omitted duties, 
my unimproved advantages, thy commands violated by me.
With all my calls to gratitude and joy may I remember
that I have reason for sorrow and humiliation;
O give me repentance unto life;
Cement my oneness with my blessed Lord,
that faith may adhere to him more immovably,
that love my entwine itself round him more tightly,
that his spirit may pervade every fibre of my being.
Then send me out to make him known to my fellow-men.
.
.
.
-- from The Valley of Vision
.
.
.
📸: Cirencester Church, Gloucestershire
    Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, "Come to me all who a Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, "Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." We need immense help with the weighty job of parenting and nurturing our children. So go to Jesus who promises rest. ❤️ How do you go to Jesus? Read His Word, try Psalm 1 or the gospel of John. Pray to Him, he hears you and will answer. Ask Him for help and rest along your parenting journey.
    Satan first just gave Eve a hint by planting that Satan first just gave Eve a hint by planting that seed of doubt: “Did God really say you shall not eat from any tree of the garden?” That’s exactly what the serpent does with us today. “Did God really say you have to put others before yourself or is a little more ‘me time’ exactly what you need?” “Did God really say you have to submit yourself to your husband even when you don’t feel like it?” “Did God really say you need to discipline your children with humility and kindness or is your raised voice understandable because you’re upset?” 

All it took was that one little question for Eve’s heart to decline from faith, as Calvin puts it. He is describing the fall and how that small seed of doubt planted by the serpent grew into sin. He says, “Eve could previously behold the tree with such sincerity, that no desire to eat of it affected her mind; for the faith she had in the word of God was the best guardian of her heart, and of all her senses. But now, after the heart had declined from faith, and from obedience to the word, she corrupted both herself and all her senses, and depravity was diffused through all parts of her soul as well as her body. It is, therefore, a sign of impious defection, that the woman now judges the tree to be good for food, eagerly delights herself in beholding it, and persuades herself that it is desirable for the sake of acquiring wisdom; whereas before she had passed by it a hundred times with an unmoved and tranquil look.”

Eve went quickly from looking at the tree without a second thought, to desiring it for herself. We see that in her first response where she has already changed what God originally told them not to do in chapter 2. She added that they were not to touch the tree, God never said anything about touching the tree. Do you see how quickly we can be deceived into thinking that God’s ways are not best? 

Read/listen to the full post on Genesis 3 and Eve's deception at the link in my stories.
    We only have so much time in general. But time wit We only have so much time in general. But time with your kids? Even less. I want to use my time to be with my family, with my daughter, serving them well and providing a happy, healthy home for them. There's no other place I'd rather be. I know I'm made to be her mama and I'm so thankful for the opportunity to be with her. The Bible says that children are a blessing and gift from the Lord (Psalm 127:3). I pray I never take my time with my daughter for granted! ❤️🙏
    We don’t have to look far to find immodesty in o We don’t have to look far to find immodesty in our culture today. Simply switch on the TV, flip through a magazine, or walk through the grocery store, immodesty is everywhere. Our over-sexualized culture celebrates clothes that do not cover and garments that glitter. Clearly, our culture cares about what you wear. The art, music, and literature of today want to empower women by self-expression in scanty clothing. Their message is that it is more inspiring, feminine, and acceptable to show off our bodies than to cover them up, that shame of any sort regarding our physique is not appropriate, and that women should be free to dress however they desire.

The Christian must ask, “does God feel the same way?” “Does God care about what you wear?”

We don’t have to look far to find modesty in the Bible. In the opening chapters of Genesis, we find God as the very first clothing designer. Adam and Eve have just sinned, and they are now ashamed of their nakedness in the garden. They attempt to cover up their shame by stringing leaves together into loincloths (Genesis 3:7). When God later came to the garden and found Adam and Eve, He first addressed their sin, but then addressed their shame.

Genesis 3:21 says, “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.” Their little loincloths were not sufficient to cover the shame of their sin, so God made them garments, or tunics, to cover up their bodies. This was not because their bodies were imperfect, rather they were exposed. The point of clothing in this passage is to cover up Adam and Eve’s shame, the shame of the first sin. They were naked, utterly exposed, and God gave them dignity by providing proper clothing for their bodies so that they were no longer ashamed.

We are exactly like Adam and Eve, stuck in the shame of sin. It’s not until Jesus stepped into the world and took our place on the cross that it all changed. 
Read the full article on forthegospel.org or click the link in my stories.

Does God Care What Women Wear?
    Yes, God uses snakes. ☺️ The first character m Yes, God uses snakes. ☺️
The first character mentioned in Genesis 3  is none other than the serpent. The text says, “Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.

Maybe this seems like a small question, but I had never thought about this before. Why did Satan use the serpent instead of any other animal that God had created? The Bible clearly states that the snake or serpent was already cunning and crafty on its own, that’s how God made it.

In John Calvin’s commentary on this verse, he points out that Jesus actually tells the disciples to be “prudent as serpents” in Matthew 10:16. So, we shouldn’t read this first verse of chapter 3 with a negative tone. Rather, Moses is highlighting an aspect of God’s creation in describing the serpent as crafty. And even though it’s Satan who is using the snake in this passage, remember that Moses is actually pretty familiar with God using snakes for His own purposes. We have the first reference to this later in this chapter to God sending someone to “crush the head” of the serpent in Genesis 3:15.

Then in Moses’ personal life God used snakes as well. In Exodus 4 Moses’ staff is turned into a snake to show God’s power to Pharaoh. Then, in Numbers 21, snakes attack the Israelites in judgment from God and Moses is told to make the bronze snake that’s lifted up and when the people look to the bronze snake, they are healed. So, Moses knew from personal experience what snakes were like and it makes sense for him to include this note at the beginning of Genesis 3 about snakes being crafty. 

That bronze serpent that Moses made is actually in the Bible two more times, once during the time of the kings and it’s referred to in the New Testament by John. In 2 Kings 18, Hezekiah has just come onto the throne as king of Judah and it says in verse 4 that “he removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan.” ... Continued in comments ⬇️⬇️⬇️
    This is 27! 🎉 Pictured: 1) stopping to smell t This is 27! 🎉 
Pictured: 1) stopping to smell the roses at the oldest botanic garden in England, 2) finally learning how to do sourdough bread this weekend, 3) learning the laws of cricket as we watch Dada play, 4) drinking lots of water and meat stock (not at the same time 😆), 5) starting a garden with my friends!
Not pictured: the ups and downs of living in a foreign country, the frustrations and joys of training a 4-year-old, seeing God's faithfulness in little and big ways. ❤️
    I started growing a garden! Here in England there I started growing a garden! Here in England there are allotments provided by the city council so that residents can rent a plot and start a garden. I've really wanted to do one on my own, but decided that that would be too much work for just one person (who doesn't know much about gardening, mind you), so I have joined a couple of friends to work on a full-size plot together. It's about the size of a tennis court! We have already worked hard in the last weeks to get some plants planted for this year so that we can hopefully harvest some veggies at the end of this season. It has been a lot of fun and an excellent way to get outside more! Aletheia enjoys playing while we are planting, digging, and caring for our garden.
.
As you can imagine working in the garden is already teaching me a lot, I didn't know much about gardening other than helping my family when I was a child. But it is also teaching me a lot about the Christian life. Isn't it kind of the Lord to provide hobbies that also show us about Him? Working outside day by day in the garden has made me think so much about this word: cultivation.
.
Cultivation is a lot of hard work. You have to dig down deep, ruffle up the ground, and pull out all of the weeds and trash and old plants that are in there so that you can grow new ones. Isn't that a good picture of when you become a Christian? The Lord breaks up the rough ground in your heart, starts removing the junk and sin, and plants the fruit of the Spirit within you. All the digging has also made me think, what am I cultivating in my life? Am I cultivating the fruit of the Spirit? Obviously, they are called the fruit of the Spirit because it is God who works in us, but God does call us to "work out our own salvation" and to "walk worthy of the calling to which we are called." That means there's work for us to do as well!
.
Making Bible reading a habit is just one way that we can cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in our own lives. That's why I have a brand-new Bible reading plan for you to join me in this summer: Psalms of the Summer 2022! Get it at the link in my bio (and stories). Today, June 1st, is the first day, so let's dig into Scripture together! 
.

​
    Thankful for each person who gave their life for A Thankful for each person who gave their life for American Freedom. Remembering then this Memorial Day. 🇺🇲 

P.S. since I've moved to England, I learned that this tune is the same as the English national anthem, "God Save the Queen." So if you're a Brit, just close your eyes and listen. ☺️

1 My country, 'tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty,
of thee I sing:
land where my fathers died,
land of the pilgrims' pride,
from every mountainside
let freedom ring!

2 My native country, thee,
land of the noble free,
thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
thy woods and templed hills;
my heart with rapture thrills
like that above.

3 Let music swell the breeze,
and ring from all the trees
sweet freedom's song:
let mortal tongues awake,
let all that breathe partake;
let rocks their silence break,
the sound prolong.
    1. I am replacing coffee with bone broth, pray for 1. I am replacing coffee with bone broth, pray for me. 😩 I do think I am addicted to having coffee every day, but it's making me not sleep well.
2. Studying Genesis 1-3 is hard work! I used to think it was simple stuff about God creating the world and men falling from paradise. Turns out it's not simple at all. I listened to a whole sermon about how Genesis 1-3 are the most important chapters of the Bible! 🤯 I'm very thankful for Calvin's commentary, YouTube sermons, and my ever-gracious husband who answers my questions. 
What is your go-to drink? Coffee? What book of the Bible are you studying currently? Are you subscribed to my blog emails? If not, sign up at the link on my bio so that you won't miss upcoming posts on Genesis 1-3!
.
.
.
.
.
.
    Two little lines.  . Two little lines and I kne Two little lines. 

.

Two little lines and I knew,
Knew that in me was a little one: you.
Knew that the rest of my life would be different,
My time would go elsewhere, my choices would be rent.
There'd be laughter and joy, but also blood, sweat and tears,
Trials and triumphs over the years.

But how could I know in that moment of time,
How God would use those two little lines?
I didn't know that this life inside me,
Would humble me quick and force me to see,
That God is the one who gives strength to the weary,
He is the one who knows what each one will be.
He's had a plan straight from the start,
To mold and make His children have His heart.
Each part of our lives, even pregnancy, 
is planned by our Lord. Don't you agree?

When I first saw those lines I may have had doubts,
But Psalm 139 ushered them out.
Beautifully formed in the womb by God, 
This little baby was made to laud.
Honor and glory to God on the throne,
For this little one who made me her home.
I'm so grateful to Him for this journey of mine,
Though at times it's been hard and serpentine,
Each step has been worth it, I cannot deny.
And it all began with those two little lines.

.

.

.

13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.   14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.   15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.   16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.   (Psalm 139:13-16, ESV)
    Let's talk about Lilacs. See this gate? It's the o Let's talk about Lilacs.
See this gate? It's the one I pull my bike and trailer out of multiple times a day. Each time, the flag that sticks up from my trailer catches on at least one of those slightly over-hanging branches. Now, I moved into my house last July and that bush was only green, I had no idea what it was. Every day since then I've hit it and tugged my bike flag past it just wondering why it's there, why no one has trimmed it back, and why does it have to get in my way as I head outside... Pretty annoyed with it, honestly!
Well, I felt pretty stupid about my on pettiness when one day last week, all these beautiful purple blooms opened up and now I smell the wonderful scent of lilacs each and every time I pull my bike and trailer past. This whole time I was frustrated and upset about one of the most beautiful things being in my way. Now I'm so thankful it's there for me to enjoy.
Obviously, I would NOT describe bumping into a lilac bush as a hard thing or a trial but it did make me think...
We go through hard things in life and then remember them afterward with sorrow or pain. But then God being the compassionate and merciful God that He is redeems those hard things and teaches us something new. Then we can look back and be thankful for what He's done in our lives and enjoy the gifts He's given through difficulty. This must be part of why Peter encourages us to "count it all joy" when we fall into various trials. He knew they would result in "praise, glory, and honor" to Jesus Christ our Lord.
    This is me, wandering through a 16th-century cathe This is me, wandering through a 16th-century cathedral finding where the light seeps through the stained glass windows. Maybe you're new and wondering how I got here...
1. Married the man of my dreams 7 years ago after meeting in college.
2. Worked full time for Joni and Friends while my new husband was in seminary.
3. Stopped working to stay at home with my new-born daughter after 3 years.
4. Started learning SO much as a new mom that I had to write about it in blog form.
5. My husband finished seminary and got accepted into Oxford University's doctorate program... Was not sure it would work out due to the vid.
6. Amazingly, the Lord saw fit for us to move to England and live here for a few years.
7. Now we run in any and every little chapel or big cathedral we pass... Most are breathtaking, not all have as much stained glass as this one though. 😉
.
I am so thankful for all the adventures we've had so far here in England. And I'm thankful to share some of it with you all in these little squares on IG. I always seek to share what I'm learning, struggling with, and discovering about God and His Word (theology), Bible study, and motherhood. We have had many visitors to our little corner of England lately so I've been busy playing tour guide. I'm looking forward to a more normal week this week and getting back into our routine of school and housework.
.
 What are you looking forward to this week? Let me know in a comment! Thanks for being here. ❤️
    "Gods don't become babies. He shouldn't." "You'r "Gods don't become babies. He shouldn't." 

"You're right. But Jesus became a baby so that He could grow up and die as a man to save you from sin."

"But He didn't have to become a baby, He could just die as God."

"No, He can't die as God. God can't die, He's God."

"Hmm."

No matter how many worksheets, activities, or coloring pages you do, the best way for your kids to learn about God is by keeping an open line of communication and talking freely with them about truths from God's Word. You will never regret being ready to point them to truth at every turn. But it starts with you, you have to know and find the answers in God's Word so that you can share them with your kids. Dig in, mamas.

I pray you have lots of opportunities this weekend to share with your kids about our Savior. Today is the day that we remember His horrible, tragic, and unjust death that would've been justly given to me had He not stepped in as a sacrifice. And then Sunday we remember, as we do every Sunday, that He didn't stay dead but rose again defeating death and sin. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." 
55 "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" 
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 
(1 Corinthians 15:54-57, ESV)
    #lifegoals. Am I right? 😭 I was so encouraged b #lifegoals. Am I right? 😭 I was so encouraged by this Q&A with John MacArthur. The full video is on Grace to You's YouTube channel. The opportunity to model our lives after Christians who are older and wiser than us is a grace given by God. Who is an older Christian that has encouraged you recently?
.
.
.
#sanctification #christianlife #johnmacarthur
    Load More... Follow on Instagram

    Archives

    Leave a comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Follow Me!

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    Privacy Policy
    Copyright Naptime Theologian © 2020
    Cressida by LyraThemes.com

    Cookies Consent

    I use cookies to optimize your blog experience. By continuing, you accept this practice. Read more here.

    ×
    %d bloggers like this: