“My beloved speaks and says to me, ‘Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. ‘For behold, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. ‘The flowers appear on the earth once again; The time for singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. ‘The fig tree has budded and ripens her figs, And the vines are in blossom and give forth their fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away [to climb the rocky steps of the hillside].’” Song of Solomon 2:10-13
Behold! Winter is past! Spring has come!
Perhaps more than any other season, spring is so meaningful both literally and figuratively. The warm spring weather stirs our desire to spend more time outdoors. We finally get to open windows and enjoy the fresh cleansing air that sweeps through our homes. We suddenly feel an itch to “spring clean”, to create order, and to enjoy a fresh start.
Symbolically spring represents new life. The new life that springs forth from the resurrected life of Jesus. Spring seedlings are tenacious, they can’t be held back, just as Christ could not be held in the grave. Likewise, while the newness He promises us in our lives by His spirit can’t be held back, it can be dulled if we aren’t careful to “keep house” spiritually. And, while “cleanliness is next to Godliness,” is not an actual bible verse, it does line up with much of what we know about God. He is a God of order and life, and He desires abundant health and vibrancy for, and in His children. The Bible has much to say about the importance of cleanliness and how it results in blessing. Spring is the perfect time to intentionally seek increased order and peace both in our homes and in our spirits.
Why is investing in the condition of our homes, and in the other spaces where we spend time important to our overall health? It’s important because many times our internal and external condition mirror one another. When you’re ready to pursue a healthy body, but your home isn’t in optimal condition to help support that goal, you’re more likely to get discouraged. There’s a saying that says, “Our external environment is simply a reflection of our internal environment.” I think there’s some truth to that. Likewise, I believe the opposite to be true as well. It seems that often, our internal condition is strongly influenced by our external environment. This challenge is intended to help you increase order and peace and decrease clutter and confusion in your home. It is also intended to help you give your soul the refreshment it needs to experience all the newness of life Christ offers you.
Do you find yourself yearning for a little refreshment? Are you ready to dust off the winter cob webs in your home, health and spirit? Then, this challenge is for YOU!
Let’s get started! Here’s how:
Step 1.) Download the 21-Day Spring Spruce-Up Challenge.
How's a $150-dollar Amazon gift card to enjoy along with a fresh spring start sound to you? Pretty sweet huh?!
How to participate to win the $150 Amazon gift card:
On May 24, 2018, we will review all participants and select one person to receive the $150 Amazon gift card. We will select the winner based on these three criteria:
• Comments – Indicate that you’ve participated each day by posting a comment or a picture daily telling or showing us how you’ve applied one of that day’s space spruce-up or soul spruce up suggestions. Use #21DayDashingDishChallenge on every entry to count toward winning.
• Commitment – Commit. We will be looking for the person who's most actively committed to the 21-day challenge for the entire duration based on consistency and overall participation and comments/photos.
• Creativity – Creativity will be considered. Have fun and get creative in showing us how God is working through this challenge to help you spruce up your space and your soul!
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