The cliff was approaching rapidly.
 

We had just arrived in North Carolina for the week, and I'd woken up to a quiet house. The baby was still sleeping, so I tiptoed out of the room and explored our little AirBnB—seeing it in the daylight for the first time. The curtains of the big picture window were open, the table was set, and the children had made their beds.
 

Clearly, besides the baby, I was the last one awake. And yet it was so delightfully still. Walking into the kitchen, I decided that my husband must have taken the children to the store for breakfast ingredients.
 

Opening my thermos to find my husband had filled it with steaming fresh pour over, I smiled, feeling very cared for by him. Gathering my Bible and pens, I considered the treat I had stretching out before me. We had no set plans for the day, except to recover from the 15 hour drive we'd had the day before.
 

I was well rested. The children had apparently completed their morning chores unprompted. I was going to get to read my Bible and drink my coffee in silence.

*cue the ominous music* 

By the time I sat down and had my Bible open, I heard the baby stirring. Knowing she was hungry (not quite two months old, and she's been sleeping through the night like a champ!), I lapped up Proverbs 4:5 to meditate on while I fed her.
 

I set aside my Bible and prayed: "Lord, help me not forget your Word when the other children walk through the door. Help me to lead them in the paths of pleasantness. Help me also to observe, to quietly consider first, and then to open my mouth in wisdom."
 

I was only a couple of minutes into nursing when I heard my family arrive. I thought about the two pair of big doe eyes sported by the children excitedly chattering right outside my bedroom door. They must've thought I was still asleep—I couldn't wait to give them big hugs when I came out.

They were getting breakfast. Now, giggling at the table. Were they tickling each other? Daddy gave instructions. The door closed loudly as they ran outside to play on the hill in the yard.
 

I smiled, changed the baby, made our bed, put on a dress, came out and gave hugs then snuggled up to their daddy for more Bible time. Everything seemed so peaceful.
 

The cheerful hum of activity continued...until something in the tenor shifted. The five year old's boyish movements around the living room started to slide into recklessness. The eight year old's big sister cautions became sharper. I started arming myself with the verse I had read before: Get wisdom. Observe, consider, understand—then act.
 

But then I noticed that my husband's energy was shifting, too. I was surprised. I could tell that he had been enjoying the morning. But now something in him was beginning to unexpectedly strain.
 

You know how you can just feel when the family is just about to emotionally sail right off the cliff? I could sense that the cliff was rapidly approaching...

When Chaos Takes Over

Suddenly, it dawned on me. The bright red cereal box sat on the table in all its glory, seeming to chuckle at the chaos that was picking up speed around us.
 

"Kyle, did you just get cereal for breakfast, or did you get protein, too?"
 

"There are eggs in the fridge!" he chirped—almost cheerfully.

My suspicions were confirmed.
 

My husband had jumped on the opportunity to make a fun dad move (awesome) by getting sugary cereal for breakfast, which was a rare treat for our family. 

But he forgot to make sure to anchor it with protein and a healthy fat.
 

I walked out of the room and then came back in.
 

"Do you remember what happens to your blood sugar when you only eat cereal...?" I began, hoping it would help him contextualize the children's suddenly intense behavior.
 

“You don’t have to remind me,” he groaned. “I’m feeling it.” 

(By the way, he laughed at himself later and specifically invited me to share this story in the newsletter!)
 

The big kids were now in an all-out fight. The baby was screaming and in need of a diaper change. The little house that I had been so tidy just an hour before was somehow now a tangle of disheveled throw pillows, blankets, and unprocessed piles on every surface. The husband was still trying to read, but had that overstimulated look in his eye. And the walnuts I’d eaten while nursing were wearing off—meaning I was rapidly becoming in need of the eggs in the fridge myself.
 

The peaceful atmosphere of the home had seemed to be completely transformed into one of total chaos. 🌪️🌊 
 

Taking a beat to pray (and a deep breath), I launched into action with just one thing on my mind.
 

The Ongoing Ministry of Bringing Order Out of Chaos

 If someone were to ask me if I had a theme verse for my motherhood, I would probably have to say that it is Genesis 1:2.
 

“And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”
 

What could this verse possibly have to do with motherhood?
 

Well, the same thing it has to do with being an Image Bearer called to nurture life in any sphere. But there’s a special word picture hidden in the Hebrew of this passage that has meant a lot to me as a mom.
 

And it totally keeps me going when I run into moments—or seasons—when everything has seemed to sail right off a cliff.
 

Let’s unpack the three key Hebrew words that, together, illustrate a beautiful transformative story that undergirds reality itself:
 

1. “the deep” - (תְּהוֹם - teh-home)
2. “moved” - (רָחַף - raw-khaf)
3. “waters” - (מַיִם - mah-yim)

Ask anyone who knows Biblical Hebrew, and they’ll tell you that it’s a very illustrative language. For example, the Hebrew for “anger” is “nose”—painting a picture of flared nostrils.
 

Here are the pictures painted by each of the words I highlighted in Genesis 1:2—
 

1. “the deep” = an ocean of water in great commotion 🌊🌪️
2. “moved” = a bird brooding over its nest (this is the part I connect to my motherhood) 🕊️
3. “waters” = a fountain of life ⛲

 Do you see it? 

The Holy Spirit entered into the chaos and transformed it with His life-giving presence.
 

Bringing Order Out of Chaos is a Calling—Not a Curse

Moving through the unanchored-sugary-cereal fiasco, there are a few things I remember as I busily sort through the mess.

“Honey, can you scramble us some eggs?”

✨ Chaos isn’t necessarily a curse or a reflection of some moral failure—it was present before the Fall.
 

“Children, go sit down and read until I call you.”

✨ Chaos is simply an invitation to cultivate life-giving order.
 

“Here, Margaret. Let’s change you.”

✨ I was created to bear God’s by doing this very work of bringing life-giving order out of chaos.
 

“David, can you please come tidy up the living room floor?”

✨ The process itself is a ministry He took up for us.
 

“Thank you David, you can go outside until the eggs are done. Elizabeth, I need you to clear the table.”

✨ This isn’t an interruption to my day, but a part of the ministry of my motherhood. The children are learning how to do this, too.
 

Within the hour, blood sugar levels were stabilized, the house was tidy, the baby was napping, and calm was reigning again.

Related: 3 Tips for When Your Day Went Differently Than You Planned
 

Logistics Are Part of the Ministry, Too

 I sat down with my planner and began sorting through a different kind of chaos.
 

A commotion of thoughts were taking up residence in my mind—chief of which was the desire to prioritize seeing my dear friend Rachel Tenney who lived just 40 minutes away from where we were staying.
 

I realized I was starting to feel a little anxious in trying to mentally schedule out my week.
 

I knew that if I just sat down with my planner, I’d be much more effective (and important things like drive time and baby logistics wouldn’t fall through the cracks).
 

Detail by detail, my week dashboard became fuller and my mind became lighter as my pencil scratched across the page.
 

“We are scheduled for three dinners, so I need to figure out the others.”

✨ God built a calendar into universe itself so as to guide me in this work right now. He cares about the ordinary things.
 

“I need to find the code to unlock the outdoor laundry room.”

✨ The Lord’s presence and attention transformed a space of raw potential into a nurturing home—it is a privilege to do the same for my family for the five days we’re here.
 

“What time did we schedule the babysitter so we could record the podcast interview?”

✨ By setting things in order, we can redeem the time and invest it in the life-giving work to which we have been called.

Related: Why Make Plans When You Know Plans Change?
 

The work of the morning had been to bring order out of chaos in response to an honest mistake. The work of the afternoon was to prevent future chaos by setting things in order so as make the most of the opportunities the week would bring.
 

Responding with a gracious pivot and planning proactively—both were ways I had been invited by the Lord bear His Image by entering into the chaos and cultivating life.

A brand new week stretches before us.
 

We have a chance to sit down with our fresh Week Dashboards, decluttering our minds detail by detail.
 

Though separated by our geography, differing roles, and respectively unique circumstances—you and I are drawn together by the same desire: to glorify and enjoy God with our time.
 

May we be united in this same comfort, too:
 

• When everything feels like a sea of commotion 🌊🌪️
• …it doesn’t mean we’re failing at this intentional living thing—we’re simply being called to Image God by nurturing our disordered nests (our homes, businesses, ministry projects, etc.), just like He brooded over the chaotic deep. 🕊️
• And as we are faithful in this endeavor, we can trust that—detail by detail—the Lord will work through us to turn the overwhelming commotion into streams of life for those whom we serve. ⛲

As we sit down with our planners, let us be confident that we’re not in the middle of some interruption or “stealing away” for something superfluous.

Planning is simply the life-giving ministry of bringing order out of chaos through patiently solving problems and proactively handling logistics.

Our planning is part of the good work God had before ordained for us to do (Ephesians 2:1)—and it’s a beautiful way to bear His Image in a world that needs the blessings of His order. 🌊 🕊️

Related:
- Pivoting With Grace (PDF - Free Download)
- Self-Compassionate Planning
- How to Use a Planner When You Don't Know How to Plan
- How We Plan Our Weeks (Podcast Episode 6)