CHAOS to Peace: A 31-day devotional

By Karen Nelson

You don't have to be overwhelmed at the state of your house anymore, because help is here! CHAOS to Peace is a 31-day devotional designed to encourage you and strengthen your faith as you complete the 31 BabySteps of the FlyLady housekeeping routine. Includes a foreword by FlyLady, Marla Cilley.

This book is for you if you struggle to

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pink Ant Publishing
• Release date: Apr 10, 2018
• ISBN: 9780692097243

Book preview

Finally Love Yourself

6. Do It Now

7. This Little Light of Mine

8. Do You See What I See?

9. Please Release Me, Let Me Go!

10. Divide and Conquer

11. Take a Step of Faith

12. One Step at a Time

13. Take It Back

14. Make Every Day Count

15. There's a Lion Outside

16. Change Your Mind

17.

Sweet Dreams

18. Rules to Live By

19. No Place Like Home

20.

Decently and in Order

21. Lean on Me

22. Here a Little, There a Little

23. He Is Listening

24. Happy to Serve

25. It’s a Gold Star Day

26. One Thing Is Needful

27. Come and Eat

28. Be Kind to Yourself

29. Stand Tall

30. Ordain Your Days

31. Fly!

About the Author

LETTER FROM KAREN

The struggle is real! Has CHAOS (Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome) affected every area of your life? Desperate attempts to put your life in order have left you with bins, boxes, and totes of junk; and you still cannot find what you need. Just thinking about chores makes you overwhelmed and frustrated.

Do your possessions have more control over you than you are willing to admit? Does your CHAOS drag you into the past, binding you with perfectionism, guilt, and excuses? Are you fighting the very thing that will give you peace?

This did not happen overnight, and it will not change in a day. Establishing consistent daily habits and routines will help you take your life back and transform CHAOS into peace.

You were created in God’s image, on purpose, for his purpose. He is the author of organization and the God of peace. CHAOS and clutter are symptoms of a deeper longing that only a relationship with Jesus can fulfil. He did not intend for you to do this alone, and he does not expect perfection. You can sit still long enough to quiet your mind and talk to God. His Word will encourage and help you understand the importance of menial tasks with eternity’s values in view.

As you work through this devotional in the days ahead, you will find reinforcement for each BabyStep. You’ll learn to apply a biblical principle to everyday BabyStep life, while focusing on the Creator and his divine plan for order. And by the end of it, you will have less chaos—both in your mind and in your home.

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. ~ Isaiah 26:3

On the next page you will find a handy list explaining FlyLady’s buzzwords for those new to the FlyLady system. You’ll find them scattered through the book.

Welcome to a whole new life of peace.

Karen

FLYLADY’ S BUZZWORDS

5 Minute Room Rescue: A fun way to declutter your home

27 Fling Boogie: Another fun way to declutter your home

CHAOS: Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome

Control Journal: A simple notebook that holds your routines

FLY: Finally Loving Yourself

Hot Spots: A flat surface or chair that gets piled high with paper or clothes

Missions: Every evening FlyLady sends you a directive to do the next day.

Mount Washmore: A large pile of laundry

Routine: A series of tasks that have become automatic

Swish and Swipe: A simple way to clean your bathroom in one minute

Zones: This is how we break our homes down into doable sections.

Foreword by FlyLady

Karen and her family have been in the ministry for thirty-five years. I had the pleasure of meeting her once when she came to my hometown. She joined our FlyLady group when we first began, and she has used the FlyLady system to help many members in her own community.

For years I have wanted a Bible study for my ladies, and now Karen has written a book we can all use. I am so proud of her for following her calling to bless the world with her words. I pray that her words will continue to glorify God and bless each of you. 

Marla Cilley,

aka FlyLady

— ONE —

A New Heart

PSALM 51:10

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Thanks to God, we get do-overs. Our thoughts, intentions, and actions can be permanently transformed. Just like David’s.

After David sinned before God by inviting chaos into his life through adultery and murder, the inevitable guilt and disgrace became overwhelming. David knew his heart was beyond remedy. He was a mess!

But David knew what he needed—a fresh heart and an attitude that would sustain it—and he knew that could only come from God. David pleaded for his heart to change and become as if the former one never existed. God responded, and David’s changed heart and renewed spirit saved him from falling back into wicked behavior.

God declared he would and could transform the hearts and minds of his people, replacing stony hearts with ones saturated with enthusiasm for life: I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). We can do the same—ask God to change our perspectives and thoughts about cleaning our homes as if all our past ways of dealing with it never existed.

He can do it! Everything we do is from the intent of our hearts, and our thoughts can fall in-line with his perspective. And more than that, he can keep us on track for the rest of our lives, because we are made new in Christ. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (II Corinthians 5:17). In our submission to the heavenly Father, we can let go of poor habits, worry, uncertainty, and perfection to cling to the peace he offers. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it (Proverbs 4:23).

We get a fresh start! We can start over and keep FLYing.

BABY STEP #1

Shine your sink! Keep it clean and shiny. Check before you go to bed to make sure it is empty.

Your sink is filled with dirty dishes, nasty water, and a greasy film that is a reminder of your lack of productivity and motivation. You start here because you are met each morning with the guilt of procrastination, and you can eliminate that guilt. The disgusting mess can be replaced with a shine! A positive mood makes this task easier and helps stop the whining.

1. Remove the greasy dishes and set them on the floor, counter, stove, or anywhere you can to clear the sink.

2. We need to scrub the sink and wipe out the scum that is the result of neglect. Fill your sink with hot water and Clorox and let it soak.