He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

ISAIAH 40:11

SHE WAS FOUR MONTHS old when we lived with my in-laws.

Our little Ella, our firstborn, slept next to us in her Pack ’n Play, while we squeezed together in my in-laws’ small bed. They gave us their room during the two months we were looking for a house.

Every few hours Ella would wake up, wanting to be fed. I would pull her into bed with us, holding her close so she wouldn’t fall off the edge, and I would nurse her. She would get up at least two times a night. In the morning she woke up between 6:00 and 6:30, ready to eat again.

All I could think of was, I am so tired.

I just kept reminding myself that in two hours I could put her down for a nap and I could sleep too. It was that comforting thought that got me through the long, boring, tiring mornings. There isn’t much you can do when you’re not in your own home and watching over a baby.

Nap time came and was over too soon.

During this season of my life, beginning with Ella and continuing with two more children, I was almost always tired and brain depleted.

I’m telling you this because if you’re a mom of small children, you may not be able to fight the fatigue. I’ll offer you some suggestions, but know that it’s okay to just be tired. There is no need to feel guilty for this, and there is grace for the season. Hang in there.

Even though the days of getting up to feed an infant in the middle of the night are behind me, that doesn’t mean I jump out of bed at the crack of dawn. There are some mornings when I wake up feeling like a Mack truck hit me . . . then turned around and ran back over me. Ever had that feeling?

It doesn’t matter how organized I am for the day, if I have my priorities staring me in the face, or if I have a routine to kick my behind in gear—when I’m tired, I’m useless.

Here are some energizing tips I’ve found that may help you push through your fatigue:

• Move. Apparently, inactivity makes you more tired. This means you need to do something such as walking, running, dancing with your kiddos, kickboxing, swimming, hiking, walking, or—(ta-da)—cleaning!
• Only get the amount of sleep you need. It turns out that I function much better on six to seven hours of sleep rather than eight. In fact, when I have more than eight hours of sleep, I’m like a sloth—I just want to sleep more! Figure out how much sleep you really need, and then get it. Try experimenting with your sleep patterns, keeping track of the times you lie down and wake up. Determine when you feel the most rested and try to stick with what works for you.
• Increase your magnesium (this one’s out of the blue!). In a study in Grand Forks, North Dakota, the Human Nutrition Research Center of the Department of Agriculture found that women who had magnesium deficiencies had faster heart rates and needed more oxygen to do physical tasks than they did after their magnesium levels had been brought to recommended levels. The findings, says nutritionist Samantha Heller, show that lack of sufficient magnesium causes the body to work harder, and ultimately this can leave you feeling depleted.[1]

“The recommended daily intake of magnesium is around 300 milligrams for women.”[2] You can get magnesium from almonds, hazelnuts, or cashews as well as whole grains and fish.

• Work on minimizing stress. Remember how we talked about feeling overwhelmed? Well, work on the suggestions I gave you on Day 12 for overcoming feeling overwhelmed with what you have to do because evidently, stress makes you tired too.
• Caffeine! I am certainly not a nutritionist, but my number one suggestion if you’re not prego or nursing is CAFFEINE! Allow yourself to indulge in some of it, preferably in coffee. Yum!

The Secret to Having Energy

With my hot cup of coffee next to me on the table while I’m sinking into my favorite chair, notebook on my lap and a pen in my hand, I can’t write fast enough. Thoughts for the talk I’m preparing are pouring out over the page, one after another. I love when this happens.

When illumination and Scripture collide, a revelation is born. The sacred words breathe life, and their sharpness pierces the clouded places of my mind, giving me clear understanding. Of course, I want to share it! I want to speak this life into the women who will be gathering to hear it. I have the joy of speaking truth into the souls of women, and it makes me nearly burst with gratefulness and excitement.

Speaking gives me energy.

Aha! I have tapped into an energy-giving secret.

Are you ready for it? It’s just so simple.

Allow yourself the freedom to do something you get jazzed about.

Seriously, that’s it. And let me tell you, it works! Find something you thoroughly enjoy, something that makes you come alive, and then make time for it in your schedule. When I do this, I don’t drag as much. In fact, I become a much more effective wife, mom, and homemaker.

So whatever it is that makes you come alive, carve out a couple of hours in your week and go for it!

Maybe you will even find yourself exploring how you can combine your jazzy activity with your main priorities. Wouldn’t that be a lovely and energizing collision?

READ ISAIAH 40:11

According to this passage, what does God do for you? How does knowing how the Lord treats those with young help you give yourself more grace during times of fatigue?

What gets you jazzed? What makes you come alive? Write down some possibilities, whether they seem realistic or not, on the lines provided. Then begin to carve out some time to fill your soul in these creative ways.

MARTHA CHALLENGE

TODAY WE ARE ON THE THIRD BEDROOM CLOSET!

You’ve got this! And if you don’t have a third bedroom, use this day to catch up on another task.