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This winter felt about three years long. I’m convinced Mother Nature is a toddler—one minute she’s calm and sweet, and the next she’s throwing a literal tantrum of ice and slush. Between the stubborn Minnesota snow and the endless loop of the “boots, coats, gloves, and hat” struggle with my kids, my soul has been feeling a little… crunchy.
I love my girls. I love this life. But if I’m being completely honest, some mornings I wake up already feeling ten steps behind. Before I’ve even had a single sip of coffee, I’m met with a potty accident, a pile of wet snow gear in the entryway, or a tiny voice requesting “more cereal, please!” right as I sit down.
It’s so easy for our faith to end up on the back burner when we’re just trying to survive the day. When you’re in the thick of the toddler years, “quiet time” feels like a myth. But as the flowers finally start to peek out of the ground, I’m realizing that my heart needs a “Spring Refresh” even more than my house does. If you’ve been feeling like a mother stuck on autopilot, running on caffeine and a prayer, these three devotionals are exactly what you need to find Jesus in the middle of the mess.
1. Finding Peace in the Chaos: Jesus, Calm My Heart by Ruth Schwenk
This isn’t a devotional that expects you to have a perfect, hour-long Bible study while the birds chirp outside your window. Let’s be real—with a 2-year-old and a 3-year-old, “quiet time” is usually interrupted by a request for a cheese stick or a sudden dispute over a specific toy.
The reason I love this book is that it meets you right in the middle of the noise. It doesn’t ask you to perform or show up with your life all put together; it simply gives you the words to pray when your own heart is too tired to find them.
Why it belongs on your nightstand: It’s like a deep, spiritual exhale for the mom who feels like she’s carrying the weight of the whole household on her shoulders. Ruth Schwenk has a way of reminding you that God’s grace is bigger than your shortest temper, your messiest kitchen, or your longest day. It’s a great choice if you’re struggling with that “internal hum” of anxiety that won’t go away.
Tip for the busy mom: Keep this one in your diaper bag. When you’re sitting in the car while the kids are finally napping or waiting at a doctor’s office, read just one entry. It only takes two minutes, but it can shift your entire afternoon.
2. Cultivating a “Kingdom” Perspective: Beholding and Becoming by Ruth Chou Simons
It is so easy to feel like our days don’t “count” when we’re just matching tiny socks, checking the weather forecast for the fifth time, and wiping down the same high chair tray for the thousandth time. This book is a gentle, beautiful wake-up call for the soul.
Instead of focusing on what we are doing, Ruth Chou Simons focuses on who we are becoming in the quiet, hidden moments of motherhood. She uses stunning artwork and deep truth to show that the work of a mother is never “just” mundane.
The heart of the book: This devotional helps shift your heart from “I have to do this” to “I get to see God in this.” If you’ve been feeling like you’re just going through the motions, the words in these pages act like a mirror, showing you how God is using the “little things”—the laundry, the tantrums, the endless snacks—to do a big work in you. It turns your home into a sanctuary.
Why it’s a “Spring Refresh”: It’s visually stunning. Just looking at the flowers and art in this book feels like spring is arriving in your heart before it even hits the Minnesota soil.
3. Lifting Your Eyes Above the To-Do List: Set Your Eyes Higher by Whitney Lowe
When the Minnesota weather is doing its “yo-yo” thing and the schedule feels overwhelming, my heart tends to sink into the “what-ifs.” This 40-day reset is specifically designed to pull your heart out of the “anxiety fog” and back into the light.
It’s a daily practice of lifting your gaze off your messy kitchen floor and putting it back on the One who provides for you. It’s for the mom who feels like her to-do list is a mile long and her energy is a mile short.
The Transformation: This book teaches you how to trade that frantic, heavy “hustle” for a holy rest—even when the laundry pile is still staring you down from the corner of the room. It’s about finding a peace that doesn’t depend on whether the sun is out or if your toddler decided to take a nap that day. It’s a 40-day journey to reclaiming your joy.
Make it a Habit: Try reading this one right after the kids go to bed. Instead of scrolling through your phone (we all do it!), give God those first five minutes of your “off-duty” time. You’ll sleep so much better.
Let’s Be Real…
I know exactly what you’re thinking right now: “Alyssa, I don’t even have time to go to the bathroom alone, how am I supposed to read a book?”
I get it. Truly. Some days, my “quiet time” is just me whispering a 5-second prayer for patience while I sit on the kitchen floor eating a handful of the kids’ fruit snacks. But these books aren’t meant to be another “chore” on your list. They aren’t meant to be another thing you have to “achieve” to be a good mom.
They are meant to be a lifeline. Even if you only read one page while the cereal is soaking in the sink or while you’re waiting for the microwave to beep, it counts. God meets us in the “Everyday,” not just the “Perfect Day.” He is in the crumbs, the car seats, and the crazy weather.
The “Spring Refresh” Challenge
If you’re feeling crunchy and burnt out, I want to challenge you to pick just one of these resources. Don’t try to do all three! Just pick the one that sounds most like the “water” your soul needs right now.
Spring is a season of new growth, and that growth starts in the quiet moments. Let’s commit to refreshing our hearts so we can show up for our families with a little more peace and a lot more grace.
Which one of these sounds like it was written for you? Are you in a season of needing “Calm,” “Becoming,” or “Higher Eyes”? Let me know in the comments!
I’m currently packing our ‘Faith-Filled Travel Pack’ for a long road trip we have coming up, and I’d love to pray for you while I’m on the road. Let’s head into this new season together, with our eyes fixed on Him.
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