Day 23: CLEANSE

Our Give-Away for Today!

The Get Yourself Organized Project

Finally, an organizational book for women who have given up trying to be Martha Stewart but still desire some semblance of order in their lives.


Most organizational books are written by and for people who are naturally structured and orderly. For the woman who is more ADD than type A, the advice sounds terrific but seldom works. These women are looking for help that takes into account their free-spirited outlook while providing tips and tricks they can easily follow to live a more organized life.


Kathi Lipp, author of The Husband Project and other “project” books, is just the author to address this need. In her inimitable style, she offers

• easy and effective ways women can restore peace to their everyday lives
• simple and manageable long-term solutions for organizing any room in one’s home (and keeping it that way)
• a realistic way to de-stress a busy schedule
• strategies for efficient shopping, meal preparation, cleaning, and more

Full of helpful tips and abundant good humor, The Get Yourself Organized Project is for those who want to spend their time living and enjoying life rather than organizing their sock drawer.

Kathi Lipp is a full-time speaker and writer as well as being the parent of four young adults with her husband, Roger in San Jose, CA. When she is not doing laundry, she is speaking at retreats, conferences and women's events across the US. Find out more about Kathi, and get some great freebies, at http://www.kathilipp.com and Facebook 

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Summer vacation is almost here. Soon, I can tackle the long over-due tasks I’ve been putting off since...Christmas vacation!

#1 on my list: CLEAN UP. 

Everything.

 I have waaaaay too much stuff. Clutter is multiplying and bearing down on us from every side. It’s suffocating. (This photo is real...please don’t judge me!)

On Warm-Up Day 8, we talked a bit about “Cleaning Out These PURSE-onalities!” and getting rid of all the purse trash we carry around.

We really do not want our lives full of trash and clutter and stuff. 

We do want to clean up our acts.

So why is it so hard to let go?  

No Place to Hide 

At a women’s retreat last year, I spent prayerful time journaling in response to the question:  What “fig leaves” do I hide behind?

At the top of my list were “starting” and “joining.”  New projects. New businesses. New groups. New causes. 

Why do I love starting and joining?

Each time is a a chance at a “new me”! A whole new I.D. 

Oh, how I’ve always longed for a fresh start! To be brand new and squeaky clean. So I’ve jumped at every chance for do-it-myself re-NEW-al.  

Of course, D.I.Y. has never worked. God says, “I will make all things new!” He will renew me.  I can not renew me.  I. AM. NOT. GOD.

I was reminded of this when a student asked me, as I was opening a box from Amazon and delighting in my latest self-help book, “Mrs. G, why do you read so many of those kinds of books?” 

Glibly, I quipped, “Well, I just have so much room for growth!”

But later, in moments of quiet reflection, I had to admit that even my beloved books are, far too often, “fig leaves” behind which I hide.

And try to minimize my sin. 

Try to be “good enough” by my own efforts.

Try to Do It Myself.

How much trash and clutter and stuff must I hide behind before I finally admit:

I. Can. Not. Do. It. Myself.

I can’t clean up my own act.

No Need to Hide

(Can't see the image? Click here to download 1 John 1:9)

Yes, it’s scary asking God to take out our trash and stuff and clutter. 

For the longest time, I was scared of emptiness. 

Terrified that if I let Him do a thorough cleansing of my life, nothing would be left...nothing to hide behind. 

I wrote this a few months ago as I was pondering the difference between “empty” and “spacious”: 

I used to try to fill 

that empty place inside.

With food.

With people.

With shopping.

With starting.

With busy-ness.

But I realize now that it's not empty.

It's spacious.

Ready and waiting to hold 

whatever comes next. 

Or content with 

nothing more.

I used to think I was 

empty 

desperate to be 

filled with 

just the right thing 

to make me complete.

But He brought me out 

into a spacious place

and I’m discovering

how much easier

it is to breathe

when there's

plenty of

space.

The more I’m learning to take refuge in Him, the less I “need” my other hiding places, my other fig leaves. 

And the more I’m finding that trashed, stuffed, and cluttered pale in comparison to the clean and spacious life He is renewing in me!

Try this today:  As you’re journaling, prayerfully consider what “fig leaves” you hide behind, trying to cover up sin that only God can forgive and cleanse. You might look at your PURSE-onality “gift card” and consider your particular PURSE-onality weaknesses (which are generally strengths taken to the extreme.)

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Please leave a comment 

• responding to today’s blog, and/or

• sharing your Day #1-23 experience of replacing “baditude” with God’s word and gratitude, and/or

• about anything else on your heart!

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(Catch up on any "Warm-Up Week" Blog Posts!)