Spring Cleaning

Well, spring is here! The sun is shining here in Ohio but it still feels like fall in April! The birds are singing praises to God, which lifts my spirits most days as I sit by the window anticipating 80 degree weather. Just as the seasons are changing, my life has changed so much since I’ve shared on this platform. I’ve had so many health challenges. Honestly, I’ve battled sickness a large portion of my married life. But God healed me multiple times and I’m anticipating the same results this time around!

During this time of year I have the urge to spring clean and create a fresh start. I’ve spent the last few weeks organizing my drawers and closets, donating and selling gently used items, removing clutter all around. While spring cleaning is commonly associated with cleaning one’s home, it can also be applied to our spiritual journey. In the same way our homes become disorganized and cluttered, our hearts can do the same and we may lose sight of what is important and stray away from spiritual discipline.

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8

In my current season of health challenges, I’ve found myself in a rut because my my mind wants to do one thing but my body refuses and depression has been a constant, unwanted companion. So I needed a spiritual detox! I decided to join a diabetes support group, which has been pivotal. I was trying to manage my emotional stress on my own but I was not progressing. I finally realized I do not have to go about the spiritual or mental cleaning process alone. When we bring our burdens to the Lord, He walks alongside us. Through Him, we can become clean again and find forgiveness. In addition, reading His Word can help us become stronger in our faith. According to Psalm 119:105, the Word acts as a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. What I am most happy about is that, through this group, I am encouraging others by sharing JESUS with them.

So, during this season of spring cleaning, I encourage you to renew your mind and draw closer to Him. Your struggle may not be illness, it could be parenting, finances etc. Whatever the stronghold is that causes you to shift your focus from God to your struggle, I want to encourage you to go back to your first love and spend quality time in prayer and in God’s Word. Maybe it’s even time for you to consider joining a support group, so you can get realigned and live in a way that is honorable to God.

Until next time- please leave a comment or prayer request. I would like to know if this short entry has blessed you and also how I can stand in faith with you. Remember we overcome by the word of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony.

96 thoughts on “Spring Cleaning”

  1. Thanks Treasy! This was so encouraging to me especially as I also stand in healing from diabetes. Joining a support group sounds like a great idea! Thanks again for being a beacon for us all. Tia

      1. Treasy as you know I too am dealing with diabetes. God has been a constant in my progress.
        You continue to encourage, uplift & nurture our souls with your gift of writing & sharing!
        Thank you for this blessing my Sis as we overcome together!

        1. You’re in my daily prayers! This disease is definitely a burden but I know that with proper eating habits we can beat this together! Thank you so much’ love you dearly sis.

          1. Thank you so much for always sharing and giving us encouragement through our walk. I miss you and continue to pray the church. Blesses to Ohio with love ❤️

      2. Wanda A. Clark

        Thank you, I’m dealing with pre- diabetes and how to counteract it. Plus I’m at a crossroad with my career.

  2. Love to see you back at!! It is truly a season of release!! As you said spring cleaning is more than just what you do around your home. It’s about letting go of things that have you bound, things that have you stuck in a rut, things that keep you from moving on. It’s time to clean up spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically. Release and let it go!!

      1. LaRonda J Felix

        Yes this is the time for spring cleaning and I do believe that your house is indicative to your life if your house is in chaos so is your life so in spring cleaning you have to do everything it’s not just for your house I do like what you said about spring cleaning and your spiritual life with things that you go through with your family your friends just daily life things I believe that this 21 days of prayer is just what we need for spring cleaning every year or anytime that you allow the things in your life to get in your way of spending time with God in order to find out what it is that you need to be able to deal with those things joining a group to just talk about things as always a good thing I don’t think many of us think of that because when you think of that we think of mental health maybe something’s wrong with us or maybe we have a problem we do have a problem and what’s wrong with us is we didn’t go to God and we didn’t spend time with him to tell him what it is it’s going on with us and then if we did we didn’t stay long enough to hear an answer from him so we know what we need to do but on the side of all of that we have the holy Spirit there to tell us what we need to do how we need to go about things and we ignore it the majority of the time so yes spring cleaning is needed not just for you but for all of us we all need a spring cleaning physically mentally spiritually it’s necessary because the things of the world don’t stop they’re constant consistent they keep going so we need to be constant consistent and keep going in our prayer life in our dealings with God and our dealings with trying to fulfill our purpose according to God’s will I really like the spring cleaning it’s a shame we wait till spring to do it when it’s something we can do at any time thank you for the word of encouragement and thank you for obeying the will of God and letting us know that we’re not alone we all suffer and deal with this at one time or another whether we want to admit it or not God bless you have a great and blessed day.

      2. What a refreshing and inspiring story. First Lady you are always such a light so to hear your challenges shows that despite what you might me going through, you can give glory to God and smile. Thank you for sharing. I hope to see you soon.

    1. Amen! Release and let go and let’s move forward and do what God created us to do! We will use our trials we testimonies to encourage others. Love you Sis!

  3. Monica D Brandon

    Good morning First Lady,
    Thank you for your message today I was just thinking about you.🙏🏾 I know these past few months have been tough for all of us and like you I have been struggling with some things in my life and after my visit with my doctor last week I know that I really have to make some changes. You’ll have to let me know the name of the diabetes group you joined. And I have started to work on my own mental happiness 😎.

  4. Yes spring cleaning is needed. I remembered when I had cancer and needing help. I went to counseling to help me but in turned into me blessing others. It prepared the person for what would come in his life. Sometimes we help others and do not realize it. Blessed by your words. Amen!!!!

    1. I remember walking through that with you! God healed you of Cancer & I am hopeful to share the same testimony with this diabetes! Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Miss you!

  5. Good morning gorgeous glad to see you back at it again. Your spring cleaning is right on time good word of encouragement thank you for that. Going back to your first love is always important putting God first and he’ll see you through the rest trust and believe he will but it take you through it for a reason just to see how well we going to trust in him. Thank you Lord for my sister for reminding me to keep you first.

  6. I thank you for picking up the pen again to write ✍🏾. This was a confirmation and the second reminder that I don’t walk in my current season alone . You reminded me to have that quality time with my Heavenly Father AND to take my journey with others . What a sweet reminder and confirmation. I’m going to reach out to a couple support groups . Much love and prayers as we journey in this life with the Lord and each other !

  7. Amen. This is a wonderful encouragement and reminder that spring cleaning necessary. It is important that I make choices to keep me in God’s presence and rejuvenated through His word. Thank you.

  8. Thanks beautiful God always uses at the right time for his people. Keep seeking him for his guidance and doing his work. He is very pleased!!! Love you sis 💗

  9. So nice to hear from you on this forum. It truly blessed my heart. What a gentle reminder that we can’t carry burdens alone there is where the enemy gets us in our minds saying woe is me. Having support and being open about struggles allows healing in itself. Continue to share Jesus and your journey. Love Sis Jill ❤️

  10. Sis Pamela Davie

    Amen. Sis, your words have blessed me. You have a lot of support from us as we pray and love you through. Thank you for sharing what has worked for you. I really like some of those recipes too. Even the ones you loathe🤗. You have inspired me to look after my health and nutrition.

    And where would I be without a relationship with Christ who loved me first? I shudder at the thought.
    My greatest refuge snuggled up in early morning prayer is how I overcome before I even face giants. Blessed by the reward of all he reveals to me. It is a refreshing daily cleansing.

    ‘Our Father who sees in secret will reward you openly’
    Matthew 6:6

  11. Like always your messages are a blessing. I’m glad you’ve found a place for encouragement and that you can be a blessing to those in the group as well. This word was a great reminder for me to realign with God as I’m in this busy season in life. Love you and appreciate you.

  12. Thank you for sharing and for being an encouragement. Such a good reminder to go back to your first love and spend quality time in prayer and God’s word.

  13. Wow! That really blessed me and is a much needed reminder! 🙌🏾❤️
    May God continue to heal you in every way 🙏🏾

  14. Your post was such a lovely morning surprise for me! Happy to see you’re sharing again! It’s hard for someone with such a beautiful light as yours (inside and out) to not shine brightly. Look at you! Even in your quest to receive support through a diabetes support group, you are helping others. That’s such a blessing and beautiful representation of Christ! God bless you sis!! I’m encouraged by you!

    1. You’re so kind! Yeah it’s been a struggle but I have to beat this! Needed time to process and reboot. So happy that you enjoy the blog! Love & cyber hugs all the way to California ❤️

  15. Good Morning Lady Patrice, thank you for this inspiring message. I too have dealt with health issues for numerous years with some recent additional ones so your message is an encouragement. Will definitely try to find a support group to help navigate “through” this season in my life. Have an Amazing April!!!

    1. Thank you for sharing, I will keep you in my prayers! Be encouraged Sis! Thank you for checking out my blog! Please be sure to subscribe if you have not done so! Bless you!

  16. And She’s back!
    Thank you for sharing! We sometimes get stuck in our own struggles believing we are the only ones going through, thank you for the reminder that we are not alone. Please stand in the gap with me as I navigate through postpartum. Time for some spring cleaning out with the old in with new
    New blessings healing and All God has for us! Love you

  17. This was so timely and so needed. We all need a spiritual spring cleaning as we prepare for our next divine assignments. The past 3 years have been so very taxing spiritually for many of us and spring is God’s season of renewal not only physically but spiritually if we choose. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. You will be in my prayers.

    1. You’re so right! This pandemic has taken its toll on us mentally & spiritually. Time to recalibrate. Thanks for sharing, I appreciate your comment.

  18. Thank you Patrice for this message. I have been dealing with depression and loneliness for a while now since my husband died and it has been hard. I do have a counselor and also a psychiatrist that has helped me get through but in the worst of days I cry out to Jesus and he has comforted me and allow angels around me to help me. I want to ask if you can just put me in your prayers as well because I can never have too many of them. I love you and thank you for these encouraging words.

    1. I can only imagine! I’m so glad that you have a counselor that you’re confiding with. I will definitely lift you in prayer! Love you dearly!

  19. God is on TIME! I was truly blessed and I’m taking a few nuggets! our hearts carry so muchhhh, im reminded that my FIRST LOVE will carry it all for me! spring cleaning is definitely need!
    Thank youuuu for sharing! I mean it 🙂

  20. Ethelyn Green

    I really enjoyed your post. It was very encouraging. I am dealing with some health issues and am going to see if there are support groups for what I am dealing with. Thanks so much and continue to do what God has called you to do. It isn’t always easy but if he called you to it, he has equipped you for it. Much love💕

  21. I enjoy all the comments. During this time of the year, I reflect on what Christ has do for me on the cross and in my life. I too battle some illnesses but I try to focus on worship during those hard times. Music calms me and gets me in that worship state of mind. Thinking of God’s Goodness. We all need some spring cleaning in our life today. The enemy tries to defeat us by putting obstacles in our pathways.We must remind him by putting on the Armour of God.

    1. I’m with you Sis. Reflection on Christ & How He endured the cross, What an incredible example of tremendous grief turned to overwhelming joy! Because of that we are overcomers!

  22. Judy Washington

    It was great to see your blog back again. I have missed them and didn’t realize how much until I read this one today. So glad that you allow the holy spirit to guide you in this. Spring cleaning and removing those things that clutter your life hit home. I have allowed some things of life to get in my way which hampered my vital time in communion with the Lord in prayer. Your words and our reading of the 21 Days of Prayer book are helping collectively to get me refocused and getting back on track to being a better prayer warrior and communicator with my beloved savior. Thank you so much for imparting this word and for your willingness to be so real with us. God Bless you!

  23. Thanks for sharing. We never know what each of us are struggling with but it’s encouraging to know we have our Sisters in Christ to share our burdens with (not forgetting about sharing with God also) and receive encouragement. Keep pushing on

  24. Thank you so much for sharing and reminding me to take everything to God. Even in our struggles He allows us to share and inspire others.

  25. Great post! I how love you are open and transparent. I too have been dealing with health issues for years. I am standing on the Word of God. I am believing for my Divine healing. By the stripes of Jesus we are already healed! There’s a wind of change blowing. It’s definitely time for Spring cleaning.

  26. Good afternoon!!!

    I thank God for this post because I too am dealing with some of the same issues. But I too know God as a healer. And likewise I’m on the same page spring cleaning physically and spiritually. I’m taking a much needed mental break and restoration. God is faithful and just. I believing God for our TOTAL HEALING, spiritually and physically. Thanks again, I just love you ❤️❤️❤️

  27. Foronda Miller

    Thanks for sharing a great post. I’m dealing with pre-diabetics and it’s challenging at times. I’m in the process of meeting with a nutritionist to assist in educating food choices

    1. Please try hard to monitor it. This ain’t no joke! When I was pre diabetic I did not take it serious. If only I could go back. Praying for you sis!

  28. Chazatie Carter

    Good morning! This was such a timely nugget of truth that I most certainly gleaned from! Spring cleaning is a ‘given’ for most (including myself) but in the spirit we oftentimes don’t feel the same urgency. Thank you for this gentle reminder ❤️ Continued prayers and love!❤️

  29. As always this was right on time. It’s time to stop letting issues distract me from the main Goal! These very same issues can be a reason to draw closer to God and not further if it’s handled correctly. Thank you for helping me realign my focus, spring cleaning here we come. 🌸

  30. Dynetta McDonald

    Thank you so much for allowing God to use you through this platform to reach so many! It’s truly a blessing to us all! This is a great spiritual parallel for how the Lord works in our lives. The enemy wants us to focus on our afflictions and outward issues when God wants us to focus on the anointing and assignment that he has on our lives. Thank you for the Holy Spirits conviction, wisdom and guidance to know when its time to clean up house, Purge and purify our spirits to be used by God. Love you so much for this! I’m sending this to my family back in Chicago! 🤍💜

  31. Veronica Logan

    Thank you for sharing this! It has reminded me to humble myself and to seek support outside of myself for some relational/social strongholds I have had for quite a while. I’m subscribing to your site and look forward to reading and sharing more!

  32. Great word Patrice. Much needed and very timely! Thanks for your transparency it really helps us all to know we are not alone and healing comes with that.

  33. Michelle Miller-Wilcox

    This was real Good! It was like you had actually been listening to my conversation with a girl friend of mine. My struggle with thyroid disease has had me in a bad head space for the last few months and your words have encouraged me. I love you dearly my friend and praying that God continues to spiritually give you what you need to encourage his people. Treasy, I am so proud of you my sister!❤️🥰❤️

    1. Michelle you are added to my prayer list! I too suffered from Hypoactive Thyroidism many years ago but I’ve since been delivered! I remember those days too well! Praying for your healing! I love you too classmate! Thanks for your comment! Love you dearly!❤️

  34. Wow! The power and simplicity of your words have forever changed me! I too battle several physical illnesses in my body and trying to stay on top of them can really bring you down emotionally mentally and even spiritually at times.

    It’s really important to find counsel in the multitude and you’ve inspired me to do so as well. I had been thinking of joining a support group too but somehow I felt like that may possibly be a form of having a lack of faith (sad but true). I no longer feel that way thanks you you and your healing words Lady Patrice! Please pray for me as I pray for you!

    Then in like manner, I’m in the process of spring cleaning my home but I must admit that I never really thought about spring cleaning in a spiritual sense which is even more important than physical spring cleaning! My Mom always used to say “As the mind goes, so does the rest!” But I’d like to take it a step further and proclaim “As the spirit goes, so does everything!”

    I can’t thank you enough for the positivity in your words thoughts and deeds Lady Patrice and for keeping us in remembrance of and encouraging us with God’s unwavering word!

  35. Lady Patrice, this was so on point!! Sometimes we all need that extra something. It might be a session with a dear friend, therapist, doctor or pastor. A lot of times we try to go it alone and end up getting too far in the deep end. There is no need to do that when God has provided every answer to our prays. It is okay to get help and assistance when we feel our own strength is depleting. I remember mentioning something to my doctor about not sleeping well. She asked me a few questions and found out I was eating something too late in the day that is known to cause severe insomnia. It had me up all not and irritable all day. I was a hot mess. I was also mentally exhausted because I got no rest. I thought it was just a little thing but it ended up affected my daily functioning. I praise God for wisdom to get help and speak up when we are hurting and feeling off. God bless you for you transparency. Love you much 🙂

  36. Right on time Lady Patrice!!! We all need a helping had every them and now. God has never told us to do it alone. We try to do it alone and get too far in the deep end. We need to realize our limits and get assistance when we need that extra support. God bless you and thank you for all the wisdom and word you share. Love yah much 🙂

  37. God bless you Little Sugar, this is so encouraging and so on time. I truly appreciate your willingness to be a vessel for the Lord to use. It is our prayer that you continue to allow you to feed God’s children even more words of inspiration and encouragement. God keep and bless you.

    1. So sorry…it is our prayer that you continue to feed God’s children even more words of inspiration and encouragement.

  38. Lady Baker this is a great read. I appreciate your obedience in writing this. This is the path that I am on right now and I pray for you as you are on yours. You’ve always been a breath of fresh air and I pray that you receive all the healing and peace you need.❤️

  39. WOW, I’m not even sure if this is the post, you shared with me, but it was the confirmation I needed!

    Thank you for sharing your heart and being open & honest in your sharing. What a powerful word that can be applied to many areas of our lives and that is why you were led to share it!

    Blessings continue to rest upon you & your ministry, my sister.

    TD Garr

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