Lately, this blog has been talking a lot about the feeling of overwhelm. And that’s because, from September through January, many moms feel it deeply. Kids are getting back into the rhythm of school after a lazy summer. Thanksgiving is around the corner with another big family dinner, and then Christmas seems to arrive overnight — the dollar stores are already stocked in September!
On top of everything, there are the tiny, everyday tasks that fill our lives—dishes, laundry, brushing the dog, making the bed. These small routines mark the passing of time, but when life is already full, it’s easy to start resenting them. Add homeschooling to the mix, along with harvest season in the garden. Historically, children attended school from October to May, after the harvest was complete. Today, though, we juggle school, homesteading, and homemaking all at once. And because the weather is still warm, outdoor projects are calling too. It’s no wonder this season feels overwhelming. In the midst of it all, the little things can easily be forgotten—or resented—which only adds to our frustration.
Life feels full, and the small things — one math lesson, one jar of tomatoes, one corner of the house — start to feel like they don’t matter. But Zechariah 4:10 reminds us not to despise small beginnings:
“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.”
A plumb line is small, about the size of a hand. But if it’s off even a little, the whole building is affected. The smallest, humblest small beginnings lay the foundation for something much bigger. God isn’t measuring the size of progress; He’s rejoicing that the work has begun.
Why Small Beginnings Matter in Every Area
Parenting, homeschooling, homemaking, homesteading — all of it works the same way.
- Reading one picture book to your toddler matters.
- Cooking a simple meal instead of a feast matters.
- Pulling a few weeds each day matters.
- Freezing a single bag of beans matters.
Even tiny steps accumulate. They change the course of your home, your garden, and your children’s days. And they are what God celebrates.
It’s a mindset shift: stop thinking you have to do everything perfectly. Instead of trying to overhaul your whole day, start with one small, manageable task. Maybe it’s making your bed. It doesn’t make your kids behave better, but it makes you feel better. Maybe it’s completing just a single page of a lesson, even if your child only has the patience for that one page. Maybe it’s preserving one jar at a time. These small beginnings don’t solve everything at once — but they start the process, and God rejoices in that beginning.
Seeing Progress in the Small
Homeschooling: Shaky schedules and shortened lessons don’t equal failure. Every day begun, every page read, every activity done is a victory.
Homemaking: A freshly made bed, a sink cleared of dishes, a floor swept — these small actions change the tenor of your home. You don’t need a spotless house to create peace and stability.
Homesteading: Preserving one jar of beans or picking a handful of tomatoes may feel slow, but over time, your pantry fills. One small effort repeated daily builds lasting results.
Faith: Prayer whispered in exhaustion counts. Devotion doesn’t have to take an hour; two or three minutes, a small Bible reading, a quick thought — it all adds up. God doesn’t despise small beginnings in your faith; He celebrates it.
Stop bemoaning that you’re not where you want to be or frustrated that the big picture hasn’t been achieved yet. Be faithful where you are, even in the small beginnings. Each jar canned, lesson taught, prayer prayed, and floor swept is a seed planted in faithfulness. These small beginnings matter more than you know.
A Prayer for Overwhelmed Moms
Lord, help me not to despise the small beginnings in any season. Teach me to trust that You rejoice in my little efforts because they are offered to You, even in my feeble attempts. Strengthen me when I feel overwhelmed, and remind me that small steps done in faith build something everlasting. Amen.
Momma, you don’t need to do it all at once. Start small, trust God to multiply your efforts, and know that every little step is seen, celebrated, and used by Him to build something beautiful.
