This is my nurtured-girl fall
After a season of questioning, I’m stepping into fall with a new purpose—focusing on health, stillness, and my walk with God. I’m calling it my nurtured-girl fall, and maybe you need one too.
By , The Heritage Home
It was about six weeks out from summer starting when I began my existential crisis. You see, I grew up in the church and was saved when I was 12-years old. I knew my identity was rooted in Christ as His daughter but I carried my own personal baggage. It made me hesitant to trust people or let down my walls. The several weeks following the breakup sent me into a spiral, deeply questioning who I was and who I was meant to be. I’ll spare you all the dramatic details of the ups and downs of that introspection process, but I will say I came out the other side feeling more empowered than ever.
It was the first day of the week, Sunday. It all lined up. I thought to myself, “This is my new beginning. This is my fresh start. This will be the season for Cheryl.” I sat and really thought about what I wanted to accomplish this fall, primarily focusing on my physical, mental, and spiritual health. This is what I came up with.
For my body, I wanted to focus on eating nutritious meals at home. I had built a nasty habit of eating low quality fast-food multiple times a day, and I could feel the toll it was taking on me internally. As I prepare to be a homemaker, I know this change would be a good opportunity to learn new recipes and fine-tune my cooking skills. I also wanted to exercise more. I work a hybrid job where I don’t even leave my home three days out of the week. This sedentary lifestyle and lack of sunlight is doing me no favors. My goal was to go for a walk every single day. I also joined a lacrosse league and open pickleball play for outlets to get my body moving outside. My physical goals didn’t end there. I also wanted to drink a gallon of water a day and find a daily skin care routine that worked for me.
In terms of my mental health, I wanted to learn how to finally quiet my mind. I would have never considered myself to be one who is heavily distracted, but an excerpt from a book I recently read led me to understand the hold multitasking has on your psyche. We are not designed to always spread our focus across multiple points. Listening to podcasts while cleaning dishes or playing a mobile game while watching a TV show. I needed to learn how to focus my mind on one activity at a time and reverse my man-made ADHD. The more noise I have going on, the less quiet I have to be still with my own thoughts. More importantly, the less quiet I have to listen to God speak. The last mental goal I had was to read more. I haven’t read a book for fun since high school, and this fall, I plan on getting a library card and replacing screen time with physical pages.
I would not have the stamina to be consistent with any of these goals if I didn’t have a supreme goal of cultivating my spirit. I want to have a consistent prayer life this fall and spend time daily reading my Bible. I need to have my eyes on the Kingdom and lay all my hope in that.
This will be my nurtured-girl fall. The season that whole-heartedly prepares me for the next chapter of my life. The season where I will reconnect with God. The season I will become grounded in my health. The season I establish healthy habits that will last a lifetime. This is my nurtured-girl fall.
I am aiming to commit to at least 60 days of meeting these goals, but ideally, I’d like to go 90 days. After all, if this season is about preparing my heart for a lifestyle change, I’ll be practicing these habits for much longer than just a few months. If you also are in need of a season of healing, I encourage you to take similar steps to be rooted in who God has designed you to be and understand how to cultivate that identity in a modern, fast paced, unhealthy world.
~ Cheryl
Autumn is the season of preparation — the world slows, the air cools, and nature itself reminds us that life is not meant to be rushed. Just as the trees let go of their leaves, we are called to release distractions, unhealthy habits, and old fears that keep us from drawing close to God. This is our time to root ourselves deeper, to build rhythms of prayer, homemaking, and rest that nourish us beyond the surface. May this fall not just be another season on the calendar, but the season you choose to prepare your heart for what God is planting ahead.
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I love this article. Fall is my ALL-TIME favorite season. From shopping for seasonal decor, brainstorming fall-themed recipes, choosing the perfect fall scent rotation, planning for our annual trip to the pumpkin patch, etc. However, the most meaningful & transformative activities involve releasing, resting, & resetting. Its the gentle yet consistent accountability and example God presents through nature that make it all the more beautiful. I can definitely relate to Cheryl's story and I am encouraged by her desire to take full advantage of this season. Her idea to replace screen-time with a book and make Bible Study and prayer the top priority resonates with me the most.
This is such a beautiful reminder that intentional seasons of growth and stillness can transform our hearts, minds, and bodies. Autumn truly is a perfect time to slow down, release what no longer serves us, and root ourselves in God’s presence. May this fall be a season of healing, clarity, and deep connection with Him for everyone who chooses to embrace it.