Each Sunday on the Pure Purpose blog, I feature This Week’s 7, a simple list about an everyday topic, giving you ideas and encouragement. Spring is almost here! Don’t miss out on the preparation time you have. Spring happens because winter precedes it. Be challenged by these tips to maximize the opportunity you have to prepare for spring.

1. Take Inventory. In order to identify what areas of your life need special attention, you need to actually look at your life. Be realistic. What needs mending? What needs to be torn apart and rebuilt? What is primed for growth? Prioritize the needs and get started.
2. Get Rid of the Dead Stuff. New growth won’t incur while it’s entangled among dead stuff. Don’t stunt your growth. Pull aware the dead stuff and clear the path for new shoots of spiritual growth in your life.
3. Uncover Protected Areas. Trust God to guide you in uncovering the areas of your life you’ve been protecting through the winter months of your life. Covering for a season is purposeful, but it won’t serve the upcoming season well. Invite nourishing light and warmth into your life. Healing leads to growth.
4. Bring Out the Furniture. It’s time to savor your life. No more sitting inside and letting life pass by the windows. Place the furniture on your front porch and backyard deck and take in the sights, sounds, and scents. Fully experience everything the spring of your life has to offer.
5. Till the Ground. It’s hard work, but growth isn’t going to happen until you make the effort to turn over the hardened, unattended ground of winter. It’s time to dust off those tools, roll up your sleeves, and get to work, so growth can happen in your life.
6. Prepare Your Wardrobe. Sort what no longer needs to be worn. Dress appropriately for the season. That means, if you’re leaving your spiritual winter behind, you need to put away those flannel pajamas and fleece jacket no matter how comfortable they are. Set aside the past to enjoy what the future has to offer.
7. Anticipate Growth. Watch for it! Enjoy every moment of seeing your spiritual life grow. It’s not just about seeing the bloom. Savor the process of green shoots poking through the previously frozen ground, reaching for warmth and nourishment, pruning, and more along the way.