Cast the Net Again: Clara Cleanup Challenge:
I tease that the idea for Clara and the Messy Mouse Kingdom came from my daughter, Glory, and a mouse infestation years ago—but if you know me well, you know I am Clara. Creativity often overwhelms me, and organizing can feel impossible. But I’ve learned over time: great things happen when we’re obedient in the little things.
Like Peter, throwing his net on the other side of the boat after fishing all night and catching nothing, he must have been exhausted. I feel that story deep in my soul. Maybe you're one of God’s blessed overachievers, but I’m one of His tumblers. I’m the one throwing the net again and again, day and night, sometimes into the wee hours, only to come up empty.
Some days I can’t even write a simple email. I lose important mail, my keys, my glasses—sometimes even my mind. And while others might see a spark of creativity or a fleeting moment of functionality, they don’t see the empty nets. They don’t see the long nights of failing, the hours spent on the wrong thing, or the tears shed over lesson plans, speech drafts, or stories that just don’t land.
Learning disabilities have made reading and writing harder than most people realize. I can forget what I just read or jumble the words when I write. People see me paddling to shore and assume I’m lazy, distracted, or out for a joy ride. Maybe they pity me. Maybe they get annoyed. Maybe they see a cute book cover and think it came easily.
But the truth is: I live in those “empty net” moments.
And still, God meets me there.
He whispers, “Deb, do you care more about what they think—or what I think? Will you be obedient even when you’re tired, when you’ve given it everything and failed again?”
That’s when I remember one of my favorite scriptures:
“After having done all, to stand… stand therefore.”
— Ephesians 6:13–14
Or the story of Jesus and Peter in Luke 5. Jesus doesn’t scold Peter for failing—He simply says, “Throw the net again.” And Peter does. Not because it makes sense. Not because he’s strong. Because he trusts.
And that’s where Jesus meets him—not in Peter’s strength, but in his surrender.
So here I am, this week, casting my net one more time—tired but obedient. I don’t have time or money for a big book release party. My house is a disaster, so let’s be honest, I wouldn’t invite anybody over anyway! But I am inviting you to celebrate with me in a way that fits this story.
Each day for a week, starting (Friday), I’ll be tackling one chore—and I’m inviting you to join me! Post a photo of your before-and-after, and tag it with #ClaraCleanupChallenge. Let’s celebrate every small act of obedience, every net thrown one more time, every quiet win.
If you’d like to help, share this post, spread the word about the book, and tell a mom or teacher who might need it.
And may the God of second chances and last-minute miracles:
Set your eyes on Him, not on what others expect of you
Free you from the weight of productivity and perfection
Meet you, right in the mess, with love and provision
