577: How to Thrive When Your Life is Just too Overwhelming with Author Jennifer Cowart
What happens to your time when you have a rare moment, and nothing is scheduled on the calendar? Does it immediately get full of all the things that aren’t on your to-do list, but could be? Jen Cowart, a pastor, Bible teacher, and author, recently experienced a season with extra margin, and she chose to be intentional with her time instead of letting others fill up her calendar. (Can you even imagine?)
In today’s episode, Kathi and Jen discuss how to thrive when your life is just too overwhelming. They talk about:
- How seasons play a role in our schedule
- What a “win” looks like
- Specific times that MUST be carved out
- What to prepare for in order to thrive
- The schedule considerations that matter most
Want to dig deeper? If so, check out Jen’s new Thrive Women’s Bible Study. You can download a free discussion guide for the first two lessons in the Thrive Participant Workbook here.
Jen has two copies of the Thrive Bible Study to give away to Kathi’s listeners. For your chance to win, answer this question in the comments: What area of your life would you really like to get practical about creating margin in?
You are meant to thrive. You may need to get still before the Lord and do a little work, and that work may be to embrace who He created you to be.
Sign up here for the Clutter Free Academy newsletter and be notified when future episodes are released.
*This episode is sponsored by United Methodist Publishing House.
Thrive Women’s Bible Study: Living Faithfully in Difficult Times
Walking in Faith…even when times are tough.
In Thrive, author and teacher Jen Cowart helps women develop the habits and attitudes necessary to thrive, whatever their circumstances. Leading readers through the Book of James, a letter written about enduring hardships, she lifts up six characteristics of mature Christians. From endurance and humility to controlling our words, Jen helps participants find the divine and the practical in living faithfully.
Jen’s teaching has inspired thousands of women across the country. Her authenticity inspires others to open their hearts and minds. One reviewer wrote, “Her ‘realness’ and her vulnerability just work together to open your heart to dig deeper and deeper.”
Components for this six-week small group study include the book, leader guide, and DVD.
Learn more about the Thrive Women’s Bible Study here.
Links Mentioned:
For your chance to win a copy of the Thrive Women’s Bible Study, answer this question in the comments: What area of your life would you really like to get practical about creating margin in?
Meet Our Guest
Jennifer Cowart
Jennifer Cowart is the Executive and Teaching pastor of Harvest Church. Jen is a gifted Bible teacher and speaker and the author of four women’s Bible studies, Thrive, Pursued, Fierce, and Messy People, and several studies co-authored with her husband, Jim. She and Jim love doing life with their kids.
You can connect with Jen through Facebook, email or on her website.
More Posts
Crocktoberfest Day #3 Chicken Cacciatore
this is one of my favorite go to recipes - super-easy and everyone in the family loves it. Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 6 hours Total Time: 6 hours, 15 minutes Ingredients: •3 lbs. bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed •14 oz. can diced tomatoes with Italian...
Crocktoberfest Day 2 SLOW COOKER BEEF STROGANOFF
I guess I am hunkering down for winter - here is my second recipe in a row that is for the crock and is all about the beef... And who can blame me - I made the tri-tip on Monday and let it simmer all day in the slow cooker. It was the warmest, coziest day I've had in...
Crocktoberfest and Finishing Up the Mini-Project
I has been a long week. I have had the flu and after feeling super-yucky for a while, I came home after a speaking engagement on Thursday and (if I were living in a Jane Austin novel,) took to my bed. I will announce the winners of the Husband Mini-Project on...
- #688 – Declutter Your Books in 15 Minutes a Shelf: Forever Shelf vs Flow Shelf for a Peaceful Library - September 23, 2025
- #687 – What’s Lurking Under Your Bed? Declutter the Forgotten Zone for Good - September 16, 2025
- #686 – Declutter Once and For All: Why Your Home’s Chaos Keeps Sneaking Back - September 9, 2025
I would like to create margin in my evening schedule. I am always trying to find time to spend with my wife, spend time with friends, complete work tasks, and do household chores. There just never seems to be enough time, and I definitely need some rest.
I would like to get practical about creating margin in my work. I am always coming up with new ideas or new projects to implement, but I have to realize that I cannot do them all!
I finally got to listen to this podcast with Jen Cowart. I feel like I am just muddling along this year and I desire to thrive. We had to move mom to assisted living, clean out her house of 69 years worth of stuff. My best friend died on August 7. That has left a big hole in my life. My brother had his other leg amputated, so now he is a double amputee. And I found out a dear friend of the family died 3 weeks ago…no one told me. My son leaves for the mission field of Papua New Guinea in January 2024 as a helicopter pilot. A study on thriving in Christ is just what I need.
I feel like I’ve been in a long season of just trying to survive and have not been thriving. Every once in awhile I get a glimpse of what thriving might look like and I desire that as well as a deep and close relationship with the Lord. To get there I need to create and guard a margin of time to spend studying His word and praying.
I would like to create more margin for intentional time with my husband-especially as the school year is starting and our schedules get busier. He selflessly takes on as much overtime as he can to contribute to our family and I would like to be more intentional about getting my necessary tasks done while he is away so that I can enjoy him without a cluttered schedule and mind.
Margin and thrive- two words that have eluded me for years.
Sometimes you just throw up your hands and say “ I guess this is as good as it’s gonna be”. Just sustaining where I’m at but now I’m encouraged to seek God once again for a thriving life
How wonderful that Jen Cowart, “Super Jenny,” experienced margin for family and a deeper connection with the LORD while caring for her baby grandson in beautiful Barcelona!
I work from home as piano teacher, so most of my students need to come in the afternoons and evenings after school for their lessons. My husband starts his work day before the sun rises and ends around the time that I’m starting to teach, so our schedules are very different.
I’d like to be creative in finding margin to spend more time with my husband… we just got married a little over a year ago.? I’ve been working towards freeing up Fridays and Saturdays for a better work-life balance.
I loved this episode! I had a similar experience when I went to Europe last summer for a month. I slowed down in the most beautiful ways. Then my father passed away and it was like I was on autopilot. I was just going through the motions of surviving through the day. Now I am finding time to slow down intentionally. I would like to create margin in my time spent quietly with God and taking care of my physical self more. Thanks for a great episode!
I loved this episode! I work at our church and as it grows, I find myself getting lost in constant requests and ministry. My son is in high school and I only have a few more years with him at home so I get pulled in both directions. I also just recently lost my dad and that has had a huge impact on everything. Dealing with the grief is ongoing. So I need a lot of margin in a lot of areas! Would love this bible study! Thank you!
I enjoyed the podcast today with Jennifer Cowart. I could relate to the joy she experienced visiting her daughter and meeting her first grandchild.
I recently quit my job to babysit my new grandson- what a joy and what a wonderful calling ! It’s the best job I have ever done.
I would love to be entered into the drawing for the free devotional of James. As I retired, I wanted to keep my options open and now am ready to have the Lord help me learn about me.