Called to Be Clear-Headed: A Christian Case for Not Drinking

Hi sweet mamas! I hope you’re having a lovely week and finding ways to relax if you can. Personally, I love reading my Bible, singing a worship song while my husband plays the piano, or watching a sweet, family friendly movie with my kids. There are all sorts of healthy, Biblical relaxation techniques we can reach to as stressed out mamas...but as we know, there are also some coping strategies that...well, that aren't so good for us.

I started thinking about one of these vices after recently attending a Bible study at my friend’s house. It was a group of wonderful, God-fearing Christian women, who I thought all shared my values...until I noticed something a little strange.

At this Bible study, my friend was serving wine. 

I didn’t partake of course, but I definitely thought it was a little odd to be serving alcohol at a Bible-based function. I got the the same feeling I get when parents have drinks at their kids’ birthday parties. It just feels…out of place.

Mamas, I understand having vices. I can think of a couple of times I've hid in the bathroom to eat a piece of dark chocolate away from the prying eyes of my kids! But if you’ve been feeling the tug at your heart, I want to gently lay out a case for staying sober as a Christian. 

I haven’t had a drop of alcohol since I was in college. I used to occasionally (and legally!) drink with friends, but I felt convicted to quit after I saw the messes that alcohol made. While I never drank to the point of getting drunk, I never wanted to feel like I was out of control of my own body. I quickly repented to God and to some sisters in Christ, and stayed accountable since. 

Choose coffee over alcohol any day, Mama!

I know what some of you may be thinking. “Holleigh, Jesus turned water into wine! It was his first miracle! Wine is in the Bible all the time, how could it be bad for you?”

Alcohol has a different symbolism now.

...at least in my humble opinion. It’s so widely available at bars, parties, grocery stores, and over consumption of it is so loud in our culture. It’s never just one drink. It’s multiple. The overconsumption of it can wreak havoc on our finances, bodies, and lives.

Financially, mamas, alcohol is expensive!

Whenever I go out to a restaurant, cocktails are easily $15-20! Compared to a $4 iced tea, it’s clearly smart mathematically. If Jayce and I were to each get two cocktails at dinner, we could be spending an extra $70! When you’re a mom, your priorities shift. I’d rather invest in my kids’ lives and buy something cute at Hobby Lobby for my home! Your dollar means something, mama! 

It Inhibits Your Ability to Behave Biblically and Practice Good Stewardship and Responsibility

And I never want to imagine a truly horrendous hangover. If I was feeling sick from alcohol, there’s no way that I could effectively parent, or work on content for my business! On top of that, alcohol slows your metabolism, can make you gain unnecessary weight, and just cause a whole host of other problems in your body! Chronic disease, organ failure, weakened immune function… I want to be there for my family. For as long as possible.

Mentally, mama, it’s just not worth it for your brain. It impairs your judgement, and can cause crazy dopamine spikes in your brain which can lead to anxiety, depression, and other cognitive decline in withdrawal. We need to have our minds sharp in order to further our kingdom purpose in life! And again, I want to be the peace in my household, which is my duty as a wife and mother.

Mamas, the Lord is very clear that our bodies are His temples and we should be treating them as such. This is why healthy eating and exercise is so important, and this is why I believe saying no to alcohol will keep this temple running optimally. If you really think you’ll miss your wine, there’s so many fun non alcoholic options nowadays! I've included a delicious mocktail tutorial below, and you can find so many more online. I really encourage you to try. Maybe try a week without alcohol. I bet you’ll feel so good, you’ll want to do two!

TUTORIAL:

Berry Blessings Sparkler (Alcohol-Free Mocktail)

If you’re used to having a glass of wine in the evening, don’t worry mama — you can still enjoy something refreshing and special without the alcohol! This bubbly berry mocktail feels just as fun and celebratory, but keeps your mind clear and your body feeling great.

Ingredients (1 serving)

• ½ cup sparkling water or unflavored seltzer

• ½ cup 100% cranberry juice

• ¼ cup fresh strawberries, sliced

• 1 teaspoon honey (optional)

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• Ice

• Fresh mint for garnish

  
  

Instructions

1. In a glass, gently muddle the strawberries with the honey and lemon juice.

2. Fill the glass with ice.

3. Pour in the cranberry juice.

4. Top with sparkling water and stir gently.

5. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a strawberry slice.

   
   

Optional Mama Tip:

If you’re serving friends at Bible study or a small gathering, make a pitcher by multiplying the ingredients and adding the sparkling water right before serving so it stays bubbly.

Why I Love This

It’s refreshing, naturally sweet, and feels just as festive as a cocktail — but it keeps you clear-headed and energized for all the beautiful moments with your family.

Share your prayers and blessings - and your new beginnings! - with the Home Sweet Holleigh community! Comment below or engage on social media! Find me on Instagram and TikTok at @homesweetholleigh

Want to start enjoying the mocktail lifestyle? These adorable glassware options from Hobby Lobby will help you sip (soberly) in style!

Mason Jar Stemless Glasses

Blue Bow Stemmed Icon Glass

Embossed Glasses

Stemmed Glasses

remember to always find meaning in the little things

your sacrifices shall result in reward

sometimes shame has its purpose

BIG UPDATE! Boss Babe or Biblical Woman? Why I’m Choosing God’s Way

Well Sweet Mamas…

God is just so, so good.

I once more find myself humbled and awe-inspired by God’s Almighty Grace, Power, and Goodness. While I can’t share all the details quite yet, I have some exciting preliminary news to share with you all, my lovely readers; and I hope it encourages and inspires you, as it encouraged and inspired me, to stay strong and steadfast in your Faith and Surrender to the Lord.

Long story short: I am in talks currently working out terms for an amazing partnership opportunity here on the blog and on my socials…it’s basically my dream partnership (so, if you’ve been following me, you probably can guess who I’m partnering with…but if you do guess, let the legal record show that I did not spill the proverbial beans!)

I still can’t quite believe I’m even saying words like “legal.” When I started this blog, my main goal was to spread the Gospel and support other Christian ives and mamas who wanted to reconnect to a more traditional, Biblical way of running their homes and families. But I also always had hopes to grow this into an actual, sustainable business that I could use to support and strengthen my family’s financial safety net. 

Of course, I am and will remain a dedicated stay at home mom and homemaker first. But let’s not forget that the Proverbs 31 woman was a businesswoman too, y’all! Serving my family and God with business savvy is a Biblical calling, just as creating a beautiful, God-honoring home is.

Being a Boss Babe and a Biblical Woman are not mutually exclusive concepts: they are one in the same, as long as everything you do, you do in honor of the Lord and in accordance with Christ-like living and Christian values. 

And besides…who am I to turn my back on the path God has set out for me? It was Him who inspired me to start this blog, and it was Him who guided me in every decision I’ve made since. I prayed on it, and it’s clear that this new opportunity is exactly where God is calling me to be.

Mamas, this is proof that if you keep your Faith in God, if you pray to him and live in service to Him, He will reward you. He will reward you with happiness and with prosperity; he will reward you physically and financially. I am simply overwhelmed by God’s goodness!

Now, there will be some slight changes as I adjust to accommodate the new responsibilities I’ll be taking on with this partnership. Mainly, I’m going to be posting on here every other week instead of every week, to make more time for these new adventures and to follow the new path God has set out for me. But don’t worry Mamas, I’ll still be posting on the socials regularly, and I promise, what we’re losing in blog posts we’re gaining in benefit: you’ll see, that all of our shared sacrifices will have been worth it when I can reveal more!! 

Stay blessed, sweet Mamas and thank you for helping me get here!

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/6c1ddb_fd852fa5214f4ac4a3fd9c66090b67a7/720p/mp4/file.mp4

Share your prayers and blessings - and your new beginnings! - with the Home Sweet Holleigh community! Comment below or engage on social media! Find me on Instagram and TikTok at @homesweetholleigh

remember to always find meaning in the little things

we are on the precipice of a great, new beginning

your sacrifices shall result in reward

let God in

Choose a Cheerful Heart even in Trying Times: Living with Joy When the World Presses In

Hi sweet mamas! Today, I want to talk about something that’s a little raw, real, and something us Christians are striving for all the time, but which often feels harder to access than we'd like to admit:

JOY

Now, you may be asking yourself: Holleigh, I already feel joy! I feel happy in my everyday life! I've got it all together! I smile, I laugh...life is good!

Life is good...right?

But then, when we zoom out and start to take in the noise all around us, that joy starts to collapse. People on social media scream about all the bad things happening in the world, calling Christians bad people, criticizing our government, saying that if we don’t jump on the woke bandwagon, we are the literal scum of the earth. 

Ouch. Goodbye Joy.

I don’t know about you, but that can be real quick to steal my joy. Sharing my life online, I’m constantly subject to all the countless opinions of people that I don’t know. I know this is the trade off that comes by pursuing my God-Given calling to minister His Word on public online forums, but it still gets to me sometimes...It’s exhausting, mama! 

But when the world is testing you, when things have got you down, what is it that we’re still called to do? 

Find joy.

Real joy. The kind that only comes from the Lord. The peace that surpasses all understanding. Nothing in this life will fix you or heal you. Hobby Lobby may be a close second, mamas! But truly, God is the one who gives us the joy. There’s a song I remember singing as a kid in Sunday School that went like this:

“I got the joy, joy, joy, jy down in my heart… to stay. And I’m so happy… I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart.”

Really, we understand it best as kids! It's only when the crashing worldly realities we confront as adults that start to make us doubt it. We need to access to simple, pure faith of childhood. When we have God in our lives, when we accept Him as our Savior, the joy and peace we feel is quite literally our inheritance! Nehemiah 8:10 tells us that the joy of the Lord is our strength! This is what’s entitled to us when we become children of God.

So then, how do we claim this joy? 

Surround yourself with fellow believers. Pray all the time. Go to church. Read your Bible. And really practice it. Consume positive Christian content. Don't engage with or consume demonic pop culture or toxic fake news. When you feel yourself getting overwhelmed, stop for a couple minutes and breathe in and breathe out. Pray. Ask God to take the stress from you and focus on joy.

So Mamas...What brings you joy? For me it’s Hobby Lobby, Jesus, baking bread, creating floral arrangements from clippings from my garden, embroidering Bible verses into the insides of my children's clothing...just any little thing that can make me feel grounded to God and His Word and His Earth and His Light and His Love and My Hands and His Hands.

And my beautiful family of course!

I think about those things when the news is overwhelming, or people criticize me, or I just feel plain run down! Remember that you control how you feel.

Will you stew in negativity? Or will you grab a coffee, run out to Hobby Lobby, and worship God through it all?

DIY “Joy of the Lord” Scripture Frame

Inspired by Nehemiah 8:10 — “The joy of the Lord is my strength.”

This craft becomes a visual reminder in your home when the noise of the world feels overwhelming.

What You’ll Need

• A simple wood or white frame (5x7 or 8x10 works beautifully)

• Neutral cardstock or watercolor paper

• Floral clippings (real or faux)

• Mod Podge or craft glue

• Gold paint pen or black calligraphy pen

• Optional: twine, ribbon, or linen fabric backing

• Optional: pressed flowers (you can press your own from the garden!)

You can all these supplies at Hobby Lobby!

Step 1: Create Your Background

If using fresh flowers from your garden:

1. Press them inside a heavy book for 5–7 days.

2. Once dried, arrange them softly in one corner of your cardstock.

If using faux florals:

• Trim small pieces and lay them in a gentle arch or border shape.

Keep it simple and peaceful — think soft, not busy.

Step 2: Write the Scripture

In the center of the page, hand-letter:

“The Joy of the Lord is My Strength.” – Nehemiah 8:10

If hand-lettering feels intimidating:

• Lightly pencil the words first.

• Trace over with a paint pen or marker.

• Or print the verse in a soft serif font and glue it onto the page.

Let this be imperfect. Handmade is holy, mama.

Step 3: Secure Your Florals

• Lightly glue your pressed flowers into place.

• Let dry completely before placing inside the frame.

• Optional: Add a small twine bow at the top for a farmhouse touch.

  
  

Step 4: Pray Over It

Before hanging it:

Pause.Breathe in.Breathe out.

Pray something simple:

“Lord, when my joy feels stolen, remind me that You are my strength. Let this

home be filled with Your peace.”

Why This Matters

When social media feels loud…When criticism feels personal…When the world feels upside down…

We anchor ourselves.

Not in culture. Not in headlines. Not in opinions.

But in truth.

Joy isn’t the absence of chaos. It’s the presence of Christ in the middle of it.

And sometimes reclaiming it looks as simple as:

• Glue on your fingers

• Flowers from your yard

• A verse written in shaky handwriting

• And a whispered prayer

• 
  

That’s worship too, sweet mama!

Share your prayers and blessings - and your New Year's Goals!- with the Home Sweet Holleigh community! Comment below or engage on social media! Find me on Instagram and TikTok at @homesweetholleigh

Check out all the supplies you need for this DIY project at Hobby Lobby!

Gray Barnwood Open Frame

Succulent Cardstock Paper Pack

Monochromatic Dried Pressed Flower Set

Chrome Dual Tip Paint Marker

remember to always find meaning in the little things

and

surround yourself with only God's Good Messages

and

reject worldly corruption

and

fight through the noise