The At What Cost Blog: Christian Family Minimalism

01/06/2024

Clearly no one is having a better or more relaxing time camping than Gunner.

25/05/2024

Today would have been my dad’s 71st birthday so it was only fitting that my son, who is turning 12 tomorrow, wanted to have a themed birthday!

25/05/2024

“I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth” Genesis 9:13

We had the most beautiful full rainbow this evening. There’s a faint double on one side. What a beautiful reminder of the love of God.

17/05/2024

15/05/2024

I love this Unafraid t-shirt from .in.faith and I have needed this reminder often as we close in on a week left before summer break. Field trips, honors day, graduation, new schools, ahhhhhhh! I have been grabbing this shirt from .in.faith for a sweet reminder that I don’t have to be in control, I know who holds tomorrow!

There’s a a link in the bio for 10% off your order when you use the code MARYBETHM10

11/05/2024

I am loving this new loveseat from We wanted a little refresh in the sitting room in our bedroom and it’s been a perfect swap out for the full size couch we had here. Check out the new video on YouTube and grab 15% off when you use the code COST15 at check out. Here’s the link: https://www.lkt.ink/s/exVi

04/05/2024

God’s Word is sufficient!

Here’s a little behind the scenes.

This is an audience retention graph in YouTube. It shows me when people begin losing interest in a video. YouTube also gives me “top moments” where viewers don’t dip out in a video, which lends to the theory that the content is engaging.

This one is at the end of my video. Which honestly is not ideal. You want people to stay engaged much earlier in the video so they keep watching.

But what’s incredible about this graph is that the people who were most invested in watching this video, the 40% or so of people who had originally started watching, were listening to me read scripture.

No fancy music, tranquil B-Roll over it, no special effects. Just scripture. This is the whole point of At What Cost!

Thank you for listening and watching and allowing this platform to share the gospel, encourage women in Christ, and maybe get our homes a little more under control. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

20/04/2024

Little weekend warrior project. Gunner started his life as an outside dog until he came to live at our house. He loves to cuddle up with the blankets on the couch, but he loves a good pine straw bed and a spring breeze too.

20/04/2024

New video alert! Let’s chat about God has used the last 5 years of minimalism and the last 4 years of YouTube to dramatically change how our home functions and my faith.

I Learned The Hard Lessons So You Don't Have To! Minimalism 5 Years Later
https://youtu.be/6m8dZZR7Z34

18/04/2024

First harvest! Small but mighty!

12/04/2024

Tell me you’ve been watching a lot of without telling me you’ve been watching a lot of 😂 pulling out my old faithful for meal planning this week.

This was my grandmothers go-to and my mom has an identical copy. It’s the one I pulled out whenever I’m making apple pie, cocktail meatballs, and cream puffs.

10/04/2024

This is so good! Highly recommend the audio book, it’s like having a chat with a friend. has brought so much wisdom and encouragement to this mama of my own man cubs today!

05/04/2024

New Podcast is up! Check it out!

***DISCLAIMER*** FTC Legal Disclaimer: Some of the links in this description may be affiliate links. I do receive a small commission from purchases you make ...

31/03/2024

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

16/03/2024

The clock at the airport in Charlotte is great. I could sit in these rocking chairs and watch it turn for hours….and occasionally have. If you’ve ever flown in or out of Charlotte you know departure times are a little more like suggestions.

I heard someone mention today that you have to let go of things you can’t control. And it struck me-no. The mere suggestion that I can let go of those things that I have no control over feels a little like an oxymoron. Sure I understand the point they are making. Often we want to focus our efforts of things out of our control, and in same way we must make peace with it. But it’s not really the “it” that we must make peace with.

I would suggest that rather than “making peace” with whatever feels out of our control, we turn away from our inward focus and gaze upon the One who controls everything! He is sovereign, He is in control of the things that frustrate us, enrage us, worry us, or make our skin crawl. Rest in Him, trust Him to care of you and give you strength to endure. Remember Luke 21:16-19 and trust in Him. Then flip over to 1 Peter 5:7 and remember that He cares for you!

14/03/2024

Hello my friends! I had intended to get a video posted this week, but alas, it has not happened. My grandfather passed away and I am traveling to Michigan for his funeral.

I did want to share a new partnership with Love in Faith I have several of their t-shirts and some of y’all have asked about them in the past. They are offering a discount for our viewers! When you enter MARYBETHM10 at checkout you’ll get 10% off your purchase!

Here is a link to the shirt I’m wearing in the picture. https://bit.ly/NewMerciesLoveinFaith

I hope to have a new video up next week! See you soon!

03/03/2024

Same dog, different couch. I have been down for the count pretty much all weekend. The doctor literally said “I think God’s telling you it’s time to slow down.” That’s probably true. So, I’m leaning into rest.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” -Matthew 11:28-30

24/02/2024

If you are involved in a PCA women’s ministry I highly recommend attending Leadership Training. As a Christian, a woman, a wife, a mother, a Bible study teacher, a writer, a YouTuber, my early childhood Ed career, all the things….this conference encourages and challenges me to keep growing upward toward Christ and outward in relationship with others. .cdm and are providing essential resources to our denomination and you don’t want to miss out on it.

23/02/2024

Day two of Leadership Training! This has already been such a wonderful time of fellowship, worship, and sound teaching. Ready for day two!

09/02/2024

Watch out now! There is a high probability that I will ACTUALLY publish a video on YouTube today! Join me later today as we discuss my 7 best tips of highly productive working moms over on the YouTubes!

27/01/2024

Another amazing girls trip in the books. Sometimes you’ve gotta take a step back, enjoy the view and recharge the batteries! My cup was certainly filled this week and I am grateful for the opportunity to take some time off.

19/01/2024

It’s launch day for .spilling.the.tea.podcast! My sweet friend Carrie and I will be spilling the tea on all things faith, family, and motherhood! Y’all check out the link in the bio and watch our first episode!

19/01/2024

FINALLY! It’s been “coming soon” for a LONG time on the website, and today is the day! My friend Carrie and I have launched a podcast! Here’s our first episode.

Join Carrie and Marybeth as they unpack the hard everyday issues of life around faith, family, and motherhood! This week we are spilling all the tea about ou...

06/01/2024

It’s the end of an era for me. I used to sell 31 Gifts years ago and ended up with a TON of totes and purses and all the things.

Unfortunately I wasn’t very much of a salesperson and ended up buying more than I sold. 🤦🏻‍♀️ But it’s time for them to go. Keeping the ones we actually use and sending the rest on.

Thankfully I’m not going it alone, my decluttering support buddy is right here with me….resting. 😆

03/01/2024

When your tagline is that simple living and deep faith go hand in hand, I’d think it was obvious that Jesus may come up at some point.

New video on the YouTube channel! And yes, it’s actually there this time. 😉 And no, I have no plans to stop taking about Jesus and decluttering. 😁

24/12/2023

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

24/12/2023

Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent.

We light the third purple candle, the Angels' Candle, which represents the angelic announcement and reminds us to focus on Christ, His finished work on the Cross, and anticipate His second coming.

We will also light the fifth candle, the Christ Candle. This is the white candle, it proclaims to birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Light of the World!

Our theme this week is love. We can find love in the first coming of Christ as we also wait on the second coming of Christ.

Join us Tuesday as we explore the application of this weeks theme of love on the Youtube Channel.

24/12/2023

This song has been on repeat all month long for me. 2023 has been a really good year in many ways, but it has had its own set of challenges.

I caught myself yesterday feeling disappointed that I had not done all the things I had set out to do this month. (The list was way too long, we all know I love to fill up my to-do list plate.)

Then my husband said something that turned my whole perspective around! He said that his favorite part of the Christmas season this year has been doing our advent devotional after dinner with our boys.

I am a creature of habit and I love tradition. I enjoy making the same Christmas cookies my mom and grandmother did and watching my children enjoy them just like my brother and cousins and I would. The feelings of nostalgia in putting up our Christmas decorations, each with its own story, warms my sentimental heart. And oh the music, the music! There’s something about my favorite worship songs in the glow of the Christmas lights.

But none of it means anything without Him. As we have been spending time focusing on Advent with our kids the cost of our salvation has really been pressed in much deeper this year. I know that this is a time of celebration of the birth of Christ, but He was born with Easter in mind.

We delight in the coming of Christ. His life, death, and resurrection.

“So come, though you have nothing
Come, He is the offering
Come, see what your God has done

Christ is born, Christ is born
Christ is born for you
Christ is born, Christ is born
Christ is born for you”

17/12/2023

Today is the third Sunday of Advent.

We light the pink candle, the Shepherds' Candle, which reminds up that the birth of the Messiah was announced to humble shepherds. Knowing that we are often straying sheep in need of a rescuer, this candle reminds us that we must go to The Good Shepherd, believe in Him, and tells others of the Good News of Salvation.

Our theme this week is Joy. We can find joy in the first coming of Christ as we also wait on the second coming of Christ.

Join us Tuesday as we explore the application of this weeks theme of joy on the Youtube Channel.