There's a Lesson In This

While so much fun seeing all of our families, this Christmas season was long and tiring.  After traveling three weekends in a row we were all so ready to be home where the kids could play with their new toys and we could all sleep in our own beds.  And then on our second day home the littlest wakes up with a stomach bug, followed by the oldest, then mommy.  :(  Not exactly how we planned to enjoy our new toys and time at home, BUT there's a lesson in this . . .

During our driving this holiday and in the days leading up to the New Year, I took some time to sit and consider what I wanted out of this new beginning.  I put in some extra prayer time and Scripture reading and while many were coming up with words for the new year, I felt like God placed this little phrase in my mind - work smarter, not harder.  You see, I'm from the mindset that in order to expect big things (and really feel like you're doing anything worthwhile), you have to work hard and put in the time.  Unfortunately, this mindset has left me strained, stressed, and overwhelmed.  Not to mention feeling like a failure in many areas of my life.  God's gentle instruction opened up a whole new idea.  Slowly He's been showing me to put Him first, follow where He leads, and do only what is needed in each area without going overboard (I often dive in head first and want a years worth of work done in about an hour, just ask my husband!).  

While my children have been sick, I've done countless loads of laundry, cleaned furniture and carpets, snuggled sick babies, and worked only in the few minutes I can each day.  And you know what?  I haven't been stressing.  In fact, I feel as though I've been more successful in my endeavors because I haven't pushed.  I haven't had time to overthink.  And I've been trusting the Lord so much more.  Trusting that He will lead me in the direction I need to be and not trying to do something beyond that.  Accepting that He has good things for me, even if they don't look like what I thought.

He has confirmed this to me in a couple ways over the last 24 hours.  First involved an incredible book I'm reading called Breaking Busy by Alli Worthington.  In my reading she talks about our God-given purpose and our need to be obedient to that purpose, knowing He can do so much more through us when we follow the plan He has.  The second was through an audio teaching by Priscilla Shirer. I have a devotional CD of hers that plays whenever I'm driving and in this particular message she talks about hearing a prize winning tomato farmer share how important pruning is to producing the largest, ripest fruit.  She goes on to talk about how sometimes we have to prune good things in order to grow better things.  It's funny because they also both point out various times in Scripture where Jesus Himself reminds the people why He came.  For example, after healing many people, the whole town came out to where Jesus was staying and attempted to keep Him there so He could continue to heal them.  This was His response:

But He said, I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent."  - Luke 4:43

Both ladies pointed out that Jesus didn't just come to do the Father's Will, but that He did the Father's Will and nothing else.  It would have been good for Him to stay and heal them, but that's not what He was called to do.  Just as I am not called to work myself ragged in every area, trying to trudge my own path and force everything to work the way I want under my control.  I must work smarter, not harder.  For me, this means spending more time with the Lord, listening to His guidance, and being obedient even when I don't know how it will turn out.

I'd love to hear if God has given you a word or phrase for this new year.  Or perhaps He's in the midst of teaching you a new lesson.  I'd love to hear that too!

Be Strong and Courageous

Y'all, it has been a month!  Haha!  After traveling three weekends in a row, we are all so thankful to be in our own home for the foreseeable future.  While seeing family and friends is wonderful, there's just something about being in your own space where I can let the kids roam and know there's nothing they can really get into!

If you've ever read one of my posts, you know that I try to be as honest and transparent as possible.  Well, here we go again!  I am, in general, a very anxious person.  I have a habit of overthinking decisions, rethinking decisions, regretting decisions, and oftentimes just being overall nervous about decisions I make.  Take for instance today.  I needed to place an order online.  It took me hours to figure out what to purchase, not to mention the taking things out of my cart to add others in only to take those out and go back to what I had before to finally taking everything and only purchasing what I originally planned on doing!  Ok, get the picture?  So here we go . . .

I work for a direct sales company and, therefore, can run my business however I so choose.  That is both very freeing and also nerve-wracking for someone like me.  I get anxious about whether I've made the right decision, if I'm planning as I should, if I'm being too salesy with friends, etc.  It was starting to really get out of control so I took a moment after the kids fell asleep to read some Scripture and pray.  Here's the verse I found myself meditating on:

Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.  - Joshua 1:9

It's a pretty common verse, but as I thought about today I realized there's really two parts to it.  I am not to afraid or discouraged because God is with me.  But that requires that I be taking time to listen and obey where He leads me.  Joshua was also instructed many times to follow the Lord's commands.  He didn't have to be afraid because he knew that where he went is where God called him to be.  It didn't mean things would be easy and, if you've read their story, it wasn't, but it did mean Joshua didn't have to be anxious or afraid.

It was a strong reminder for me to put my decisions in His hands.  Ask Him how I should run my business, raise my kids, spend my time, and then take a moment to listen and see what He says.  I don't mean an audible voice (although sometimes that would be lovely), but where I feel my passions leading, where I feel peace, where I feel challenged.  God speaks to us in different ways, but if we are quiet and still enough to listen, we will hear His voice.

As my little man would say, "Be strong and courageous, God is with ME!"