Hello there! I pray you've had a blessed day! I've been working on some notes for a Ladies Retreat I'm scheduled to do in a couple of weeks and I must say, I've grown a whole new appreciation for the effort, energy, time and prayer my pastor puts into preparing sermons for us each Sunday and he has to prepare for 3 services! I've battled the spirit of distraction all day long and in most cases, it's because I welcomed it in!
I've never considered myself much of a writer. I love to read and I love to talk, but I've just never really done much writing until I started writing this blog at the urging of a friend. In talking with my sister-in-law this afternoon, though, she shared with me that her youngest daughter is a passionate writer. She writes all the time, any spare moment she has, and anytime a thought comes to mind, she seems to find a place to put it down on paper. I think that's such a wonderful gift! It's a discipline and an art and it's a great way to get emotions out that just can't be spoken at times.
Do you ever stop and consider the things that you really love to do? Do you ever get a little frustrated when you haven't been able to do that things that bring life to your soul and joy to your heart? If I asked you to make a list of those things, would it take a long time to "figure them out"?
Sometimes I get so busy in the routine of life and the distractions and frustrations that go along with it that I forget to spend time doing what I love. I feel out of sorts if I am away from those things too long and it's almost as if there's just something "missing" in my life.
The same thing happens when we get so caught up in our busy days that we don't make time to spend with our Father. He is passionate about us and wants us to want Him so badly and yet, is such a gentleman that He won't interfere in our busy-ness unless we invite Him. My days don't go well when I've been too busy to pray. My nights don't sleep as well if I haven't spent time in His Word and my focus isn't what it needs to be if I'm too busy with my own agenda to ask Him to guide me.
]Today, I felt the pressure of time to get so much done that I really haven't gotten much done at all. So this evening I'm going to try again. This time though, I'm going to start off by asking God to guide my eyes, mind, hands and words. I'm going to seek His vision for what I should say and sing next weekend. I'm sure you're thinking "why hasn't she done that already" -- I have - many times over - but now it's for this purpose - sitting at my computer, with Bible opened and reading glasses on with the focus I need to get this task accomplished. I've asked God to guide me all along, I've sought His wisdom through subjects and Scripture and wise counsel on the mechanics of putting this together - but the time now is to get to the meat of it -- to the heart of what God wants his girls to hear next weekend. My task is to be an empty vessel ready to be filled and poured out again according to His will.
If I can encourage you today, dear friend, take some time to do what you love - give yourself permission to play sometimes -- and then more importantly - take some time to just be with your Father - let him wipe your tears, laugh at your corny jokes, tell Him about your day and ask Him questions about His Word, His love letter to you. Ask Him for what you need - whether it's focus or provision, healing or renewal - don't be afraid to ask Him for what you need - He already knows - but wants to hear from His child. My pastor once said, "If you're too busy to pray, then you're too busy." I'd like to extend that by saying, "If you're too busy to spend time with the Lord, your wayyyy too busy." (that's also a "note to self", too, by the way.)
We don't want to reach the end of our lives and wonder where the time went or live with regret. We don't want to miss opportunities to bless others and pour our lives out to glorify the Lord. We get one shot here on this earth -- let's live it not just for a good time, but with purpose, passion and vision to glorify God in all we say and do.
"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8
I've never considered myself much of a writer. I love to read and I love to talk, but I've just never really done much writing until I started writing this blog at the urging of a friend. In talking with my sister-in-law this afternoon, though, she shared with me that her youngest daughter is a passionate writer. She writes all the time, any spare moment she has, and anytime a thought comes to mind, she seems to find a place to put it down on paper. I think that's such a wonderful gift! It's a discipline and an art and it's a great way to get emotions out that just can't be spoken at times.
Do you ever stop and consider the things that you really love to do? Do you ever get a little frustrated when you haven't been able to do that things that bring life to your soul and joy to your heart? If I asked you to make a list of those things, would it take a long time to "figure them out"?
Sometimes I get so busy in the routine of life and the distractions and frustrations that go along with it that I forget to spend time doing what I love. I feel out of sorts if I am away from those things too long and it's almost as if there's just something "missing" in my life.
The same thing happens when we get so caught up in our busy days that we don't make time to spend with our Father. He is passionate about us and wants us to want Him so badly and yet, is such a gentleman that He won't interfere in our busy-ness unless we invite Him. My days don't go well when I've been too busy to pray. My nights don't sleep as well if I haven't spent time in His Word and my focus isn't what it needs to be if I'm too busy with my own agenda to ask Him to guide me.
]Today, I felt the pressure of time to get so much done that I really haven't gotten much done at all. So this evening I'm going to try again. This time though, I'm going to start off by asking God to guide my eyes, mind, hands and words. I'm going to seek His vision for what I should say and sing next weekend. I'm sure you're thinking "why hasn't she done that already" -- I have - many times over - but now it's for this purpose - sitting at my computer, with Bible opened and reading glasses on with the focus I need to get this task accomplished. I've asked God to guide me all along, I've sought His wisdom through subjects and Scripture and wise counsel on the mechanics of putting this together - but the time now is to get to the meat of it -- to the heart of what God wants his girls to hear next weekend. My task is to be an empty vessel ready to be filled and poured out again according to His will.
If I can encourage you today, dear friend, take some time to do what you love - give yourself permission to play sometimes -- and then more importantly - take some time to just be with your Father - let him wipe your tears, laugh at your corny jokes, tell Him about your day and ask Him questions about His Word, His love letter to you. Ask Him for what you need - whether it's focus or provision, healing or renewal - don't be afraid to ask Him for what you need - He already knows - but wants to hear from His child. My pastor once said, "If you're too busy to pray, then you're too busy." I'd like to extend that by saying, "If you're too busy to spend time with the Lord, your wayyyy too busy." (that's also a "note to self", too, by the way.)
We don't want to reach the end of our lives and wonder where the time went or live with regret. We don't want to miss opportunities to bless others and pour our lives out to glorify the Lord. We get one shot here on this earth -- let's live it not just for a good time, but with purpose, passion and vision to glorify God in all we say and do.
"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8
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