Saturday, December 24, 2011
Being a woman in leadership: Luke 1:37
Being a woman in leadership: Luke 1:37: This morning I was up unusually early. Whenever this happens, I know that God wants me to have extra special time with Him. So...I got up ...
Luke 1:37
This morning I was up unusually early. Whenever this happens, I know that God wants me to have extra special time with Him. So...I got up and being Christmas Eve, I decided to re-read the story of Jesus birth. I have read this story since I could read, and yet today this verse in Luke jumped off of the page. "For nothing is impossible with God". The reference of course was Mary's fear at being a virgin with child. Can you imagine her fears and doubts?
For many loved ones I know, including myself, 2011 has been a difficult year. In our family alone we have experienced more than enough. We have experienced tragic death, cancer, suicide attempts, and unemployment. We have had to cope with emotions that we never dreamed of. Today, I thought about the verse in Luke...NOTHING is impossible with God and I gave immediate thanks for the hope that God can bring.
As humans we can become easily discouraged, feel hopeless, and become disgruntled about life and what it brings. We forget to be thankful for what we have and we forget any good that may have come our way. The negative part of life just takes over. We find ourselves in a funk. When this happens, it is difficult to pull out. Negativity has great power over the good in life. However, taking time to remember just this one verse can change our attitude in the seconds it takes to read it. We can bring light into darkness, we can be encouraged rather than discouraged. If nothing is impossible for God, then we can bring our fears, our doubts, and our frustrations to God and HE can handle them for us. I for one could not handle life without this truth.
How many times have I read the story of Jesus birth? Why today did these words jump off the page? Perhaps I need to be reminded that the hope we have in God is ever present. I am so very grateful. This morning I am thanking God for the good and the bad. I am giving over to Him those things that are impossible for me. I am making a choice to be free so that I can live in joy.
As a woman in leadership, I am making a choice. We all have that opportunity. Has life been hard? Has work been difficult? Is life throwing you curve balls? What choice will you make?
I choose to be grateful. I choose to live with joy in my life. I choose to remember in every situation that Nothing is impossible with God. May your Christmas be blessed, may your families know His love and may your day be full of joy!
For many loved ones I know, including myself, 2011 has been a difficult year. In our family alone we have experienced more than enough. We have experienced tragic death, cancer, suicide attempts, and unemployment. We have had to cope with emotions that we never dreamed of. Today, I thought about the verse in Luke...NOTHING is impossible with God and I gave immediate thanks for the hope that God can bring.
As humans we can become easily discouraged, feel hopeless, and become disgruntled about life and what it brings. We forget to be thankful for what we have and we forget any good that may have come our way. The negative part of life just takes over. We find ourselves in a funk. When this happens, it is difficult to pull out. Negativity has great power over the good in life. However, taking time to remember just this one verse can change our attitude in the seconds it takes to read it. We can bring light into darkness, we can be encouraged rather than discouraged. If nothing is impossible for God, then we can bring our fears, our doubts, and our frustrations to God and HE can handle them for us. I for one could not handle life without this truth.
How many times have I read the story of Jesus birth? Why today did these words jump off the page? Perhaps I need to be reminded that the hope we have in God is ever present. I am so very grateful. This morning I am thanking God for the good and the bad. I am giving over to Him those things that are impossible for me. I am making a choice to be free so that I can live in joy.
As a woman in leadership, I am making a choice. We all have that opportunity. Has life been hard? Has work been difficult? Is life throwing you curve balls? What choice will you make?
I choose to be grateful. I choose to live with joy in my life. I choose to remember in every situation that Nothing is impossible with God. May your Christmas be blessed, may your families know His love and may your day be full of joy!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Overwhelmed
Today I cried during my massage and could not understand why my body was responding with tears. All day I felt overwhelmed but I kept excusing the feelings and thought I was just tired and I needed to handle it...Why do we as woman take it all on? Especially at Christmas? A time when we should be focused on preparing our heart for the season of celebrating the birth of our savior...Seems each year for the past years, I find myself up to my eyeballs in busy when really I should take everything OFF of the calendar and be thankful for, and humbled by God's gift to humanity.
As I have taken some time to reflect this evening, I realized that I had a right to my feelings of "overwhelmed". This day has been difficult and was full of many emotions. Today is the anniversary of my mother's death, a death that changed my life. I have missed every day since she died 18 short years ago. I finished a large project that which involved the delivery of 65 Christmas baskets, I talked to my 35 year old daughter about genetic testing due to her breast cancer, and listened so I could offer encouragement about her upcoming chemo therapy which starts this Friday. Food was delivered for the staff Christmas party which is this Friday evening at my home and I cleaned up from the "making" of the 65 baskets. I talked to a good friend of mine whose daughter in law is having her baby one month early to prepare her body for the removal of a tumor from her lung, next week...I completed paperwork necessary for a loan on our school, and I answered several emails. In and between all of that, I forgot to eat, and so was my day.
I am ending my day with a quite moment and re-prioritizing my day tomorrow. I am going to take some "down" time, and I am going to eat. I may cry, but think that I will feel differently by making the choice to think about what is important. I am thankful for these moments of reflection. God has given me much comfort after having such a day.
Are you overwhelmed? Stop, take time, take a breath, and pray. I am humbled by each new day I am given to re-evaluate and start fresh. Tonight I have moved from being overwhelmed to being thankful! Thanks be to God!
As I have taken some time to reflect this evening, I realized that I had a right to my feelings of "overwhelmed". This day has been difficult and was full of many emotions. Today is the anniversary of my mother's death, a death that changed my life. I have missed every day since she died 18 short years ago. I finished a large project that which involved the delivery of 65 Christmas baskets, I talked to my 35 year old daughter about genetic testing due to her breast cancer, and listened so I could offer encouragement about her upcoming chemo therapy which starts this Friday. Food was delivered for the staff Christmas party which is this Friday evening at my home and I cleaned up from the "making" of the 65 baskets. I talked to a good friend of mine whose daughter in law is having her baby one month early to prepare her body for the removal of a tumor from her lung, next week...I completed paperwork necessary for a loan on our school, and I answered several emails. In and between all of that, I forgot to eat, and so was my day.
I am ending my day with a quite moment and re-prioritizing my day tomorrow. I am going to take some "down" time, and I am going to eat. I may cry, but think that I will feel differently by making the choice to think about what is important. I am thankful for these moments of reflection. God has given me much comfort after having such a day.
Are you overwhelmed? Stop, take time, take a breath, and pray. I am humbled by each new day I am given to re-evaluate and start fresh. Tonight I have moved from being overwhelmed to being thankful! Thanks be to God!
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