Slow Down

How many of you would like to slow down, take a break, have a nap? God has been teaching me to slow down. When I was in school, I was a straight-A student, worked on the yearbook staff, played volleyball, attended other sporting events, sang on the praise team at church, volunteered for everything that was going on at church and lots more. My focus was on my future and my ministry opportunities. Now, I have an awesome husband and two wonderful children. I have to slow down.

Our family began attending a new church in January 2010. When we joined the church in March 2010, we began serving in Kids Church. I enjoy it very much! However, the church is a big church and there are a lot of ministry opportunities. It would be very easy for me to become overwhelmed with ministries. Sometimes I feel like a kid in a candy store. I reach my hand out to take hold of something that looks good to me and my Papa God has to slap my hand gently and tell me, "Not now. Maybe later." When something comes up that I want to do but I continuously have to find someone to watch my kids for me, I have to put a stop to that. I did not have kids for other people to always watch them. I have to slow down and cherish the time that I have with them right now. They will never be 5 and 6 years old again. Whatever it is that looks good to me right now can wait.

Sometimes I get anxious: my house isn't big enough, my car doesn't fit me, I don't have enough time, and do I have to cook again tonight?! So do I get a job, go back to school, make money like my husband does? How much time would that leave me for my family and for volunteering? But wait - my God has everything under control. He is with me today and He already knows my tomorrow. I have to constantly be giving my life to Him on a daily basis.

And the hard part is that this only works for me. My life is not like your life and your life is not like anyone else's life. God has a perfect plan for each and every one of us. It is very easy for us to compare ourselves to other people, but that is not a healthy thing to do. There is always going to be someone better at what we do than we are and there is always going to be someone who isn't as good as we are and we can help them.

My standard begins with God's word. I open my Bible and read it. Then I pray that God will guide my every step and give me the desire to see His will be done in my life. That's it. It's easy to get distracted by the little things, but I have to keep my eyes on God. I know that He will make everything right.