Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Wait for it...
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Perspective
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
A Tale of Two Dogs
As I waited for the light to turn green, I caught a flash of something white in the corner of my eye. I looked to see a sprightly young Jack Russell terrier leaping up and down. Then he'd grab his bone and run around his yard aimlessly. Soon he was leaping again and chasing birds.
Meanwhile, an older hound dog with a silky tan coat was lounging in the sun. He was aware of the younger dog's antics, but didn't seem to care. The sun was warm and bright and this dog was making the most of his sunbathing opportunity. Watching the hound dog roll around to find the perfect tanning position made me laugh out loud.
The stark difference between the two dogs reminded me of a few people we know from the Bible—Mary and Martha. Luke 11 tells the story of Jesus and the disciples coming to dinner in Mary and Martha's home. Like the little terrier, Martha busied herself with several tasks at once. She was so busy preparing the meal, cleaning up, taking care of the details that she didn't slow down to focus on her honored guest. Mary, on the other hand, is like the hound dog. She chose not to help her sister, but instead she sat at the feet of Jesus and basked in His glory.
So which dog are you? Are you the young terrier, running around going from one thing to the next? Or are you the hound dog? Taking time to rest and bask in God's glory. I don't know about you, but I think it's time to unleash my inner hound dog...
Be blessed,
Jennifer“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42)
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Our Best Investment
Today I’ve got one hot investment opportunity to talk with you about! This investment has been performing like crazy and will produce returns beyond your wildest dreams…it’s investing your time.
Now wait a minute, hear me out on this. I already hear the grumbling… ‘Invest my time? I don’t have ANY extra time! I don’t have enough time for the things I have to do right now!’ Sound familiar? Or maybe you’re saying to yourself ‘Well I’d invest time in others, but no one ever seems to have time for me!’ Both are legitimate arguments, so let’s take a minute to talk them through.
If you’re the one who feels you have no extra time to invest in others, welcome to the majority! These days we are pulled in so many different directions between our spouses, our kids, our job, church activities…and the list goes on and on! But have you ever considered that you may be investing your time in things that God didn’t intend for you to be investing in? Or maybe you are simply investing too much time into an activity when some of that time is intended to be used elsewhere.
On the other hand, many people have more time to invest but aren’t sure what to be investing in. This group has usually doesn’t have the large time allotment that kids can take up in your schedule, so their time gets filled with other things. Or perhaps you get stuck in a bit of a rut in how you use your time and each day follows the same pattern. I have good news; there are tons of people who would love for you to invest your time into them…no experience required!
Regardless of which scenario best describes your situation, the final outcome is the same…we all need a little help when it comes to investing our time! So, I have a handy 3 step process that will help you reallocate your time to maximize your returns!
Step 1: Pray daily! Ask God to take your next 24 hours and use it for His glory. Ask Him to show you where you need to reallocate your time.
Step 2: Evaluate! Take a minute to honestly assess your schedule and see where you can trim the fat and see if there are things you need to let go of.
Step 3: Do it! Make the changes He’s prompting you to make and follow through on the things He lays on your heart to do. It gets more comfortable the more you do it!
When we let God be God in our lives and allow Him to open up windows in our schedule for His glory, we are blessed beyond measure! Every time we invest in someone else, God rewards our efforts. Whether you’re packing boxes, visiting your favorite coffee shop or just being a listening ear, you'll be blessing them with your greatest asset…your time.
Be blessed,
Jennifer
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers”. Galatians 6:9-10
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
A little adventure
I sometimes treat my spiritual path the same way. I become so used to doing things a certain way that I don't consider other options. I feel comfortable where I am and I ignore the quiet whisper of God prompting me to take a chance.