Studio, studio, and more studio work. That's what my week has been like thus far on top of numerous other obligations. Aside from working on my own album, there's another project I've been asked to contribute to. So I've been pretty busy. But at the same time, I've had a very calm week.
How is that so?
Well I decided that I would not allow all the things competing for my time to overwhelm me. I was determined to have moments of downtime during my in-between-work time. So, for a while, I just turned off my laptop and Blackberry, and did the non-work related things central to my peace of mind, joy, and rest. I spent extra time with the Lord; His presence always soothes me. I taught the kids and did a few special projects with them with no interruptions. I chilled out with my best friend and husband, Kenya. We watched a movie. I read some chapters from a new business book. I relaxed.
Although I always have a very full workload, I am also determined to have a very full life. I know this is God's will for me and all of us.
We must feed our spirit, soul, and mind. Even with all the demands placed upon our time, there must be regular moments in our lives when we rest, replenish, and renew. Amen? Sometimes you have to shut out the outside world in order to find your inner peace, be available to God, your familly, and yourself for that matter. Otherwise, your workload and the stress of attending to the needs of others will quickly grow insufferable.
And it is not God's will for us to live a frenzied life. Rather, we must keep a healthy balance and learn to focus on what matters most.
On Monday I read an article in Empowering Everyday Women Online Magazine that really blessed me. It came from one of the newest writers for EEW, Dr. Michelle Johnson. Although it is a written piece for married couples, the principles in it are applicable across the board. In it, Dr. Michelle addresses our tendencies to get so busy and overwhelmed that we fail to take time just to enjoy life.
She shared how she and her husband were once overly-busy:
"With so many things to do, people to see, and places to go, we lived each day like everything was urgent and nothing could be left undone. From the moment the alarm clock rang until the bedtime prayer was recited, we operated in overdrive..."
Sometimes we all need to slow down and rest. Fortunately, I know the best way to accomplish this. Jeus said in Matthew 11:28, ""Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
TODAY'S PRAYER: God, sometimes I feel pulled in so many different directions and I don't always know how to balance everything. Please help me run to You for direction and serenity, and teach me when it's time to shut out the outside world, so I can be replenished inside. In Jesus' name, Amen.
