Just Breathe

BY JESSICA LANDMON

Life is busy. Time is short. And, our priorities are often out of order. Our days are spent completing an endless list of things that "need" to get done. And, in the middle of this craziness, we squeeze in some prayer time and Bible reading, and hope that we make it to the finish line each night. If this is you, I can tell you with certainty that you are doing it wrong. Yes, you are doing life wrong. Jesus came to give us life and life more abundantly, not this hectic life we have come to accept. In the middle of our busyness and good intentions, we have sacrificed peace, joy, and the abundant life God has planned for us.

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. – John 10:10 (NKJV)

People hear the word abundant and immediately assume that the scriptures are referring only to material blessings. This is why many are chasing the wrong things and burning themselves out in the process. The abundant life referred to here has so much more to offer than just things and status. It is a life filled with God’s presence and counsel. It is a life filled with purpose and fulfillment. It is a life filled with laughter, gladness, and hope.

So what's the solution? How do we step away from the rat race that we all have come to accept as normal? Well, the first thing you need to do is just breathe. Actually, take a long, deep breath with me right now. Don't think about all the things you need to get done. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Meditate on God's goodness and His immeasurable love for you.

Now, ask God to reveal His heart to you and show you where you should direct you time and energy. Focus on these areas. When you partner with God and are in alignment with His vision, our tasks begin to have purpose. These tasks won't feel like burdens anymore, but rather opportunities to collaborate with the Kings of Kings.

Please understand that this isn't an excuse to shirk our responsibilities. There are things that we just need to do each and every day. But, if we were truly honest with ourselves, we would see that many of the things we stress about are things we were never meant to do. That's why we end up feeling overwhelmed and short on time.

Ladies, God doesn’t want you stressed and overwhelmed. He wants you to partner with Him so that you can accomplish your purpose. Let go of the old way of thinking, and start chasing after what God has in store for you. I promise, you won’t be disappointed. Now breathe.

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We hope that you will be able to join us for the “The Power Within” Conference on Saturday, October 29th from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at The Cornerstone Church in Cheshire, CT. We are expecting a refreshing time with the Lord.

For tickets, go to:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-power-within-womens-conference-tickets-25701743607

Overwhelmed and Stressed

Too often we go about our lives feeling overwhelmed and stressed. We lose sleep at night at the thought of the endless “to do” lists. There just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to accomplish the things we need to get done. Sadly, when a woman is spread too thin, her attitude changes for the worse. Martha, depicted in Luke chapter 10, was a woman who experienced this first hand. Alone in the kitchen without any help, Martha is consumed with the details of all the preparations she needed to do. Entertaining is her gifting, but that day she was not just entertaining ordinary guests, she was hosting the Messiah. She wanted everything to be perfect for Him. But the stress of the details started to weigh on her.

To make matters worse, her sister Mary wasn’t helping at all. Mary wasn’t even in the kitchen. She was in the living room sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to Him speak, while Martha worked tirelessly. I can just hear Martha grumbling to herself in the kitchen: "Must be nice to just sit while someone else is doing all the work. We were supposed to be doing this together!"

Did the preparations need to get done? Yes. Was Martha the right person for the job? Absolutely. So why was she feeling so frustrated?

Her fault was that she grew "cumbered with much serving," so that she forgot him, and only remembered the service. – Charles Spurgeon

Instead of focusing on what Mary wasn’t doing, Martha should have been focusing on what Mary was doing right. You see, Mary didn’t want to miss this special moment with Jesus. She allowed the words of Jesus to fill her up and encourage her spirit. She was being refreshed and renewed by her Savior. Then, and only then, would she be ready to take on her “to do” list.

Ladies, we cannot possibly accomplish all the things we need to without spending time with Jesus first. Jesus doesn’t just want our service, He wants us to have a relationship with Him. He wants to be the source of our strength. He wants to pour into us so that we are equipped to take on anything that comes our way. But, we must allow him to fill us first.

Do you feel spread too thin? Is your attitude full of frustration and resentment? If yes, take a look at your time with Jesus. Is your time spent with Him just another check off your endless list, or is it quality time spent in the presence of the Lord. Jesus wants to fill you up and renew you. You just need to get out of the kitchen and head to the living room.

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. – Revelations 3:20