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Beating Burnout – Four Possible Steps
Tired. Weary. Exhausted. Sometimes we’re just having a busy day. At other times, we experience seasons of hard work and long hours. Unfortunately, not all labor produces obvious fruit and we can feel like we’re spinning our wheels, a common feeling in ministry. Obviously, if our path is leading to burnout, something has to give. It’s time to take a step, even if we’re dead on our feet. Sometimes we just need to take a STEP BACK – a break, a hiatus, or a vacation. How many people really take a day off or a true Sabbath rest? I know I’m guilty of dragging work home with me on…
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It’s April!!
This morning I wanted to write something snarky on Facebook like “Would someone PA-LEEZE tell Wisconsin that the calendar has flipped!” Then the words of my son came back to me. “Mom,” he once said, when people complain about this weather, it’s not spring they want but summer! This IS spring weather – at least in Wisconsin.” I used to LOVE spring as a kid! April was my favorite month of all! But maybe that had more to do with an April birthday and the fact that I lived farther south. Now I live in The Land of Eternal Winter and by the time my boots are put away,…
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Can I Have a Word with You?
That question coming from someone in authority can be a little daunting. From a boss it can invoke fear and trepidation. What does he/she want? Did I do something wrong? From a family member, it might strike a fear of another kind…bad news? But from God….well, THAT’s a different story! Below is an excerpt entitled “Can I Have a Word with You?” from my husband’s monthly newsletter. It came up in a recent conversation between us and sheepishly I admitted I hadn’t read it. When I did, it had such an impact not only am I sharing a snippet with you below, but it sparked an idea I’ll explain at…
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A Psalm 136 Christmas Letter
Last week I started a Christmas letter. Determined to NOT skip another year, I hastily (because I’m busy) and concisely (because I dislike long epistles) shared the “highlights” of the year. Why? Good question. It stems from the days prior to Facebook and Instagram to keep everyone up to date on our lives. In the “old” days, Christmas letters let far-away relatives know what we’d been doing – vacations, moves, etc. We’d share glowing reports of our kids’ activities – soccer, band, lessons, scouts, dance, you name it. In keeping with tradition, I replayed that old record. Then I hit delete. Something didn’t set well. Something wasn’t right. Oh, everything…
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Liar, Liar Pants on Fire!
Nobody likes to be lied to. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you live or how old you might be. We all have a universal need – an expectation really – to hear the truth. Think about it. When we are facing any given situation – before we can take any steps to deal with it – we ask for the facts, right? We want to know exactly what we’re facing. “Give it to me straight, Doc!” When a problem arises we “Google it,” read a book or ask friends for more info. We. Desire. Truth. In Ephesians 6, the Bible describes truth as a belt. According to…
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Dear Young Friend Whose Parent Has Cancer
Dear Young Friend Whose Parent has Cancer, You’ve been in my mind and on my heart for so long now, I had to write out my thoughts or I would burst. You see, I once was you. I felt your fear, cried your tears. I was that kid whose parent had cancer. And though I cannot begin to understand ALL you’re going through, there are a few things I want you to know. First, it’s not your fault. For some reason as kids, we often think when bad things happen, we are in some way responsible. I know I did. I thought I did something wrong or at least wondered…
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