You’re always on the go. Scrambling to find enough minutes in the day for everything you need to accomplish. When you’re feeling maxed out, it’s hard to live intentionally and set aside time for God. How do you make time for what matters most?
I remember one Sunday I had a dilemma that taught me the importance of finding balance in my life. We were a few minutes late for church, and we took a seat behind the children. In our church, pre-K through sixth-grade kids sit in the sanctuary during worship and then are released after worship to go to their children’s program. We were barely seated when one of the sixth-grade girls jumped from her seat and rushed to John. “Would you be our teacher today? Our teacher isn’t here.”
It turns out there was a miscommunication between the children’s director and the teacher, but that still meant someone was needed to help with the sixth-grade boys and girls. My husband was quick to respond and another woman was too. And I just sat there. I forced myself not to follow. Why?
I knew I could get up to help. I was physically and mentally able to come up with a lesson on the fly. But deep down I knew I couldn’t. I homeschool. I write and blog. I lead our teen mom support group. I didn’t have one ounce of “extra” in me to give.
It’s hard saying no. Really hard. The only easy way to do it is by understanding what we were called to say yes to. Here are a few ways to pursue what really matters in life:
Make a list of your life themes
Life themes are the things that come from the core of us. Yet during different seasons of life they may look different. These are my eight priorities in this season of life. These are the things I choose to say yes to:
- Being a child of God
- Being a wife
- Being a mom. (Adoption is a huge part of this now, as is homeschooling.)
- Mentoring teen moms
- Writing books
- Blogging
- Keeping a home
- Staying healthy
Knowing what is most important in your life will make the next step easier: saying no.
Know when to say NO
My husband loves children’s church. It’s his passion, and he took a break from it when we adopted our new kids, mostly because the adjustment was huge. If he were to create a list of his eight life themes, children’s church would be on that list.
Because I love John and enjoy children, I’ve supported him in this. Before adopting our new kids, I spent most Sundays working by his side, but in this season of life I just can’t do it. I need Sundays to get filled up so I can pour out the rest of the week.
A time may come when I start helping John in children’s ministry again. But now is not that time. And I’m OK with that. I know Jesus has created me for a purpose in THIS day. In THIS season.
If someone asks you to do something that doesn’t fall under your life themes, take time to consider if you should commit. Know that it is okay to decline. Being picky with your commitments will give you the time, energy, and passion to fully invest in what matters most to you.
Surrender your control and plans to God
I’m a person who likes to handle things on my own. I take pride in doing a job well. I like to be organized and feel in control. Yet a busy schedule and kids is more that I can handle. I’m not always organized, and I’m rarely in control. I need God. Reminding myself of that and turning to Him changes everything.
I love marking things off my to-do list, but today I just sat down with my kids and played. We played blocks. We played toy animals, and I wondered why I don’t do this more often. “Being” a mom is more important than doing things around the house.
Utilize tools to simplify life
Technology can be a major distraction, but it also can be a HUGE blessing. We have apps for everything, so why not utilize your phone to make life a little easier? I use my phone to help me simplify everything from grocery shopping to banking. Here’s one app to download to your phone right now to help you save time for what really matters:
ECCU’s Mobile App helps you ditch busyness and pursue purpose. You can accomplish all your banking needs in just seconds so you can spend more time on what matters. Swap long lines at the bank for ECCU’s mobile app that lets you pay a person or a bill while you’re on the go, deposit a check, find an ATM and transfer money between accounts in just a few seconds.
ECCU financial products are designed to be compatible with Evangelicals’ faith-defined view of money. Its full-suite of checking, savings, investing and loan products help Christians serve as stewards of God’s resources.
About ECCU
ECCU is a full-service credit union designed for Christians. Their competitive checking, savings, investing and loan products help you do more with your money. So with every dollar you spend, you’re supporting ministry.
Most people already know the benefits of credit unions, such as customer ownership, fewer fees and higher savings rates. However, there is a segment of credit unions that continue to fly under the financial radar: Affinity-based banking—the intersection of faith and financial planning.
For most of its 50-year history, ECCU has been known for offering churches, Christian schools and other Evangelical nonprofits and ministries with specialized financial services. Now, ECCU also offers personal financial services:
—Personal savings account: a basic savings account for an emergency fund or savings for your kids that’s only $25 to open and has a 0.35% APY2 with no minimum balance.
—Money Market Savings account: a great opportunity to earn a higher rate (up to 0.95% APY2 on higher balances. This direct savings account—also called an online savings account—appeals to on-the-go consumers who prefer to be able to manage their lives online.
—Consumers can get these great rates because ECCU is largely an online bank.
*Thanks for ECCU for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting all Tricia Goyer collaborations and sponsors.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” Read full privacy policy here.
