Balancing Life Series: Not Bound by Time

I look back at the last month and wonder how I did not go crazy. (All those who think I did, please do not correct me.) It is amazing to me how we managed to juggle everything. 

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In the midst of normal family duties, taking care of my mom during chemo and the aftereffects, continuing ministry, I had a writing deadline for a magazine. I was so excited about the opportunity, but freaked out that I was not going to finish not one, but FOUR articles for this magazine.


I sent in my first article on time. Done. I did my research for the other three that were not due for another couple of weeks. It's a good thing. Because right after that, life went full speed throttle. 


My deadline for the other three articles was quickly approaching. It was my mom's chemo week and I felt quite certain that while she was receiving chemotherapy, I could work on my articles on my laptop. Plan fail. She needed me. During her long day at the cancer center, I managed to open my laptop for 20 minutes max. 


My other attempts that week to finish the articles failed. I had to take my daughter to an out-of-town science fair. My laptop stayed in the car the entire time because I realized that I needed to be "present" for her. (Her team of three home schoolers ended up winning, by the way!) I spent the next day at the office trying to catch up on ministry and the laptop remained untouched. This was Thursday. My man's birthday. My deadline was Friday morning. 


Needless to say, I was a little frantic. I had my research and half-written, unedited articles, but nothing completed. And now, my mind was very preoccupied with other things. Important things. I sent the editor an email and asked to extend the deadline until the end of the day on Friday. I didn't hear from him. So at 10:30 pm, Thursday night I began to pray for God to supernaturally enlighten me. Seriously. I put my hands to the computer and prayed that my half-written work would be completed. The longer I attempted to type, the crazier my sentences got. I was exhausted...physically, emotionally, and spiritually. How could I possibly formulate thoughts that would make sense?


Still no answer from the editor about the extended few hours for the deadline. I finally gave up and went to bed. I knew that these articles were due in the morning. I dozed off, praying that God would help me. I know Him as the God Who Sees. I know Him as the God Who Provides. I know Him as the God Who Hears. 


3:30 am. I awaken. Wide awake. Yes! God woke me up so that I could go write. Yes! Except that in my heart, I did not feel like that was why God awakened me. To my surprise, and honestly my distress, I felt He was telling me to lay there awake and pray and rest. 


I questioned Him. "Do you know I am really awake, Lord, and that some of my best writing occurs at 3:30 am? Are you sure I can't get up and finish these articles that are due in FIVE hours?" But, as best as I can hear God at 3:30 am, I really felt like He said, "I will bless you for doing what I am calling you to do. Rest and pray." So, from 3:30 to 5:30 am, I prayed. I prayed for Mom. For Dad. For healing. For my family. For my extended family. For grace. For love. For mercy. For my friends who were suffering. For my church family. For missionaries. For my ministry. For my calling. For anything and anyone God brought to my mind during those hours. 


At 5:30 am, I fell asleep and I slept until 6:15 when I had to get up and start getting ready for the day. After a quick cup of coffee and a peanut butter slathered waffle, I sat down at the computer. I was ready to write.


I decided to check my email. And there it was. An email from the editor of the magazine. He told me not only to take until the end of the day on Friday, but to take the weekend to finish the articles. To say I was relieved was an understatement.  I was incredibly grateful for the extension. 


And then I read the time stamp on the editor's email.


3:30 am. 


In God's economy, time is never wasted. In fact, it is usually multiplied. He is not bound by time. He can actually make time abound.


He is faithful, friends.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; 

His mercies never come to an end; 

  they are new every morning; 

great is Your faithfulness. 

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, 

“therefore I will hope in Him.” 

I would love to know how God has blessed you lately. Maybe with extra energy? Time? Please share below or here if reading by email. We celebrate the faithfulness of God! 

Living for ONE,

Kelli


If you are joining this series on Balancing Life today, you might want to go back and read the previous articles.


A Balancing Act: Juggling Life


First Things First


Priorities vs. Reality

A View from the Chemo Room

I felt like a fly on a wall. I was an observer. I watched as all of these adults of all ages sat quietly and patiently as the medicine dripped from its pouch into their veins. I sat next to my sweet mother who is going through chemotherapy for the second time in ten years.


As an observer, I experienced many different emotions and asked God many questions. I didn't watch television. I didn't read magazines. I didn't even blog or tweet or Facebook. I just watched. And listened. And prayed. 

As I did this, I noticed three major things:


1. All these people experiencing treatment are fighting for more life hours. In a room where life and death constantly battle, life is raising her sword and plunging forward. Life doesn't always win, but she fights hard. I pray for eternal life for all of these people because I know that is the only way life really wins. 


2. There is a kindred spirit in this room. They may all suffer from various types of cancer, but they are all suffering. They smile at each other, share stories of their struggles and their victories, and promise to pray for each other. They understand things that we observers don't. They speak a different language...a dialect of empathy. And though people struggle with various fatal health issues, this is the only issue I know of where people sit in a room and fight together.  There is a quiet sense of camaraderie. I long for their silent strength.


3. All of these precious people receiving chemotherapy have slowed, even halted their schedules. It is amazing how the busyness and business of life is forced to step aside. As I think about this, I wonder if this is one of the way God works good out of this trial. The rat race stops. The pulse slows. The unforced rhythm of grace overrides. I love that I get to spend hours on hours with my mom. We talk in between her drifting in and out of sleep. I caress her hand, her arm, her face. Yes, this is precious time. Time that might not have happened without this unrelenting disease called cancer.


Don't get me wrong. I sure wouldn't have asked for it. But I am trying to live for ONE...the One who created me, called me, and comforts me. I believe that living for One means following Christ with all that I am and desiring to see His purpose and His plan. What are you teaching me now, God? 


I am learning that life is precious. Live radically for a radical God.


I am learning that fellow warriors abound. No matter what we are going through...there is a sister or brother to share our burden. 


I am learning that God is a good God and He will bring good in every situation. His good right now in this circumstance? Slowing down. Resting. Enjoying His presence. Seeing Him at work.


You, friend, are such a blessing to me. I never thought in a million years that I would ever write anything that anyone would ever read. Though some of you I know in real life and some of you only virtually, you are a community of friends, of family, of faith. 


I would love to pray for you. Would you share your struggle with me today? Or maybe something God is teaching you through a situation you are experiencing? Comment below or if you are reading this via email, you can click here to comment.


Living for ONE,


Kelli

Yet I Will Rejoice!

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,  though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. Habakkuk 3: 17 - 18

I just shared with you last week about my life on a mine train. If you didn't get a chance to read it...click here. And if you did read it and you are wondering if it was a true story,yes it is! And if you are wondering why you have never heard it before...well, it is a memory I chose to forget!


Nevertheless, I know and am living proof that life is hard. There are days we just want to stay in the bed. Or go and bury ourselves somewhere and hope no one finds us for a few days. Sometimes we want to give in or give up. Some days we find ourselves crying out in desperation. 


In the verses of scripture above, Habakkuk reminds us that there will be days (maybe even years) that life appears hopeless. But we can CHOOSE to REJOICE! He uses that little word, "yet." In the Habakkuk context, it means despite the fact that life is hard and unfruitful and hopeless, I choose to praise my God.


I have the pleasure of sharing my heart about rejoicing in the face of opposition as I guest post at Keeping It Personal today. I encourage you to go there and read that short, but uplifting post as well. Here's the link: React or Rejoice?

We have a choice today as we look at our life circumstances. Will we choose to react, to give up, to get mad? Or will we choose to rejoice knowing and trusting that we have a God who loves us, who has a plan for our lives, and who is with us!


If you choose to REJOICE today, I would love for you to comment! We all need encouragement. We are a community of faith and we share each other's struggles. If you are reading by email and would like to comment, click here.


Living for ONE,


Kelli

Come Away and Enjoy My Presence: Presence Filled Fridays

"Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, Jesus said to them, 'Come away with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'" Mark 6:31

Ever been so busy coming and going that you didn't even have a chance to eat? I have to say that this has been the norm for me the last two weeks. But I am also excited to tell you that this weekend, I am going away with God (and 58 sweet women) to a quiet place and get some much needed rest. I am excited about the opportunity for rest. For the relief from all things social media (sorry!) and cell phone. But more than anything, I want to be with my Jesus. I long to be in His Presence. Though I walk with Him each day, I am desiring time set aside to just enjoy Him and to listen to Him.

I know this is not easy for everyone. Some people have responsibilities that make it nearly impossible to get away. Others have never retreated with God and don't know if they will like it or not.

I just want to encourage you to spend twenty minutes with Him this weekend.  That's about as long as a sitcom. Twenty minutes to read a few scriptures - start in John if you have never read them. If you have read John, then start reading Isaiah 40. After you read the Scriptures, just sit and listen. Pray. But mostly listen. I can assure you He has something to say to you. (If you get distracted, write down your random thoughts, so you can refocus.) I am hoping that after you spend twenty minutes with Him, you'll want to spend more.

And I'll be praying for you. I'd appreciate your prayers as well. 

REtreat     REfuge   REst    REstoration    REdemption    REnewal of the Mind    REbirth   REfreshment of the Soul    REvival of the Heart    REpentance     REturning REady    REly on Him

What is your favorite place to get away with God? What helps you focus when you spend time with Him? Share your comments. I'd love to read them. 

Unwrapping the sweet gift of His presence,

Kelli

eMpowering Mondays: REST

Today, because it is Labor Day, I am reposting an article that most of you have never seen.  It was originally posted in 2009 on a different blog site.  But the words are still meaningful today, especially today. Going along with our eMpowering Mondays theme, I wanted to remind you how powerful REST can be.  It provides perspective, rejuvenation, and a much needed break from the stress and toil of this world. So, join me in some rest today...

I can't help but talk about my children. It seems God uses them to speak to me so much. Yesterday morning as I lay in my bed...realizing that it was nearing 8 am and it was Monday...I was thrilled! My kids had a teacher-in-service day. And although I usually don't understand the reason for these days, I am grateful that I do not have to get up and start the daily grind. Well, I do eventually have to get up...but not at my usual 6am. Ok, most of the time it is 6:30. Anyway...Ryan (my 5 year old) came running into my bedroom at about 8:15 am and jumped on the bed and crawled under the covers and laid down next to me. He loves to do this. So we cuddled for a few minutes and he said, "Mommy, do they have man breaks?" "What?!" I asked ,very confused. "You know, Mommy. Do they have man breaks or woman breaks?" "Ryan, what are you talking about?" He was beginning to get frustrated with my lack of understanding. "MOMMY...like me and sissy have a kid break from school, do they have man breaks and woman breaks?" I got it. He wanted to know if his daddy and mommy ever got a break. "Well, I said, today Mommy's getting a little break (Yeah, right!) by not having to take you to school. And Daddy gets a break on the weekend...and some holidays." "Oh..." He said. "Why do you ask?" I responded. "'Cause you and daddy need a break, too. You need to rest." What a genius of a little boy! At five, he recognizes the importance of breaks...of resting. Albeit, we could rest a lot more if he did not wake us up at 7 am on Saturday mornings!

"And on the seventh day, having finished His task, God rested from all His work." Genesis 2:2

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened heavily, and I will give you REST." Matthew 11:28

"Sabbath: uncluttered time and space to distance ourselves from the frenzy of our own activities so that we can see what God has been doing; is doing....The precedent to quit doing and simply be is divine. " Eugene Peterson

So...take a man break or a woman break...You need it and it is divine.

So, how do you enjoy a break? With a great book, sleeping, vacationing, or what? We'd love to know.  Maybe we could try it, too. Comment below or if you are reading my email, click here.

Unwrap the gift of REST,

Kelli

Linking up with Women Living Well...go check out their site!