This year has been crazy busy for me! Running from ministry event to ministry event, travelling outside of the county, preaching, teaching, discipling, and doing all of the administration that it takes to keep my role running. All of that running can make a gal feel pretty tired. I mean I am not the energizer bunny!
As the summer was coming to an end and the leaves were beginning to change I realized that I also needed a change.
No longer was I controlling my schedule but my schedule was controlling me!
I was going from meeting to meeting, event to event, checking off my to-do list and at the end of the day my mind would be numb. My life was happening to me instead of me impacting my world!
Does that seem familiar to your life? This world is so chaotic and fast paced. We are constantly moving from one thing to another and there is always more to be done.
In this chaotic world how can we live intentionally?
How can we make sure we aren’t getting overrun by our schedules?
Here are 3 practices that are helping me get back on track.
- Develop a personal mission statement.
If you want to know if you are moving forward in the mission God has you on instead of just spinning plates developing a personal mission statement is a great place to start. “A personal mission statement is a one sentence statement of God’s unique assignment for you” (Jeff Long). It will help you focus on the tasks and assignments God has for you so you don’t have to run around like a chicken with its head cut off.
In Luke 19:10 Jesus shared his personal mission statement; “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Jesus had a mission and focus. Everything He did and accomplished revolved around that purpose.
Check out: How to Write Your Own Personal Mission Statement by m.lifeway.com
- Have a weekly meeting with yourself.
I realized in my “crazy time” that I wasn’t setting aside anytime to focus on what was coming up in my week. Many times I would look at the day’s events the morning I arrived in the office or the day before. When I did that I felt like I had little control of what was happening that day and even less time to pray, prep and plan for what was coming up. Yikes!
Set aside 30 min to 1 hr to meet with yourself to look over your schedule, goals & big ticket items that are on the horizon. Plan times throughout your week and month to pray, prep, plan and schedule those items. You will be amazed at how much focus and control (a good control :) ) this will bring to your life.
- Spend time with Jesus
Many times in my frazzled state my alone time with Jesus was the first to go. It seems like many other things are knocking loudly at my door and it is easy for me to push aside that gentle tug on my heart to spend unhurried time with Him.
This is the single most important thing that will sustain us in the busy seasons and in the slow seasons. This is the only thing that sustains us! When I spend time with Him my heart and mind become quiet. The busyness fades away and I am reminded once again that all that matters is Him. My schedule, my agenda, my to-do list fades into the background. As I sit at His feet I am renewed, transformed and ready to change the world!
“Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:30-31
If you have been like me running from one thing to the next hopefully these 3 practices will help you take back your schedule and start to live intentionally again.
Let’s go change our world!
Jodi Seidler is a graduate of Elim Bible Institute. She has been serving with Campus Target for the past 7 years with her time split between living in Asia and living in America. She is involved in evangelism, discipleship and church planting. Jodi is currently helping lead Campus Target’s internship for long term workers and coordinate Short Term Trips to Asia.