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Friday, May 27, 2011

Pressing "Pause"

A few weeks ago, I felt led to press the pause button in my life.

I paused from Blogger.

I paused from Facebook.

I paused from Twitter.

And {gasp} ... I even paused from ministry.

I quickly realized how busy my life had become from seemingly good things. I want my blog to bless others. I consider it a privilege to edify and encourage women through words painted on a page. Facebook allows me to share Jesus on a daily basis with unbelievers and has become an effective witnessing tool in my life. Twitter enables me to connect with almost 1000 people simultaneously. And my ministry stirs my soul to dream big and believe God for infinitely and abundantly more than I could ever ask or imagine.

But when these seemingly good things shift my focus away from my two best things, I am in grave danger of losing my peace and perspective. And I've been teetering on the edge of "losing" for quite some time.

You see, I often take my two greatest gifts- God and my husband- for granted. Because I know they'll still be there when I'm done with the good things.

God will never leave me or forsake me. And most likely, neither will my husband. He's the rock-solid type ... a Mr. Steady through and through.

God patiently waits for me ... to spend time with me, to chat a while. So does my husband, but he often has to compete with the aforementioned "good" things in my life.

As I've paused these past few weeks, God has convicted me of just one thing- it's so easy to lose focus.

I'm called to love God first- to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness- and then to love my husband. To make my life about completing his. To be his helpmeet. His lover. His best friend.

It's really so simple. But in our busy world that beckons us to trade our true calling in for a fraudulent one, it's increasingly complex to be the woman God's called us to be. We need to hold tight to the truth that our love for our husbands should reflect the church's love for Christ.

I'm amazed at the peace that has flooded my life since I've pressed "pause". Maybe today you need to join me. I hope you'll comment and share what you feel God is asking you pause from so you can return to the two men eagerly awaiting you.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you friend. I, too, have been pulled in many too different directions recently. Different things than you mentioned, but important things, and as you said, good things. I am also about to take a 'pause' as we approach the 3rd anniversary of losing Brian. I needed to read this today~so thank you for listening and sharing your heart!
With much love from Your SheSpeaks sister from Charlotte!
Tammy Garlock

Hester's Heart said...

Awesome Stephanie!! Thank you for sharing so openly. God bless you as you live your message! :) I love you, Hester

Channe said...

God has me on pause from the news.

I recently felt that still small voice telling me to turn it off.

Even after watching the news, I found myself minutes or hours later thinking about all the horrors happening in the world right now. But His Word says that those are not the things I am supposed to be thinking about over and over (Phillipians 4:8)

I'm going to continue to pray for all the tornado victims, political leaders, for peace in Jerusalem , etc. But I don't need Fox News to tell me what I already now - that I'm living in a fallen world full of sickos who need a saviour and that even the earth itself is groaning for the return of Jesus.

Steph - I'm blessed with a Mr. Steady, too and I could spend that 15 minutes with him instead of Brian Williams(NBC news anchor). ha!

Anonymous said...

Maintaining that focus is so key! Scott and I are going away next week to a FOF conference for ministry couples. We are looking forward to putting everything on pause for those three days. Thanks, Stephanie!

Carrie Turansky

Anonymous said...

I always love your posts!

Elena Dondero

Anonymous said...

I'm reading Radical Church right now, and that is the message. We sometimes miss the best things because we are so busy doing the good things. Thanks for reinforcing the message.

Debbie Giese

Kim said...

Thank you so much for your timely post. I have been hearing the "pause" message for awhile and actually have today set aside to just listen. What a confirmation with your post being one of the first things I've read this morning! Blessings to you as you pause...

aka Susie Gardner said...

Ty so much for sharing, Stephanie, and for your readers who've commented. This post is timely for me too as I'm still struggling to keep the button paused, but I know I was supposed to find this brilliant post! Enjoy your quality 'pause' time. God bless you and your readers.

LisaShaw said...

Amen! It's a lesson I learned many years ago...to balance my love and relationship with GOD and my hubby and family and then everything else came afterwards...ministry, serving in the church, etc. but it's a DAILY choosing of balancing and at times we can ALL get out of FOCUS which is why it's so important to me to make sure I'm aligned with just "being" with GOD and not just "serving" Him. You know, the Mary/Martha heart. Both types are important but lingering at His feet keeps me balanced in all other areas.

Thanks for sharing your heart so tenderly and powerfully. Many of us can relate.

Love you.

Anonymous said...

Busyness is not fruitfulness. That's what spoke to me from your post. Blessings!

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