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.

Draw Me Close

Today I had an epiphany of sorts. One of those light bulb moments you could say. Now don't go expecting me to unleash something profound or unveil some marvelous mystery. Cause this one is simple. So simple it often slips right by us.

God created us for fellowship. He tells us to love HIM with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. He even makes it the FIRST commandment so we atleast have a chance of remembering. His desire is that we draw close to Him in every thing and every relationship and every aspect of our lives. I don't know about you, but I often overlook this truth.

My Bible reading becomes a check mark instead of an invitation to intimacy. A call to come. To draw close.

My prayer life becomes about the answer instead of the great I AM. I grope for the answer and fail to grasp God. I often miss Him altogether. He allows me to cast all my cares upon Him because He cares for me. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Yet I'm the one hunched over, disconfigured from being the burden-bearer. I forget to draw close.

My marriage is often about my happiness. I want romance and roses, not budgets and bills. I forget God created marriage as a picture of His love for me, His bride. God continually reminds me that marriage isn't about making me happy but about making me holy. I have to remember that the only way to be holy is through Christ alone. Through the Spirit's power. By drawing close.

My children become a burden instead of a blessing. Society screams that I have too many, since I have more than the 2.2 allotment considered normal. I forget that in motherhood God beckons me to draw close to Him, to stop and see the immense love He has for me reflected in my relationship with my children. To see them as He sees me- knitted together by a perfect Creator; fearfully and wonderfully made; a masterpiece.

My home is often a havoc instead of a haven ... chaos instead of calm. But God desires to draw me close to Him as I work in my home and steward well over the material blessings He's bestowed on me. He reminds me how little I need but how much I often want, and He purifies my heart as He sows contentment deep within. He reminds me that godliness with contentment is great gain.

In all things God desires to draw me close, and what He's teaching me is that anything that doesn't draw me TO Him is drawing me FROM Him. My life is really all about drawing close to Him. Yet so often I desperately want my life to be about ME. And that's where the great divide begins.

Today I pray the Holy Spirit pulls a string in your soul and turns on a light bulb in your spirit. I hope God illuminates dark corners of your life you didn't even know existed and shines the light of His holiness. May He reveal the areas where you've been drawn away from Him, and then draw you close once again as He wraps you tightly in the arms of His everlasting love.