Which way?

Last week we talked about doing our work with delight. It is very hard to work with delight if we’re running in every direction trying to do everything all at once. Apo’s article earlier this week encouraged us to remember our purpose. And once we understand that purpose it helps us to establish the right priorities. There are so many good things that can fill our days and time. How do we know what is best? In her book, A Woman after God’s Own Heart, Elizabeth George gives some practical advice to establish the right priorities and put those priorities into practice.

Have you ever written down your own personal purpose statement? It’s a very good exercise and one which I highly encourage you to do. Here’s an example of one I wrote a few years ago:

My purpose is to be a testimony of God’s sovereign goodness in my life by joyfully loving and submitting to my husband, training and cherishing my children, creating a peaceful and inviting home, and by exemplifying purity, self-control and kindness of character.

With my purpose statement, I can then more easily establish my priorities and make decisions between those good and best things that can fill my time. Elizabeth George gives us this helpful list of priorities:

#1 – God

#2 – Your husband

#3 – Your children

#4 – Your home

#5 – Your spiritual growth

#6 – Your ministry activities

#7 – Other activities

I realized recently that I was veering way off course with my priorities. I was heading in every sort of direction. I had great ideas of things I wanted to accomplish, but I couldn’t follow through with them because something else would crowd in and I’d get distracted. So I sat down with a sheet of paper and wrote my priorities (#1-7) across the top and then under each priority I listed all my responsibilities, dreams, goals, and desires. With my list in hand, I can now use it to help me schedule out my days so I’m living those priorities out in every decision and every moment of my day. Of course, your list might look different to mine according to your own circumstances and relationships, but nonetheless we all still need to know what our God-given priorities are.

Remember to consult the Lord! It is only His “to-do list” for us that matters each day. There is time for us each day to do everything that He wants us to do!

Proverbs 3:6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

Treasures to Share

Lies Women Believe

Nancy DeMoss helps to open our eyes to lies that we are so often prone to believe.   Lies about God, ourselves, our relationships, our priorities, our sin…  But she doesn’t just expose the lies but also reveals the truths that are contained in God’s Word.  This book will help strengthen you in your walk as a Christian woman.   She has also published a great edition for young girls.

True Woman Conference

John Piper was recently a keynote speaker at a women’s conference.  This message, The Ultimate Meaning of True Womanhood, is sure to be an encouragement and edification to you.

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