Learning to Listen

We all need times of solitude and reflection. Time away from interruptions and distractions. My husband and I are fortunate enough to have a little cabin in the woods. It’s not much, no plumbing, no running water. But it sets on acres of beautiful trees. We have no cell phone connection thanks to a big hill that might as well be a mountain.

We will be spending this evening and part of tomorrow there. I will take my Bible and my notebook. My husband will bring his book. We will pack a cooler and just partake in solitude under the trees and the night sky. I will be listening intently for God to speak to my heart.

What do you do to make space for God in your life? Think about turning off distractions so you can give him your undivided attention.

Pressure of Perfectionism

Yesterday I had tea with a friend. We were talking about perfectionism, mine, not hers!  I began my career in health care, I worked in the lab and it was impressed on us that a mistake had high consequences for our patients, possibly even death.

Not everything in life needs to be approached with such a mindset. And frankly, it’s exhausting! My friend also shares that it’s intimidating. That stung a bit, because intimidating is the last thing I’d want to be. Time to throw off unnecessary habits.

I’m thankful today for the freedom to fail and the friends who dare to tell me the truth.  I hope you have both in your life!

 

 

 

 

It’s a Matter of Perspective

Do you take the short view, or the long view? God always takes the long view. He doesn’t have to do the ‘quick fix’ because he already has the big picture view.

I was thinking yesterday about recent conversations with a young friend whom I mentor. When she asks for advise or prayer it is for right now.  She is a young woman with goals and the ability to meet goals but now that she is working, her focus is on surviving the challenges of the day. She is determined to live a life of faith filled influence and integrity.

At times, I see a bit further down the road. I have more experience and am at a point in life where I can ‘look back’ and see how the pieces often fall into place where we weren’t expecting them to fall. But, I too suffer from short sightedness more than I would like. As a planner, I so want to see the entire plan, all God has in store, so I can see how each situation fits into the big picture. God asks me for faith. God knows me well. If I could see the big picture, I’d be asking for supernatural photoshopping…just a tweak here or there.

A real life example

I had a call from my young friend several months ago asking to meet with me. She spoke of struggles with a co-worker who was not respectful of her expertise or opinions.  There was concern that the coworker may be undermining her professional image with clients. She asked that I pray with her for change.

Fast forward a few months. God offered a change. My friend works for a corporate entity with several locations in the area and was moved to a new office. We rejoiced in God’s goodness.

A couple of weeks ago I had a frantic text: “Help! I need to figure out how to find balance. My life is crazy right now.” This was not a surprise.  My friend has a professional career and two babies.  She is fighting Nashville traffic daily. It’s no wonder balance was elusive. We talked about ways to squeeze in time with God and still keep all the balls in the air. I knew it would not be an easy road. I continued to pray for my young friend.

Just a week ago she called to say they had closed her office. She felt certain that the corporate office had this planned when they transferred her, but this information was not shared. She felt betrayed. I learned that she would now have a 4 day workweek. Two days will be close to home. The other two days, the drive will be just a bit further.

Hmm….As we both look back I am starting to see that neither of us was tuned into God’s long term view. Not only was God answering prayer for near term relief, but he was also moving ahead and laying out a path for concerns not yet realized. He was using career to teach. He was using a corporation to work his best in the life of a young woman learning to balance family, faith and career. Rest assured, there are challenges ahead in the new assignment too.

Here’s what I know:

• God sees the big picture, even when we can’t.
• God loves us and cares not only about the short term hurts but the long term plan.  His plan is to grow us into mature and loving women who serve him by serving others.
• Even when it’s hard, we must trust God with our todays and tomorrows. He is trustworthy!  He see’s what we don’t.

When have you had that panic feeling rush over you at work as things seem to spiral out of control in one area or another?  Have you been sure, even for a moment, that the plan is not in your best interest?

Is there someone you can call to pray with you? To provide a supportive, more experienced viewpoint when these breathless life moments happen?

A Position of Influence

I had a fabulous retirement celebration!  I threw my own party.  I invited the women who saw me through the working years.  Those women who cheered me on in good times and hard.  Those women who dared to ask “what are you thinking?”.  Those women who helped me figure it out when I didn’t have a clue or assured me I was on the right track when I stood at a crossroads.  Then,  they decided to toast me, it was a bit awkward.  But one thing I did learn, I really did have influence, and mostly it was good.  And, because I feel it’s what God has called me to have, I reveled in that!

Are you in a position of influence?  God wants you to be influential, and I hope it’s something that you will strive for. Should you try to influence your co-workers to seek a life of faith? I think you should!  However, I think you must be thoughtful in the way to try to exercise your influence.

Who will influence me?

I am influenced by people who seem to respect me and treat me well. They are successfully performing the responsibilities of the workplace and often reach out to assist others with their work, they are generous with time and knowledge. They don’t grumble and complain all the time.  I enjoy working with them, and spending my personal time in their company. On a personal level they probably enjoy some of the same things I do and I perceive they enjoy life.  They are happy, generous, and deal well with adversity that comes along at work or in their personal lives.

Who will not influence me?

I’m not influenced by those who don’t carry their share of the load at work or who are difficult to work with. I’m not influenced by the grumpy, the mean or the complaining. I’m not influenced by someone who falls apart with every little crisis or who has a personal life in constant meltdown and I know that because it’s an excuse for why they aren’t doing well at work.

So, I believe that God has placed you in the workplace to be a positive influence.  But in order to influence others you must first win their respect and live a life that looks like a life they too could enjoy living. Does this mean that you never deal with difficult things? Absolutely not! But it does mean that when difficult things come along, you handle them well. Influence takes time, you must wait for relationships to form.

For those who have struggled

A final word for those who feel they fall short.  I did not influence people in my life because I lived a perfect life.  What is inspirational about a life that’s storybook perfect and unattainable?  Nothing, that’s what!  I was not impactful in spite of my challenges and failures, I was impactful because of them.  That is when people notice, when you are struggling, and then they see how you deal with the struggle or recover from the mistakes.  Just so you know, I’m not letting you off the hook because you failed to live up to some mythical standard of perfection.

What are the characteristics of those whom you allow to influence you?

How do you feel about being influential?

Site Under Construction

under constructionBut, in the meantime, you can help!  I want to know what you need to support you as a Christian woman in the workplace.  Here’s a link to a quick 5 minute survey.  I’d love to hear your thoughts!

https://eSurv.org?u=EncourageMe

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