To-Do Lists Never Satisfy

by Glynnis Whitwer


By 9 a.m. this morning I was already overwhelmed. Deadlines loomed, laundry piled and my to-do list screamed. Two responses battled for attention:


1) Just start doing something on my list … preferably something easy.
2) Do something completely different, like play solitaire.


When my panicked instincts take over, I become a micro-manager. Instead of bringing focus to my work, I shift and shuffle the tasks before me.


Thankfully, I’ve got a deeper river of motivation: my priorities. It’s how I stepped back this morning to a place of simple, calm focus. Does it always happen? No. Sometimes I jump into the fray with both feet. Usually those days end with me shrugging my shoulders and wondering why nothing got done. It’s like going to the grocery store, spending $100 and having nothing for dinner.


Planning my day based on God’s priorities for me gives me a much greater sense of peace and purpose. My days can still fall apart, but they are less frequent.
Although there’s satisfaction in checking items off a to-do list, mundane work can easily fill our days. Then we find ourselves looking in the past, wondering where the time went. Weeks, months and years fly by, “If only” sprinkles our conversations, and we establish patterns of regret.


Can we know God’s will?

The Bible makes it clear we can avoid this type of reactive life and know God’s will. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”


Based on Scripture, we can know God’s priorities for us. However, there are two conditions:


• Not conforming to the pattern of the world.
• Being transformed by the renewing of our minds.


The pattern of this world will obscure God’s priorities for us every time, because it creates a self-centered life — one in which we consistently choose the ways of this world. That typically means following our own desires, regardless of whether they line up with God’s desires.

Ephesians 2:1-3a explains in greater detail:

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts.”


We live among parallel kingdoms constantly in a spiritual battle for our hearts. When we weave between the two kingdoms – choosing between the ways of the world and God’s ways – our hearts are divided. A divided heart always faces confusion.

Years ago my own life reflected this conflict. Even as a committed Christian, I didn’t understand the need to seek God’s will above my own. For years I pursued priorities that took me further spiritually from where God wanted me. My inner struggle resulted in frustration and annoyance, which often spilled out onto those I loved.


Outsiders might have looked at my priorities years ago and thought they “looked” good. My resume included a career in public relations, serving on non-profit boards, leading ministries at church, singing on the praise team, and spearheading exciting projects. It was a full and productive life. Just not the one God had in mind for me.

My mind was stuck on me – my career, my plans, my needs. Apparently I needed an earthquake to get unstuck. Once that happened through a cross-country move, it didn’t take long to see the truth – about myself and my life. God sweetly began the process of renewing my mind, a process which continues to this day.


When I seek God’s priorities and not my own, renewing happens and clarity follows. Like a dancer who focuses on one point while twirling – I maintain balance no matter what swirls around me.


How to determine priorities


One way I evaluate if I’m living according to God’s priorities is to work through a set of questions. By taking the time to process them, I press the pause button for a few moments and reposition myself to a peaceful place outside the fray.


What can only I do?
What has God entrusted to me?
Am I a good steward of what I already have?
What has God asked me to do that I haven’t done yet?
What passion (or dream) has God put in my heart?


My questions always start with an evaluation of how I’m doing with the responsibilities I already have. If I’m neglecting the priorities God has given me, I’m not ready for new ones.


Once you have a clear vision for your priorities, don’t be surprised if it takes time to work it out. You may have to resign from certain responsibilities in order to fulfill others. Crafting your schedule to reflect your priorities takes prayer and ongoing revisions.


All this to say, it isn’t easy. To be a woman who lives according to priorities, I frequently check my motives. I choose to pull my heart back to a place of submission when I want to run ahead. I’m learning to wait on God’s confirmation of something rather than challenging Him to stop me. It’s a completely different way of thinking than I had 15 years ago. But it’s brought more peace – in my life and the life of my family – than any to-do list ever could.


Glynnis Whitwer is on staff with Proverbs 31 Ministries as the Senior Editor of the “P31 Woman” magazine. She is one of the writers of Encouragement for Today, the Proverbs 31 e-mail devotions, with over 350,000 daily readers. Her newest book, “I Used to Be So Organized,” was just released. Glynnis, her husband Tod, and their teenagers live in Glendale, Arizona. Visit www.GlynnisWhitwer.com or www.HerOrganizedLife.com to learn more.

One Simple Rule

By Wendy Pope

Welcome to the Pope home. The day we took the photo for the magazine cover I was sick: not swine-flu sick, but like I had been run-over-by-a-truck sick. If you had come by our home prior to taking this photo, you would have found me in bed, not having bathed for days, wearing nose uglies, with a house that would make the folks from the show “Clean Sweep” blush. Fast-forward two weeks.

As I write this article I am healthy. However, the tops of my washer and dryer are piled high with clothes that need to be washed, have been washed or just need a place to stay. A sticky unknown substance covers my kitchen counters and tinker toys litter the playroom floor. And the planting bed in the front yard is missing shrubbery because our 9-month-old puppy destroyed them. This is normal in the Pope home.

Yet, even in this chaos, there is peace and balance. I don’t achieve that balance by keeping a well-manicured yard or a house free of cobwebs and dust bunnies. Rather, I achieve balance by setting priorities and keeping them. It is a state of mind that stays with me in the midst of a messy house and poorly-groomed lawn.

How did I come to this place? How am I able to sit in the middle of a mess and have peace? Jesus. Jesus is how. For over a decade, I have started each day the same way: in prayer and reading God’s Word. Spending this time every morning gives me power and strength to face whatever the day brings.

My morning date with Jesus has helped me set priorities for my life. Those priorities are God first, family second, followed by ministry and then friends. God has taught me one simple rule that when followed, keeps my life balanced: Say “yes” to God, “no” to self, and “maybe” to others.

Believe it or not, saying “yes” to God is the easiest part of this rule. His plans for me are good. He offers me a hopeful future. Having this knowledge brings peace in itself. I don’t have to worry, only rest in His leadership.

The second and third portions of my “life rule” are more difficult. Not because the Lord is demanding, but because I am selfish by nature and the little girl in me at times still cries, “What about me?”

Being in a two-parent working family, with two kids, and a puppy, there is not much time for “What about me?” This is where trusting in the Lord’s provision and care for me must be strong. It’s imperative to trust that He sees all I do and will provide what I need when I need it.

Saying “maybe” to others is one of the toughest challenges for me. Most women like to be useful. God made us with the desire to serve, love and care for others. We are gifted at multi-tasking, therefore believe it is possible to be PTA president, leader of the Cherub Choir at church, head of the local chapter of Meals on Wheels, and serve on the Community Beautification team. Learning to say “maybe” and then asking for God’s permission and blessing has brought me great freedom. There is peace knowing I don’t have to do it all.

Rules get broken, even simple ones. At times my priorities get “off-balance” a bit. For instance, when Karate demo team practice lasts two hours instead of one, and my daughter gets to her friend’s house late. When this happens, I go with the flow of life, ask for God’s help, and get through the “off-balance” situations one day at time.

Wendy Pope is married with two children. She’s the author of “Out of the Mouths of Babes,” is a contributing author for “God’s Purpose for Every Woman” and “The Reason We Speak,” and has been featured in the “P31 Woman” magazine. You can read Wendy’s devotions in “Encouragement for Today” online devotions, which reach over 300,000 daily. In 2009, Wendy led over 1,000 people through a daily study of the “One-Year Chronological Bible.” Join her in 2010 for another year of online Bible study by visiting www.wendypope.org.

Meet the Staff of Proverbs 31 Ministries

Why would a group of professional women choose to sit behind donated desks, coordinate their schedules in order to share office space, and work for a lot less money than they could make elsewhere?

One thing; well, one Person … His name is Jesus. Working at Proverbs 31 Ministries is more than a job and a paycheck to our office staff. Each beautiful face on the cover of this magazine represents an answered call to serve the Lord through P31.

There is not enough space to recite all the ways these incredible women sacrifice their time and talents for God’s glory. Each day they lay down their lives for women they probably will never meet. Amidst the ring of the phone, soft tones of prayer, whirl of shipping books, buzz of events being coordinated, and clicking of keyboards, we wanted to introduce our gals to you and ask them, What do you like most about working at Proverbs 31 Ministries?

LeAnn Rice, Executive Director
The moment I walk through the front door, I feel God’s grace flowing through my sisters. I am loved, accepted and encouraged every moment of every day. These women radiate Jesus in everything they say and in everything they do, and I am overwhelmingly blessed to have them in my life, and honored to work beside them. Oh … Wendy’s chocolate chip cheesecake isn’t bad either! And then there’s Barb’s baked potato soup … yum!

Samantha Reed, Executive Assistant
The grace of God shown by each of my co-workers. It’s strengthened and sharpened me beyond my years. Each one lives out the character of Christ in special ways, and I am honored to walk beside them, serving the Lord.

Teri Bucholtz, Resources Coordinator
Blessed is the word that comes to mind. I think about the many before me who have given so much to this ministry, and they believe God has used them to minister to those “out there.” They don’t realize what they have done for us staff “in here.” Their dedication has given me a livelihood that is meaningful, worthwhile and full of grace and peace.

Wendy Blight, Speaking Ministry Assistant
Every week I look forward to Tuesday morning because it is my day to work in the office. Spending the day with these girls is like a breath of fresh air. We laugh, we cry, we pray, we share stories and struggles, and oh, yes, sometimes we work.

Melissa Taylor, Administrative Assistant and Prayer Coordinator
The women I work with! I am also passionate about the prayer ministry. It is a wonderful privilege to pray with people from all over the world and watch God work first hand.

Holly Good, Personal Assistant to Lysa TerKeurst
I love connecting with many women all over the world. It is a pleasure to learn how God is moving in and through so many lives. He completely amazes me.

Terri McCall, Project Assistant
Working with women who are faithful, have a heart for God and are true prayer warriors is an experience of a lifetime. God knew I needed it. I’m humbled to be a part of this ministry as I continue my journey to wholeness and serve the Lord alongside these beautiful, godly women!

Leah DiPascal, Personal Assistant to Renee Swope
I love working with an incredible team of women who are passionate about their relationship with the Lord. It is a privilege to play a small part in helping women to discover their calling in life.

Kristen Sigmon, Radical Revolution Coordinator
I can’t choose just one, so I have two. The ladies I get to work with – each one shows me a different side of God and inspires me to be a more godly woman. I also love seeing God use our ministry to make a difference in teen girls’ lives.

Barb Spencer, Speaker Ministry Coordinator
God has brought a special group of women together at the Proverbs 31 office. As we each use our gifts, He blesses and ministry takes place. It is a joy and a privilege for me to be a part of this team.

Wendy Pope, Development and Gather and Grow Coordinator
I love our response to a need for prayer. At any given moment, someone could call and need prayer. I know because I hear Melissa praying with them. If the Spirit moves us, we all may come together in an office and fall on our knees to pray, right in the middle of the work day.

From our heart to yours, Merry Christmas. Enjoy celebrating the reason for the season, the reason we serve: Jesus.

When the Mission Field Comes to You

By Van Walton

I remember the hush that came over the lively Latin congregation where my family worshiped when I was a child. Heads collectively turned toward the back of the sanctuary. I’ll never forget the first time I saw him.

Bruce stood head and shoulders above the rest. Not only did he stand taller, but his blond hair, light skin and blue eyes drew attention. All eyes followed him as he walked down the aisle and sat in our midst one eventful Sunday morning.

Why did everyone stare in awe? Simple. Bruce did not look like anyone in the crowd of short, dark-skinned, brunette, brown-eyed Colombians.

My eyes joined the many others who curiously watched him while we stood to worship, sat to hear God’s Word, and bowed our heads to pray.

Almost before the final “Amen,” my parents moved toward him in an effort to welcome the stranger among us. Over lunch my little family of four – Mother, Daddy and two little girls, befriended a missionary extraordinaire.

Although we were not a missionary family, we found ourselves constantly involved in mission work during the years we lived in South America. My parents’ gift of hospitality filled our house with amazing people who had given up everything to bring the Good News of Jesus’ love to all – even “savage” tribesmen deep in the Amazon jungles.

Bruce’s work didn’t confine him to the Andean rain forest. He came often to the capital city where we lived. While in town he stayed with us. One evening over supper, my dad, with a sly twinkle in his eyes, casually mentioned, “Bruce is flying in tomorrow.”

He followed with another announcement: “He’s bringing a prince with him.”

“A prince? Which one?”

I asked these questions as if I actually knew a prince! But soon enough I did, as Bruce arrived and introduced us to his friend – the prince of a remote tribe who had never experienced civilization before.

Introducing us to a prince wasn’t the only escapade we shared with Bruce. He always arrived bearing adventure, mainly in the form of hair-raising and amazing stories. His tales rivaled everything I had heard in my short childhood, but most importantly they laid a foundation for my life.

The “pinkeye” story remains my favorite. After a certain mountainous tribe accepted Bruce, he realized most of the inhabitants in the village suffered with conjunctivitis. Although Bruce had medicine to cure the problem, he also understood that the local witch doctor was leery. So Bruce devised a unique plan to gain his trust.

He wiped his finger across an infected eye and then contaminated his own eyes. Within days Bruce contracted conjunctivitis. He gave a vial of erythromycin to the medicine man and instructed him to place the salve on his eye. Soon Bruce was cured. He then encouraged his newfound friend to wipe salve on the eyes of all the infected tribesmen. The witch doctor became a hero to his people and Bruce gained the confidence of the most important man in the village. Now a credible visitor, he could begin the long process of teaching the Good News.

This unusual story illustrated the process by which a disciple of Christ might open the eyes and hearts of those who had never heard about Jesus. Bruce didn’t realize his tale opened my eyes and my heart also.

Years later, we returned to the United States and resumed the life of a typical American family. I always believed I would return to South America and to the mission field. Time passed. Education, marriage, career and children became my focus. From time to time my background came in handy. I translated or helped various immigrant families in need. Still I wondered, When will I return to the land of my birth? When will I go out into the world? What I eventually realized was the world had come to me.

One day I was shoe shopping when I realized the saleslady was Latina. Amazingly, she was Colombian. We had a lot in common and we laughed about our similarities. Before long I realized my new friend was not the only Latina in town. Everywhere I went I ran into beautiful women with whom I could speak Spanish.

Over time a deep sense of urgency began to spring up within me to reach out to my Latina sisters. I wondered if they had access to Bible studies, retreats, special women’s events, resources, and daily devotionals like I did. I knew how my friends and I survived daily trials, and I wanted that for the beautiful women I had met and those I had yet to meet.

I began to pray, “God give me a platform to reach Spanish-speaking women with your truths. Show me how to give them what You have given me.”

Shortly after saying that prayer, a friend told me a local church had developed an ESL program. She asked if I was interested in teaching English as a second language. I said “yes,” and marveled how God answered my prayer by providing a group of Spanish-speaking ladies just blocks from my house. The twice-a-week meetings offered an hour of English, a 25-minute get-to-know-you coffee, and a 30-minute Bible study.

My next adventure took me to the local pregnancy care center offering obstetric care in Spanish, as well as in English. There Angela, another Colombian friend, and I developed a parenting class based on Christian principles. We met weekly to discuss “coming to America” along with child rearing. Often we veered off course for a few weeks to talk about marriage, matters of faith, and cultural differences. We celebrated American holidays so these new neighbors would understand and appreciate the historical heritage and Christian foundations of the United States.

Still, I longed for my Latina sisters everywhere to have access to the same Christian resources that kept me grounded.

And then the Proverbs 31 Ministries team took a leap of faith.

“Van, would you like to start up and direct a Spanish arm of our ministry?”

I marvel at God’s ways. Decades ago He opened my eyes through the “pinkeye story.” Now God was using communication gaps and unwanted pregnancies to open more eyes and hearts. He was using me and I didn’t have to travel halfway around the world.

The rest has been a journey of joy!

Van Walton is a Spanish and Bible teacher, author of “From the Pound to the Palace” children’s book, and speaker. She was born in Venezuela, South America where her daddy introduced her to the Amazon jungles and her mother exposed her to the Andean legends of the early pre-Colombian civilizations. Van’s greatest accomplishment and joy has been standing beside her husband of 38 years as together they watched their two sons grow into the men God created them to be. Van is a member of the Proverbs 31 Speaker Team.

Embracing a Big World

By Amy Carroll

I couldn’t get the premise of the movie out of my mind. My husband and I discussed it all the way home. If you created a list of things to do before your death, what would be on your list? “I want to visit every continent!” I blurted out. I sat and mused for several more minutes before I added, “I want to share Jesus with people on every continent.”

My grandmother says that I have wanderlust, and she’s right. At the age of 14, I moved with my family to England for a year during my father’s sabbatical, and I was bitten with the travel bug. If someone mentions a trip, in minutes I’m throwing my things in a suitcase. Driving past an airport sets my heart racing, and I keep my passport updated and ready to go.

In my college years, God started to refine my passion for foreign lands as He planted a deep love for missions in my heart that has never diminished. Some things have changed in my life, though. I have two children and a budget that doesn’t include trips around the world! However, God has been good to give me other ways to contribute to missions and Kingdom building throughout the world. These are ways that everyone can spread the Gospel internationally. Some of them don’t even require leaving your state.

Adopt a Student

Revelation 7:9, “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb...”

The description from Revelation of standing before Jesus with people of every tribe and nation always grabs my heart. Beginning in my college years, I began to realize that my desire to reach people of every tribe and nation wouldn’t be as hard as I thought. Multitudes of men and women from other countries were right here in the United States pursuing degrees. I became involved in befriending international students and praying for opportunities to share my faith with them.

After college, my family reached out to international students attending a university near our town. The office that coordinated these students was eager to connect them with people who would introduce them into American life. The students were hungry for friendship, struggling with the language and far from their families. We built friendships with students from Malaysia, Japan and Pakistan.

One student, Ali, spent lots of time with our family. He even accompanied us to my parents’ house one year at Christmas, and we learned so much from him, too. After he cooked for us, I learned I can eat Pakistani food, but only with half the spice that a native uses!

Our friendship with Ali has had lasting results. I got an email from him several years ago that touched my heart. He had returned home to Pakistan to pursue a career, and the attacks of 9/11 had happened in the interim. Anti-American sentiment was running high in some areas of the Middle East, but Ali wrote to tell us that every time he heard someone speak ill of Americans, he told them of our family. He told them of how kind we had been to him, and how we had opened our home to him. I was humbled that God could use our flawed family to impact another’s world-view, and I prayed that the story of a Savior he learned that Christmas will continue to affect his life, too.

Many international students return to their home countries to become leaders in business, politics and education. They develop tremendous platforms and are trusted by the citizens of their countries. It’s amazing to me to think there is the possibility that Jesus can gain a platform through them if I’ll only open my home, cook a few meals and share my life and faith.

Train a Child

Proverbs 22:6, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” (NIV)

Financially sponsoring a child in a third world country has deeply impacted my family. We’ve found our child’s country on a world map, read about the culture and adopted the idea of eating a meal of beans and rice once a month. During our meal, we talk about the fact that Manuel, our sponsored child, is probably eating something similar. Our family prays for him and his family, and we write letters to build relationship. One night of eating beans and rice instead of eating out pays for our sponsorship, but more importantly, it’s changing our lives as well. Even though by American standards we’re not wealthy, my children have much. Child sponsorship is a way for us to focus on others in need and to put our own relative wealth into perspective.

Our Proverbs 31 Speaker Team had the amazing opportunity to travel to Ecuador last summer. In one area of crushing poverty, I sat at a school table surrounded by children sponsored through Compassion International. Looking into their glowing faces and sparkling eyes, I asked each of them what they wanted to be when they grew up. “I want to be a teacher,” one answered. “I want to be a fashion designer,” chimed in another. “I want to

be an engineer,” a child shyly added.

I couldn’t help but listen in wonder. In an area where many children didn’t even have basic necessities, Compassion had restored hope and built dreams in the hearts of these children. Their most basic needs are cared for so that they can follow Jesus’ call wherever He goes. Child sponsorship reaches not only the hearts of sponsored children but their entire family and into the next generation. Compassion International is a ministry that feeds children, takes care of medical needs, provides education and fills a child’s heart with the hope found only in Jesus. My family is blessed to join with them in ministry.

Be Willing to Go

Matthew 28:19, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit...”

Finding Significance in the Insignificant

By Zoe Elmore

For my birthday this year, my husband Tom gave me a beautiful black and white striped jacket with hot pink lining. It was just what I had been hoping for. Now that I had the jacket, I just knew I needed the perfect pair of hot pink pumps to match its lining. I searched far and wide for three months to find the perfect pair of shoes that matched the jacket and my budget.

I realize this seems like an insignificant detail, but our God loves details and often finds ways to make significant life changes through seemingly insignificant details. Such was the lesson I learned again from these shoes.

Finally, one week before last year’s She Speaks conference, I spotted one pair of hot pink pumps on a lonely shelf on the clearance rack for $12.99. You guessed it! They matched the jacket, my budget and were just my size.

One week later I packed the jacket and shoes in my suitcase and headed to the conference. The second day of the conference is always a long one, and as I slipped on my new jacket, I hesitated to wear my new shoes for the very first time. The day is always jam-packed and a wardrobe change wouldn’t work. Pondering my wardrobe predicament, I heard the Lord whisper to my heart, “Wear the new shoes.” Being the obedient daughter I am (at least when it comes to fashion), I slipped on my new shoes and headed downstairs to begin the day.

During the afternoon I was introduced to a lovely, petite woman wearing a hot pink outfit. Her name was Pamela and she told me about the testimony she had given the preceding evening in her speaker’s group. Her story includes living with cerebral palsy. As a woman, she loves beautiful shoes, but she can wear only one style of athletic shoe and one style of black boots. She giggled as she shared, “When I get to heaven God is going to have a pair of hot pink pumps waiting for me.”

When Pamela finished her story, I took her by the hand, sat her down in a nearby chair and removed her socks and shoes. I slipped off my shoes and put her tiny delicate feet into my hot pink pumps. The shoes have a four inch high heel and they were at least three sizes too big for her petite frame, but I carefully maneuvered her toes and then her heels into the shoes.

My friends Rachel and Wendy joined in on the fun, and we flanked Pamela’s side. Rachel and I gently lifted Pam into a standing position. Wendy snapped a few pictures of Pamela in her hot pink pumps, then we sat her down and Pamela posed for a few glamour shots.

Sweet as this story is, the real significance was revealed that evening when Pamela heard the Lord whisper to her heart. God reminded Pamela to be as helpless before Him every day as she had been earlier that afternoon, when she was helpless to stand on her own in those hot pink pumps.

Pamela later told me about God’s message to her, and I was reminded of something Lysa TerKeurst said: “God paused for a moment in the scope of time to orchestrate an opportunity to encourage someone.” He didn’t need me to encourage Pamela. He could have chosen hundreds of ways to do that, but God gave me the privilege of participating.

How silly of me to think the Lord had provided those shoes just for my enjoyment. Before that day, I never would have guessed how He would use my shoes to make a significant difference in someone else’s life.

A few weeks after the conference, I was shopping when I spotted a pair of hot pink pumps which “just happened” to be Pamela’s size. I squealed out loud as I ran to scoop them up. A few days later I noticed a pair of hot pink bedroom slippers in her size. I mailed both pairs of shoes to Pamela. Although she is not able to walk in her hot pink pumps, Pamela told me she put them in her office as a reminder to stand helpless before the Lord every day.

God created me with a love for fashion. Although it seems insignificant in the grand scheme of life, God chose to use my unique style to bring encouragement and a loving message to another. God is a Master at creating significance out of the insignificant.

I’m reminded of 1 Peter 4:10: “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms” (NIV). This verse challenges me to look at all the gifts (spiritual and physical) in my life and consider how I am using them to bless others for God’s glory.

Hot pink shoes … who would have thought? What a wonderful and creative God we serve!

For the Least of These

By LeAnn Rice

“She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.” (Proverbs 31:20)

God’s heart for the poor and needy is clear throughout Scripture. So clear in fact that Jesus tells us when we serve “the least of these” in Matthew 25:40, we are actually serving God! It’s not that I forget verses like Colossians 3:12: “Clothe yourselves with compassion…” Or Matthew 5:7: “God blesses those who are merciful…” It’s just that somehow I got so wrapped up in my own little world that I was overlooking the fact that millions of people go to bed hungry each night.

In the past, I was so busy whining about my house being too small (not enough closets for all my stuff) that I was blind to how many people have no home at all. Is this the attitude God desires from me? Have I become so concerned with the contents of my closets that there’s no room for clothes of compassion, kindness and mercy?

God put a stop to my whining this past summer during a mission trip to Ecuador with ten members of the Proverbs 31 speaker team and Compassion International. Loaded down with food, school supplies and clothing, we were bringing much-needed supplies to the poorest of the poor. As ministry partners with Compassion International, we were also anxious to see the work they were accomplishing in Jesus’ name. What I saw was the love and hope that can only come from Jesus in the eyes of sponsored children. His love, in their eyes, opened mine.

From the moment I stepped off the bus at the first project center, I was swept into the presence of God. I met Ecuadorian Christians who are teaching children about Jesus while offering health care, tutoring, and vocational training through Compassion International. Most of these children live in small homes with dirt floors and no bathrooms. But they and their families have hope. They have been introduced to One who promises to never leave them, and His love shines brightly in their lives. They are grateful for what they have and willingly share their meager portions with those who have even less.

I was graciously welcomed into homes constructed of concrete, dirt and sheets of plastic. Homes with no running water or refrigeration. Homes where two to four children share a bed, and others sleep on mats on the floor. Homes that you and I would deem unlivable. Homes where all were welcome in the name of Jesus.

On Sunday morning, I sat on a creaky old wooden pew in a humble church in Pucará de Velásquez. Next to me sat a man whose eyes twinkled as he looked at me and said, “Amigo es Jesus.” My new friend and I worshiped together, unified through our relationship with our best friend, Jesus Christ. In a community where the average adult earns only $150 a month, far less than the cost of basic needs, this church overflows with songs of praise and worship. They don’t think about what they don’t have … they focus on what they do – they have Jesus and He’s enough.

The trip was soon over and I returned to my small house and asked myself some tough questions. Was I so dependent on the conveniences of my American lifestyle that I had become desensitized to the needs of anything or anyone outside of my small world? If I was stripped of all my worldly goods, would I be filled with as much hope as I saw in the eyes of the man with whom I shared a creaky, wooden pew in the mountains of Ecuador?

My journey to Ecuador had taken me from my small world and my overcrowded closets to homes with dirt floors and no plumbing. There I witnessed genuine compassion, kindness and mercy among the poorest of the poor and, as my blinders were removed, I was humbled beyond measure.

I pray that my “mission” trip remains so impressed on my heart that I never forget the God I met on that mountaintop – A God that wants us to share His compassion for “the least of these” – A God who is calling me and you to open our arms to the poor and extend our hands to the needy – a God who teaches us about Himself and His heart in the most unexpected places.

I'm Tired of Serving Others

by: Lysa TerKeurst

Why can't it be all about me today? I'm tired of constantly driving my kids around, running to the grocery store several times a week, cooking, picking up the dry cleaning, paying for everyone's activities, making costumes, setting appointments, helping keep everyone's schedule straight, assisting with homework projects, thinking of all the family details, and chasing after the dog who loves to run away. Being the woman of the household gets exhausting, especially when you feel under-appreciated, overworked and stretched way too thin. When I start feeling this way, I know it's time to make time for me. Not that life becomes all about me. But at times it's important to break away from the daily grind and let Jesus refresh me.

Mark 12: 30-31 says, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these" (NIV). Often we rush through this verse and park our thoughts on "love your neighbor." For women, our closest neighbors are the ones who live under our roof. Then, we love people who live around us, go to church with us, and those we interact with. While it is good to fulfill the "love others" part of the verse, if we don't balance it with the rest of this verse, we'll start to feel drained and grumpy.

First, we are told to love the Lord with everything in us. Think about all the things you did for your family to show them love this past week. Now contrast that with what you've done to show Jesus you love Him. How much time have I spent praising Him by singing worship songs and quoting Scripture? Have I taken time to talk to Him about my concerns, fears, challenges, expectations, plans, hopes and dreams? Have I even cracked open my Bible in the past couple of days for the sole purpose of wanting to hear from the Lord? Not just doing my obligatory Bible reading, but reading the Scriptures as a treasured love letter from my Beloved Savior.

Next we are told to love our neighbors as ourselves. The assumption here is that we "love ourselves." Not that we are self-centered and absorbed with our wants and desires, but that we take care of ourselves and make time to refresh and refuel.

When a vehicle's gas tank is low on fuel, the dashboard indicators warn that the car is almost out of gas. If the driver ignores the warning signal, the vehicle eventually breaks down. This is true for us. If we ignore the warning signals that we are running on empty, we will begin to wear down. Even if we can still go through the motions of life, our attitude and emotional outlook will suffer greatly.

How can we tell we are running on empty? Here are a few warning signs: a short temper, feeling that life is spinning out of control, having a sense of dread when waking up in the morning, missing appointments, feeling invaded when someone asks a favor, and having a hard time controlling your emotions. I know these well because I have to guard my time and my emotional energy by taking time to love God and myself.

Do you feel as though you're running low and need to veer out of the fast lane for a bit? Why not pull out your calendar and get intentional by scheduling time to spend with God and time to do things for yourself as well.

This is not being selfish. A wise person told me one of the best things I could do for my family is to take good care of myself. Then, instead of serving others from a grumpy, grumbling heart, I can serve from a heart overflowing with God's peace and joy.