“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

 

You see, I wasn’t born a happy girl. I was born a child to hard working parents who loved each other and loved me and my brothers. I was the first born. No real reason not to be happy. I was a bit more on the serious side, though, even as a child. I walked up hill both ways, down a quarter mile long drive way in the snow in Mississippi to the bus stop each morning. At least, that is what my family teases me that I said as a youngster. In Mississippi, there was ~ snow ~ only a few times. It was a long driveway to walk each morning to catch the bus, and sometimes it was very hot; others, very cold. No one who knew me growing up would tell you I was a depressed kid. I was a typical fun-loving generally happy girl, I guess, but again, I have always had a serious side…a very serious side. Still to this day, everything is important, so therefore nothing is important as there isn’t enough energy to give to everything. Perfection was always the goal, so disappointment has often been the result.  Just keeping it real. This has been one of the biggest struggles for my happy. What is it that you have to overcome for yours at times?

I grew up rodeoing and helping my dad break horses. He would buy a dozen or so ponies from the sale, I would recruit my friends to come help me ride the ones that were broken enough so I could get them all ready for the next sale. I guess it was like flipping houses, but we were flipping horses. Sorry for the trip down memory lane. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.  

Back to the point…. I grew up with many chores. My dad traveled, so I was supposed to feed the goats their bottles before school, slop the pigs 🐷, and gather the eggs after school. Then, do homework, ride several horses a day, feed the chickens 🐓, goats 🐐, horses 🐎, and cows 🐄. Oh yeah, and the occasion hog I was terrified of (when we had one of those), getting it fat enough to slaughter and eat. Along with these chores, there had to be time to  practice barrel racing and get my horse show ready. Plus, I needed to make sure my friends and I had to pay for play.  Don’t forget all of the clubs that I thought I needed to be a part of.  I could see so much good to being a part of every club, so I was. Not only as a member (because if you’re going to do it, do it all the way right?!), but also as a leader; I was a sucker who said, “Yes!” to leading most of the clubs I was a part of.  

 And as I got a little older, I came to love cheerleading and basketball. I loved basketball so much that I once had a tee shirt that said, “When I die, bury me with my basketball 🏀 “

Chores are good.  

Clubs are good. 

Friends are good.

Rodeos are good.  

Sports are good.  

But busy, so so busy is a pattern I’ve been in and still am in. Many of us find ourselves here wanting off the merry go round, off the fast train. Whether I was on the farm or like now, in the city, I have managed to be consumed with a cause with more to do than time to do it in. Sound familiar?

Join me today in writing down all the regular things you do or things that seem to be a pattern that take most of your time, and let’s together find what we can cut out of our lives so we can say our best yes, as Lysa Terkeurst says.

Here are some questions that are helping me out in this area and hope help you too:

1- Has GOD led me to do this?

2- Is this something I love to do?

3- Who is this benefiting? (Some things we do need to be zero about benefiting ourselves while it is also healthy for some things to benefit us. A balance in this area is important.)

4- Is this something I am great at, best utilizing the talents God have me?

5- Maybe you think of another question that would be great for us to all ask! If so, comment on the blog or in the comments on social media that could be helpful to us busy bees!

If you feel trapped in life doing things you hate, tripping over your tasks because they aren’t really in your wheelhouse or just busy doing too much of what you love, I hope you will scroll back to the top of this blog and re-read my favorite verse and invite God into your situation and watch Him move you out of where you are and into where you need to be. He has made a way of escape, and He also has not put more on you than you can bear. If you are like me, you may think sometimes, “Wow! He must think I’m a lot stronger than I realize I am.”

Lean into Him, and you will not be disappointed. He will do the same for you as He has done for me and turn your disappointments into wisdom and replace your heavy heart with a joy unspeakable! This is something that He continues to do. It’s not a one and done thing. Ask Him to help you prioritize. That’s what I’m doing and falling more and more in love with serving Him and others every day. Some of the things we think we need to escape from are the very things He has us in the middle of to teach us and grow us into all He has called us to be.

Enjoying the journey,

Happy Monday!

P.S. Getting super DUPER excited for Happy Girl 19! Grab your #girlsquad & join us for some fun & fellowship with our special guest Lisa Young! Watch and share our promo video below & don’t forget to register by clicking here before rates go up!