Organizing the Inside 365 Days
Empowering Christian Women To Get Organized and Discover God's Plan for Their LivesArchive for Simplicity
Organizing the Inside – Day 355 Don’t Save Time Instead Use It Wisely
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33 (NLT)
If you’re like me you try to find ways to save. I’m an occasional coupon clipper too. Have you ever spent so much time looking for cheaper gas that by the time you found the lower priced gas station you realized you probably spent all your would-be savings traveling the added distance? Maybe you enjoy shopping at the outlet mall because of the discounted prices. Have you ever considered the extra costs incurred in time and money, because it’s located 60 miles away?
Time is a precious commodity, right? I often wonder if you can really save time. Somehow that theory just doesn’t add up. Time keeps moving and we attempt to track it with clocks and calendars. However, we cannot see it as it passes, nor can we feel it move. When it leaves, when the future becomes the present and the present becomes the past where does it go? Increase your efficiency and stop trying to save time, simply focus on using it wisely. Life is a culmination of what you have spent time doing. Time spent is equivalent to life lived.
Planning is a key part of time management. Putting God first will enable you to be more effective throughout your day. Make God an essential part of your plans and you will not only be more efficient you’ll become more effective. After all it is God who guides us in wisdom and knowledge, and we can’t be successful without Him. One clear way to waste time and end up having to start something over is to not acknowledge God from the start. Put an end to those prayers of negotiations and seek God before beginning something new. Don’t wait until you’ve made a mess of things to ask God for strength and guidance. Ask Him for help during the planning process. Make God your planning partner, and you will find great success, while reducing frustration and eliminating stress.
Organizing the Inside – Day 350 If Only One Thing
One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple. Psalm 27:4 (KJV)
Oh, if you could only had one prayer, one dream, or one vision to hope for what would it be? There are so many needs, so many wants and aspirations. The Word of God provides us with clear guidance, “But seek you first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33 (KJV) The bible says that David was a man after God’s own heart. (1 Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22) David shared his heart’s desire when he said …that I may dwell in the house of the Lord…
What do you seek after? What is your heart’s single deepest desire? It’s so easy to get caught up in the cares of this life and lose sight of what’s most important. There is no project, or goal or dream that is worth devoting your hearts greatest desire to other than loving God. May we each discover the simplicity in loving Him. Let us each unbend our mind from the futile cares of this life and devote our heart toward daily seeking His kingdom. When all is said and done; when our last words are written, may we be found beholding His beauty and inquiring in His temple.
Organizing the Inside – Day 347 Blind Spots In Our Lives
37Then he returned and found the disciples asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? 38Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” 39Then Jesus left them again and prayed the same prayer as before. 40When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. And they didn’t know what to say. Mark 14:37-40 (NLT)
Are you ever too tired to watch and pray?
I know you’re embarrassed and just like the disciples you don’t know what to say… I’ve been there before. Through prayer hidden dangers are exposed. Blind spots come in many forms. You know that it’s there, but you may not turn your head to look in that direction until it’s almost too late. While driving, have you ever turned your head just slight enough to realize at the last second that completing your lane change would have caused an accident? You can never assume that because your blind spot was clear the last time you checked, you can safely change lanes minutes later. For this very reason we must maintain a strong prayer life. We never know what kinds of everyday things are lurking in our blind spots. Prayer keeps us alert! Consider these warning signs and don’t let them go unnoticed; avoid a serious collision:
- Being over tired because you don’t get enough rest.
- Bringing home frustration from work that affects your loved ones.
- Not listening to the advice of a trusted friend.
- Ignoring a sermon that really spoke to your heart.
- Taking on too much to please others.
- Choosing to do what you want instead of what God said.
- Not spending your time wisely like too much time on social media.
- Forgetting to keep a close watch on your priorities.
Perhaps you’ve skipped your time with God to save a few extra minutes on a busy day? The super busy life that many Christian women lead can cause serious problems down the road. If you’ve found yourself caught off guard in the past and have allowed some of the more important priorities slip, prayer will get things back in focus. Prayer produces power and when your life lacks prayer you will also lack power. As summer comes to a close and schedules begin to normalize, watch out for hidden dangers that go unnoticed because of prayerlessness. God is our compass guiding us until we reach our ultimate destination. His internal systems will alert us when danger is nearby. No matter what high-ranking items you have lingering on your “To Do” lists keep God first and never slack off in prayer.
Organizing the Inside – Day 335 Seize the Time!
31I went past the field of the sluggard, past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment; 31thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. 32I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: 33A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— 34and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man. Proverbs 24:30-34 (NIV)
If you are like many, you have a few or more things that tend to nag you. These things have piled up because you’ve let them remain undone for a while now. Every time you pass by you think, “Oh boy, I need to get that done.” You’ve graded yourself consistently with an “incomplete,” but nothing seems to help. Whether its laziness, idleness, a lack of resolve, or something else that’s keeping you from getting things done I urge you to make the decision to do what it takes to get started now. You know the added stress you feel by having that pile of incomplete tasks, only seems to haunt and discourage you more.
Face the facts: You have had time, down time, slow time, day dreaming time, you just haven’t done it. Take responsibility for not handling your business and do something to resolve it. Clearly part of fulfilling God’s will is having certain things in order to allow you to work without distraction. God doesn’t want His children distressed under the burden of clutter and chaos anymore than He wants us to be under financial burdens or suffer lack of any kind. The book of Proverbs is full of motivation and admonishment for those who need a reality check about being idle and wasting time.
Self-control is a fruit we all should strive for. Part of self-control is being disciplined enough to use time wisely. If you want your life to be both productive and fruitful, use the time you have to get things done. Seize the moment! Christian living calls for sacrifice and productivity. Ask God to help you decide what things you need to take care of that you’ve allowed to pile up. He will give you clear direction on how to focus and have greater discipline to get more done.
Here is some additional help to get you started!
Organizing the Inside – Day 329 A Woman Who Practices Resourcefulness Glorifies God
13She finds wool and flax and busily spins it. 14She is like a merchant’s ship, bringing her food from afar. 15She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day’s work for her servant girls. 16She goes to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard. 17She is energetic and strong, a hard worker. 18She makes sure her dealings are profitable; her lamp burns late into the night. 19Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber. Proverbs 31:13-19 (NLT)
Being resourceful should be easy in this modern world. It seems there are so many resources and so much information available that tapping into what we need should be pretty straight forward. We can type in a few words and get an answer from Goggle about almost anything, and if he can’t help his buddy Bing will surely answer most any question. Do you agree we need to be careful and consider the source? As wise Christians resourcefulness requires a bit of judgment too. You can’t ask Wikipedia who God is and expect to get an answer that you can believe. God has however given us great examples of resourcefulness and it seems there is much to learn from His creativity. Did He not form man from the clay that was already there? Then when He was at the apex of His creativity He took from Adam’s side and formed a helpmeet that was suitable for him. I’m thinking you can’t be more resourceful than that.
So why should we be resourceful? Practicing resourcefulness will help simplify your life. Use what you have available to get the job done. Let’s be realistic, you can’t use something you don’t have when you need to complete an important project, but you can be creative and think outside the box. The woman in Proverbs 31 was very resourceful and she capitalized on those things that she had access to. She not only used her talents and gifts to make things happen while running a successful business and household; she also tapped into the abilities of those around her. Instead of trying to kill herself by doing it all alone, she had maidservants, organized their work and used other resources she was given. The bible also describes her traveling to out-of-the-way places, but in doing so she was still practicing resourcefulness. I believe much of the fact that her family was secure and well taken care of is contributed to her ability to work, plan and be resourceful.
What needs do you have that requires a bit of creative resourcefulness? Money is not always the answer when a need arises. Sometimes going out to buy something isn’t the best solution. When working with clients to organize their spaces, one of the most important things we look at first is how we can use what they have available. What things can you repurpose to meet a need? What do you have in your arsenal of talents, strengths and resources that you have yet to tap into? Trust me when I say, “Resourcefulness leads to contentment.” A simple, yet challenging way to organize your life and glorify God is to practice resourcefulness.
Organizing the Inside – Day 323 Avoiding Tiny Pockets of Disobedience
3In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
6Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” Genesis 4:3-7 (NLT)
Obedience is the best way I know to simplify your life. Every time I miss God and decide to take the way of Cain I feel disappointed in myself. You see, Cain decided to offer God the offering he wanted, instead of the one God wanted. This morning during my quiet time, God told me to take bottled water to church. Hun? Bottled water, well that didn’t sound right. He told me to make it extra cold, fill up my cooler with lots of water and ice. I was visiting a church today for the first time and I felt really funny about walking in there with my purse, bible and a big cooler. Yep, I sure did, I told God, “I don’t think so.” (in my head) Of course I played it off as if it was some fleeting idea of mine. By pretending it wasn’t God speaking to me made it easier to leave out the door, get in the car and drive down the street with only one warm bottle of water.
Upon entering the church I wasn’t a bit bothered by what some seemed to feel was uncomfortable temperatures. About 10 minutes into the service I started to think my cute green summer sweater was more like an electric blanket that someone had turned up to “HIGH.” The silk shell I wore underneath was starting to stick to me everywhere as sweat beads ran down my arms. A young man walked down the aisle clutching what appeared to be the only bottle of water among all the overheated church goers. I was immediately reminded of the water that I left behind in my kitchen at home; the water I was supposed to bring for all the people who were as hot and as parched as I was. It became clear to me that I wasn’t the only one who would have to suffer through the entire service because of my foolish disobedience.
This just happened to be a small and simple act of obedience. Bring water to church, as much water as my big cooler could hold. How many times will someone else have to suffer because of one person’s unwillingness to let go of what others might think or the fear of mistaking God’s voice for just an idea. When one of us makes the choice to disobey God, in many cases the rest of us have to suffer.
Today I’m drawing a line in the sand, never to return to my tiny pockets of disobedience. No fear, or worry or foolish assumptions will keep my heart from saying yes, and doing so promptly. I know God’s voice. It’s so much easier to trust and obey Him. The devil will do his best to talk you and me out of doing exactly as the Master wants. I want to encourage you while I encourage myself to hearken to God’s voice. When God says move we not only move, but we move in the exact direction He tells us to go.
Organizing the Inside – Day 307 The Rocking Chair of Worry
2Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. James 1:2-4 (NLT)
Don’t sit worrying when faith is all you need. You have what you need …according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Romans 12:3 (KJV) So now what are you going to do with what you have? It always amazes me, the many hours spent in absolute denial that, “I’m not worrying” I’m only giving the matter great thought and consideration. Mulling things over in your mind again and again, only to flip it over and mull even more is definitely worrying. Can you trust God and worry all at once? The answer to that mystery is a resounding no way.
Trusting God begins with faith and faith requires action. Sure God would have us to consider things before venturing out and springing into action without thought about the consequences, but worrying about your situation will never change anything. Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Matthew 6:27 (NIV) Why not trade in your worry for a nice healthy, spirit-filled dose of faith? Establishing something of substance will get you to the place of total victory. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 (KJV) We can’t however have victory if we spend our time sitting, asking the questions that may never have any answers (in this life). Instead of allowing yourself to get caught in that “why me” state of total worry anticipating the worst, begin to walk in faith. Without FAITH it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6) Do it now, because faith is NOW.
Change your thinking; get up and agree to never sit there again. Decide to move, but only in the direction that God is leading. He won’t lead you or me to sit in our rocking chairs of worry and misery, as we allow Satan himself to minister to us by assuring us that things are ten times worse than they seem. Organizing the Inside is about having the mind of Christ. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Philippians 2:5 (KJV) We have to let it, it won’t just happen. Jesus didn’t worry, even in His darkest hour. His belief in the Father was unshakable, and yours can be too. (Hebrews 12:2) Jesus turned to God and He submitted totally to the will of the Father. …yet not my will, but yours be done.” Luke 22:42b (NIV) Worry breeds more worry, and that’s not what God intended for our lives. Agree to stop worrying and do something about the situation. FAITH and PATIENCE are the power-twins to get you everything you ever wanted. Along with faith (real faith) you must have action. Set a plan in place and get out of the rocking chair with your fruitless back and forth wondering “what if” and trust God again. All you who fear the LORD, trust the LORD! He is your helper and your shield. Psalm 115:11 (NLT)
Organizing the Inside – Day 304 Waiting For Perfect Conditions?
Whoever watches the wind will never plant. Whoever looks at the clouds will never harvest. Ecclesiastes 11:4 (NIV)
It’s difficult to find contentment when so much time is spent determining which obstacles justify not starting today. If you want to live a simpler life, it’s important to organize your environment to support your success. If you have things around the house or office that irritate you every time you glance at them, address them right away. Getting rid of those irritants is another step forward in the right direction.
First, put your intentions on notice that procrastination is no longer an option. If you feel stuck and lack motivation, part of the reason could be those energy sucking little irritants that you keep putting off until tomorrow. Don’t allow these things to go undone. These small miscellaneous undone projects are a source of discouragement and drain your energy.
Eliminate excuses, get rid of irritants and push forward. Stop watching the sky, and start planting so you can one day reap your harvest. No matter what direction the wind is blowing or how many clouds are in the sky, start making progress by conquering the little things; it will give you encouragement to start tackling the big things.
Organizing the Inside – Day 300 Practice Mental Preparedness
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he… Proverbs 23:7b
As children my sister and I spent hours rehearsing our future weddings and teaching in the classroom. The two youngest of six we were left to our own imaginations while our older siblings were in school. We had extraordinary imaginations. Planning what our guest would eat and wear, we lined them all up. One by one, each doll or stuffed animal made its way down the aisle and took a seat. One of us played the bride, and the other the officiant. We took turns practicing and role-playing. Neither of us cared that there was no groom present; the point was the wedding ceremony. Thinking back, I can appreciate our God-given gift of imagination that enabled us to spend hours of imaginary play acting. The time we spent as children organizing our classrooms and wedding rehearsals was so much fun. Eventually we both became teachers and had the weddings of our dreams. Children have a unique ability to not get bogged down in the details; they are so open to hope for the future. It didn’t bother us one bit that my Moms sheer curtains were not actually a veil and train, at that time it seemed real enough. We were practicing our dream.
Practice your dream. Practicing is a way of providing energy that fuels your positive imagination. By practicing success, you are doing something positive toward your dream. Before any speaking engagement, I spend a great deal of time practicing my presentation. Without allowing myself to visualize success and overcoming fear of failure and embarrassment, I’d never have enough nerve to speak before a large audience. Of course it’s God that keeps my legs from turning into wet noodles, but practicing plays a huge role in any challenge. You’ll want to set goals to propel you forward and help you take steps toward reaching your dream. Trust and obey God, He is ready and able to help you figure out how to fulfill His big picture plan. Set goals they will serve as a type of fuel for your vision.
Realize that everything including your dream has a process to bring it to fruition. Trust the Holy Spirit to help you discern the difference between good and evil. Some call it your gut, and at the risk of sounding super spiritual, I prefer to consider it spiritual discernment. Staying in close fellowship with God will keep your perspective clear. Kick fear, doubt and all other feelings of inadequacy to the curb, DAILY. Many dreams aren’t meant to happen right away. Meanwhile it’s important that you see to it that your dream grows and stays alive in your heart. Nurture your dream by practicing and visualizing success. God has a purpose for your life, and your dreams are clearly a part of how you will fulfill that purpose.
Don’t allow yourself to get overwhelmed. Always keep your dream organized and in order. I find the best way to do this is by writing down the details. (Habakkuk 2:2) It’s your business if you have three notebooks filled with things that God spoke to you about. Who’s to say that your notebooks, full of dreams, are not from God? Expect your dreams to expand and contract as God reveals His will to you. Dreams often give us a peek into the future, but faith is required to get us there. (2 Corinthians 5:7) Be mindful that God is not the author of confusion. (1 Corinthians 14:33) He will not overwhelm you with a vision that you are not equipped to handle. If today you feel you are not totally equipped, God will provide what you need; it’s already set in motion. Keep practicing and preparing and let God lead the way.
Organizing the Inside 365 Days 