This summer we took a road trip out to Texas and New Mexico. This was a first for me and not my natural inclination. Robert planned our amazing trip. We stayed in Airbnbs. We drove a lot, and we rested and adventured. We ate some really good Mexican food and ice cream. We went to Carlsbad Caverns and Whitesands, NM. We learned that our children are roller coaster junkies. We had so much fun.
Read MoreRecently I read in the First5 app about the significance of Moses stretching out His hand each time God performed a miracle through him. Many times these miracles were plagues on the Egyptians but other miracles included calling water from a rock or parting the Red Sea. It was the visual that accompanied the display of God’s authority over all things. It got me thinking about what that means or can mean for us today.
We stretch out our hands in worship or as we pray over others, but do we realize the magnitude of what we are saying and doing through this outward motion? Do we know the power of the God that we serve? Do we believe that He can and will use us if we ask and allow ourselves to be His vessel?
Read MoreIt’s no secret that times are tough right now in the oil industry. I know this first-hand.
With such a huge drop in revenue because of low commodity prices, publicly held companies are doing nearly everything they can to cut costs, make ends meet, and return value to shareholders.
Unfortunately, sometimes being frugal, pacing out projects, and renegotiating contracts is not enough. The next thing that happens is employees start getting laid off.
Over the last few months, I faced a very real possibility that I would be laid off.
I know that the reason for layoffs is simply to right-size the workforce during periods of reduced or little activity. The reason is not personal; it’s not to be mean. It literally is “just business.”
But if you’re on the receiving end, it can definitely feel personal. It hurts our self-esteem, our sense of worth.
Why is that?
Read MoreConfession: I’m not very good at being still. I’ve always been someone who wakes up early. I’m not someone who can regularly nap on the couch or flip through a magazine or binge watch TV shows. The truth is, it feels like my mind is ALWAYS working in overdrive. As a mom, my last thoughts before going to sleep at night usually revolve around whether my two-year-old is okay, whether she’s sleeping soundly, whether I’ve done all the things that need to be done to meet her physical needs for the day. When I wake up in the middle of the night, my mind is swirling with thoughts of spreadsheets and work deadlines, chores around the house, and all the things I didn’t get done the previous day and other tasks that I should be thinking about.
Somewhere during the course of my life, I convinced myself that constantly thinking through my to-do list, constantly multi-tasking, and constantly working harder would yield the fruits of success and stability in my life. And, to be honest, the results have proven my theory of striving to be somewhat true—at least from the outside. I have a good education, a satisfying job, and a growing family. These are all great things and I consider them gifts. However, despite appearances, each of these gifts comes with its own set of responsibilities and expectations, which can be overwhelming, especially to a recovering perfectionist, and if I’m not careful, I start working out of my own strength and become worn down and worn out in the process.
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