One scheduling secret that will calm your stress levels

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One scheduling secret for your haste to “git ‘er done”

I’m a task-oriented person, not a people-oriented one. I tend to run right over my people to accomplish my goals.

Indeed, it’s a lesson I keep learning over and over.

In my passion to get things done and yet my desire to honor God and love my people, I’ve pored over time management resources and tried different methods.  But it turns out, the one secret ingredient often missing from my lists is something so simple, I overlook it.

What I wrote in my prayer journal 

“God keeps pressing the word “love” into my brain as my one word for 2018.  It is to be the source of motivation in all I do!  If I don’t have love, I won’t slow down for my people, I’ll run right over them.  And, if I don’t have love, I will say yes to everything else and no to them.  If I don’t have love, I will buy right into FOMO and keep chasing after the wind.  If I don’t have love, I won’t look to God as the Alpha and Omega, the Chooser of my days.” 

Seriously?  Every day the subject of love sprang from the pages of Scripture during my morning time with God. I knew God was trying to tell me something!

While planning my goals for 2018 (because I LOVE a fresh start) I sat down to write my “one word” for the year. Which one would it be?

• Rest?
• Renew?
• Slow down?
• Purge?
• Restore?
• Pray?
• Some other inspirational word reminding me to balance to-do lists with time for my people?

I prayed and asked the Lord what He thought.

And all I could think of was, “Love”. 

My one scheduling secret = my word for the year

Love, Lord?!  Really?  That’s so basic!

I asked my dear email reader-mamas what their biggest need was right now.

Overwhelmingly, the answers were freedom from distractions/social media/cluttered mind, and how to tap into God’s power through prayer.

You see, we moms are looking for something to calm our stress levels.  A magic pill, if you will.

And then it hit me.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

 And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 

 And, you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

Deuteronomy 6:5-9

In this passage, God had just given Israel a list.  On the list were the commandments.  They were supposed to do a lot of things.  They could have easily gotten stressed out about all this responsibility.

But the most important thing they were to do as they accomplished God’s list?

Was to do it with love.  Love for God, love for family, and love for others.

The “aha” moment

It makes sense, right?  If we want freedom from distractions and stronger prayer life, shouldn’t love to be our driving force?

Love over lists – it’s the one scheduling secret we often overlook.  Love puts a spin on perspective and calms our stressed our minds because when we really look at what matters most in life?  It’s not how many checks are on our to-do lists.

Truly, it’s about relationships.  It’s about building strong families who love Jesus.  And in order for them to love Jesus?

We must show His love for them.

What about you, mama?  Do you have a hard time loving your tribe when your list is staring you in the face?  I’m feelin’ ya there.  Leave a comment so we can pray together about how to better choose love over lists.