Help Wanted!

Last week, I finished my journey through the book of Colossians. It’d been a busy week and on my one day off, I received a text from a woman asking if I could go to lunch. It wasn’t, “Would you like to catch up for lunch some time soon?” No, she wanted to know if I could meet within an hour or so. Something in the text put me on alert. I’m going to be honest… the “Can you meet today?” texts are usually followed by a lot of heartache or headache. People don’t usually run to tell you good news.As I wrapped up what I was doing, my daughter called to change our plans leaving me available for lunch. Bracing myself, I headed to my new appointment. Over a salad, what I heard wasn’t a criticism or complaint, not a rebuke or heartbreak, but a friend waving a flag of caution. The Lord had put me on her heart and she was concerned about the myriad of things on my plate. (Who, me?)[bctt tweet="We all need someone who cares enough to challenge us."]Just last week in Colossians, we saw the people God had put around Paul to comfort and encourage him. We all need comfort and encouragement, but we also need someone who cares enough to challenge us. Of course, the thought wasn’t a new one. I knew with the new version of Miss Perfect launching, my regular commitments, a son and daughter in their last two years of high school, and the flexibility needed to respond to people in crisis, that I was at capacity. In my own ways, I had mentally prepared to reduce several activities in the spring. Yet the Lord knew that was not enough.I left lunch with a resolve to make some additional changes. And so, I have. I’ve added two incredible women to the Highpoint Women’s Bible Study team who will coordinate the details and leadership for our East Memphis morning Bible study. I’ve also decided I need help on a writing project and have enlisted the talent of a wonderful writer. And finally, I’ve decided to transition my blog to a weekly post, aiming for every Tuesday.As I reflect upon the changes and as I prepare to teach Miss Perfect, I’m reminded of two important principles we must never lose sight of:

1. Leave room in your life for what's important and life giving.It’s easy to keep adding things to our lives. However, if we aren’t careful, we’ll crowd out the very things God wants us to prioritize… like time with Him, time with other believers, and the specific purpose He created us to fulfill. Ironically, this is one of the primary reasons I want to encourage women in the Memphis area to join me for Miss Perfect. We’ll spend this fall looking at different areas of our lives and eliminating those things that aren’t God’s best for us.

2. Asking for help makes everything better.All of the changes I’ve put in place will help me live a healthier life, but the beautiful consequence of this decision is that every area where I’m making adjustments just improved… by me doing less. Bible study will get better with two gifted women adding their strengths to the team. The message of hope through a resource will be clearer and better written because I’ve asked someone with experience and expertise to help me. And, by focusing on one blog per week, I can make each post better.

I cannot wait to bring the message of Miss Perfect: Discovering God’s Purpose without the Pressure back to the women at Highpoint… with some new twists. Maybe you’re like me and you need a reminder. I hope you’ll join me this fall at either of our Highpoint campuses. (You can find out more and register here.) Allow this fall to help you be intentional to prioritize God’s purpose and God’s people in your life, so you, too, can escape the pressure this world offers and focus on the Lord and the purpose He created for you.[bctt tweet="Leave room in your life for what's important and life giving."]