Attention Over-worked, Stressed, Frazzled Women: God Cares and Can Help!

"I wish I could clone myself!"

Nearly all women have wished one time or another that they could have two of themselves: One person to do the laundry; the other person to run the kids to practice. The fact is that most days it feels like there are not enough hours in the day to accomplish all the necessary tasks.

Oh, and the whole idea of taking care of oneself?  Forget that! Who can take care of oneself when it is nearly impossible to manage the daily to-do list? In fact, many of you out there will feel guilty for reading this newsletter, because you will think you should be doing something more productive!

Alright, stop, take a deep breath and give yourself a break. Taking a moment now to refocus will pay off in dividends down the road. In fact, even God knows we need to pause and regroup from time to time. We learn from Jesus in Matthew 11 that He will give us rest if we only stop what we are doing and come to him: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Weary? Burdened? Do those descriptors fit you well? As women we balance many roles: friend, wife, mother, co-worker, homemaker, church worker, volunteer, personal chauffeur and on and on. It's good to live a full and active life, but we simply can't take on the weight of the world without rest. If we want to act out our God-given roles in the way God has called us, we must take time to rest in Him.

Breaking the Cycle

In our society, busyness is the norm. Running 7-nights a week to activities, events or programs is just part of life. But does it have to be that way? Perhaps saying no to certain things can help you to find a better balance in your life. However, it seems like women tend to worry that saying no, whether it is to the PTA president or the Children's Coordinator at church or to our own children begging to join another activity, will cause problems in their lives or the lives of their children.

It is not surprising that studies have shown involvement in too many activities, even church activities, can negatively impact a family. So not only are you releasing yourself from over-busyness by saying no once in a while, you are actually benefiting your family as a whole.

Consider going to God to ask Him in which activities you should be involved and how you should line-up your priorities. When we include God in the picture, things begin to simplify and the cream of life rises to the top. We begin to see our life the way He sees it, and naturally the most important things to Him become the most important things to us. Going to God about these issues, allows us to break the cycle of busyness in our life and helps us to redirect our focus to the significant issues, the things that really matter.

After all, God gives peace, not stress and worry and busyness. What He has to offer is very different than what the world has to offer. John 14:27 explains, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

When we are overcome by the stress of the world, we can turn to God for peace. His way is always the best, and he can guide and direct us to experience a more peaceful and purposeful life if we will only include Him in our daily plans.

© Jewell R. Powell, The Marriage Coach and author of Marriage 101: Building a Life Together by Faith. Visit us at www.marriage101.us.

Steps You Can Take to De-Stress Your Life Today

Once you know God has called you to restructure and reprioritize your life, it will take some deliberate planning to change your behaviors and activities. After all, we are creatures of habit. If we are used to running around like chickens with our heads cut off, we'll probably feel strange slowing down the pace of life and focusing on only the most important things.

Although it may take some practice and a whole lot of effort, you can do it with the help of your Creator, the one who loves you and has the perfect plan for your life! In fact, the Bible encourages us in this: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). You can make the necessary changes in your life to live with purpose instead of just going through the motions of an overly-hectic life. Below are a few suggestions to help you to slow down, focus on God's promises, and create a more peaceful life.

• Turn off the negative voices Whether it is worry, fear, or words of self-condemnation, we do not have to believe the negative self-talk in our minds. It's time we take back our thoughts from the negative and put them back into the positive. There truly is power in positive thinking, and making this change is a great first step toward de-stressing and refocusing on God rather than the worries of the world (Luke 12:25-26).
• Do your best, but don't set too high expectations for yourself Of course, you want everything to be perfect and run smoothly at all times, but that just isn't reality, so let go of it! God doesn't require perfection and neither should you. Instead, do the best you can in all things (Colossians 4:17), and give the rest to God.
• Give yourself permission to take a break It may sound cliche, but it is true that even God took a day of rest! Why shouldn't you? You will have to make a decision to give yourself a break, and it may not always be easy. However, there is always going to be something to do, and that something can wait. Do something special for yourself once in a while: a pedicure, an afternoon with a good book, a morning cup of coffee on the deck. The time of rest will rejuvenate you and help you to stay focused on what really matters.
• Make the choice to enjoy life Are you happy? Really? Too many women take care of everyone else and go to great lengths to ensure the people in their lives are happy, while just going through the motions of life themselves. Let God be the one to give you true joy: "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in your, and that your joy might be full." (John 15:11)  God is ready to give it to you, but you have to make the choice to accept it.

On your journey to de-stress, find balance and enjoy life, it helps to have some reminders along the way. The resources below can help you to stay on the right path as you seek to act out God's purpose for your life and strive to live a healthier life—physically, emotionally and spiritually.

• The Christ-Centered Woman: Finding Balance in a World of Extremes by Kimberly Dunnam Reisma
• Captivating: A Guided Journal: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul by John and Stasi Eldredge
• Calm My Anxious Heart: A Woman's Guide to Finding Contentment by Linda Dillow
• Christian Women Online—a site to unite and encourage women in Christ
• Christian Women Today—a site full of articles and resources to help encourage you in your Christian walk

© Jewell R. Powell, The Marriage Coach and author of Marriage 101: Building a Life Together by Faith. Visit us at www.marriage101.us.