True Woman – an extreme makeover from the inside out.
Do you ever sit back and look at your life and wonder what it all means and what it is all about? Do you ever wonder if what you do each day is worth much and if you are making a difference in this world? Does it all seem overwhelming at times? Do you ever want to just throw in the towel and call it quits? The kids never listen, they act like brats, meals are always underwhelming, laundry is never done, floors are dirty, walls have fingermarks everywhere, and there just is no joy in living. Throw a home-based business into the mix and you have a complete recipe for disaster. Not enough space, biz needs moved out of the home, kids are becoming more creative and want space to develop their passion. Kids, school, business, food, laundry – it takes so much time you never have any left to sit and chat with a friend or just relax a bit on your own. Business challenges arise that have to be dealt with, bookwork must be done, and the ugly side of business rears it’s head and tries to bite you. Stress and an overload of work makes you ill – literally.
So what is the answer? Is there a way to have perfect kids, a perfect house, clothes always clean, magazine worthy food on the table at every meal, and run a successful business that is fulfilling and enjoyable?
The short answer to that is NO. No one can ever have all that, at least not all at the same time! Or without a complete staff of help.
The long answer is, ‘You can have contentment and enjoy your life amidst the chaos and stress by having a close relationship with your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is the only source of true peace and contentment. You can rest in Him through any situation, through the piles of never ending laundry, through the mediocre meals, the mess the kids leave in their wake. He is the only source of true wisdom when dealing with a difficult business situation.
My sister recently posted a poem she wrote on her blog to promote True Woman 201
She is sharing it here today and it just fit in so well with how I’ve been feeling lately about life and business.
Lord, I want right thinking,
I want to know what’s true,
Lord, I need discernment,
I need your wisdom too.
I want to be a woman,
So grounded in the Word,
I want to be your woman,
To listen! To have heard.
Lord, I want to study,
To know it inside out,
To recognize wrong-thinking,
As soon as it might sprout.
My soul longs for discernment,
To really understand,
To hear the Spirit’s whisper,
Believing in your plan.
I’m just a simple woman,
So loved, so blessed by You,
Supported, Strengthened, Stablished,
Safely carried through.
Through James you’ve promised wisdom,
To everyone who asks,
Generously, Completely,
Supplying every task.
Facedown I fall before You,
My heart an open book,
Touch me, change me, mold me,
My selfish pride to break.
I am who you say I am,
Lord! I belong to You!
Make me the truest woman,
That I can be for You.
Ultimately, it’s what God sees in my heart, what I’ve done for Him that carries any weight at the end of the day. Piles of laundry, sticky fingerprints, crumbs on the floor, business decisions, it all pales and fades into oblivion when covered by the grace and peace of Christ. Spending a few minutes immersed in God’s word, or sending a heartfelt prayer heavenward makes a big difference. Yes the laundry piles will still be there but suddenly they won’t seem so tall. Meals still need to be made but somehow it doesn’t look impossible anymore. The house still needs cleaned but it now looks doable and your shoulders don’t feel quite so weighted. The kids still may not listen well but with you have help with enduring their willfulness and standing firm on their training.
So when the day is grey, the stress level is high, and nothing seems worth doing, take a bit of time to read from God’s word, do a page or two of a Bible study, reach out to a friend and ask for prayer, send a prayer up yourself, and just know God is always there, just a breath away, ready to lift you up and carry you.
Be blessed,
Jill
*in the interest of full disclosure this is NOT a sponsored post. I enjoy a good Bible study written specifically for women, Mary Kassian and Nancy Lee Demoss are 2 of my favorite author/speakers. My sister’s poem spoke to my heart like a balm after some difficult situations over the past few months and I wanted to share. And I hope to add this Bible study book to my library soon.
Thank you for this.
You are so welcome Regena. It’s so hard to share real and raw feelings but knowing it always helps someone, even if it’s only one person, makes it worth the effort!
Now look here missy, you have a wonderful life, but you need to hire a housekeeper! One that will clean those walls, sweep those floors, and do laundry!!! Sometimes we all get overwhelmed and God helps us through with his teachings in the Bible and that is good for the moment, and maybe a while. But you have to reward yourself for all your hard work and not get so overwhelmed! You are trying to burn the candle at both ends. The business is your God-given talent put to use. Although it is only 3 years old, you are doing great and need this, so farm out some of your other work. Put the kids to work–especially with the laundry! They are old enough. You can hate me, but being a friend is what I am trying to be!!!
Oh Donna Marie, thank you so much for this comment! Your first statement made me laugh and I really needed a laugh yesterday! You are so right, I need a housekeeper, and I have been thinking on how to make that happen. I need someone who can come in and just take over – see the cleaning that needs done and do it without much instruction from me! The kids do help with the laundry, more all the time – I just wish they’d do it without so much grumbling and do it more quickly! LOL! I have to remember they are kids and someday they will do things more willingly 🙂 It’s all in finding the right balance that will work for our family and I will find it! Thanks for blessing me with you response!
Jill, I thoroughly understand where you are coming from. I went to nursing school when my three children were seven months, three, and six. Sometimes I thought I was going to lose my mind but with God’s help and my husband’s I made it through that time and many other very personal stresses since. Now that my children are grown with families of their own I can say that I am so thankful that I (and my husband) spent time taking them to Sunday School & church, praying with them, and talking to them about what was going on in their lives. To me this was the most important thing that we did. The other things will fall into place and work out with God’s help but your children need guidance and love during the formative years and your hard work will pay off in the future. My children strayed a bit during their teenage and early adult years but now they have returned to their Bible teaching and are solid Christians. The verse in the Bible which says, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.” is true. I know this is a cliché but one of these days you will look back and wonder where all the time went and see everything in a different perspective. Sounds like you are doing all the right things. Hang in there my friend. I love your sister’s poem. It spoke to my heart.
Oh Tricia, I can’t imagine all the studying on top of everything else! Good for you. And amen on the helpful husbands. I’d never make it without mine. He helps out with everything and I think God for him daily.
And amen on where the time goes too. Cliche or not it IS true! Thanks for your comment, be blessed today!
Jill I don’t think there will be one person who won’t agree with you. Everyone goes through this. I think these feelings are our lord telling us something. If we are wise, listen with open mind, heart and soul, the answers can become clear. Perfection is only for God. He does not require this from us, WE do.
Growing pains don’t stop with age. The pains just get bigger and bigger. And that is Gods way of making us lean on HIM more.
I think you would benefit tremendously from some time off. Reflect, pray, make some delegating decisions, pray and rest.
God is just waiting on you to give him YOUR full attention. The next big step in your life is going to require you to be fully there. So take some YOU time, down time and just regroup. Prayers and many blessings, Hope
Very wise words my friend! God has a way of making us take some time off – I’ve been sick for a week now and have kept going anyway. Yesterday I spent a lot of time on the couch resting and went to bed early. I’m moving very slowly today, spending some time with my girls, and resting as soon as I feel a bit tired. The work will all still be there when I am well again!
Jill, First, thank you so much for the adorable tshirt that I won. Love my state!
Also, thanks to Deborah for the hair clip. I gave it to my 11 year old great granddaughter. She loves it and wants her hair to grow out some more, so she can style it more ways with the clip.
Children do not remember whether all the house looks good. You are wise to spend time in God’s word.
Rebya, I am so glad you love your shirt! I’m also glad you got one that was embroidered! I just got that set up right before the givewaway ended so I added yours to the pile! So much better than just a stencil and I’m thrilled with the way they turned out.
You are right, the kids won’t remember the mess, they will remember how much time I spent with them helping them and doing stuff for them!