by Nicole Huff | Sep 9, 2020 | Thoughts
Life gets busier each day and so many people are needing our attention but all you feel life saying is, “Can you give me a minute!” In today’s fast paced craziness… I can tell so many people are feeling this way. So much is pulling for their attention that they are not giving themselves room to have down time… or time with God. It’s a constant feeling like they will never catch up with their work or even get the bare necessities done… like buying groceries or getting the next bill paid on time.
With the lack of time comes the lack of getting things done. Then you start forgetting your responsibilities and start breaking commitments. This cycle is no fun and gets pretty stressful.
Craziness of Life
This feeling of life controlling me and demanding for my time is something I use to feel on a regular bases. Ryan and I got married about 20 years ago. We got married while we were still in college with full schedules that demanded all of our time. We were full time students, with full time jobs, volunteering in the church with whatever spare time we had leftover. Soon after college we bought a house. I started teaching as a full time music teacher, Ryan worked full time at Home Depot and we continued to take on more responsibilities at the church. Four years after being married, we had our first child, Joel. This is when life got pretty crazy.
We were living the life. Right? Not really. We had no spare time and started to fall into the craziness of feeling like we could never get on top of things. Soon we were drowning in the craziness of life and so much seemed to be falling apart.
Slowing Down
Then an opportunity came for us to move to the Texas Hill Country and we jumped on it! We loved visiting the hill country when we would visit Ryan’s parents. It was so beautiful and peaceful. It was so nice to get out of the everyday busyness of life and to just stop and rest. So yeah… we were pretty excited about moving to the hill country. I remember when I was praying one evening, the Lord made it pretty clear to me that life was going to change.
No more living life with too much on our plate. We were going to take control of our life and not let the busyness of life take control of us. That’s exactly what happened. We down sized to a one bedroom home and cut back considerably on our responsibilities. We were determined to enjoy life and to have more time with Joel. We wanted to live life to the fullest!
Plan Your Day
I am so thankful! I am enjoying life homeschooling our three kids and doing the things I love. I no longer feel the overwhelming pressures of life. I make sure to give my time to God first thing in the morning and then to my family. Everything else fits in when I have the time. Not the other way around. I didn’t use to be a planner but now I make sure that I plan out my day so I am able to use my time wisely. I also definitely make sure that I give myself some “me time” too. Gotta have that!
If you ever need some advice on how to take back your life… contact us. We would be happy to help you find your groove. Life is meant to be loved!
by Nicole Huff | Sep 5, 2020 | Thoughts
Love others. It sounds simple but really it isn’t simple. We all have different backgrounds, experiences, personalities and perspectives. So loving others can look different from one person to the next.
Jesus is the the ultimate example. He is the one we are to reflect. How do we do this?
Love Others
We are called to love others with the love of Jesus, not with our understanding of what love is but with God’s understanding of what love is. Love can be tainted and viewed through an individual’s filter that gives the perspective from life experiences instead of through the pure and true love that was intended for them. It’s so important that we ask God to reveal His love to us and to help us reflect His love. This love is the fruit that only comes from His Spirit.
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.”
(John 15:7-17 NIV)
Encounter God’s Love
I have encountered God’s love by pursuing Him, serving His people, reading the Bible, worshiping Him, but most of all spending time with Him and praying. He is our friend and our Lord. We must spend time with Him to know Him.
Love to some is just a word but God’s love is a deep love that satisfies the soul. God’s love is patient, kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. It’s a love that never fails. This is the love that I am called to. It is real. It sets people free, brings peace and an everlasting joy. God is love.
Love Him With All Your Heart
Many have never experienced God’s love. Are you one of those? Would you like to? Put God first and love Him with all your heart, soul and mind and in return God will love on you and transform you and make you in His likeness. Then from His love that is poured into you can be poured back out onto loving others. This love is a pure love that only comes from Him. Pursue Him and call on His name. That name is Jesus and He loves you.
“Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
(Matthew 22:37-40 NIV)
