It's Easy to Fall into A Routine: Journal #18

Routine. I thrive off of a routine. I know what to expect, I have the answers, and I know how to prepare for it. One of my top relational needs is consistency which I found out a few years ago through a program I took at church. At first, I thought consistency meant OCD, and I knew I wasn’t that (you would, too, if you saw my desk!). But then I came to understand that it was more about familiarity, logic, conformity…basically a routine! A routine is when you know what the expectations are.

Now, it’s not really a bad thing. It’s good to have a routine especially when there are little kids to feed, bathe, teach, and love, which is the case in my house. They know when bedtime is, when they get to eat, what’s expected of them…not that they always follow the routine, but at least they know it. And everyone raises their hands in celebration and agreement!

The down fall, at least for me, is that when things don’t go as planned or when I don’t know what’s happening, I stress out or freak out or both! And as the saying goes, “When mamma ain’t happy, no one is happy!” So when I’m stressed or have a moment, the house suffers; sometimes as a group and sometimes just one particular person (sorry my dear husband Hoit). It’s not pretty! And it can get ugly. And everyone raises their hands for extra grace!

But the last few years, God has been dealing with me about staying so close to my routine and the areas where I can give myself some wiggle room. It brings me to one of my favorite verses found in the Message Bible – you know the version that tells you like it is. Bam.

"So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." (Romans 12: 1-2)

First of all, I love the bluntness of that verse! Just say it like it is! When I first read this years ago, it screamed, “pursue who you are created to be.” The very thing I love to talk about, write about, and scream about. But lately, especially as I’m now in a new season with a 5-year-old going to kindergarten, I’ve had to fight against falling into such a routine that my checklists are top priority. I’ve been finding myself stopping every 5 minutes to check what’s next, instead of stopping to check to see if I’m on track with what and who God has called me to be.

Just this week, I had to pull the plug (or re-schedule) our yearly conference, Style Speaks, to February because I was getting lost in the details instead of focusing on what God was really telling me to do this fall with Created Woman. It’s to build the people and the foundation. And those checks may take me longer to accomplish. And that’s okay. 

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I began 2016 with two words: intentional and abandoned. I knew that where and what I put my time and effort in, I needed to do it with intention and to live abandoned to who He has created me to be. It’s actually been a really cool summer as there have been a lot of intentional things going on behind the scenes (I know, we looked like we gave up online, but it’s not true).

Sometimes, you’ve just got to move things around. Move so that you don’t get complacent. Routine. Stagnant. Rigid. And do so without complaint.

As much as I’m passionate about pursuing who you are, I had to realize that sometimes I’m just as passionate about being consistent to a fault. This summer I’ve had to reevaluate and rearrange. Think differently. Strategize.

It’s essential for your life’s purpose in moving to bigger or maybe even smaller things God is asking of you. It may be hard to look at the way you’ve always gone about your business and goals and dreams and reevaluate your direction. It may be time to take a closer look. What is God saying? Do you trust Him? If you continue to do the same things the same way, you’ll stay in the same place.

I had to be intentional in getting out of my routine, look at the big picture, and move things around. Even people. I had to make new decisions so we can reach more women.

Without being willing to move, I couldn’t live abandoned. I would just be living the same way and taking a risk of becoming stale. Irrelevant. Basically, hit the ceiling and stay there.

So this week, as a new routine emerges with a new school year, or maybe its just the fall season, I encourage you to move things around. Shake it up! Don’t fall into such a routine that you become ordinary.

You were born to be and live a life that was extraordinary. What did Jesus die on the cross for if we are just to live by our to-do list? Chew on that! Bam!

[title subtitle="You're Invited"][/title]

Gather Her || 10.20.16

..whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

Enjoy an evening with women just like you who want to explore their faith and love all things fashion:

10.20.16
6:30 - 8:30 pm
FREE for all women!
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At Gather Her, you will:
~ Find refuge in a lovely environment.
~ Create authentic, pure relationships through girl talk time after each message.
~ Hear truth through our monthly guest speakers.
~ Meet women who are real, fun and authentic who love to laugh during our mix & mingle time!
~ Learn how to take care of yourself as an Ambassador of Christ through our monthly fashion partner.

Light Bites & Wine provided + Photo Booth

October Guest Speaker: CW's own, Lynn Marie Cherry, Author.

Lynn has just published her first book and will share her personal journey of walking through betrayal and how we, too, can get to other side our hurts and hangups we may have experience in our lives. It's real #GirlTalk

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Created Woman: Equip & empower women to be who they are created to be inside & out.