Sunday Devotional........9/4/16

Good Morning

Yesterday I got my car back after about six weeks of waiting for repairs I got in an accident in mid July. My baby looks brand new. When it happened I did not know if it could be fixed. It was with a hearty bill for all that newness.

I was on my way to meet some women for breakfast and to talk about some of our goals for this ministry. I never made it. The story of the interaction between the other driver and me is amazing. As we began with questions she was shaking and crying. I put my hands on her face (that actually amazed me) and I told her, "Don't cry, Neither of us are hurt. I think God protected us." Then she told me that she was a Christian and many things about her life that seemed similar to my life. In the meantime my three friends arrived on the scene. I told them my new friend was a Christian. We all talked and the other woman's boss arrived to help her tie her car together. Low and behold he was a Christian as well.

In the midst of a horrible situation, I know God was there using this to for the coming along side that the other driver needed. It was not because it was her fault; the driver at fault was me. When we were all finished one of my friends suggested we all pray together before we parted company. We all joined hands and in the middle of a filling station we joined hands and prayed together...each one praying about some aspect of the happening that stood out to them. The other driver and I will be getting together. God turned a disaster into something that was used for good. (Genesis 50:20)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today's devotional is written by Jan Andersen. The title is "MULTITASKING"  Jan writes about multitasking causing problems in our lives.  Even the disciples and God himself take breaks to rest. 

Jan wrote,"The reason we multitask is because we have become so busy, we never seem to have enough time to focus on only one thing at a time.  Some people, like myself, seem to pack in twice as many activities in a day as others do.  I justify this by saying all those things are important and enjoyable to me.........Then we moved, and I decided I would not overload myself again like that.  This has given me more time to read devotional materials and study the word of God.  It has been refreshing to rest at the feet of Jesus."  

Have a great Sunday.

God bless

Jan and Corinne

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Today's Devotional   

"MULTITASKING"

written by

Jan Andersen

Who is really better at multitasking, men or women?  There have been some studies that say women are better at juggling several things at once, and other studies that say men are - but that women have longer attention spans so are more likely to fully complete repetitive tasks than men.  I could give a few examples on that subject!  And about attention spans - ours is decreasing, once at 12 seconds on average it is now only 8 seconds, less than a goldfish's at 9 seconds!  Studies also are showing that we don't really do two activities at exactly the same time.  Our brain actually switches quickly from one task to another, sometimes called "alternating attention" instead of multitasking.  Those studies are also showing that the outcomes suffer when we multitask.  The latest is that this alternating attention is not only bad for the activity outcome, but that it is also damaging to our brains.  So it isn't necessarily a good thing, whatever you call it - multitasking or alternating attention.  We could give it other names like multi-gasping, multi-distracting, multi-troubling, multi-tormenting, or multi-panicking, depending upon how overloaded we become.

The reason we multitask is because we have become so busy, we never seem to have enough time to focus on only one thing at a time.  Some people, like myself, seem to pack in twice as many activities in a day as others do.  I justify this by saying all those things are important and enjoyable to me.  I also remind people that I am actually less busy than when my children were in school, because that added to or even multiplied the number of things vying for my attention.  There was a time, however, that I became overwhelmed with too much to do.  When I hit a snag in my life, I had absolutely no reserves to address my issues.  I was forced to "downsize" my task list.  That was a healthy thing in the long run, though at the time I felt I was letting all kinds of people down.  My promises to do things had to be modified or dropped.  How could I go against my word to them?  It felt painful, like I was amputating my own limbs.  But it reset my baseline of what I would commit to doing.  Then we moved, and I decided I would not overload myself again like that.  This has given me more time to read devotional materials and study the word of God.  It has been refreshing to rest at the feet of Jesus.  Even when the tasks are good, rewarding, or enjoyable, it is important to keep a healthy balance.  Even the disciples found it necessary to stop serving the people and take a break:

Mark 6:30-32 (NIV)  The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught.  Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."  So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

Dear Father in heaven, we know that even you took a break after creating the world by resting on the seventh day.  Help us to follow your example by building in needed rest breaks in our lives.  Thank you for your forgiveness when we overload ourselves and become distracted from living out our faith.  Remind us that even as we share our faith and serve others, we must strike a happy balance.  Help us to rest at your feet daily.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

There is a nice song reflecting the ideas shared in this devotional, called "Breathe" by Jonny Diaz.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prayers are lifted up daily for 

you by the Devotional Writers 

and the Monthly Writing Staff

of Women's Focus Ministries.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~