Are you or someone you love struggling with job woes?

Sometimes the job itself is perfect but the interpersonal dynamics are challenging. Other times its the exact opposite.

You or someone you love might be struggling with the state of your wages, a ridiculous boss, the tension of a buy out, a transfer, instability of market demands, political upheaval that impacts the workplace, low wages vs. too much debt, or any kind of illness that makes it hard to show up.

My go to response (once I remember) is to pray about it. And ask others to pray for it, too. Job struggles can cause tension at home. If we spend 40 hours a week at work, that’s a big portion of our week and it is completely understandable that difficulties in the workplace will mean that some of that stress comes home and impacts home life.

Jobs and the workplace really are such a big part of our lives that it really would be nice to have at least a neutral or positive feeling about them. But when you are chronically unemployed, underemployed, struggling with illnesses, or otherwise in a tough employment situation it takes a toll on other areas of life.

If you are sitting in a great position, give thanks for that and pray for those who are not.

Blessings on your day!
Liz

I think each of us have been given talents — some are very obvious and others are not as easy to see.

First, have you thought about letting your hidden talents be seen by more people? Are you struggling to find out if you have a talent? I hope not. Sometimes we downplay our giftedness — maybe it doesn’t seem significant enough to bring up or we are shy about it.

A talent is best celebrated when it is shared.

God, the good giver, gave us these talents to share them, not to hide them under a bushel.

If you are more on the reserved side and you don’t like attention, believe me, I get it. I don’t think you have to shout from the rooftops, “Hey, I have been given this talent!”

But, you can go on a treasure hunt looking for the talents that others have. Encourage them in their special giftedness, cheer them on, support them with resources or help them make connections.

Too often talents are hidden — but they are gifts: to our families, neighborhoods, communities, etc.

Honor the Giver by seeking out the gifts in others and sharing the gifts you have been given!

Blessings on your day!
Liz

In everyday life, we need friction. Here are just a few, simple examples:

Walking
Driving
Writing
Pushing a cart
Brushing hair

I have a tendency to think of friction as a bad thing. I think it’s because I am relational and when I think of friction it is most often in terms of relationships. And for some reason I categorize it as negative.

But, friction in relationships can:

• Improve verbal communication
• Overcome barriers to connection
• Increase empathy or understanding
• Demonstrate affection or respect more effectively

I am working on being thankful for friction. Of course, the physical aspects of it — what it allows us to do. All that is worth noting.

And also in terms of relationships. Friction can be a signal that something is amiss. And straightening that out is usually worth doing.

In general, friction isn’t always about conflict and I need to keep that in mind.

Are you experiencing some friction in your relationships? Is there a new way to look at it? Have you been asking God for wisdom and insight into potential resolutions?

Blessings on your day!
Liz

I am not sure why I fought AGAINST naps so much as a child because now I fight FOR them!

As I laid my head down for a short nap before noon on a day where I had not slept well the night before it occurred to me that I need more power prayers in my life.

Similar to a power nap, a power prayer is a short, focused opportunity to share with God a pressing concern. Power prayers can, ideally, punctuate our day!

Maybe there is a change in routine we can experiment with during a health crisis or some big event happening in someone’s life. It doesn’t need to take the place of regular prayer time, although it can. But maybe there is an alarm set or a daily event that can be also used for praying.

I know, I am not good at posturing my body for prayer. I don’t kneel, I don’t have a special place where I pray. I just talk to God throughout the day.

But this power prayer can be more intentional:

Every hour on the hour.
On a daily walk.
During break time.
Traveling to or from work.

The days seem to be flying by quickly now and there is no shortage of the need to pray. It is important to take and make the time to intercede for all the things that are happening around us!

Blessings on your day!
Liz

I always try to talk myself out of the easier path.

There are times when it isn’t even an option. But when it is, I find a reason to not let myself use it.

I am not sure why that is. I don’t think God expects us to do everything from scratch. And truly, I have a lot of “helpers” in my life compared to earlier generations.

Washing machine
Dryer
Microwave
Automobile
Computer
Indoor plumbing
Electricity
Heat/Air conditioning in my home and vehicle

The list is endless. And I am thankful for those things listed above and many more.

And there are enough difficulties in life that I don’t think I need to try to make all things difficult. These inventions have made my life easier.

But, the question is, easier for what?

Like, what am I doing with my time instead of all the time it used to take to do all the things like draw water from the well, chop the wood and feed the fire, walk or ride my horse to town, grow all my own things and preserve them?

What did I trade for?

Personal study? Personal enrichment? Time in God’s Word? Service to others? Creating?

I don’t know. I am not sure this life is better than that other life. It is different, that is for sure.

I think I just have to make sure that taking the easy path doesn’t mean I expect an easy life. Life with God can be many things, but easy isn’t one of the first things that pops into my mind.

I don’t even have to press the easy button very often — I have so much around me that makes my life easier. But, I will make sure I press the joy button — especially on those days when I am not “feeling it”.

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22

Blessings on your day!
Liz

Whether or not you like the time changes you have to accept them.

You probably need to make an adjustment on the clock on your stove or microwave or kitchen wall. And, you might have to change your wristwatch.

I can handle the switches. It is always nice to have extra light in the evenings in the spring and summer so I am probably partial to that. I also like more light earlier in the day in the winter. But I am at the stage in my life that it is not impacted too much either way.

I will admit that changes over multiple time zones can throw me for a loop for a few days. But, it is a price I am willing to pay for travel. Awareness of the challenge of “time travel” and accounting for it makes all the difference.

I have also done time travel and not even left my time zone. Remembering the past and getting a glimpse of the future is all a bit of time travel. It reminds me of what God has done and what He is still going to do. But, honestly, being right here and in the now is the most important place for me. I don’t want to get distracted from trusting God for my daily needs.

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:25-34 NIV

Indeed, each day has enough trouble of its own. But God is there.

Immanuel! God is with us!

Blessings on your day!
Liz

I have noticed when I am feeling “behind” I tend to dream about a huge idea and all the steps that can into it. And then I make it seem very insignificant or anti-climactic to just take the small step right in front of me.

And then I don’t take the step!

Gaaah! Why is that?

It isn’t that big ideas aren’t good. But those dreams or goals are built on many little steps. And those are the things that are directly in front of me. I am unmotivated to do them because they seem so insignificant, but they are not.

They are building blocks to the next level.

When I think of this in terms of my prayer life I think I need:

A big weekend retreat.
A schedule I do not waiver on.
A special place and all the things.
A new prayer book or Bible.
A sparkly new journal and smooth flowy pen.

None of those things are bad — in fact, they all have their place and can be very useful on the journey.

But, they can also be the thing that we are waiting for to get situated before we even get started.

Just a reminder, time with God does not require anything fancy. It just requires our presence. Don’t let some of those great resources get in the way of your time with God today. The most essential ingredients to a beautiful prayer life with you and God are you and God spending time together!

Blessings on your day!
Liz

We all have them.

Some things exceed our expectations. And some things do not match up.

From little things to big things, we all have expectations. And its not necessarily bad to have them. Even reasonable expectations can go unmet.

This is not how I thought my life (job, child, marriage, vehicle, retirement, ___________ – fill in the blank) was going to be.

And yet, here we are.

Of course, if something exceeds expectations, it’s awesome.

But, if we spent years dreaming about or Pinteresting our wedding, our career, our perfect home, our perfect children, and perfect life, things will fall short. Not to mention we can watch what everyone else is doing on IG and FB and feel like our corner of the world is falling apart.

And, even if we haven’t done that but have generally reasonable expectations, it can still be a shock to the system that things are not going how we kind of thought they would go.

I think it is important to notice that there is something that isn’t lining up. Adjust expectations where they can be and address the ones that are non-negotiable.

When I am disappointed by how things are going, I first acknowledge how I am feeling. Sometimes I go through a range of emotions like anger, sadness, frustration, or grief before I recognize that I am disappointed. Maybe a little hurt is mixed in there. I ask myself, “What is bugging me?”

Then I look at what I can do to make adjustments:

Am I expecting too much?
Am I expecting too little?
Am I off base altogether?

And then I ask God to show me what’s next.

If you have found yourself in a place where you are disappointed about the trajectory of the way things are going, check in with a few solid people and share your concerns.

Acknowledge your fears and frustrations, even if only to you and God.

And then talk with God about it more. Write it out. Speak it out. Whisper it out.

As you process your thoughts and feelings and pray about it, I trust God will give you His insight.

Blessings on your day!
Liz

Apparently I forgot to press “publish” on yesterday’s PrayerPoint so today you get two!

Wherever we are is a place where God’s work is happening.

You might dream of big adventures of serving God in foreign countries and those things might happen. But you can also faithfully serve God right in the spot you are in right now.

God’s work is always around us and the opportunity to be a part of it is, too.

Family, friends, neighbors — these are easy places to serve. Maybe not easy in the sense of the task but easy because these are the people right around us. If you keep your ears and eyes open you will certainly hear of or see ways to serve your family, friends, and neighbors.

Church and community — this is another close by and accessible. It’s not exotic, but I will guarantee you there are places to serve within your church and community.

Mission fields are all around us —

whether our bodies and minds are in top shape for physical serving, or
our finances can build in some monetary assistance, or
our hearts are available for listening, or
we have an extra meal we can share, or
we are intentional about encouraging and praying for others….
we are all here to serve one another and bring God’s good news to the people!

Have you recognized your experiences in life might have put you in the middle of a mission field? It may not have been a place you wanted to go or chose to be (death, illness, abuse, etc) but, as you walk through God’s healing process your heart can serve others who find themselves in similar circumstances.

What is your mission field? I would love to hear about it!

Blessings on your day!
Liz

I know that there is a future, I just don’t know what is in it. I have a good imagination, though.

And, sometimes, my imagination can get the better of me.

And so, I pray for what is to come.

There will be good, bad, and ugly. And only God knows what is coming into my life in the next week, next month, next year, and so on. My prayer is that He prepares me for the future by strengthening my connection to Him today. The experiences and insights I have today will be the wisdom gleaned for tomorrow. But, and mostly, it is the leaning on God for His peace, forgiveness, mercy, love, and grace and extending them to those in my circle. As I practice those things — and certainly imperfectly — I am letting God prepare me for my future.

The days to come will not need any less of God’s peace, forgiveness, mercy, love, and grace. It will surely only need more.

I will surely need more.