Author: Megan Wurzelbacher

Faith/

Not My Plans

Back home and trying to get back to our normal routine. Getting all the things done today. Getting emails sent. Getting appointments set. Checking off my to-do list.

I’ve been reading through a Bible study on the book of Habakkuk called, Not According to Plan. As a type A, planning fanatic I struggle when things are Not According to Plan, especially not according to my plan. It drives me crazy, it stresses me out, it worries me, it exhausts me. Because I know this is a major weakness of mine I try to be very diligent in remembering God is in control not me. His plan is better than mine. He has the whole picture. I barely have the next paragraph let alone the ending. So I try my best to take everything to God first before I start on the path to create my plan. Obviously, it’s always easier said than done for me.

Reading about Habakkuk and how he cried out to God and then waited for His response is such a great reminder for me to do the same. I have felt like we are stuck in limbo lately with Korbin’s health. We have done test after test and we wait and we wait. We are waiting for the oncologist to officially review his PET scan. We have some answers but most of them we already assumed and they don’t yet put us on a clear path of answers, diagnosis, and treatment.

So I find myself in my least favorite place, the unknown when it comes to, Korbin. No deadlines. No appointments on the calendar. No next steps. Just waiting in the unknown. I feel like in this place of trying to make plans yet afraid they will just have to be canceled, if we get answers and direction. In this place where nothing is going according to plan. This place where our “normal” is being interrupted. Yet just like in Habakkuk I know that God knows every detail about the battle we are facing. He knows exactly How he plans to work things for His good.

This is a reminder for me and maybe you that God is in control. God knows the entire plan. He holds every single detail in His hands. We just need to remember who He is, cling to Him, and trust Him.

I read a quote that said, “Roughly half of Jesus’ miracles were interruptions. He had a plan. He had a destination. But He was interruptible. I wonder how often we miss what God is doing because we hold too tightly to our own plans.” – Unknown.

Time to be interruptible.

Faith/

New Seasons

As another year is coming to an end many of us start thinking about our goals for the new year. We start thinking of how we can improve our health, our financial stability, and our day-to-day life. Often we get so caught up in trying to think about how much better a new season will be that we forget to stay present in the moment.

I know I am so guilty of thinking about what is coming next, how much easier the next season will be as our kids get older and more independent, and how much better work will be if I just set new goals and work a little harder. But in reality, each season brings its own hardships. As the kids grow in independence, our struggles change, they don’t disappear. With four kids ages 6-13 I am pretty sure it never gets “easier”. I will never worry less about them. If anything, those worries get bigger with more at stake. As they become more independent, I lose the bit of control (or illusion of control) that I do have.

So for this upcoming year of 2024, my goals differ from usual. Instead of focusing on what is coming ahead, I am focusing on what is in front of me right now, in this moment. I am going to focus on what God is teaching me today. I am going to focus on how I am serving God today. I am going to focus on who my children are today. I am going to focus on what we are doing as a family today. I am going to focus on where God has placed me in my career and ministry today. I will make sure that I am not trying to strive but that I am actually thriving as a daughter of the king, a wife, and a mother.

Matthew 6:34 “Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (CSB)

~Megan

Faith/

Learning to Speak Life

As parents, we teach our kids to treat others how they want to be treated. We teach them to speak kindly to others. We teach them to make good choices. However, we often forget the greatest teaching comes from modeling the behavior.

We know the power of words. Words can build up and encourage or tear down and destroy. Unfortunately, as parents, we often become passive with our words or forget the weight of the power in them. Everything we say and how we say it becomes a part of how our children speak to themselves. This then affects how they view themselves as a person. It also dictates how they treat others.

We need to be sure we are practicing what we teach to our children. Our focus should be on building up our kids with our words instead of tearing them down. Although it is often unintentional, we can easily misuse the power of our words. Being the disciplinarians, we can forget there is more to parenting than just pointing out the mistakes and where they are going wrong.  

Speak life into your children by reminding them who they are to you. Let them know how much of a gift they are to you. Share scriptures or prayers with them that you have prayed for them. Tell them you love them. Show them you are proud of them by using encouragement in areas of their passions. Even if it’s just a coloring page for your budding artist, give them praise for their hard work.

Say positive affirmations over them each morning. Tell them to repeat them aloud. Create a special time for this in your morning routine. For example, use I am statements that your child can repeat to you; I am capable; I am intelligent, etc.…

Remind your child they were created on purpose for a purpose. Encourage their identity in Christ. Use scripture to back those affirmations up. Use those scriptures to pray over your child and you could even memorize them together. For example, the affirmation could be, “I have a purpose and God has a plan”. The scripture to back that up would be Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (NIV)

By speaking life over and into our children, we can break unhealthy family cycles. We can build strong family bonds while encouraging confident and fulfilled children to spread kindness into the world.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

www.MeganWurzelbacher.com

https://www.facebook.com/meganmwurzelbacher

Faith/

5 Strategies to Make the Most of Your Time With Your Kids

When we are in the thick of motherhood, we often find ourselves counting down the hours until bedtime. Motherhood is just as equally rewarding as it is exhausting. As a mom to four children ages 5 to 12, I can totally relate. As we have entered this new season of parenting older kids instead of babies and toddlers, I can see just how fast time passes by. I no longer have little ones to rock to sleep at night. Nightly bath time routines have changed to kids taking showers with no help needed.

This new stage of parenting has been fun and rewarding in different ways. It has shown me just how important it is to soak in every moment we have with our kids. To be intentional in our time, we have discovered we need to focus on making good memories in all we do. Here are 5 strategies to make the most of your time together.

  • 1. Keep time in perspective.

It is so easy to be caught up in feeling like the days are so incredibly long. But when we look back, we can see just how fast the years slip by. To keep time in perspective, create a legacy jar. We only have 936 weeks with our children from birth to 18 years old. From the birth of your child, fill a jar with 936 marbles and each week you remove a marble. As each week passes and the marbles diminish, you will see just how quickly time is passing by. When we have a visual representation of time, we can see just how little we have.

  • 2. Pick a lane.

Where are you going to focus your time as a family? You could choose to focus on school, sports, church, friends, extended family, nuclear family, or any combination of those things. We chose to focus on the six of us in our home and church. That means if we haven’t spent quality time as family during the week due to work or other obligations, we will spend the weekend with just the six of us. This means saying no to attending other events such as birthday parties or getting together with friends. 

  • 3. Set up a date night with each child.

Make sure mom and dad are individually taking each kid on a special date night or even to just run errands together. A mom and son trip to get ice cream, just the two of you. Dad and daughter run to the grocery together but stop for a special treat from the candy store on their own.

  • 4. Family fun night.

One night a week, maybe Friday, create a family fun night. Let the kids submit ideas of what that looks like for your family. Put it on the calendar and stay consistent. Play board games, watch a movie, have a s’mores night around the fire, have a dance party, anything that will engage the whole family. Put the phones away and focus on each other.

  • 5. Say no, less.

As a control-freak myself, I often find myself saying no to my kids’ request just because it was not part of my plan. I have to make an effort to say no, less. If the kids ask for a fun snack instead of grabbing something quick say yes. If the kids want to have extra play time, say yes and join them. Then watch their faces light up!

What strategies has your family implemented to make the most of your time together?

Faith/

The Journey to You Are

This week in our She Perseveres group, we are going to start talking about our identity. In 2018, I published a short devotional sharing my journey; You Are- Trusting God to Define Who You are. So I wanted to just share a brief glimpse into how that came about.

Just a few years prior to writing my book, I had found myself struggling with my role of wife, mommy to three little ones all under the age of 5, employee, and student. Unbeknownst to me, God was going to use this tough season to teach me some valuable and life-changing lessons.

I was working outside of the full time in a law office. I worked 8-12 in the office and then I would go pick up my three littles, go home and work from home 2-6. I was also homeschooling my oldest, who was in kindergarten. I was a brand new homeschool mom who never imagined that would be part of my journey. I was in graduate school full time. Yet I still felt like I just wasn’t doing enough. I was exhausted. My husband was working 2 and sometimes 3 jobs at a time during that season of our lives. We neglected our marriage, and it showed.

I felt like I couldn’t do enough at work to be the best at what I was doing. I felt like I should be working in a better career to make more money to help support our family. I felt like I was overqualified for my job. I felt like I wasn’t spending enough time with our kids when I was in the office or on the computer either working or working on my schoolwork. I felt like I could be doing so much more for homeschooling our oldest. I felt like he needed to try all the sports and activities so he could branch out and make friends. So we were spending some evenings at practices and games. I felt like my husband, Jason, and I barely engaged in simple conversation most days. Date nights were non-existent. Quiet time to just sit and talk as a couple was non-existent. Alone time for just me, non-existent. I was drowning, completely overwhelmed, physically touched out from little ones, and felt completely inadequate and guilty for it all.  

“I, like so many others, let the things others said to me, about me, and the experiences I had decipher who I believed I was at a young age. I felt inadequate, unpopular, unloved, alone, unworthy, and devalued”.

-Megan Wurzelbacher, You Are- Trusting God to Define Who You Are

I remember our church was hosting a women’s conference. We were still pretty new at the church and I didn’t know a single person. I knew no matter how awkward I felt; I was going to that conference. I saw it as an opportunity to take a break. Just for me. To get out of the house alone. I went all alone. I sat with complete strangers. I sat, and I listened to the woman on the stage speaking. It was like she had completely read my mind. Every word about how we often feel like we can’t measure up. How we feel like we can’t possibly be the best mommy for our babies. How we feel like we can’t balance it all. How we feel like we are letting at least someone down at all times. How we feel like will never be enough. How we feel like we are completely inadequate. So we stop. We stop trying. We stop showing up. We stop believing in who we are. We stop trusting in who God is. We stop and let the overwhelming feelings consume us. We stop and let the enemy’s lies hold us back.

That day, I so clearly knew God was calling me to share my journey with other women. He was calling me to share the real struggles. Because for the first time, I realized I wasn’t alone. I wasn’t the only woman struggling with these feelings. To stop hiding everything I was holding in. To open up and share what I was feeling like. To let my husband know why I was feeling so disconnected and touched out. To stop focusing on my success in a career when I should be focusing on the ministry within the four walls of my home. I knew I was supposed to be homeschooling and only focusing on that. Not on building a successful counseling career or going to law school like I had planned for the next step. I knew he had called me to minister to other women by being open about my journey and struggles. I just didn’t know how that was going to happen, what it would look like, or when it would start.

That year, I dived into scripture more than I ever had in my entire life. I did every bible study possible. Read every book about women’s bible study I could. I spent every free moment I had reading my Bible. If Jason or the kids were watching TV, I would get my Bible out to read. If the kids were napping, I would get my Bible out and read. If the kids were playing dress up and the laundry and dishes were piled up, I read my Bible. I had never felt so close to God up to the point of my relationship with Him.

A few months later, I lost my job. We had no idea how we were going to make it without my income. Then, God. An opportunity came up at Jason’s job for a promotion that required traveling. We sold our house and spent the next 5 years traveling on the road with him full time. It was during that time when God called me to write a devotional, sharing a glimpse of my journey for other women and specifically busy moms. The part of my journey he wanted to share was what I had come to realize was what affected every aspect of my life and every choice I had made up to that point: my identity. I had learned so much in the 3 years after that women’s conference about my true identity that it was time to share.

As seasons have changed, careers have changed, states have changed, and my relationship with God has continued to flourish, I have learned even more about my identity and the identity of Christian women. Now as I enter yet another season of life, God has called me back to something he stirred in my heart over 8 years ago, to coach women by starting with reminding them of who they are because of whose they are. I hope you will join me on this journey!

Faith/

Differently

Talking with the kids this morning and just feeling so incredibly thankful for a decision Jason and I made years ago.
A decision to do things differently.
Differently from everyone we know.
We decided our family would focus on God first and then us, what we call the Special Six.
We decided our marriage would be a priority above all other personal relationships, including our kids.
We decided love is a choice and one that we will continue to make, even when things get hard.
We decided to recognize life is short and every moment counts. Letting go of the small and petty things truly makes a difference. Always make good memories.
We decided we would talk to our kids in an age-appropriate manner without sugarcoating things or making them feel less than for being kids.
We decided the financial and career sacrifices of homeschooling compared to the extra 17,280 hours we get with our children are worth it.
We decided we would openly communicate with our kids about any and everything. No matter how awkward those conversations may be. No matter how small or how big the issue is, we will talk about it all.
We decided to keep our children safe by removing ourselves from situations and people we used to enjoy spending time with.
We decided to teach our children body safety, including the real names of all body parts. We placed rules in their lives to break generational abuse cycles. Even if that means the loss of family relationships. Even if they tell someone close to them, they don’t want a hug. We teach them that’s their choice and to do what makes them comfortable.
We decided to allow and encourage our children to speak about what is on their minds with us, with kids, and with other adults.
We decided to be the same people both in and outside of the home, always keeping it real.
We decided to teach them God’s word and what faith is, but more importantly, show them based on our own actions.
We decided to always be honest with our children and each other about everything.
We decided to create healthy boundaries within our own lives as well as our children’s lives.
We decided to do things differently regardless of how that makes others feel.
We decided to do things differently regardless of the opinions of others.
We decided to do things differently regardless of others’ dislike for our unconventional decisions.
We decided to do things differently regardless of the loss of relationships.
We decided to do things differently regardless of the lack of understanding from others.
We decided to be a healthy, loving, family that is focused on God and each other above all others.
Today I am so incredibly thankful that we decided.




Faith/

Relationship Not Religion

As we begin to dive into relationships, I feel it is very important to first start with the most important relationship we should all have as a part of our lives; the personal relationship we have with God. I grew up in a Christian home and attended church every chance we had. I was saved at a young age and thought I knew what being a Christian meant. It was not until years later that I finally began to understand the difference between being religious and actually having a personal relationship with God.

Over, the last 12 years, I have been on a personal journey to discover what being a Christian actually means. I have learned how to grow in my personal relationship with God. This has completely changed my life and, therefore, my relationships with others. As I continue to discover what God is calling me to do, one thing I know he has placed on my heart is to share with you how to develop your relationship with God. I want to share with you how you too can replace the check boxes of religion with having a true intentional and life-changing relationship with God.

I have an educational background in psychology and human services focused on marriage and family counseling. I also worked in Family Relations Law for over 7 years. God has been calling my focus back into that area of helping guide others in their relationships. Part of that includes creating courses to help coach and mentor others in the most important relationships of their lives; their personal relationship with God, their future spouse, their spouse, and their children.

Because we can’t work on any other relationship in our lives without first focusing on our relationship with God, that brings me to my first mini-course. I wish I would have had a relationship with God beginner’s course or being a Christian 101 when I first started on my own journey. That is what led me to create Relationship Not Religion-Having an Intentional Relationship with God and Understanding Salvation. Because I want everyone to have the opportunity to hear about Jesus and how to have this incredible relationship with God, this course will be available on my website and it will be FREE! I can’t wait to share with you all God has been teaching me and to see you grow in your faith. Be sure to subscribe on my home page and stay up to date to all that is coming, including the release date of Relationship Not Religion-Having an Intentional Relationship with God and Understanding Salvation.

-Megan

https://www.meganwurzelbacher.com/

Faith/

Learning About Relationships

One thing we all have in common is our need to have relationships. Whether you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert doesn’t matter. As humans, we all desire to have a relationship with others. We all crave those connections with others because that is exactly how God has created. God created us in His image just as He says in His word, Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.” (CSB) God himself also desires to be in a relationship with others.

God has always existed in a relationship as the Holy Trinity; God the Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Son. God also desires to have a relationship with us, His children. If God, the creator of all, needs relationships, then we should see just how important they are for our lives. We can see throughout scripture how relationships are an integral part of who we are. For example, Genesis 2:18 says, “Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding to him.” (CSB) From the very beginning, God knew it was not good for us to live this life alone.

Now we know we were created to need them, but do we know exactly what that means? What constitutes a relationship? What does relationship even mean? I think the first thing we think of when we hear the word relationship is of a romantic relationship with someone; like a date or a spouse. But according to the American Psychological Association Dictionary of Psychology, a relationship is, “A continuing and often committed association between two or more people, as in a family, friendship, marriage, partnership, or other interpersonal link in which the participants have some degree of influence on each other’s thoughts, feelings, and actions…” (ASA Dictionary, 2023). Our relationships include all the interpersonal connections we have with those closest to us.

The difference between the relationships God has with us and the relationships we have with others is that we are not perfect. As humans, we live in a broken and fallen world, therefore; we have broken relationships that make these much-needed connections complicated at times. There is no perfect relationship on this side of Heaven. No matter what type of relationship we are looking at, we can quickly see they all definitely take work and patience.

The best way to build meaningful and lasting relationships is also to set boundaries. Though we will save the topic of boundaries for another day, it is very important to note that they are an integral part of having healthy and thriving relationships. It is important to note here that unhealthy relationships happen and no matter what type of relationship it is (born into or chosen) just because we are Christians we are not supposed to stay in those types of relationships.

Because of the role relationships should play in our lives, I will be sharing some helpful tips on how to create new relationships, mend broken relationships, walk away from toxic relationships, and start thriving in your existing relationships. As we begin to dive into relationships, I am looking forward to sharing what God has placed on my heart and look forward to this next part of the journey.

Megan Wurzelbacher

https://www.meganwurzelbacher.com/

 

Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®,

“Relationship.” American Psychological Association Dictionary, American Psychological Association, https://dictionary.apa.org/relationship . Accessed 10 Feb. 2023.

Uncategorized/

Organizing Our Lives Around God

For those of you who don’t know me, I should probably tell you a little about my personality first. I am a Type A planner full of some major ADHD and maybe a few OCD tendencies. For, example when I’m watching a Netflix show, I can’t just watch one episode. I am always binge-watching the entire thing no matter how many seasons or how many hours of sleep I lose out on because again my sweet ADHD induced insomnia, Type A brain just needs to know how it ends and I can’t sleep anyway so I might as well just stay up all night and watch the whole series. One of the shows I have binge-watched is The Home Edit. Have y’all watched it? I am seriously obsessed with the show and all their products. The Home Edit is a company that was started by two women, Clea and Joanna, who love to organize. They became famous after going viral on Instagram with pretty pictures and they organize celebrity homes. They want to make sure that the spaces in your home are efficient, user-friendly, and aesthetically pleasing. They start by cleaning out the space either a closet, a pantry, a refrigerator, or a garage etc. obliterating everything. They then purge anything you do not need and donate things that can be reused which is the edit stage. Then anything that is staying gets organized by category. They bring in their team that will add shelving, baskets, drawers, and these little nice clear bins that are all labeled. They then arrange everything in rainbow color order so it looks pretty.

After watching the Home Edit the entire series, you know at once obviously; I had to completely redo our house. The first place I started was our refrigerator. I hate a messy fridge and especially if it has anything expired in it. My mom is here and can attest to the fact I will show up at your house and if I get something out of the fridge and it’s a mess, not in order, or has anything expired I will clean it out for you no shame at all it is just something that needs to be done. So, the fridge was naturally where I needed to begin my own Home Edit. I then just had to go to one of my favorite places, the giant TJ Maxx Home Goods combo in Pensacola this is not a sponsored ad I am not getting paid to tell you this but if you have not been you are just not living your best life, so I highly recommend you go! I went to my favorite place, and I loaded my buggy with all the clear plastic bins I could fit in our refrigerator. Bins for fruits, vegetables, cheese, butter, kids’ snacks, eggs, and a little spinning container for condiments. I mean, I went all out. Go home and I must hand wash all these bins because, of course, they are not dishwasher safe. That would be way too easy. Get my fridge looking amazing and pleasing to all my OCD tendencies and just like Joanna and Clea from The Home Edit team would do it. However, what this show forgot to film was how after spending all this money and time buying, hand washing, and organizing these cute little bins, I have now created so much more work for myself.

You see, we have six people in our family, and we homeschool we eat at least 2 meals a day at home not including snacks and second breakfast. Second breakfast is a homeschool thing for those who have never homeschooled. This is where if the kids eat breakfast before 8 AM they then very desperately need a second breakfast by 10 AM because they are starving and I am a terrible mother if I do not feed them again. We are home eating every single day literally all day long. Y’all I could go to the grocery every day and still not have enough food in our house.

Now my cute little bins are cute empty bins. I now have to handwash those bins again before I can fill them up with more food because little hands have touched them, spilled things on them, put cracked eggshells back in them. I realized if I never would have bought these cute little bins and if I just had the regular old Piggly Wiggly squeaky foam egg carton, my eggs would be gone and I would walk that not so cute piece of foam straight to the garbage can and that would be it. No more extra work. Just throw away the empty egg carton.

But no, thanks to The Home Edit Team getting all in my head and my brain being completely satisfied by the aesthetically pleasing organization in my fridge I’m over here handwashing 50 plastic cute bins before I can unload $500 worth of groceries back into them each and every week! 

Now these bins have created so much more unnecessary work for me. Guess what even though I know that without a doubt I have added more work for myself you know what I’ll be doing in the middle of the week this week when I run out of groceries again, that’s right handwashing 50 cute bins plastic again. It’s complete insanity. What if I told you we actually are doing the same thing in our relationship with God?

When Lauren asked me if I would pray about speaking at this event, I had no idea what I was going to talk about.  I asked her to pray about what I would share with you tonight and I started praying. But no, God didn’t lead me to just talk about my ADHD induced insomnia, Netflix binging, and OCD organization issues. But he did lead me to start thinking about something he has been showing me in my own life recently.

Because I am a total planner, which is really just a nice way of saying I am a total control freak. I want everything in my life to be organized and separated into categories that, just like my fridge, I can place in their bins and boxes and have everything the way that I want them. I started to realize that I was doing the same thing with my faith and my relationship with God. Maybe you have been doing the same thing too without even noticing.

Now I am not saying that God doesn’t like organization because he does. Throughout the Bible, we see God using organization, rules, and procedures. Specifically, in Exodus chapters 35-39, we read about the Israelites being obedient to God’s instructions to Moses about the tabernacle. Moses received these instructions during his first 40 days on Mount Sinai. There were specific instructions for the materials that were to be used for the tabernacle. Specific instructions on where to put everything in the tabernacle. In chapter 39 verse 43, we even see that Moses inspected their work, “Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord had commanded. So, Moses blessed them”. Then in chapter 40, God commanded Moses to set up the tabernacle according to his organized plan and in his specific time.  

Chapter 40 verse 1-5 says, “Then the Lord said to Moses: 2 “Set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, on the first day of the first month. 3 Place the ark of the covenant law in it and shield the ark with the curtain. 4 Bring in the table and set out what belongs on it. Then bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. 5 Place the gold altar of incense in front of the Ark of the Covenant law and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

These instructions God is giving continues through verse 15 on exactly how God wants them to organize and set up the tabernacle.

Verse 16–17 continues with, “16 Moses did everything just as the Lord commanded him. 17 So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month in the second year.

These are not your basic instructions. They are very detailed, making sure everything is in the right place at the right time.

Then, in verse 34, we see God carrying out his plan for the Tabernacle and why those instructions were so important.  

34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

36 In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; 37 but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. 38 So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.

The last verse, 38, is showing that now as the Israelites continue to travel forward in their journey, they are not doing it alone they are doing it with the guidance directly from God. Though, God uses organization, rules, procedures. But that’s not what is most important to him. Our desire to be obedient, our relationship with Him, and our intentions in that relationship are more important so we can carry out his plan. Just like the Israelites, we need to follow his instructions and his organized plan, but we need to be doing it with the right intentions of glorifying him.

You see, what I came to realize was I was organizing my relationship with God. I was placing him in a box. I had God in a Sunday bin, a Wednesday box, a with my Christian friends’ box, a during homeschool bin, its Bible study time bin, my I’m having a bad day prayer box. Just like my Home Edit bins, I have been creating more unnecessary work for myself by separating God from all areas of my life. I have made things harder for myself, which ends up in me being more stressed out. Which affects my husband, my children, my family, my friends, my business, and everyone around me. It even affects me carrying out God’s plan of sharing the gospels with others. Generally just making everything harder. Though it was not on purpose once I realized what I was doing, I knew I needed to be more intentional in not placing God in a box.

 We should be organizing our lives around God instead of God around our lives. Everything we are and everything we do should be for the glory of God. We are specifically given those instructions in 1 Corinthians. Starting in Chapter 10 verse 23, 23 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. 24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.

Then verse 31 through 33 continues 31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God — 33 even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

Do you remember that little highlight reel introduction I gave… I am married, I am a homeschool mom of four children; I am a writer; I am a property manager, and I am a realtor. Ladies I know you are like me with every role possible weighing on you. We are a room full of wives, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, friends, sisters, granddaughters, nurses, teachers, chefs, chauffeurs, maids, and the list goes on. We have calendars packed with appointment and activities galore and we do not have time to be washing any extra dishes or making any kind of extra work for ourselves that are not necessary! The same is true of our relationship with God. We are missing out on opportunities to share His Gospel with others when we are making extra work and placing him in neatly placed boxes. That is exactly what 1 Corinthians 10 is showing us. We should be do everything for God’s glory. That means he should be in everything. We should be presenting him in every part of our life so those who do not know Him can see Him in us.

We need to stop trying to plan, control and organize every part of our lives while keeping God in a separate box that we only open on church days. We shouldn’t be trying to make our lives look more like everyone else. We are called to put God in everything and let him completely transform our lives, so the way we live our lives looks different from the rest of the world. Romans 12:2 says, 2 Do not be conformed to this world, [a] but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. [b]

We should be taking God out of the box and everything we do and who we are is all for Him. If we are putting God in every aspect of our lives and he is our priority, we will look different. When we look different and people say, hey what’s your secret? How have you been married for 40 years? Why do your teenage kids want to hang out with you on the weekend? Why is your business successful, yet you’re not sacrificing family time? How are you balancing it all? Why are you not falling apart after everything you have been through? That’s our perfect opportunity to share the gospel with others. That’s when we say it is not a secret it’s all God. That’s when you share your hardest of days and say but because of God, I made it through. Because everything we are doing is for Him and His glory.

I had been a stay-at-home mom for about 6 years when we moved here. After a lot of prayers, I decided to go back to working outside of the home but not in the career field I was familiar with and, of course, not what I have multiple degrees in either because that would just make too much sense. I started something brand new and began my real estate career. Working in a new career that is highly based on having connections, relationships, and referrals in a new state where you don’t know anyone is hard and beyond frustrating. But I knew this is what God was leading me to do. I stuck with it. I have been able to grow my business while still homeschooling our children, and it has truly been a blessing. But not without hard work and a lot of God.

With social media and everything available on the internet, you can find online master class courses, downloadable e-books, Facebook groups, podcasts, and YouTube videos on just about anything you would want to learn. As an avid learner, I was listening to podcasts, YouTube videos, taking all the online training classes I could to continue learning about real estate. I came across a Podcast called the Prosperous Agent,  but this one was different from all the others that had been recommended to me. This was for realtors who are believers and want to put their faith and family before their business. There was a guest speaker on his podcasts this day. Her name is Heather Shriver Burns, and she is an entrepreneur her podcast is called Seek First CEO and she shares her journey about owning businesses and putting God first in everything she does in her business. After listening, a light bulb went off. I started praying and doing my bible study and I knew it was God’s way of telling me; I needed to take him out of the box. I was keeping him in this separate box and not including him in my business because that’s what business experts tell you to do. You know, like you’re not supposed to include God in your business, because what if it offends someone? I could lose clients if I am sharing about God on my business, social media or in conversations with clients. But God was showing me how wrong that was. I mean who better to turn to and give me direction on how to grow and run a business than the one who created me, who created this business, who gave me the ability to work in this business, who allows me to meet with people I never would have met outside of this business, who I can then share the gospel with. If we should be doing everything for His glory, that includes all of our roles, even our jobs.

We have self-help books, conferences, parenting books, and relationship seminars, all these things set up to help us and guide us which are all great tools but if we are not taking God out of our little church box and covering those things with His word and wisdom, then none of those other things will help us. We should be opening his word and leaning into our prayers daily when we need advice, encouragement and support, or help in our marriages, our parenting, our friendships, our relationships, our education, and our business.  

My husband and I have talked about how sometimes with our human way of thinking we feel like God has so many things, so many people, and much bigger things to worry about than our little problems. So we don’t take those things to God. We feel like those small things are not necessarily something he needs to worry about. For me, I didn’t think God needed to worry about how many clients I had this month. Because I had this separation of God in a box, my business in a different bin, then over here my parenting in a box, my marriage in a bin, my homeschooling in a box. But in reality, we are to take all things to him. What we often don’t realize is when we don’t include him in everything, we are discrediting who He is and the power that we have through his gift of the Holy Spirit.

His word instructs us in John 14:15-17 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

We should be taking everything to the foot of the cross and laying it all out before God and praying for His guidance and discernment. Why not present my life to everyone just as it is with God as the priority and his role in my business, my parenting, my marriage, my homeschooling, my relationships, and every single aspect of my life? I started to feel like maybe God is trying to show me I need to step out of the way and step up and obey. I needed to take God out of the box.

The first week that I wrote down all of this and my prayers and my bible study notes for how I was going to start making these changes and take God out of the box and incorporate him into everything no matter how insignificant I thought they may be. I started to feel less frustrated with work. I started getting more business. I started noticing more opportunities to share my faith and, therefore, the Gospel with both strangers and friends alike. I continued to feel God pushing me out of my comfort zone to start sharing more of my life through social media and videos, which are way out of my comfort zone. Our family just started a YouTube channel which we are sharing everything about Faith, Family, Homeschool and Real Estate because that is what I feel God has called me to do. To use every area of my life to share Him with others to share what he has done and continues to do for our family. Again, that verse 1 Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. When we take God out of the box and cover our lives with his presence, his plan can unfold just the way it’s supposed to and we all know His plan is always better than ours.

Now please do not leave here and go tell my husband that my Home Edit show and organization issues have misled me. Because my brain honestly is just so happy with all those bins and organizing techniques. I will continue to handwash all the bins. But I will not continue to place God in a box. Don’t you just love how God can use anything, even a Netflix show about organization, to teach us a lesson that applies in all areas of our daily lives? So ladies let’s start tonight take God out of the box, let go of that control, and don’t cause more work for yourself and let’s step out of the way and step up and obey while we are doing everything for God’s glory.

Thank you, ladies. Let’s Pray together.

Dear God,

We thank you for the reminders that we need to take you out of the box we have placed you in and place our priority in you in everything we do and in everything we are. I pray that you would open our eyes to the opportunities you have laid before us to continue to share your word with others so that they can hear the Gospel and accept your gift of salvation. Father, I pray if there is anyone here tonight that needs to take that first step in deciding to have a relationship with you that they would lay it all down at the foot of the cross and reach out to any of the ladies here on our women’s ministry team or someone sitting at their table to ask them for support and guidance in that decision. Continue to remind us that nothing is too big or too small to bring to you. We thank you that just like the Israelites we know we are not alone in our journeys and that we have you as our guide. I pray Lord that you would bless each woman here tonight in her walk with you as we grow individually and collectively as a community of Godly women. I pray that we will be reminded to do everything for you and with you.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Faith/

Trust and Obey

Growing up in a Southern Baptist church I am familiar with all the old hymns. As I have grown older I prefer more contemporary praise and worship songs but some of those old hymns still have a special place in my heart. One of the songs I sing to myself as a reminder is Trust & Obey. As a type A planner/control freak I am constantly fighting the battle of my pride thinking I’m in control versus knowing I should humble myself and submit to God’s plan completely. This old hymn is my reminder to know the only way to submit and follow Jesus truly is to humbly trust and obey Him as well as His plans, not mine. Let’s take a moment to just read through these powerful lyrics,

 

“When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,

 What a glory He sheds on our way!

 While we do His good will, He abides with us still,

 And with all who will trust and obey. 

(Refrain:)

 Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

 To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

 Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,

 But His smile quickly drives it away;

 Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,

 Can abide while we trust and obey.

 Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,

 But our toil He doth richly repay;

 Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,

 But is blessed if we trust and obey.

 But we never can prove the delights of His love

 Until all on the altar we lay;

 For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,

 Are for them who will trust and obey.

 Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,

 Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;

 What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;

 Never fear, only trust and obey.”

Songwriters: D. B. Towner, J. H. Sammis. For non-commercial use only.

 

My go-to lines for my daily (mostly multiple times a day) reminders are, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”. It does not get much clearer than that. There is no other way to make it through this life without completely trusting God’s plan. His plan for all is to obey His Word and take action to spread the Gospel. God as our creator knows us better than we know ourselves therefore his plan for us is better than anything we can ever imagine.

 

If you’re struggling to trust in who God is and that he will work all things for our good even during those difficult seasons of life think of this song and lean into your faith. Write scriptures on post-it notes, in your journal, on your notes app, or even as a screen saver to remind you of his trustworthiness and goodness. Here are a few verses to get you started.

 

  • Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”( ESV)
  • Psalm 37:4-6 “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.” (ESV)
  • Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (ESV)

Spend time in prayer asking God for guidance and trust as you fully submit to His plans. Build that trust and take that leap of faith. Don’t miss out on the goodness He has for you because of the fear the enemy has planted in your mind. Trust and Obey with complete confidence in who our creator is and what he has called you to do then watch as his goodness overflows into all aspects of your life.

-Megan

Blog – Megan Wurzelbacher

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