Hi friends,
Today ends week 8 in Melissa’s online study. And after reading her blog in preparation for this post, I decided to take a different approach. Rather than giving you an assignment to do something in your home, I want to invite you to do some heart work.
I haven’t had a chance to speak personally with Melissa (although I will) but it sounds like it’s been a hard week for her. Maybe some of you are feeling that way too. And truthfully, it’s been a hard week for me too.
After an amazing time at She Speaks two weeks ago, I came home for a few days then headed out of town to be with my older sister after lung cancer surgery. Sadly, she had just received the devastating news that cancer was found in her lymph nodes. In the next month my sister will be facing an aggressive combination of chemotherapy and radiation that she is dreading.
It’s amazing how unimportant “things” get in that moment.
As I got ready to leave, my sister expressed her gratefulness that I came to visit in spite of how “busy” I was. Being a mom of five, my life is full. But I told her with all sincerity that she had moved to the top of my priority list.
Sometimes we need to get perspective. Yes, keeping our homes in order is important. But it can never be more important than people. And sometimes we need to reorder our priorities based on perspective.
Let me share how this works in my life. Seven years ago my niece Christa was killed in a car accident. It devastated our family. Once my grief subsided, perspective took it’s place. When one of our kids messes up (and my kids aren’t perfect!), we administer consequences, but we go next to perspective: They are still breathing! There is hope.
I get through hard times by keeping perspective. And I use past hard times to remind me of what’s important in this moment, and that guides my decision-making.
I hope you do find some tips from my book that help you be more productive, and have a more organized home and office.
But more than that, I hope you always keep perspective about what’s really important.
So, if you are feeling overwhelmed by demands, and are close to giving up – then take a break. Spend some time with someone you love. Call someone just because. Write a letter to your grandmother. Send your niece or nephew a box of goodies. Take your mom to lunch.
Remind yourself of what’s really important in this life … and it’s not things.
And speaking of that, I’m going to be taking a blogging break for a few weeks (except for next Friday and my last message as part of Melissa’s series) while I take my mother on a trip of a lifetime. She is a Sinclair by birth, and today we are heading to Scotland – just the two of us. I wanted to take her to the Edinburgh Tattoo, so we’ll be there next Tuesday night. I can’t wait!
Thank you so much for joining me today.
With deep love and gratefulness,
Glynnis
Thanking God for you & your ministry; praying for your sister & family.
hi there,
thank you, glynnis, for reminding us about perspective. and for allowing us glimpses into your own life&heart, and the choices you currently are making to keep things in perspective. praying for you that your heavenly Father will supply your every need so that you can do and be all that you are committed to do. continuing to pray along with you and the family for your dear sister and all that she is going through. may God bless your time in scotland (what a beautiful country, and lovely people!) with your mom; enjoy to the max! nothing quite stirs my soul like the sounds of bagpipes. God bless you! <3
Aawww thank you. I wish you could be sitting next to us at the Tattoo!
Thank you so much for your words, Glynnis. I am in need everyday of a “perspective check.” I want you to know that since I discovered your blog a few months ago, you have been a great encouragement to me, and I am so grateful for your ministry. Your sister and the rest of the family will be in my prayers. Wishing you a safe, fun-filled adventure in Scotland!
Hi Joni – thanks so much for your comment and for joining me on my blogging journey!
Blessings and prayers for your sister and your entire family. And God bless you and give you and your mom travel mercies. Your trip to Scotland is generous; your gift of time with her is worthy of a thank you that words can’t convey. Be safe and be blessed! And HAVE FUN!
Glynnis – thanks so much for the heart check, I needed these words today. I want you to know that I appreciate you and your teachers heart, you have made a difference in my life. Keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers..
We have had a busy couple of weeks here and at times it was a bit out of control, which is hard for me to deal with. However, because of how God has been working in me, I made progress towards not “pushing” things that could wait. I have taken the last few days “off” to deal with kids with colds. While it is frustrating to watch things go undone, I would not trade allowing my kids to feel love and care. This would not have been possible if God hadn’t spoken to me through you, Glynnis! I send prayers to your family for God’s peace and healing.
Glynnis, I just have to say how grieved I am for your sister’s struggles and agree with you about the perspective. We say the same thing in our home because we, too, have lost dear ones very young. However, don’t for a minute underestimate the scope and impact this study has had. For me it was, and is, a battle in my mind and heart…my home was already organized fairly well. I am copying here the comment I just put on Melissa’s blog. Please, please see how very special you are to us…
Melissa, by leading this study, you have taken territory that the enemy had captured and returned it to our God and Savior. You have participated in unveiling the lies of the enemy in the lives of many, of which I am one. You have an adversary. He is furious about seeing God’s own daughters have victory over his strongholds in the minds and hearts of all of us. Christian ladies normally do not succumb to the snares he sets for the world so he gets to us through fear, doubt, creating a sense of hopelessness that things will never change. He wants us to believe we can’t offer hospitality to God’s people and our neighbors who need Jesus because our homes are a wreck. He deceives us into being busy outside the home to the detriment of our families and ourselves, no clean clothes, no meals together, no peace in our hearts. He keeps our mind cluttered with the latest /greatest so that we forget the Forever and Best! The costs of serving our Forever and Best and Only God is that we get attacked by the enemy. But you have thousands of like-minded sisters fighting back on your behalf today…hooray for you Melissa, hooray for the territory we have recaptured for the Glory of God and the good of our families and ourselves through this Bible Study. May He keep you in perfect peace…knowing we love you…Someday I will meet you and all the others and we will rejoice together in body as well as spirit!
Glynniss..with tears let me say, “You will never know what God has done for me through this book and study.” God bless you, your mom and your sister during this season…
REPLY
What a beautiful testimony Suzi! Thank you so much for sharing this note with Melissa and Glynnis. I would never have imagined how much this study would impact my life in so many ways. And, there has definitely a significant amount of opposition on all fronts for our leaders. Your love, support, prayers and testimony shine the light of God’s promises and truths to the world and your study sisters. Blessings!
Suzi – all I can say is WOW. Oh, and AMEN! Well said, my friend. And thank you for your well wishes. I’m siting in the airport next to my mom right now and let her read this. After wiping the tears from her eyes, she smiled. So thank you for that too.
Love you!
Me too! WOW! Suzi, so beautiful and I so agree. This message of organization has been so much more than learning to be organized, it’s been life changing and freeing.
Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
“Remind yourself of what’s really important in this life … and it’s not things.” Such a simple sentence but so true. Thank you for writing about perspective today. It’s difficult to do that when we are hurting or see our family and loved ones in spiritual, emotional or physical pain. God wants us to lead a life that is steeped with love and how we prioritize our life can change based on outside circumstances. Thank you so much for reminding me of that today. I will be praying for your sister and her family. You give so much to others and I know that God will bless you during this time of rest. Thank you for sharing this season with all of us at Melissa Taylor’s Online Bible Studies. Your book has been a blessing to so many and I pray that your relationship with the Lord and with family will flourish during this time and in the seasons to come. In God’s Love.
Thank you, Kristi. You’ve been such a blessing to me and many others. May the Lord bless you richly.
Dear Glynnis, I have benefited greatly from your blog and your de-cluttering course, and your guest blogs. Thank you for your persistent witnessing to Truth and Love. And have the greatest time in Scotland with your mom. I loved my week in Scotland. You should feel right at home there, with a name like “Glynnis” !
Dear Glynnis,
You have blessed me so with this study and Melissa with the opportunity to lead a study with my dear sisters in Christ. Thank You! I will be praying for your sister, your family and for your trip to Scotland, I know you will have an awesome time!. Enjoy the precious gifts the Lord has blessed you with…
Warmly in Him,
Glynnis,
I love you my dear friend. You have taught me so much and been such a ever present caring friend to me, even though you live all the way across the country! Thank you.
I am praying for you and your mom, I remember you telling me all about this trip and I’m so glad it’s time to go! Soak up every single moment together in such a special place.
And thanks for the “heart” work this week!
love today’s lesson…I took it as “Organizing our Hearts – Day” It has been a rough week for me as well as everyone. So reading this blog this morning touched my heart….I need to stop and focus on what is important to me today and I need much more time with God today! My heart has been heavy and I realize now it has been because I am so stressed out at work. So I am focusing on God today and the ones I love.
I hope you all have a Blessed day ♥ and are able to feel relaxed! I am so thankful for this Bible Study.
Thank You Glynnis for this awesome book..it has done so much more than organize my home
Enjoy your trip and I will be keeping your Sister (and you all) in my prayers. My mother has Lung Cancer and all I can say is Trusting in God is what has helped my Mom and certainly has helped me.
We have a Mighty, Awesome and Beautiful God <3
Hi Lauren, I’m praying for your mother right now. I’m praying for her complete healing, and for God’s supernatural peace and faith to fill her … and you. Thank you for joining us on this study.
Glennis, I am new to this group. It has made such a wonderful change in my life and has spilled over to my husband as he has reaped joy in my new “Follow Through” rule. I am applying it to every area of my life and I can’t tell you how much energy it has given me and great feeling of accomplishment. Thank you for writing this wonderful book!
I am praying for your sister. I have three very close friends who just went through aggressive treatment for breast cancer and stomach cancer. They are a mother and two daughters! They went through a lot of trials but, praise God…they are in remission and all had their ports taken out recently just a month apart from each other. Be encouraged and stand on the promises of God. Your sister is an overcomer and healed by the stripes of our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray for strength and peace as she goes through treatment.
Hi Veronica – thank you for your prayers. And I’m so glad you joined this study. I’m honored to be part of what God is doing.
Thank you for doing this study with us. This is the first one I am actually completing with Melissa and I am finding community in this group of women who are so far apart in miles but so close in heart and spirit. I love your post today. I walked through a season where ministry, performance, and the illusion that everything was perfect took precedence over even my family. What a hard, exhausting, life-taking, relationship-stealing way to live. Sometimes it’s hard to know our captivity until we taste freedom. I thank God for His grace and mercy and for His Word that reveals truth and sets us free. I pray your time with your mom is blessed and your travels in Scotland exceed your (and her) greatest expectations. Also praying for a miracle for your sister. May God wrap His arms around you all and keep you close.
Shelly – I’m so glad you did this study. You have put into words exactly how I feel about a performance-driven life. The sad part is I didn’t know I was in it either, because it looks so “right.” That’s why I’m so passionate about getting things right in my heart. Thank you for your prayers – I’m so grateful to have sisters in Christ stand by me.
Love, Glynnis
Dear Sister, I’ve been praying and will continue to pray for your sister during this time. My mother dicscovered she had breast cancer early this year and immediately went through radiation. Thankfully, radiation was all that was needed at the moment. Praying for safe travels for you and your mother. You have many who are lifting you, your sister, and your family in prayer. Thank you for obeying His call to help us become more organized with our stuff so we could focus on what matters most…and like you said…it’s not stuff!
With love,
Heather Bleier
Hi Heather, I’m so sorry your mother went through that experience. It seems to touch all of us at some point and we are definitely all in this together. Thank you for your prayers – we all need God’s help. I’m praying for your mother this morning, that her body stays healthy and her spirit full of joy. Love, Glynnis
Thank You Glynnis, Melissa,Kristi Seat, for this awesome book,
❤Thank you all for reminding me of what’s really important in this life … and that it’s not things.
This heart work is definitely right now the most important part of my life, YES– it all happens in my heart.❤
Thank You Glynnis, Enjoy your trip and I will be keeping your Sister (and you all) in my prayers.
God Bless you all❤and Proverbs 31 Ministries
Michelle Cornthwaite❤
Michelle – thank you for sharing these thoughts, thanks and prayers. I appreciate it more than you can know.
Godly morning Glynnis. As our study winds down, I just want to thank you and thank God for what he has shown you. It has brought areas of my life that need addressing and Godly women into my life whom I never would have “met”, have never seen in person, and love dearly despite that. GOD BLESS YOU in your next adventure.
Cathrine – thank you so much! I’m honored to be a part of what God is doing.
Glynnis,
I am sorry about your sister’s battle with cancer.
Thanks also for this reminder of what’s important.
I appreciate your ministry,
Jennifer Dougan
http://www.jenniferdougan.com
Thank you for taking the time to write on this blog. I am truly blessed and encouraged by it. I am praying for your sister as well as your trip. May God bless you!
Thank you Glynnis for this amazing book! I LOVED it and it helped me in so many ways. I now am more conscious of finishing a project even if it is putting laundry away (into the drawers) and sweeping completely with a dust pan. My menu board that I made brings an abundant amount of peace to my life. Thank you.
This is the first book I was honored to be a leader for and it was amazing. I was privilege to have fabulous group of women whom prayed together and encouraged one another all because of you and their desire to get organized!
Thank you for your amazingness!!!!