I like to have balance in my life. At least that is my intention when I make my daily To Do list. I want to cover all the bases, and I like ‘order,’ which could be translated as control. However, I don’t call myself a control freak.  I say I am responsible! I try to balance everything, including my relationship with the Lord. 

From the journal . . . . May 2002

… Lord, my work is very important to me but without Your blessing on it – it’s rubble.  So, as I strive to balance work and homelife, I need Your wisdom, strength, and peace.  Please show me the way.

And God said to me:

You are not alone.  Others have the same struggles.  They need to know that I am there.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
⁸ If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
⁹ If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
¹⁰ Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will lay hold of me.  (Psalm 139:7-10).

⁸ The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed (Deut. 31:8). 

Tune in to Me.  Practice being aware of My presence. Show love and acceptance to others. I will bring conviction. You don’t have to rebuke or criticize.   Just speak of Me, and your need and dependence upon Me. I will do the difficult work.

No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. (1Cor 2:11)

But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; . . . (John 16:13). 

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
²⁴ And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way (Psalm 139:23-24).

Church is different than school, but I’ll bless you in both.  You do not need to be ashamed before the people.  Walk in My ways and in My light. Always be open before Me.  Be wary of man, but always honest with Me.

When I wrote this entry in 2002, I said, “as I strive to balance work and homelife, I need Your wisdom, strength, and peace.”  Work and homelife were my pressing concerns but it goes without saying, I had to continually be intentional not to neglect my relationship with God, even when not included in my agenda.  Although I often do include Bible study, reading, and journaling to my daily to-do list.

The Lord’s response to me was so uniquely typical of Him because He pointed me to Himself. I asked Him to show me the way. He didn’t give me a map, He gave me Himself. He is the way! 

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me (John 14:6).