As an introvert, I recharge by spending time by myself. If I don’t have regular alone time, I get cranky and overwhelmed. I have to set aside this “me time” in order to be at my best. Matthew is the exact opposite. A true extrovert, he regains his strength by being around crowds. Being alone drains and depresses him.
Keeping fit also helps clear and sharpen my mind and gives me lasting energy throughout the day. Six days a week, I pop in an exercise video or hop onto the elliptical machine for thirty minutes.
Of course, you can’t spend more time doing these things than what you have prioritized. I love watching cooking shows because they relax me. I TiVo them so I can cut out the commercials. But I know there will be days when I have to turn off the television altogether because getting to bed earlier will make me more efficient at tackling the next day’s priorities.
You Can Find a Balance
I understand that in today’s world, balance is a commodity many of us believe we cannot afford. Women often feel pulled in every direction, stretched to the point of no return, running a hundred miles an hour, only to crash and burn at the end of the day. I don’t believe God designed us to run ourselves ragged so that we begrudgingly serve Him. When God calls us to do something, He will equip us to get the job done.
I try to emulate the godly woman described in Proverbs 31. She is a woman of faith, of virtue, of integrity. She takes care of her family and her health. She is a wise steward of her time and finances. She is charitable and hardworking. The writer doesn’t say that she served others at the expense of her own health, or that she took care of her family but ignored everything else. She had an appreciable amount of responsibilities and was able to balance them appropriately.
Serving others is more than something the Bible commands us to do. It is, in fact, a blessing that will not only change those around us, but will also make a difference in our own lives. Find your place, whatever season of life you’re in, and help those in need. You’ll never regret it.
Taken from Willing to Walk on Water by Caroline Barnett. Copyright © 2013 by Caroline Barnett. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. The book will be released April 1. Caroline Barnett has a passion for inspiring women of the church to find their God-given cause. In her role at the Dream Center, Caroline has changed people’s lives through a wide range of outreach ministries—from starting a food truck ministry that currently feeds over 50,000 people each month, to founding Project Prevention, a foster care intervention program designed to assist families facing the threat of separation due to issues of poverty.
