ONE THING… An invitation to journey with me.

“Love yourself as you love others. If you don’t care for your own needs, you’ll soon be unable to care for those who need you.” David Riddell

The other day I was talking to Sam, my sweet hubby, about the many woman Ive seen suffering from a level of burnout – or more correctly, as David Riddell defines “brownout”… the stage before burnout. Sam said to me “honey, lest make sure that look after you” and he asked me to list some ways I can practise self care. I haven’t achieved that list yet, because it opened up to me a world of study on the practise of self care in woman, why we find it hard, and what we can do to change it – from the inside out.

In my studies Ive been reading about the importance of vulnerability and connectivity. It makes sense to me, and yet practically as mothers, its one of the hardest things to achieve. In many ways we are connected because we are all in the same boat – and yet unless we are in a culture of strong community based relationships with extended family – it can also be a real challenge. I see that reflecting mostly on a sense of self care.

Jesus modelled that for us in the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10).. we often hear that story related to the busyness of life, over committing yourself – but as we delve into the cultural aspect of that story, there is the awareness that Martha was actually doing what was culturally expected of her, Mary, on the other hand, was doing what was not expected… sitting with the teacher, as a student, which was a role reserved only for men. Martha’s issue was not her ‘busyness’, but her distraction. And is it possible that God not only ministered encouragement to Mary, but also to Martha, when He said “You are distracted, there is need only of one thing”(10:41)

We sing in Church that song.. “One Thing”

We often imagine that finding our ‘one thing’ is in fact emptying ourselves… “If I could just do everything that is expected of me, than I could do this ‘one thing’. What is your “one thing”.

Have you ever stopped to consider that your “one thing” is not just being a shell of your capacity, but stepping into the FULLNESS of your capacity. Have you ever realised that when you step boldly into your giftedness, when you reserve time in your schedule for what you are called to, for the passion that burns in you, or even the passion that once burned and sits dimmed, that when you say ‘no’ to the expectations and demands and relationships that aren’t life giving and place boundaries around your life.. that you are stepping into your “ONE THING”. Whatever that one thing is in the now.. because your one thing will never stay stagnant.

Your one thing is your life- in Gods. Like that beautiful quote from Eric Liddell “When I run, I feel Gods pleasure”. When do you feel Gods pleasure? When do you notice the oxygen filling your lungs?

The thing with our “one thing”, is that it doesn’t happen outside of connectivity with other people in the body of Christ. We were born for community, we were born for the relationships which draw out the best of us, the ones who can encourage, correct, inspire and breath on the fire of who we are.

So over the next few months, I want to journey with you as we delve into finding our one thing as mums, as amazing woman, as we sit together at the feet of Jesus, saying “no” to distraction, and yes to finding out what He sees in us.

Come along for the ride!