Category: Faith

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Family

Christmas this year was bittersweet. After our Christmas Eve service at church, we drove down to Lincoln, Nebraska to spend the holiday with our family. For the last couple of years, all four of our kids have been there. Erin and Ayden bought a house and welcomed Halston, Clarke, and Foster into their family. Allison has her own apartment. Blake and Dylan share one. It has been so convenient to make the trip to Nebraska and visit all of them on the same trip.

Here’s a picture of all of us:

Here we all are on Christmas morning – 2024 (left to right: Gary, Allison, Robyn, Foster, Blake, Ayden, Halston, Dylan, Erin, Clarke)
I liked this candid Erin took while we were starting to line up for the photo.

It was fun to watch the kids open their presents, exchange a few gifts among the rest of us, and do our annual ornament exchange. The rest of the day was spent eating yummy foods and relaxing. After the kids were in bed, we watched a movie together.

On Thursday, Ayden was nice enough to stay home and watch the kids while the six of us went and did an escape room together (Blake’s gift to us). It was really fun!

We made it out with twenty minutes to spare!

I have to admit, I’ve shed a few tears over the last couple of days. I look at two-month-old Foster and enjoy his smiles and cute facial expressions, and then I tear up because I won’t get to hold him as much in the months ahead. Erin and her family are moving to Delaware very soon. There are boxes and lists everywhere around the house. I’m happy for them because they’re going to have an adventure and experience new things, but I’m sad for us because they won’t be as close.

Maybe they’ll end up back in the Midwest after some time on the East coast, but we just don’t know. Thank goodness for video calls. We can stay in touch and still see the grandkids often.

So, that’s where my heart has been recently. I’m thankful that we’ve had the chance to get together with all of the kids quite often in recent years. We love all of them so much!

With this big change looming, it’s been hard to focus on all of the good things that happened earlier in the year. But lots of good things did happen.

I published my book Staying Away from the Edge: Help and Hope for Living after a Mental Health Diagnosis in February. I finally got the ebook version finished and uploaded on December 14. Both are available at Amazon (you can get the paperback version at other booksellers, too). That was a big accomplishment, and I’m praying it can help other people who are dealing with mental health challenges. I have my own ups and downs with that, but I know what I have to do when I start struggling. I’ll never give up, and I want to encourage others with my book, my blog posts at robynmulder.com, and my free Facebook group and podcast (Catch Your Thoughts with Robyn Mulder).

Gary and I had the chance to visit the UK for our vacation this year. It was so much fun to explore England, Wales, and Scotland. Gary did a great job driving on the “wrong” side of the road. I think my favorite experience was visiting The Jane Austen Centre in Bath, but we visited so many other interesting places.

I attended the Vision Christian Writers Conference at Mount Hermon in California on Palm Sunday weekend. I connected with so many other writers and learned from wonderful speakers. I also got to go ziplining with a group of friends. So fun! I’m looking forward to going back again in 2025.

In June, I did a workshop about working with an editor at the Cedar Falls Christian Writers Conference. It went well, and they asked me to come back and do another workshop in 2025. Such a great conference! It’s limited to about 35 participants, so you really get a chance to connect with the speakers and other attendees.

In September I did a month of short live videos on my Facebook page. The theme was “Thirty Days of a Life Worth Living” because September is National Suicide Prevention Month. It was fun to talk about a different reason each day and encourage people to think about their own reasons for living.

I enjoyed it so much that I decided to do something similar in November. “Thirty Days of Thankfulness” was a chance to share some Scripture and a poem every day. You can check out both of those series on my Facebook page (and I also uploaded them to playlists on my YouTube channel).

I hope you have had a wonderful 2024. As we end the year, take some time to think back on all of the good things that happened to you. Celebrate your accomplishments, mourn any losses, and give some thought to how you want 2025 to go. Setting a few small, realistic goals now might give you some focus and direction as you begin the new year.

I’d love to hear from you. Tell me about something you enjoyed in 2024, or share a goal you have for 2025.

Enjoy your family, and thank God for each of them (I know I do). I’ll wipe away quite a few more tears, I’m sure, before (and after) Erin and Ayden and the kids make their move in January. But I’ll also smile when I see their faces on frequent video calls, and I’ll give everyone a big hug whenever I get to see them in person.

“As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.” (Psalm 103:13 NIV)

Were you able to spend time with your family for Christmas? Whether they’re near or far, make the effort to stay in touch. How can focusing on God help you to love your family well?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Getting into the Spirit

It took me a while to get into the Christmas spirit this year. I just didn’t feel like digging out the artificial tree and some decorations. Our kids don’t come to our house over the holidays—we go down to Lincoln, Nebraska to visit all of them. It didn’t feel like it was even worth it.

I waffled back and forth for a couple of weeks. Should I or shouldn’t I? After I mentioned it at church, a friend encouraged me to put up our tree. And then she asked me about it every time I saw her. That was motivating. I didn’t want to disappoint my friend, and I also knew that we would enjoy the decorations once they were up.

So on Monday I hauled the boxes up from the basement and set the tree up. The lights went up on Tuesday, and by Wednesday I could send a picture of our tree to my friend. Mission accomplished!

I did enjoy hanging up each ornament. Many of them have sentimental value and I could remember the friends who gave them to us, or which ones our kids or another relative had made.

I hung a “Noel” decoration on the front door, and then I found a place for other decorations, like my three Santa mice.

The gold angel and miniature Christmas tree and manger scene went on the piano.

And I really enjoyed unwrapping each piece of the beautiful nativity scene my grandma gave me one year. It reminded me of the reason for this special season. It’s the birth of Jesus. How could I not want to celebrate that?

I’m glad I spent some time decorating, even though I felt like I had tons of other things to do. It’s part of the holidays, and I wouldn’t want to miss it.

Christmas is less than a week away. There’s still plenty to do, but my heart is full of the love that we feel at this time of year. I’m resting in the love God has for me. He loves me so much…he sent his Son to this world to live and die just for me. Because God loves me, I can love others, and I’ll try to do that as we celebrate Christmas very soon.

I’m glad my friend urged me to decorate. I’m finally getting into the spirit of Christmas!

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” (Isaiah 9:6–7 NIV)

Are you in the spirit of Christmas yet? What are you waiting for? Here’s your friendly reminder to do something “Christmasy” in the next few days. You’ll be glad you did. How can focusing on God help you get into the Christmas spirit?

P.S. – Come back next week if you want to see a family picture and a Christmas letter. I plan to do that while we’re down visiting the kids if I can get everyone to sit still for a few minutes for a photo. You can sign up to get an email reminder with the form on the side – or if that doesn’t work, send your email address to me at robyn @ robynmulder.com and I’ll add it manually.

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Thankfulness

It’s the first day of November, and I’m going to focus on thankfulness this month. Of course, being thankful every day of the year is important, but maybe if we practice extra hard this month it will be easier all of the other days.

As someone who deals with mental health challenges (depression and anxiety), it’s especially important for me to watch what I’m thinking. Too much negativity can really cause me to spiral down into depression.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t believe we can just think our way into better mental health, but positive thinking can be part of our plan for maintaining emotional wellness. Being thankful just might bring us more peace and joy. (But don’t forget about counseling, medications, and a great support group like Fresh Hope.)

I’m going to be doing a daily Facebook live video every day this month. After it gets recorded, I’ll add it to a “Thirty Days of Thankfulness” playlist on my YouTube channel. I invite you to check out one or the other and let me know in the comments what you think about thankfulness. Consider starting a list of things you’re thankful for this month and see how many things you can write down.

Showing thankfulness to others could also be helpful. Write a letter to someone you’re grateful for. Tell them how much they mean to you. It will make their day! Take a minute to really thank the waitstaff or store clerk after they’ve served you. They probably don’t receive enough thanks for the job they do.

In my Facebook live series this month, I plan to share a Scripture verse and a poem every day. I won’t post all of them here on my blog, but I’ll let you read the ones I shared today (you can check it out on Facebook or YouTube if you’re interested in the ones I’ll share the rest of the month).

Here’s my poem:

Lord, I don’t feel very thankful today

Life is busy and my anxious thoughts get in the way

Help me focus this month on the blessings I receive from you

If I’m going to find the strength to persevere, that’s really all that I can do

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” (Colossians 2:6–7 NIV)

Is it time for you to practice being thankful? What are three things you’re thankful for today? Write them down somewhere and keep adding to the list. How can focusing on God help you feel more thankful?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on What Really Matters

We’re almost two weeks into a new year and I’m realizing that my focus is all messed up. (Having a blog with mostly “Focus Friday” posts, you’d think I’d have this figured out by now, wouldn’t you?) Keep in mind that I’m not trying to shame myself (or you!) as I explore this topic. We just all need a reminder to get back on track once in a while.

My heart was stirred about this several times in the last couple of weeks, but I haven’t taken the time to write about it, or even think more deeply about it, until now.

The first time it happened was in church last Sunday. Gary preached a sermon from Matthew 6. “What Do You Treasure Most?” was the title. (You can watch it by clicking here.) As he spoke, I felt myself pondering the things I treasure. Of course I love the Lord, but lately my focus seems to be on too many earthly treasures.

Then in Sunday school we watched a video featuring J.D. Greear, talking about Romans 2. He said so many good things, but what bothered me was the idea that we can do all the “right” things, but if our hearts are far from God, it all means nothing. I wondered if my heart was really in the right place. From the outside, it probably looks like it, but I know the struggles I have with loving certain people or having the right attitude when I’m doing those “right” things.

And then I went through this week. On Sunday, I said I was going to be working on formatting my depression book, getting it ready to publish on Amazon KDP pretty soon. It’s now Friday evening, and I haven’t started yet. Why? Because I’m scared. Of what? Of the unknown.

I’ve never done something like this before, so it’s scary. I think I can figure it out, but taking that first step has felt impossible all week. So, I’ve found all sorts of ways to avoid it.

I went swimming most mornings. That was good for my physical and mental health, but I could have shortened my workouts a bit so I could get to the formatting.

I still had the afternoons free, right? Well, I managed to fill those, too. I did some good things, but I also did a fair amount of pointless stuff like watching YouTube videos and playing a blocks game on my phone (I’ve uninstalled it once again!).

By the time it got to the evenings, I felt like it was too late to start, plus I had youth group on Wednesday night.

So, what really matters? And what do I do when I realize I’m not focusing on what really matters?

What really matters is loving God and loving others. When I’m reminded that my focus is more on me (especially on my fears and insecurities), then I need to take steps to find the right balance once again.

Spending some time reading my Bible and praying each morning (and throughout the day) is a great place to start. Too often I skip that so I can exercise or do some other task around the house. Bible reading and prayer get my focus back on loving God.

Something else I can do is ask the Holy Spirit to help me balance my time between my own interests and things I can do to help others (and quite often those are the same thing). Writing blog posts, recording podcast episodes, and finishing my depression book are all things I enjoy doing (when I finally push past the fear and do them). I pray that they can also support and encourage others who might struggle with depression and anxiety. That gets my focus back on loving others.

Our hearts are fickle. Left to their own devices, they’ll try to convince us that we’ll never be happy unless we do whatever we want to do, whenever we want to do it. That’s a lie. True happiness and peace comes from focusing on what really matters. Every day.

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30–31 NIV)

Do you ever struggle and pay more attention to worldly pursuits instead of what really matters? How can focusing on God help you love God and love others well?

P. S. – I really am planning to finish my depression book in the next couple of weeks. It tells a little of my story, but it also has ideas for how we can all stay healthy emotionally when we have a mental health diagnosis. Let me know if you’d like to read a pdf of the book when I get it done. I just ask that you leave a short review on Amazon after it releases. Just send me a message at robyn@robynmulder.com.

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Warnings

Last week I headed for home after my swim workout at South Dakota State University. After I turned onto highway 14, I was surprised to see flashing red and blue lights in my rearview mirror.

I checked the speedometer and I wasn’t going over 55, so I was thoroughly confused, but I pulled over and waited for the officer to come to my window.

“Ma’am, Stadium Road is only 25 miles per hour,” he stated. In a flash, I understood. This was campus police for SDSU and I had been pushing it a bit on the road leaving campus. I hadn’t done it intentionally, but I was speeding.

He asked for my license, registration, and proof of insurance. I handed them over and waited while he went back to his vehicle to see if I checked out. When he returned, he handed me my papers and told me he was just going to give me a verbal warning this time.

Whew! No ticket. I was so relieved. I thanked him and promised to watch my speed in the future.

And I have. I’ve even set my cruise for 25 mph when I go down that road because I don’t want to accidentally go faster and get stopped again. I know that next time I probably won’t be so lucky.

Warnings are good. They alert us to what we’ve done wrong and they give us a second chance before we suffer the painful consequences of our actions.

It would be irresponsible for me to speed down campus roads just because I didn’t get a ticket on one occasion. The limits are there for a reason and I need to obey them, even if it feels like I’m moving at a snail’s pace.

We all need to heed the warnings we receive from various sources in our lives. Maybe our boss warns us that we need to improve some aspect of our job performance so we don’t get fired. Maybe our spouse warns us that they’re getting tired of some aspect of our behavior and they want to see changes. Maybe our friend warns us that they’re tired of us showing up late all the time and they aren’t going to invite us anymore if we don’t improve.

If we don’t heed people’s warnings, we may have to suffer the consequences.

As Christians, we have a book that is full of warnings. The Bible tells us how we need to act if we’re going to show our love for God and others. If we ignore those warnings, we may have to suffer physical or emotional consequences. Thankfully, there is forgiveness and grace when we fail, but paying attention to the Bible’s warnings can help us enjoy happier lives as we interact well with the people in our lives and the God who loves us.

Let’s pay attention to the warnings we receive and make a conscious decision to slow down and do what’s right.

If we do, we won’t have to be afraid to look in the rearview mirror. We can move freely through life, confident that we’ll get where we’re going without any trouble.

“A wise warning to someone who will listen is as valuable as gold earrings or fine gold jewelry.” (Proverbs 25:12 New Century Version)

Have you ever gotten a warning for something? How did it make you feel? How can focusing on God help you heed warnings (from people or the Bible) and live well?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on How Far We’ve Come

It can be hard to be content with where we’re at in life when dealing with a mental health diagnosis. Anxiety and depression tend to make us feel despair when we can’t do something as well as we’d like.

I noticed that happening lately.

For exercise, I swim at SDSU several times a week. Besides wanting to move my body and stay in shape, I also want to get faster. I’ve competed in a couple of Masters swim meets, and my times have gone down, but they are far from the record holders in my age group. Those times are about twice as fast as I can swim. That’s discouraging.

So, should I quit swimming? Should I stop competing at the swim meets? No. I need to keep going and concentrate on how much I’ve improved since I started swimming regularly in January 2022. When I first started, I couldn’t swim more than about four lengths of the pool before I had to stop and rest. Now I can sometimes swim twenty lengths without stopping. I couldn’t swim the butterfly stroke at first, but now I’ve been adding it to my workouts and I can do it. It still needs work, but my core is stronger and I can feel my butterfly getting better.

Instead of focusing on how far I have to go, it’s more encouraging to look how far I’ve come. With more time and practice, I’ll get closer to my goals. I may never set a record in swimming, but I can enjoy the progress I make as I work hard and improve.

I can also see improvements in my confidence levels. At times I get frustrated because I get scared and hold back instead of stating my opinion or offering my advice. I’d like to exude confidence and charisma, but my uncertainty wins out way too often. I can focus on that, or I can look back and see how far I’ve come in this area.

I can remember going to a prayer group at my church when I was in high school. I never dared to pray out loud, but I attended faithfully. Later, after Gary and I got married, I went to a weekly women’s Bible study and I would berate myself when I got home because I hadn’t said a single word. I don’t know what those women thought of me, but I was soaking up knowledge from the study and from the things I heard other women share.

Over the years, I’ve gradually gained more confidence. Now I can lead Bible studies, give talks at Mother’s Day programs and other events, and I can talk to people much more easily than when I was in high school and college. I may never give a TED talk, but look how far I’ve come!

If you’re disappointed because you haven’t reached some target in life, try to slow down and focus on little improvements you’ve made over the years. You can make some plans for how you can possibly reach your goal, but show yourself lots of grace while you work hard and move forward. Don’t be dismayed at how far you have to go. Look how far you’ve come!

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” (Proverbs 16:9 NIV)

Do you look forward and feel despair about how far you have to go before you reach a certain goal? How can focusing on God help you move forward in faith, being grateful for how far you’ve come?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Transformation

Do you ever feel like you need a change?

Lately I’ve been more aware of the negative way I see my body and how I feel when I look at myself in the mirror.

I’ve been listening to podcasts like Compared to Who? (Heather Creekmore) and Intuitive Eating for Christian Women (Erin Todd and Char-Lee Cassel), so I know the answer isn’t going on a diet or trying to exercise my way to a smaller body.

I know God loves me just they way I am and I need to learn to love myself. I also am aware that I often run to the kitchen for a snack when I feel a range of emotions. It’s especially bad when I feel boredom, frustration, or sadness. Eating when I’m not hungry isn’t good for me, so I’ve been trying to figure out how to get out of those bad habits and be more balanced in how I feed my body.

I heard Michelle Rayburn interview Jennifer Smith Lane on her Life, Repurposed podcast in May and I decided to order two copies of Jennifer’s book Transformed: Eating and Body Image Renewal God’s Way. I just started going through it with a friend and I’m already feeling differently about myself after doing part of the first lesson.

The sentence that keeps coming to mind whenever I’m tempted to think negatively about my body is “I’m God’s masterpiece.” I would never put down a beautiful painting by a master painter, and I don’t have to critique the way God made me.

I can’t wait to see how my thoughts are transformed as I study the rest of the lessons. Maybe I’ll get free from my emotional eating and I might see a physical change happen to my body, but even if that doesn’t happen, I’m looking forward to a better mindset and more peace.

I want to look more and more like Jesus when people see me. That will be a wonderful transformation!

“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV)

Do you need to be transformed? How can focusing on God help you allow the Holy Spirit to change you so you look more like Jesus?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Starting a Podcast

Did you know I have a podcast?

Unless you follow me on Facebook, you probably had no idea.

I’ve told some people, and I’ve posted about it a few times in my Facebook group, but I’ve really been pretty quiet about it.

I’m not sure why, but the reasons probably have something to do with the name and the theme of the podcast: Catch Your Thoughts with Robyn Mulder.

I’ve been learning to catch my thoughts over the last several years (as we’re instructed to do in 2 Corinthians 10:5). Distorted thinking was a big contributor to the major depressive episode I had in 2014. I want the podcast to help people learn to recognize the thought distortions that make life more difficult and lead to anxiety and depression.

But it can’t help anyone if I don’t tell people about it.

I’ve finally set a date for a little launch party on Zoom. Come join me on Thursday, June 29 at 6:30 p.m. (Central) and we’ll celebrate the episodes I’ve already created. I’m going to give away two copies of a “Catch Your Thoughts Calendar” I made, and we’ll chat about past and future episodes of the podcast.

As I’ve thought about how I’ve been keeping the podcast mostly to myself, I was reminded of how often we do that as Christians. We have the best news about how much God loves us and wants to have a relationship with us, but we sometimes get busy, or lazy, or scared, and we just keep that good news to ourselves.

We need to be aware of opportunities to share that good news with people in our lives. People we know…and people God brings into our lives that we don’t know yet. We can help other people learn to follow Jesus.

I hope you’ll check out my podcast (click here) and tell a few people about it. It just might help you (and others) catch your unhelpful, distorted thoughts and replace them with true, helpful thoughts instead. It could make a big difference in your life. It could make a big difference in someone else’s life.

While you’re at it, look for opportunities to share your faith with someone. It could make an eternal difference in their life.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18–20 NIV)

Do you tend to keep good news to yourself? How can focusing on God help you be more deliberate about sharing the good news you’ve found with others?

© 2023 Robyn Mulder

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Focus Friday: Let’s Just Keep Swimming

I competed in a Masters swim meet last Saturday. I wrote about it in last week’s post (click here to read it). Masters swimming is for adults who enjoy swimming and want to stay active. At 57 years old, it can be scary to race alongside people half my age. Luckily, I don’t have to worry about beating them in a race. Ribbons are awarded based on how well you do against swimmers in your age bracket.

I’m happy to report that I didn’t struggle with my thoughts too much during the meet. I was pretty nervous on the way there and during the time for warming up, but once I finished my first race I felt more calm and I really enjoyed myself.

I got a first-place ribbon in each of the three events I swam. Before you get too impressed, I have to tell you that I was the only swimmer my age in two of the events. In the third event, I did swim faster than another woman my age.

Swimming gives me lots of opportunities to work on my thought life and improve my mental health. Exercise in general is good for our brains, but the mental gymnastics I have to do every week is also good for me. Do I drive to the pool today, or do I skip it and stay home? (I always feel better when I decide to go.) Shall I swim 500 yards today, or should I push through and do 1000? (I’m always glad when I go for the longer workout, and I’m hoping to get back to swimming more like 2000 yards every time I practice.) Can I make it to the wall and do a flip turn, or should I stop and rest instead? (I surprise myself when I flip and keep swimming. I can do it!)

If I compared myself to the twenty-year-old swimmers at Masters swim meets, I would give up in despair. I’ll never swim as fast as they do! But if I remind myself that exercise is good for me and I can set small goals for myself as I improve, then I’ll be able to enjoy swimming for years and years.

When it comes to our mental health, we must be careful not to compare ourselves with others. Each of our situations is different. We need to be aware of our own thoughts and feelings and make small goals as we improve our mental health. There will be ups and downs, but we’ll see improvement as we practice.

Just “keep swimming,” and you’ll enjoy life for years and years.

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6 NIV)

Are you ever tempted to quit because you get tired or you compare yourself to others? How can focusing on God help you to “just keep swimming” and persevere through whatever situation you face?

© 2023 Robyn Mulder

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on One Thing at a Time

Some people thrive on having lots of irons in the fire.

Apparently, I am not one of them.

In my younger years I could juggle tons of activities and responsibilities. I look back at all of the things I did when our children were little, and I can hardly recognize myself. How did I get it all done?

The kids are all grown and out of the house now, and I can’t seem to handle much of anything. The more things I add to my calendar, the more anxious I feel. I end up not doing much of anything because I get overwhelmed when I think of everything all at once.

I’ve been feeling that way for several weeks now. All of my tasks and future activities are spinning around in my brain. I get things done when the deadline gets close enough, but I live with way too much stress when I think about everything I “should” be doing and shut down mentally for much of the day.

I know I’ll feel better if I work ahead and make progress on long-term projects and goals.

I’m sure my stress levels will fall if I work hard for a set amount of time and then enjoy some time for relaxation (instead of dreading the work, putting it off, and worrying about it during moments when I’m supposed to be having fun).

Like Mary and Martha in the Bible, I need to focus on one thing at a time. Martha was worried and upset about all of the work she had to do, but Mary recognized that sitting at Jesus’ feet was the best thing to do in that moment.

That will help me as I move forward. I do take time for reading the Bible each day, but figuratively sitting at Jesus’ feet as I go through the rest of the day might help me focus on one thing at a time instead of dreading all of it at once.

Going through my days asking the Holy Spirit to show me what I need to work on might help me get some things done instead of having everything continue to swirl around in my brain and doing nothing.

It’s time to write some things down, schedule time to work on them in my planner, and focus on one thing at a time.

Getting overwhelmed by everything I want to/need to get done will just lead to more angst and procrastination.

Tackling projects one at a time will bring them to completion.

Especially if I keep God first as I go through each day.

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41–42 NIV)

Are you overwhelmed by everything you need to do? How can focusing on God help you work on one thing at a time and enjoy life more as you get things done?