“When Your Battery is Running Low”

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11: 28-30)

As I was working late one night this week, my computer suddenly “dinged,” and I saw the message on the screen that said, “Your battery is running low.” Staring at the screen, I suddenly realized that this message was not just about plugging in my computer. It made me think, “Am I doing the same thing”? Am I allowing myself to “run on low” to the extent it takes an outside message from a computer to let me know? Am I “kind of aware” I am overdoing it but not taking the time to stop? This computer message was undoubtedly a “wake-up call.”

Everyone is busy. However, it is the “busyness on top of busyness” which can drain us. Or as my computer message indicated, “drain our battery.” It is about getting through our regular work, taking on new things, even if we enjoy them, which can make us weary.

• It can be the work we need to do but the weight of the stress of disagreements, conflicts, and difficult decisions combined that may burden us.

• It might be only completing 80% of all the things we want and need to do, so the pressure of “many things to finish” is always on the back of our minds.

• It could be our concern for others.

We need to realize when “our battery is running low” that we need to stop, evaluate, and recharge no matter the reason.

Consider the following three steps to help keep yourself from being drained physically, mentally, or emotionally.

1. Recognize when you are at risk of “running low.” If you are always staying up late, regularly getting less than the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep, rarely exercising, not eating correctly, and finding yourself anxious, irritable, or short-tempered, you are likely at a severe point of being drained. Take time to stop and re-evaluate what you are doing and what you can change. You may need to stop something (even if just for a while), delegate something, or make sure you are consciously taking time to rest or relax.

2. Learn from Jesus: Jesus told us to go to Him when we are weary and burdened. He then said to take His yoke upon us and “learn from me.” To learn from Him, we need to have time in the Word and prayer. You will be drained if you do not take time to be with Him, learn from Him, and apply it to your life. Have you stopped your quiet time, Bible reading, or prayer? Start today to put it back in your schedule, even if you start with a few minutes.

3. Find moments of rest: Busy times are part of life. Extra busy times are our warning times to make sure we fit in some rest. It could be going for a 10-minute walk, having a massage, taking deep breaths while looking at God’s creation, or whatever brings you some physical and mental rest. This will be very individual to you. Determine what is best for you to relax during intensively busy times.

Don’t ignore the warnings. Jesus gives us a clear answer on what to do when our battery is running low, and we are exhausted. He tells us to “come to Him.” It is not something that we need to do, fix or plan for. We need to go to Him. To enter His presence, be with Him, learn from Him.

Please do not do what I did that night last week. I ignored the warning and kept on working. The battery died, and the computer shut off. That was another wake-up call for me that none of us can continue to run on empty. We need to recognize our warning(s), stop, recharge in His presence, and prayerfully evaluate why we keep trying to do too much. Don’t ignore the warnings.

May God richly bless you as you learn from Him. Have a great week.

Bonny, Christian Women at Work

Running for Excellence: Five Ways to be a Gold Medal Business Owner

“And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer, and perfecter of faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)

I love watching the Olympics. As a physiotherapist, I can appreciate the athletes’ hard work, dedication, and the sacrifices they have made. Many of them have suffered injuries and setbacks, yet returned to “run their race.” Most have made many sacrifices to get to their level of competition. They each had a dream and a goal to achieve. As I watched athletes run the 100-meter race, jump from a 10-meter diving board, or run a 50 km marathon, I thought about the effort they put in over the years and how they stayed focused on doing their best. I could not help but compare their effort to win a gold medal to a business owner’s effort to run a good business. As I continued to watch, I saw many similarities between their quest for success in the athletic world, and my quest to own and run a business which honors God and blesses others.

Below are my top five comparisons between a gold medal athlete and a “gold medal” business owner. There is much we can learn from the commitment of the elite athletes we watch compete, win and lose. How many can you apply to your method of running your business?

5 COMPARISONS BETWEEN A GOLD MEDAL ATHLETE & A “GOLD MEDAL” BUSINESS OWNER

Do you:

1. Have a specific goal? Olympic athletes have a specific goal they are aiming to achieve, whether it is swimming the fastest, jumping the highest, or getting the most goals. This is what they work toward, focus on, and spend their time on. Your Mission Statement should reflect your focus, and your time should reflect the specifics which will allow you to achieve it. A gold medal swimmer will focus on activities that make them a stronger swimmer. A successful business owner will focus on activities helping them offer a stronger product or service. “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” (Proverbs 16:3)

2. Choose your coach carefully? Every athlete has a coach advising, supporting, and encouraging them. A coach influences the athlete, helps them make the right decisions, and remains at their side. Finding the right coach is a crucial aspect of being a successful athlete. As Christian women in the workplace, we are thankful God is our ultimate coach. He advises, supports, and encourages through prayer, His Word, and people in our lives. We consistently need to allow Him to influence all aspects of our lives and businesses. “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

3. Have a good support team? Most athletes have a team to help them reach their goals. It may be a dietitian to help ensure they are optimizing their food intake, or a psychologist who assists them with the stress of competition. Business owners also need a team. It could be an informal group of like-minded business owners, or a formal board of directors. A solid support system will provide business advice and encouragement to continue to help you achieve your goals in the most efficient way possible. “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” (Proverbs 15:22)

4. Do your best? Athletes are successful due to natural ability, combined with learning about and using the latest research. They are constantly learning new ways of doing things to improve their performance. It is the same with a “gold medal” business owner. They are continuous learners who use Quality Improvement Approaches to enhance their business, services and staff, by ensuring all their decisions are based upon God’s Word. “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

5. Stay positive and not lose heart? There must be times when an athlete is disheartened, especially if there have been injuries, losses, or unfair practices. However, to achieve their goals, they must pick themselves up, refocus and stay positive. It is the same for a business owner. There will be difficult times such as financial losses, a serious complaint, or an unusual circumstance such as COVID-19. An athlete needs to be positive and not give up on what they think they should be doing, and a business owner should do the same. “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” (2 Chronicles 15:7)

I hope these five comparisons have been helpful and stay tuned next Monday for five more!

Have a wonderful week, and God bless! Bonny, Christian Women at Work

Moving From Knowing to Applying (Romans 12:1)

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1)

As Christian women, we want to honor God with our actions, attitudes, and speech. We want our behaviors and our encounters to be pleasing to Him. However, how often do we become trapped in the busyness of life and the urgency of the moment and neglect to demonstrate the very Biblical principles dear to our hearts? How often do we forget those principles when dealing with people, making decisions, communicating, or behaving? Like me, they have happened a little (or a lot!) more often than I would like.

Experience is a beautiful educator as I reflect on situations and see where I:

1. Neglected to pray first

2. Spoke too much before I listened enough

3. Did not match a principle to a problem.

Do you feel you are ready to make a move from not only knowing the Bible but applying more of the Bible?

The Bible is rich with wisdom, knowledge, and instruction on everyday life, decisions, challenges, and interactions with others. Every situation we deal with at work has a principle we can depend on for direction and guidance. We can apply the stories, proverbs, verses, commandments, and promises to work situations, problems, behaviors, and decisions. In essence, we can “demonstrate God at Work …at work.”

During a recent lunch with a friend, she shared how her preference was not to go to work. Instead, she wanted to be home with her children, but her financial situation did not allow that. She discussed how difficult it was to be in a workplace where there were not any other Christians. However, as we discussed how she handled situations and comments, she was clearly honoring God, but she did not seem to be consciously aware of this. I asked her if she could change her mindset to look upon her work as a ministry. It was clear from her expression that she had not looked at work in that manner. She looked upon her career as a way to support her family, not considering how it could also be her ministry and an opportunity to display God at work to others. When we next met, she was excited to let me know she had been more aware of His Presence and more aware of honoring Him with her actions and attitudes. In so doing, she is happier about her situation, and her co-workers are able to see God at work in her life in practical ways.

Think of the latest difficult situation you had at work. Do you feel you demonstrated the golden rule? Was Micah 6:8 a guiding principle to help you?:

”To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Do you think you revealed the Fruit of the Spirit during your interaction even though you may have been dealing with a complex problem?

God has provided all we need to ensure our work is pleasing to Him. Our role is to:

1. Give: Giving our bodies as living sacrifices. We need to come to the place in our lives where we fully and truly give ourselves, which means that we each offer our body, mind, heart, gifts, will, and time. It also reflects our desire to do things God’s way, based on His truth.

2. Act: this is the way to worship. After the desire to offer ourselves comes the active preparation for living our Christian principles at work, which includes spending time studying His Word and regularly and specifically, praying. In addition, it means we are explicitly studying scripture to ensure we understand and use biblical principles as they apply to a specific work situation.

Romans 12:1 is one of my favorite verses. I hope you continue to grow in the knowledge and grace of demonstrating God at work.

Have a wonderful week! God Bless,

Bonny, Christian Women at Work

PS. I would love to hear from you! Email me directly at bonny@christianwomenatwork