Take control of your life!

Alright everyone, I know it has been quite awhile since I have written anything, but I am back. I have been in a crazy season. To be honest, I stumbled and fell away from my relationship with God a little bit. But now, I have realized what I was doing and am focusing my time and attention on Him.

These past few months have really been eye opening for me. I am in my last year of pharmacy school, I am traveling to new practice sites and treating a whole new populaton of patients every 6 weeks, I have encountered a new medial issue that takes a lot of energy to deal with, I am in the midst of planning my wedding, and I rarely get to see my family and fiancee, +Walter . But, despite all of these earthly, temporary time fillers I have been struck by the presence of God in my life aching for my attention.

I have been reading a lot lately about making decisions in your life and taking control of your schedule so your life contains more of what matters. When I stopped to think about the way my life was going, it was filled with nonsense on a daily basis. I would wake up usually late, rush out the door and grab a quick breakfast to eat in the car on my way to work or school. I would get to work or school and do my thing while I was there but I was always multitasking with emails, schedules, other meetings, so my focus was scattered. Then, I would come home stressed out, eat an unhealthy dinner because I never had enough energy to cook, and then try and get some studying in before bedtime which usually ended up being around 2am so I could cover everything I needed to since I wasn't focused earlier in the day. Also, my relationship with Walter was not where I wanted it to be because I was always over stressed and over stretched. I needed to break this crazy cycle, but instead I broke.

Just like an engine that has been reved up too high for too long, I had hit a point in my life where things just were not working anymore. I couldn't wake up in the mornings, I would come home so exhausted that all I wanted to do was go to bed; my body had physically broken. And then I realized why, I had left God out of my schedule. Instead, my focus became self-centered and about my own desires. I had abandoned His deisres for my life and focusing on the plans He has already created for me. I was trying to be in control.

I am currently reading a book by Bill Hybels called "Simplify: ten practices to unclutter your soul". So far, I have implemented two of the practices which are so simple, but they have already created a whole new outlook and stress reduced schedule. The first is to proactively create a schedule that includes the things that make you feel energized. For me, this is going to the gym, eating healthy, and having some time to myself in the evenings. Also, he states that you must also include time with God and the Word as this is essential. Without Him we are only working towards our own ambitions instead of His. The second practice is to ACTUALLY WRITE IT IN THE CALENDAR! The first practice is the easy part, but the second practice is where most of us fall short. If we just make time for the things that matter to us, and actively write it in our calendars, then we have already blocked off that time so nothing else can interfere with it. Now of course there will be days when other things happen, but it is up to you to make the choice of what you want to do.

Yes, you will have to probably cut out some other things in your schedule that take time away from what truely matters to you. But, does that matter to you? You need to weight your priorities on what really matters in your life so you can make the best decisions on how you spend your time. Time is the most precious gift we have here on earth, so spend it on things you enjoy and with people you love because you will never be able to have those moments again. There is a famous quote, "If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over again?". When people are in their last few years of life, they never ask for the financial statements form the business they helped grow, or for the mercedes benz that they worked their whole life to afford. No, they ask for their friends and families and regret that they didnt spend enough time with them during their younger years.

I have been doing these two simple practices for about 2 weeks now. I have had several other emerencies come up that have taken away from my ideal schedule. But, as a whole I can say that I have spent more time with God, I have had more time for myself, and I have been consciously healthier than in the past. I really feel God whispering to me now and leading me to become who I am supposed to become. I can feel His presence on a daily basis because I spend time with Him everyday.

God was aching for my heart and now it is focused on Him. I am not perfect and I know I will stumble along the way, but I will contiune to serve Him, because by serving Him I find joy and peace and I am healed. I now know that by having a relationship with Him, He can help me guide my life instead of the world dictating how my life should be run.

Take control of your life, and let God help you!