‘ve blogged about morning routines and evening routines and even shared a tutorial on creating a daily routine. I love routines! But my love for routine isn’t based on what they are, but what they do for me (sorry, Routine!). Routines are good only if they help you live your life effectively for Christ. If a routine doesn’t improve your life spiritually, physically, and emotionally, it’s not serving it’s purpose.
The Christian life should be a productive life.
Jesus Himself was the picture of productivity – everything He did, He did with intention. Why then do we struggle to be productive? I think the Enemy knows that distraction (even in the form of good things) will keep us from living effective lives for the gospel.
That’s why productivity isn’t just for self-help gurus. We tend to treat being productive like it’s incongruent with being spiritual, but the two are vitally connected. A productive spiritual life – achieved through discipline of mind and heart – overflows into a productive career, home, and life at large.
When I got back from the gym this morning, there he was – half-dressed for work in a button down shirt – bending over the necklace. Gently, carefully, painstakingly untangling the knotted chain. Patiently working through each knot. Taking thought for the small and insignificant of my life before tending to the important of his.
The fact that I’m thinking about Christmas gifts this early in the game says something for how I’ve grown in the last two years. I’m very much a “last minute” shopper! As I reviewed some products this fall, I realized that other Christian women might enjoy the items I’d discovered. Since I’m frequently asked where I buy my coffee, Bible, commentaries, and clothes, I thought – why not compile a holiday gift list from my favorite items?
This is by no means an exhaustive list (I’ll need a separate list for books alone!) but it highlights some of my favorite products and companies of 2016.
It has become crystal clear that His grace is more than enough for us, and that even as we wait for answers to our prayers, nothing in this life and in this world is more worthy of pursuit than His very presence. We know that this contentment and ability to rejoice in Him in the midst of pain-filled waiting is only possible because of His grace, and we praise Him that other people are seeing it and are being encouraged.