Faithfulness in the Little
NOTE: This was originally drafted in July 18, 2018, but was never published due to a website glitch. Looking back today, it’s a fun to see where my heart was ten months ago.
Woohoo!! The moving truck has arrived! Boxes. Boxes. More boxes. Box cutters. Packing paper. Boxes and boxes for days.
Since I'm enjoying a summer sabbatical (that's what I'm calling my unemployment) I'm the newest Property Manager of the Dyckman Family House. We just had our household goods and furniture delivered! We're also undergoing a small, surprise bathroom renovation due to a missed leaky faucet. I've been managing our contractors, service providers, and insurance agents for the past few weeks. I've also been trying to boss these boxes around and unpack so that we can settle in.
As I've had more time on my hands now and no set schedule. I've been trying to figure out what I'm going to do each day. I've gone for leading and serving for the past ten years to this quiet and unnoticed work. A job change like this can really make a girl go crazy. Where's my value and worth each day? What's purpose and plan? What am I accomplishing? Looking for the answers to these questions can be tough, especially when the internet guy has canceled on you three times.
I've found to really "fight" the questions (thoughts and emotions) of my worth and purpose, I've had to begin each day with some "quiet time". It's my front porch sitting time where I grab my favorite mug full of hot tea and my Bible to meet with Jesus.
Meet with Jesus? Yep, I believe the Bible holds the holds truth and direction for my life. It really covers a variety of topics and still is relevant today as it was the thousand years ago when it was written. Today I'm struggling with purpose. What's my purpose. I'm doing a Bible study called "All Things New" looking at the Apostle Paul's writing in 2 Corinthians. They were people like us today. Paul reminds us of God's main purpose - to reconcile us back to Him. Meaning, He sent Jesus to call us home.
When I have my quiet time in the mornings, I'm filled with a sense of purpose for the day. Without God's direction, I'm lost and spiraling back to the endless questions of worth and how, why, and what. From my quiet times, I'm learning that God has given me a season of rest. Rest from all of the busyness, rest from the fast pace of life (which I love!) and rest from the burden of go-go-go. All things I really love. I love to be busy and go and do, but I'm also learning to love the quiet and flexibility of the unscheduled.
God is asking me to be right here. To let this little home, these big boxes and our neighbors be my platform of work. Will I get any Insta footage or recognition for all of this? No. Will I receive the lifetime achievement award? No. Is that hard to me to swallow? Yes. I love making a difference. I love doing something big and having an impact. I love it all. I love people and big work and projects. For now, I know that I'm called to taking it easy to serve and do where I am.
Serve my husband by making this a home while he is away at his new job. Serve my neighbors by doing for them. As with just as much gusto and enthusiasm, I will. I'll keep job searching, keep writing, and keep being faithful in the little things. Because the little things matter. It's the little things that lead to big things. It's in the quiet that I find my worth and my purpose.
It's the mama caring for her babies. It's the administrator who keeps the executive organized. It's the one who tends to the restrooms, serves the burgers, answers your call. It's also the big corner office and the Insta influencer. It's those things too, but what's most important is the foundation we're laying each day. Let's not overlook the small. That's where our character is being built.
Lord Jesus, help me to be faithful in the little things of the day.
What's yours? Where are you faithful in the little?
xoxo
Jes
"Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly - not for what you'll get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God." 1 Peter 5:2
“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much." Luke 16:10