Gathering Place: BLOG! Holiday Capacity

I believe the only fitting response to His pursuit of our hearts

is to wholeheartedly seek Him in return."

Jennifer McCaman

"Make room for God's plan to unfold."

Lisa Terkeurst

AS THE HOLIDAYS arrive so will many deliveries. With each knock from your mailman you will open the door and welcome in the package or you'll need to deny the delivery. Over-commitment, exhaustion, anxiety need to be kicked to the curb, sent packing, well you get the idea!!

Consider your holiday capacity and how to have margin for yourself and those you love. Lisa Terkeurst shares, "Do you have the emotional resources to handle a new request along with your current responsibilities? Does this fit into your life? Into your family's life?"

Saying no, because someone else doesn't have any margin in their life,

doesn't make you a bad person.

It makes you the wrong person for that assignment."

Lisa Terkeurst

You need to seek clarity from God. His Word addresses our activities and our approach. "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Col. 3:17

Our activities need to honor God and honor the responsibilities we already have. Saying no, because someone else doesn't have any margin in their life, doesn't make you a bad person. It makes you the wrong person for that assignment."

"The world is loud and it's hard to hear His invitation."

Richard A. Swenson M.D.

In his book, Margin, Dr. Swenson helps us understand the need for margin in our lives -"Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling" - but the world is loud and it's hard to hear His invitation: "Ye who are weary come home." The Sabbath rest is a rest He calls us to, but a surrendered rest He offers to us. The Sabbath rest we enter out of obedience; the surrendered rest we enter out of our need for more of Him."

Choose more of Him this season.

"The devil has made it his business to monopolize on three elements:

 noise, hurry, crowds. He will not allow quietness."

 Elisabeth Elliot