Quick recap, then I'll dive right in.
November: NOBLE & VIRTUOUS CHARACTER (SET A FIRM FOUNDATION!)
- you know you're a princess, a royal, a daughter of the King...but what does that look like! Start carrying yourself with nobility & grace (stack of books balanced on top of the head, ladies!) and dive into the instruction book.
December: RELIABLE, RESPONSIBLE IN WORK; ORGANIZED, ENERGETIC, INDUSTRIOUS
- your work matters to God, it matters to other people, and it should matter to you. We don't always have to be the "idea" person or the "most energetic" person on the team, but we should be reliable, enthusiastic, and focused enough to do things well consistently. That's a reflection of our King's character, and he enables us to treat our work as a joy & a priority (so even when we don't feel like it, we can & must try).
January: RELIABLE, DEPENDABLE IN CHARACTER; JOYFUL, STRENGTH & HONOR ARE THEMES IN HER LIFE & SHE LOOKS FORWARD TO THE FUTURE WITH HOPE & JOY
- your attitude matters to God, it matters to other people, and it should matter to you. We are going to have bad days, be disappointed & frustrated, feel weak or like we have every excuse to compromise...and there are plenty of people who'll encourage you to just let it all out! Vent, rant, rave, throw a pity party, demand your way, yell "I'm fed up and I'm not going to take it any more!" But you know now that, as a princess, there's a calling higher than what the world suggests we do. Temper tantrums do not become us, demanding our own way does not accurately reflect the selfless hearts God wants us to cultivate, and letting our emotions determine our behavior or squelch our hope is just another way of letting the enemy win the battle for control of our lives.
February: PLANS AHEAD, HARD WORKER, AVERTS CRISES & STRESSFUL CRUNCHES WITH WISE PREPARATION
As daughters of the King of everything, we don't have to live moment to moment, just hoping that things will work out for the best. We know that God has given us intuition, discretion, that amazing female ability to multitask, and the resources we need to plan ahead and avert disaster in our lives. This could range from the simplest example (making 5 sandwiches on Sunday so you have work lunches for the week ready to go) to the grandest example (saving yourself physically for one man, your husband, so that your purity, honor, and heart are reserved for him alone...so that you can discern a Godly suitor from an immature opportunist...so you can tell your daughters what purity, love, sex, and marriage are REALLY all about...& so that God is honored in both your public & private life). Every day we wake up with opportunities to plan ahead, develop our work ethic & character, and avoid (or at least survive) disaster. Like I wrote last month:
"Would you commit today to running your first-ever marathon next weekend? No, you'd want at least a few months to train. But the truth is that any day we could get blindsided by something we didn't get a chance to "prepare" for. Cancer. Pregnancy. Work deadline. Job loss. And we need to prepare our hearts and minds to recognize God's voice & guidance in the midst of those trials. We won't always be ready for the next play in the game, but we can start getting to know the Coach today so we're ready to follow his lead when crises come along."
The biblical example of Rebekah is a great example of how Godly planning and preparation determines our destiny - and remember, "planning ahead" includes both making a grocery list & adopting character traits, just as your "destiny" includes both what you eat for dinner tonight and who you marry. Rebekah's planning & preparation falls into both categories.
Old Testament, y'all - Genesis 24. TO set the stage for you, Abraham, Isaac's father, was living in Canaan & had sent a trusted servant back to his home country and people to choose a wife for his son. The servant got there, sought God for guidance, and immediately came in contact with a very godly young girl. Rebekah, who had come to the well to draw water for her family's camels (a very, very tough job) offered to draw water for the servant AND for his camels. Supplying water for thirsty camels is a very demanding job and Rebekah was under no obligation to go above and beyond the call of duty for a stranger. But Rebekah was no ordinary chick - instead of sitting around complaining of her situation (hello! single girl+dry desert+deep well+thirsty camels = tough life!) she rather allowed the love of God to flow through her & ultimately to shape her life. As a result, Abraham's servant recognized her as the woman God wanted him to meet. The godliness in Rebekah is what opened the door to her destiny.
But, it didn't stop there. Rebekah could not have known what would happen, but she continued in her Godly work ethic & went ahead & executed the same plan she would have for any stranger in need - after providing Abraham's servant with water, Rebekah assured him that there was enough room in her parents house to accommodate him and his camels for the night. Again, her kind heart led her to help a stranger. This again exposed her to the blessing of God when after Abraham's servant made his mission clear to Rebekah's parents they agreed to give her hand in marriage. Interestingly, Rebekah was consulted about this decision and it was only her consent that made it possible. Her discernment led her to make the right choice, no doubt because she'd been also preparing her heart to recognize an opportunity that was a blessing from the Lord. Why else would she ever agree to go marry an unseen, unknown, unfamiliar man in another country?
Are you doing your work in a way that opens you up to the blessings God wants to bring you?
Substitute watering camels with working 10-hour days...studying for mega-exams...shopping for groceries during "rush hour"...changing diapers all day...we are always doing something that can be done in a way that honors God & prepares us for our destiny.
So, say a quick prayer for your boss as you respond to yet another of his poorly-timed urgent emails, and tack on a word of encouragement at the end of your reply. Buy a coffee for the other poor guy studying at Starbucks on Friday night. Smile & help the harried mom in front of you at the grocery store get her stuff onto the conveyer belt while she tries to calm her screaming 2 year old. Sing a happy song to your baby while you change that diaper, and then text YOUR mom to say "thanks!" for all the times she changed yours.
Prepare yourself, your heart, your life, your attitude, for whatever is coming. Bless those around you, work hard, resist the urge to complain or feel sorry for yourself, and focus on planning for the future.
Rebekah didn't get lucky that day at the well. Rebekah developed a work ethic, a generous heart, and a discerning spirit that motivated her to live and act in a way that ultimately averted disaster & invited blessings from God.
How to Work & Plan like Rebekah - in 5 Simple Steps
1. Water your camels with energy & a smile.
2. Offer some water to a thirsty stranger & his camels.
3. Ask if there's anything else that stranger needs.
4. Pray for & cultivate a discerning heart & mind.
5. Watch what God does.
Until next time!
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