Learning

I've been challenged and stretched in the past few weeks in ways I hadn't thought I would be.

They have been good, although hard, weeks.

I have a lot of thoughts to share, but the most recent one is foremost...

last week I started my new job, which is great because I really needed a job, but it wasn't great timing homework-wise. I had/have a lot on my plate to finish up before spring break.

And so the demands on my time of work, schoolwork and also wanting to be at home now and not in two weeks brought a lot of stress.

I was worried about how everything would get done and worried about doing well at my new job and thinking about things at home and it caused my mind to whirl.

Not a good way to get rest I found out. :)

So, anyway, I started work, was trying to figure out how to do all my assignments and then my managers made it sound like I might not be able to take off the entire spring break, besides being given almost 30 hours of work!

So, finally, after a couple more days of stress, I talked to my managers, got permission to be gone that long for spring break, and the load lightened a bit. 

When I got back from work that afternoon I, almost in passing, thanked God for working that out for me. 

And then I heard a whisper...

"Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed."

And it hit me that it wasn't just working too much that caused Jesus to lovingly rebuke Martha. 

It was worry.

It was being upset about not having everything under control. 

And that is exactly what I was doing.

"Erica, Erica, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed."

That is what led to my Rule for Life

(a spiritual discipline...I promise!)

Every morning and every evening I want to lay down my worries and lift my gaze up to Christ.

Already the shifts in my life are amazing.

I got spring break off.

A huge paper I wasn't finding time to complete got pushed back to after spring break.

A couple co-workers took some of my shifts at work to give me more time to do homework.

Worry is still causing some stress in my life. 

But I'm determined to not let it control me again. I want to pursue the one needed thing.