Yesterday I spent time with some stellar ladies – the women of Mountain Lake’s Girlfriends. Let me tell you, they are something special, and I look forward to hanging with them each month.
This month, I talked to the ladies about a verse that God used to transform the way I think about my schedule. It’s a verse full of promise. Before I share it with you, let me ask you a question.
Would you agree that we live in a “me-centered” society? “Take care of self” and “Look out for #1″ are phrases we’ve all tossed around, right? Sounds good in theory, but there’s one problem: it flies in the face of God’s way of living. To model our lives after the example of Jesus, we should serve, give, and love generously. Not out of what we don’t have, but out of what we do have.
But, many of us feel as though we’ll be taken advantage of if we give and love generously. We think we’ll have nothing left for ourselves or that we’ll be so physically or emotionally depleted, we won’t enjoy life.
Not true, my friends. Check out the promise God makes in Proverbs:
Proverbs 11:25 “The generous will prosper. Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.”
I found this verse while my husband and I were planting Mountain Lake Church. We were using every ounce of our energy – physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual. God didn’t add hours to my day or provide me with days at the spa, but He refreshed me. As I served Him, I was more fulfilled than ever before. He cemented His purpose in my heart and filled me with satisfaction. Knowing that He was changing lives through my husband and me was honoring and exhilarating. He gave me a supernatural refreshment.
Other times, He’s seen fit to refresh me in more tangible ways. He’s refreshed me with healthy family relationships. He’s refreshed me with unexpected surprises. He’s refreshed me, at times, financially. And, yes, He’s refreshed me often with much-needed rest and rejuvenation.
Here’s the lesson I’ve learned from Proverbs 11:25: Don’t protect your time. Don’t guard it. Give it all up to Jesus. Use yourself up for Him. He will refresh and protect you better than you ever could.
I know. I’ve experienced it first-hand. 
