MooreTime Podcast – Career Boundaries

Boundaries are something we know we should establish, yet rarely do. Today, we discussed boundaries in our careers. What do they look like? How do you encourage your spouse or significant other to pursue their dreams? How do you hold them accountable to their goals? What does investing in each other’s career look like?

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God Joyfully Gives

‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭9:7‬ ‭NLT‬
[7] You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”

Give. It’s actually pretty simple. Giving is also strategic. Let’s take the steps from this verse.

Step 1: Decide in your heart how much to give. This means that you have to first decide in your heart to give.

Step 2: Give with joy. If you’ve decided in your heart to give, you’re not giving out of obligation but out of desire. You want to give. Don’t give for bragging rights, but do give for a righteous cause.

Step 3: Remember, God loves a cheerful giver. Think about this, God lovingly gives us everything we need. He doesn’t give out of obligation. He’s not complaining because He gave us life. He joyfully gives. Shouldn’t we?

Small Group

What are you doing this evening?

Small groups are important. I’m officially a part of two small groups. Do I love adding something to my schedule? Not really. Do I need it? Yes. The benefits of small groups:

Accountability – These people hold me accountable in my goals. They help me process and see other perspectives. They also check in to make sure I’m doing well and vice versa.

Support – Our marriage small group shows Brandon and I marital support. They help us make sure we’re keeping our vows towards one another. They provide different perspectives than just our families’ perspectives.

Safe Space – Small groups help me get out of my comfort zone. I love being in my little bubble, but because of the friendships formed, I can’t do that anymore. I’ve met and developed friendships with extroverts, and it’s been good for me as an introvert.

There is so much more, but I’ll stop there. I recommend small groups for personal growth, but also so that you can do the above for others as well.

No Small Tasks

All the women who were skilled in sewing and spinning prepared blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine linen cloth. All the women who were willing used their skills to spin the goat hair into yarn. The Lord has filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts.
Exodus 35:25‭-‬26‭, ‬31 NLT

I love this. God has commanded the Israelites to build the Tabernacle. Reading all that went into this and how it’s all worded makes it even better.

Essentially, God has said that everyone can play a part. It’s very intentionally written that two gentlemen have a gift and wisdom in crafts. That women are skilled in weaving and spinning and tapestry. It’s interesting because we would call these blue-collar professions, maybe even hobbies. God is calling them gifted with wisdom and understanding to know how to do the work for the Tabernacle.

Friend, there are no small, menial tasks for God. This entire section of the Bible proves that. Without skilled workers, there is no Tabernacle to build. Without skilled weavers and spinners, tapestries aren’t made for the Tabernacle.

God had very specific instructions for building the Tabernacle. Everything had very specific measurements, colors, and materials, you name it. Everything was specific because God is specific and intentional. So make no mistake, God wasn’t entrusting the building of the Tabernacle to the people because they didn’t have anything to do. This was God reminding us that everyone can play a part. What specific, intentional, purpose-filled details have God given you to help compete a task?

Everyone is skilled at something that can be used to honor God. We just have to stop seeing our tasks as minor.

Impact

Find the thing that breaks your heart and do something about it. This is good advice, but how do you do something about it? Is that perhaps the more difficult question? But what if it is as simple as just partnering with like-minded people about the things that break our hearts?

Have we complicated what it means to change the world? Are we too focused on our seeming inability to change the global world that we forget our ability to change someone’s world?

Maybe you and I need to be reminded that it may be hard to make a global impact, but that doesn’t diminish the local impact we can make. What breaks your heart in your local community that you can change right now? Change it.

Who knows? Maybe with the right amount of patience and influence, your global impact will begin, but certainly don’t despise your small beginnings (Zechariah 4:10) in the meantime.

Community and Unity – Ecclesiastes 4

As much as we like to believe we can do life on our own, it’s not true. Just read Ecclesiastes 4:9,12

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:9‭, ‬12 NLT

Clearly, we were made for community. Why do we need community?

1) Accountability: I’ve done so much better in life when people hold me accountable. I don’t have to like it, but I do know I need it.

2) Support: When you’re sick or experience the death of a loved one, there’s nothing like community to help you through that difficult time. Community also gives you the opportunity to do the same.

3) God is representative of community. We have the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in God. So when we think of God, we should think of Community and Unity.

Now, do we need any more reason than that to pursue healthy communal relationships?

You Are Never Alone – Book Review

Hey! Do you ever feel abandoned or singled out? Feel like no one can understand what you’re facing? I’ve got just the book recommendation for you! Today, I’m discussing one of my favorite authors, Max Lucado. Tune in as I hit the books and dive into one of his more recent books, “You Are Never Alone.”

Year in Review

I think it’s important to reflect on the past. You can learn from it, and you can celebrate growth because hopefully, there has been some. My 2023 Year in Review is below. Yes, this post is to motivate you to reflect as well, but it’s also a recap for me to remember to celebrate these wins.

1) The D.A.U.G.H.T.E.R.S. Conference finally happened. After much prayer, tears, and several years, it happened. I mean, let’s put it in perspective, I published a whole book two years before the conference actually happened. But IT HAPPENED! It was great.

2) I got to see my husband excited about his LLC for his business (The Creative Krew). He really is a skilled graphic designer, photographer, and videographer. So it’s cool seeing him in his element. I also think making lattes is his talent too, which I’ve witnessed and experienced first hand. 😀

3) We joined a small group for married couples at church. Community is important and healthy support systems breed healthier situations. Also, began several new friendships, which as an adult can be just as difficult to do as a child at times.

4) We officially moved my mom in. It was always a goal to have my parents live with us, and after my dad’s passing, that process was expedited. Yet, we celebrate the ability or opportunity to have a space for her.

5) We celebrate giving. Every year my goal is to give more than the year before. God has really put us on a path to do that because He’s patiently teaching us good stewardship. I love it.

There are several more things, job security, writing goals, etc., but I think it’s safe to stop here. In short, did everything go my way? No. Did everything follow my timeline? Absolutely not. Did heart break happen? Sure did. But, God.

God was and still is faithful. He will continue to allow me to grow for His glory, and it will likely not look like I thought. And as hard as that may be for me, it will continue to be OK.

Writing Tip #2: Set a Goal

Tip #2: Set a Goal

What helps me keep writing? I set a goal for writing. If you want to simply start, set a goal to write something every day or week. Maybe that’s a journal entry, no one said it had to be for the public. However, if that seems overwhelming to start off, I’d say set a goal to write maybe once a week or every two weeks.

1) Set a 5-minute timer and write for five minutes straight. Put your phone on “do not disturb” for five minutes and write. Then pat yourself on the back for meeting that goal.

2) Join a writing challenge. These are good support opportunities and encouraging for participants. For me personally,  I feel a sense of accountability. I know that November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). While I don’t necessarily aim to write a novel every November I do participate in the modified National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo). Every day the goal is to write a post for the month of November. So my goal is to do that every November.

3) Work towards a writing goal. Create goals for post amounts or content focus. Maybe you want to write 15 posts about healthy habits. Well, commit to at least one a month and you’re almost there.

There isn’t any one way to write. There’s no perfect way to write. So each post will likely go back to the original tip. Just start to write something! 🙂

Flowers for Brandon

Today’s metaphorical flowers go to Brandino aka Brandon, my husband.

Brandon is a hustler, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. He’s not a hustler to the point of sacrificing life and relationships. I mean he’s a hustler in a sense that he’ll make “it” work.

This guy shows up if I’m speaking somewhere and serves as a personal photographer/ videographer. He doesn’t have to, but he does so that he can support me.

He volunteers at church in the same role. It’s just an honor seeing him grow and strive and reach to work towards his goals. He has goals and vision that are God honoring and a blessing to so many others.

Brandon rocks. You’ll always have flowers from me babe.