Finding Balance

A well balanced life is currently a hot topic in my life. For about a year now I have been contemplating what a well balanced life looks like. I teach a health and wellness class at my church. We get together to exercise and then study a book to help us grow spiritually as well. The book we were studying last year was called "Balance That Works When Life Doesn't". (great book... read it!) At that time I was insanely busy and I knew it. I felt the Lord leading me to begin to take a look at my life and to start weeding out some ares. But where was I to start?

The author Susie Larson remined us that everyone's life involves these three things... 1. Input 2. Output and 3. Rest. She says, if we tend to emphasize one of these areas to the expense of the rest then imbalance results. In all of life we are experiencing one of these three things. What changes is the degree that we do them. Think about where you are right now. I had to sit down and make a list of everything I was doing and ask is this input (nourishment), output (response) or rest(replenishment)? It was clear that my output was way out of proportion to my input. I needed to make some changes. God was so gracious giving me time to let go of certain areas one at time and then confirming those decisions and setting me free.

I am in a much better place today, however, I still struggle with saying no and keeping a balanced life consistent. I learned through that experience that I so much need my alone time to rest and be refreshed so that I am able to give out more effectively when it's time for output. I can't give, give and give without giving to me. I will surely wither and experience burnout.

I love how Susie says it.... "We wander away from balance when we neglect, forget,or think we don't need all three of these components in our lives. We can't eat a lot and never exercise, we can't exert ourselves constantly without food and we can't neglect rest." she continues..."if we take a deeper look at what comes into our lives, what goes out from us, and how we get replensihed again, if we manage our lives at this level--we will get to the core of where we put our time and why."

I learned from Susie that God wants to nourish us deeper both physically and spiritually so that we can be more alive in Christ! Expect that God is up to something today and stop to notice what he wants to show you. Maybe it's the cool breeze in your face, or the wonderful scent of your favorite candle burning or the sound of laughter from your children. Be in awe of the gifts he sends your way everyday and NOTICE them. Then pause long enough to relish in them and tell God thank you. This is input and brings life! Be ready too to be used by Him to bring life to others in any way you can (output). Exercise your amazing body and give it the movement it so desperately needs, eat a healthy meal and then lay down at the end of the day to rest peacefully. You need all three components for a healthy balanced life both in the physical realm and the spiritual!!!

Be blessed, be nourished!

~Donna