This week has been a doozy. Granted in the scheme of things, it really isn’t as bad as it could have been or what others are going through; but I have to remind myself that doesn’t diminish my feelings or the stresses I have gone through. My Heavenly Father hates to see me hurting and struggling just as much as the next person who is going through something 10 times harder.
I’ve easily had the busiest week of the year this week. I’m three-fourths of the way done with my four week stretch of weddings. Now this alone isn’t the exhausting or stressful part, it’s the editing that follows the wedding. I told myself at the beginning of this long stretch of weddings that I would edit and deliver all pictures to my brides before the next wedding I did, otherwise I would be overwhelmed and behind on my editing if I had four weddings to edit back to back to back! The first two weddings I have completed and delivered. This week has been harder. Basically, I had a lot of stuff going on this week that took me away from my editing time.
In addition, I am the curriculum director at my church for our youth group, and I’m in charge of creating the lessons for the students for our small groups. The entire month of September was so busy that I got behind in completing the lessons, so when Wednesday came around and I had to share the new lessons with the other leaders, I was working on that all day long. And in all honesty, I didn’t even finish everything I was supposed to for the leaders. I’m still working on it. Luckily, they don’t need it until the end of October, but I still HATE not being 100% ready for stuff that am supposed to prepared for. I am not a procrastinator, but this is something that got thrown to the wayside.
Because I have been so busy lately, Josh and I haven’t had much time to spend together and it’s just hard on those weeks when we don’t get quality time with each other. He is such a rock for me, so when I don’t get to spend time with him, I struggle on other levels as well. I love going on walks with him, cuddling on the couch to watch TV, praying together… but we’ve both been so busy, especially me, that our quality time has been very minimal. I’m also super emotional this week leading up to next week… ugh, so I’m crying all of the time and then struggling with the idea that I pretty much know based on my emotions that I’m probably not pregnant again this month which makes everything even harder. I HATE feeling like I can’t control my emotions, so it’s just been an overwhelming week and busy month! And to top if all off, I have a cold that is just making me feel icky, especially in the mornings. I am exhausted and tired; and I somehow have to find the energy to be a mommy and take care of Levi. Let’s just say we’ve watched a little more TV this week…
Too often during these busy and stressful weeks do I put my quiet time on the back burner. I am so guilty of thinking about my stress and complaining about it instead of turning to the Lord during that time. Are any of you guilty of this as well? Shouldn’t my #1 response be during this time to take a break and go straight into the Word and pray?? Then why do I forget and choose not to do this?? Satan is aware of when we are stressed and loves it more than anything when I neglect my time with the Lord.
Spiritual warfare is real and out there. Satan hates it more than anything when people are doing things for the Lord. I know that this week has been hard for a number of women in the Pursuit Community. See, next week, we have our annual conference. It is going to be an amazing week of praise and worship, fellowship, learning, and photography. Satan is NOT excited about us getting together for growth in Jesus and friendships to be created in the name of the Lord. He is trying to distract us, upset us, stress us out, and take our time away from the the Lord. Anyone else in the Pursuit Community able to relate to me here this week?
This time next week, I will be home from an amazing week at one of my favorite place’s, the WinShape Retreat Center at Berry College. I get to go back to my “home” at Berry for a week! I am so excited. The Lord is so cool that He allowed the founder of Pursuit, Karen, who lives in Oregon, to find WinShape four years ago for the annual retreat. How cool is it that I have a history there and can even drive to this national conference? There are ladies from all over the country coming from Maine and even Hawaii! I feel blessed that the Pursuit Conference is in my “backyard”.
I am beyond excited about what the Lord will teach me next week. I cannot wait to meet and fellowship with other ladies in the creatives industry and photographers, grow in the Lord, and apply all of this to my business. I’ve made a number of changes this year. I have remembered that my identity isn’t in being a photographer, a mom, a wife, a church leader; but in being a daughter of the King. I need that reminder this week! I cannot wait to see what Jesus is going to do in my life and the lives of these other women.
I won’t be posting next week while I am at the conference, so I’ll say hey again the following week. I cannot wait to share my experience and what the Lord teaches me. Thanks for walking with me in this journey!
