Doing The Most Good: A Time To Re-Evaluate Your Activities.

In recent years I have adding more and more to my set of goals and activities. In my mind I believed that the more that I that I do equals accomplishments. It makes sense, doesn’t it? My accomplishments should equal as much as my activity demonstrates. Yet, I’m learning that busyness does not equal accomplishments. These are tough lessons to learn.

As I write this blog we are in the midst of a stay-at-home order by our governor because of the #coronavirus. We see the many news updates and follow the hashtags related. #COVID19 #stay-at-home, and this list goes on. All of our activities are reduced to what we can do at home unless our activities are essential. Often I would pack my schedule with as many opportunities as I can, believing that busyness equals results but this has become a new challenge for me.

It is a new reality for those that are non-essential workers. All of my activities feel essential. Yet, I am having to re-evaluate what I do to accomplish my goals. I am limited because of these new rules that limit my face-to-face meetings and my need to drive across the state for meetings. Recently, my appointments have canceled. It’s a new paradigm for how I typically interact with others. It is a new day for measuring my  progress.

Of course we all want to accomplish as much as we can and do the most good. Nevertheless we are learning how to reevaluate our activities. We quickly discover how much time we spend in non-essential activities.

It’s time to establish the right set of values personally but also our professionally. We often forget to ask the question of why we do what we do. Since the threat of the coronavirus pandemic it is a time to re-evaluate what is really important. It is time to discover how we can do the most good in these challenging times. Each of our activities must be essential, intentional and purposeful.

The role I serve in my organization is to connect and build relationships in order to help kids in hard places. Foster Care as ministry is what defines our why we exist Since there is the need for social distancing and limited travel, I am having to find new ways of engaging people. Thankfully there are many different avenues in today’s technological age. I have personally found a Zoom (a video chat technology) to be a great resource but there is also social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. We have many other resources at our disposal including, to the surprise of many, the telephone!

We are encouraged to stay connected and to check in on those at-risk of becoming sick. Just the other day I placed a phone call to a senior who has a compromised respiratory condition to simply encourage her and let her know that she has been prayed for and thought of. I even asked her if there’s anything I could do for her. Just the other day I placed a phone call to a senior who has a compromised respiratory condition to simply encourage her and let her know that she has been prayed for and thought of. I even asked her if there’s anything I could do for her. It was such an easy form of ministry! even as our weekly Bible study group has gone to a video chat platform we raise concerns about those who could not join with us and made commitments to reach out to them.

I believe that we can definitely make a significant difference, doing the most good in the lives of others as we find new ways to connect. Our busy activities, the non-essential and essential, keep us from doing what is most productive. we could become so distracted that we forget what is our primary purpose in our personal lives but also our professional work.

The scripture reminds us to commit our actions to the Lord. It’s this simple understanding that as we look to the Lord, our actions can succeed. Perhaps that’s where we have to begin, not by what we want to accomplish but by what God calls us to value most.

This season of time when we are forced to reevaluate our activities we should also reevaluate what’s truly important and which values we hold most essential in our lives. It’s during the season of time that we can even better define our purpose, that is the reason why we get up in the morning. We can start by asking ourselves several basic questions and reevaluate what we hold most valuable.

1. Write a simple sentence that answers the question of why: Why do I exist? Why is this important? Why do I get up in the morning?

2. What are the top three values that you hold as most essential? Is it your life? Is it the things you own? Is it the people in your life?

3. Write out your mission statement for your personal life.

For me, it begins with Philippians 1:6 that has been a tremendous passage of scripture and my life verse that reads: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.“ Furthermore, my reason for existing is to carry out God‘s ministry and Calling to help others to know their value! I am self-motivated & relational, pioneering ventures that connect people to their strengths & passion.

4. Listing your priorities based on you mission statement and your top three values can help in discovering the essential activities. These will keep your priorities before you!

As you discover how to make the most of every opportunity and figure out how you can be doing the most good, you should reevaluate your activities and prioritize your set of goals so that you are in alignment with your purpose in life in your personal as well as professional life.

A New Set of Rules

A new set of conditions are being imposed on us as we are engaged in the response to #Covid19 (yes, the hashtag is intentional). We are faced with a new set of rules on how we interact with others. New terms have been introduced to us like, Social Distancing. Many are under stay-at-home mandates unless for essential purposes.

Yet, it must be understood that we have the same God. He is in control and this is not a surprise to Him. God is the same as he has always been. Each and every day we discover something new in the midst of challenging times. I know for me, I’ve had to make changes to my schedule and these days are so very different than some challenges I have faced in the past.

We all have to make changes in our activities and we continue to learn as God is leading. We must learn to adapt to changes. Recently in the state of Indiana it is illegal now to hold a cell phone while driving. That will change how people drive, and for those who work from the mobile office it will mean additional challenges. I use earbuds for my iPhone in order to make and receive phone calls. I travel across the state using electronic maps to guide me. I have to work smarter these days. All that to say that I have learned to adapt.

Today my thoughts are on the eve of taking a few days off from my travels and setting aside my cell phone as part of the new set is rules being imposed. The coronavirus has changed how all of us go about our daily activities. We live in very unusual days where fear and uncertainty seem to occupy our country. Whatever we are not able to control our future, we tend to become complainers and grow uneasy.

Today, I want to remind myself, as well as you that our God is the same as He has always been. None of these events are a surprise to Him. 

Given the circumstances of the #coronavirus (hashtag and all) we have all have to make changes to our routines. Hopefully we have become more compassionate people as well. We hope that our concern and ununcertainty will become transformed into a concern for others and a certainty in God, through Christ Jesus.

I am reminded that the scripture tells us at no matter our circumstances or whatever trial we may be faced with that God is still in control. Whether I’m reading in the book that Peter wrote or he indicated a confidence in God saying that we could cast all of our cares on Him because He cares for us. Even as I browse the book of Philippians I find an optimism in Paul’s writings that even though he was in chains and imprisoned Paul states that the gospel is not in chains. Reading the words of Jesus, the red letters of the Bible, I find that God‘s kingdom is always advancing, even though I don’t fully understand things this side of heaven. I read in the Old Testament how the prophets spoke of days like this and called people to repentance, to turn to the Lord for strength.

During these times, the church is discovering new ways to provide ministry. It is finding new avenues to being together in worship. It is a looking to new ideas for how to be in the community, not just a church behind closed doors.

Take time to not only be in prayer and the reading of God‘s Word but also read relevant books and articles that keep us alert and aware during these unusual days. Limit your social media because it can become a distraction but be intentional as you post encouraging messages and even sending private messages to friends and family.

Recently our team at White’s Residential and Family Services has had to deploy a new method for engaging churches since so many pastors and others are no longer meeting face-to-face. Instead, we have decided to pray for pastors and ministry leaders and then to send them a message of hope through email and even other social media platforms. 

These are things we all can do to maintain a connection with others. We can have a ministry of love without even leaving our homes. Picking up the phone and communicating with others makes a powerful difference. Let’s be bearers of the Good News of Jesus Christ and share the Hope we have in Him.