Autumn finds many of us removing dead plants from gardens and preparing homes and yards in anticipation of the coming winter months.

Some plants require pruning—the process of removing dead branches and stubs—which promotes beneficial rest for the plant while allowing room for new growth next season. Pruning also deters pest infestation while supporting a plant’s natural shape and healthy growth.

Recently I was reminded of the importance of personal “pruning”. On an episode of a weekly podcast I enjoy, one of the co-hosts shared his experience of a complete mental breakdown. It triggered the realization that he had taken on way too many responsibilities and wasn’t doing any of them well—nor were they bearing much fruit.

His life required some serious “pruning”:  reassessing his work, ministry commitments, and relationships, while prioritizing and making “cuts” where necessary.

The end result was much less anxiety, and greater peace as he moved through his days and tasks.

Isn’t busyness one of the greatest peace-robbers of our time?

Taking on more than we should, we end up juggling too many spinning plates, not able to put enough time into any one activity to do a job well. Personal enjoyment and fulfillment go out the window and are replaced by anxiety, as we walk around stressed over all we have to do.

As Christians, shouldn’t we want to make sure all we do is God-directed, to the end that our lives bear His wonderful fruit, and glorify Him?

So, with the change of seasons I decided to take stock of what I’m doing with my life, and ask the Lord to show me if there’s something that should go. In a nutshell, here’s what I came up with:

What does my work as a writer and speaker look like, and how much time can I and should I devote?

In my various ministry responsibilities, including as administrative assistant and Board member of an international ministry, as well as serving at my local church—am I taking on only work directed by the Lord, or am I saying yes to other things, motivated by pleasing people or otherwise?

Is managing two online small businesses and 3 websites too much? Oh, and how about being a wife, mother, homemaker, house secretary, as well as other interests for exercise and enjoyment?

You get the idea . . .

In the last 3 weeks I’ve been asked to edit someone’s book and be part of a team embarking on a large marketing project that will probably go on for several years. Initially excited, but quickly overwhelmed by the prospects, I sought the Lord, asking,  “what do You want me to be doing?”

So He’s helped me do some pruning, and affirmed what He wants me to be doing in each category. Like the podcast host, I too realized I’m not good at juggling too many plates. Making necessary cuts and saying “no” has allowed me to put the proper time and heart into each task to do my best.

I have greater peace, resulting in excellence and fruit that glorifies Him.

How about you? Would you benefit from some personal pruning?

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. . . .  Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.  (John 15:1,2,4 NKJV)

Pruning can be painful in the moment and feel like a setback. But as we abide in Christ and take our nourishment from Him, we come back healthier and stronger, able to bear even more fruit.

Take time to abide in Christ, the vine, and receive nourishment from Him today. He’s waiting to help us with every decision, every action.

He’s waiting to give us peace.

Copyright © 2019 Cheryl Elton

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As we busily move through our days—and especially when things are going well—it’s easy to leave God on the back burner. So often, it’s when the burdens of life become overwhelming, or too tough to handle on our own, that we cry out to Him.

And although in His graciousness and goodness He hears us any time, God never intended that we navigate through life alone. In Christ, by way of the Holy Spirit, He’s given us a helper, a comforter, a companion and friend to walk with us through the peaks and valleys of our journey.

When the stresses of life leave us exhausted and empty, Matthew 11:28-30 is often quoted:

“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.’” 

Yoke is a term rarely used in today’s vernacular. Yet its significance adds astonishing insight to these verses.

A yoke was a farming tool used to join two animals such as oxen, to pull heavy loads. Together, they could share the workload and become more productive. Neither animal could carry the load alone, but in partnership, could shoulder it with ease.

In biblical times, yoke for oxen were often custom made to fit particular animals. It’s believed that Jesus came from a carpenter’s family, so it’s likely He had personal experience in hand carving wooden yokes and making sure they fit well.

Using the illustration of a yoke, Jesus is inviting us to partner with Him in the work of life and ministry. This beautiful section of Scripture clearly implies a continuing relationship with Jesus Christ.

We each have a yoke and a burden, a function and a responsibility as Christ followers. The Lord has a custom yoke ready for each of us when we’re willing to let Him share our daily burden.

When we find ourselves weighted down and weary, the remedy is found in bringing our hearts back to Him, into His presence.

Doing our work with Jesus alongside us sharing the load is not tiresome or burdensome.

Yoked to the Master we find rest to our souls.

Copyright © 2018 Cheryl Elton

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Did you know statistics reveal that 75-90% of all doctor visits are for stress-related illnesses?

The pressures of life are constantly bearing down on us. We all face needs that can result in anxieties about our health, finances, safety, relationships, the future. 

While people try many things to bring peace to their lives, Jesus’ words in John 14:27 remain:

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” 

The peace of Christ is something we must invest in daily through our relationship with Him. Just because we were at peace yesterday, doesn’t guarantee we will be today.

This short video offers some great practical tips to more consistently experience God’s peace.

The message beautifully complements Pathway of Peace: Living in a Growing Relationship with Christ.

Enjoy!

Copyright © 2017 Cheryl Elton

The post Keys to Being at Peace appeared first on Cheryl Elton.

Several years ago, a figure skating coach I know decided—after 20 years of teaching—he would start training to compete again. That winter, every time I was at the rink, I watched him practice. He pushed himself to train, every single day, for months on end.

Finally, the big day came. He travelled halfway across the country to compete against other highly accomplished adult skaters at Nationals.

But soon after arriving, he experienced a crushing blow.

His back gave out, and he spent the entire event in pain, watching from the stands as a spectator.

In hindsight, he realized he had over-trained, and unfortunately his body reached its breaking point at the wrong time.

Sadly, his story is not unusual.

In his zeal to excel, he had ignored an important principle sometimes overlooked by dedicated athletes: the body needs regular time to rest and rebuild after exercise.

God incorporated rest not only as an essential part of our physical life—but also our mental and spiritual life.

In any endeavor, routine times of rest are vital to avoid discouragement and burnout.

Jesus often had crowds thronging Him, yet never rushed when dealing with people. He understood the importance of a balanced life. When the demands became high, He often snuck away to a mountainside or a quiet place to pray. 

He encouraged His disciples to do the same:

“Then Jesus said, ‘Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.’ He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.”  (Mark 6:31)

Today, rest remains a rare commodity for many people. They wear busyness as a badge of distinction, and day in and day out stay caught up in its frenzy.

And regrettably, the busier we get with all our “stuff”—work, kids, meetings, meals, exercise, chores, even ministry service—the less time we spend with the One who helps us most.

Jesus extends an ongoing invitation of refreshing to us all:

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.’”  (Matthew 11:18)

In our drive to be productive, let’s remember the thing most worth being concerned about: spending time with the Lord each day, resting and refreshing ourselves in His presence.

Taking time to cease from our own work, we allow Him to do His work in us—renewing our strength, restoring our peace. We learn to hear His voice.

In His presence, we’ll find ourselves doing less, but accomplishing much more.

Copyright  © 2017 Cheryl Elton

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It’s called the City that never sleeps—New York!

My son recently survived his first month living there. And while he initially enjoyed the excitement and ease of stepping out of his apartment to explore coffee shops, delis, even the public library—after a few weeks he realized there was no quiet—ever!

Any hour of the day or night the endless drone of traffic, trucks rumbling, barrels crashing, sirens blaring, people talking . . . goes on . . . and on . . . and on . . .

The world teaches us to live like the city, doesn’t it?

Always moving, always producing, always active. Despite how exhausted we are, we must keep going.

Overloaded. Overworked. Overwhelmed.

Is this really what God intended for us?

Jesus gave us a simple promise: at any moment we can turn our thoughts to Him, and find our rest in Him.

Are you weary? Burdened? 

Jesus said:

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) 

Whisper His name. He is only a thought away.  

Sometimes we must cease from our own works, and allow Him to do His work in us . . . restoring our peace, rekindling our joy, revitalizing our hope.

Worship the Lord today by taking time to rest in His presence.

Copyright © 2016 Cheryl Elton

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My family comes from a long line of worry warts. Not the mild concern type worry, but the all-consuming hand-wrenching worry that puts knots in your stomach and keeps you up at night.

My dad was a master worrier. It intensified as he got older and moved to a nursing home. He worried about me driving at night, about his grandkids making good choices, about the weather tomorrow.

He would often say with a smile “I have a lot of time on my hands. I need something to worry about!”

He wasn’t alone. Many people’s lives are consumed with worry.

The word “worry” in the Bible is an interesting and revealing study. From the Greek merimnao—it is literally a “dividing of the mind.” In God’s view, worrying is unbelief, the opposite of faith. It divides the mind, pulling it in two opposing directions.

Can we be trusting God and worrying at the same time?

Used five times in the latter part of Matthew 6, the King James Version (KJV) translates merimnao as “take no thought,” while other versions like the New Living Translation (NLT) use the word “worry.” Either way, it is saying “Don’t be divided in your mind . . .”

“. . . I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear.” (vs. 25) “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” (vs.27) “And why worry about your clothing?” (vs.28) “So don’t worry about these things, saying What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?” (vs. 31) “So don’t worry about tomorrow . . .” (vs. 34) (NLT) 

Our minds aren’t to be divided between worrying about our need and trusting God’s promised provision. In other words, we can’t be living in the unbelief of worry and the belief of faith at the same time!

Philippians 4:6-7 is another familiar passage in which God tells us not to worry, and what to do to instead experience His peace:

“Don’t worry (merimnao—or “be anxious (KJV)) about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (NLT) 

When consumed with worry, we’re usually trying to figure things out ourselves, leaving God out of the picture. Prayerfully living in the Lord’s presence gives us peace, and eliminates our need to worry. He never leaves us. Jesus Christ lives to make intercession to God on our behalf.

Worrying is imagining the future without God. 

As the shepherd leads the sheep and they follow, His presence goes before us into our day. 

Knowing that, what have we to worry about?

Copyright © 2015 Cheryl Elton

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Have you ever considered that our greatest need is stillness?

In our wildly accelerating world, our lives are perpetually overloaded, chaotic, and noisy. The demands of daily life, coupled with our devices constantly informing, entertaining, and distracting us, lead us to a place of endless inner buzz.

We become increasingly desperate to slow down, unplug, and seek quiet—but find it foreign and elusive. 

Did God intend that we push stillness out of our lives to the degree that we no longer experience His presence? That we love and serve the god of busy instead of Him?

Without a smartphone, even Jesus had need to turn off the noise and rest His mind for a while. He often withdrew Himself from people and the world to rest and pray. He encouraged His disciples to do the same.

The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone. 

Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home. After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land. (Mark 6:30-32, 45-47) 

Perhaps we should learn from His example . . .

There has never been a greater need to slow down and give ourselves permission to be quiet. In the stillness of time alone with God we find Him. He renews our strength. He fills us with His peace. We hear His still small voice.

We emerge revitalized to carry on, living life as He intended—in the joy and refreshing of His presence.

Copyright © 2015 Cheryl Elton

The post The Lost Art of Stillness: Part 1 appeared first on Cheryl Elton.

We’ve seen the pictures . . . Jesus, the Good Shepherd, serenely walking along a lush green meadow carrying a young lamb, sheep leisurely following behind.

Jesus, walking through crowds, people thronging to be near Him.

Jesus . . . always calm, caring, in control.

But did He ever get upset? Angry? Sad? Stressed?

Yes!

Gospel records show us Jesus got angry at injustice. He wept and grieved when His friend Lazarus died. He had to contend with the Pharisees, constantly berating Him for healing people on Sabbath, the “wrong” day of the week.

The Son of God was a man. A man who experienced the gamut of emotions, stresses, passions, and temptations that we do—yet without sin. 

This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15) 

In every situation, the constant was His continuous connection to the Father. Jesus handled everything, including stress, by saying and doing only what the Father told Him.

I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. (John 5:19)

I [Jesus] don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. (John 12:49) 

Surely, as He hung on the cross, Jesus experienced the ultimate stress. His hands and feet pierced with nails, His head crowned with thorns, His face and body bruised and bloodied, His back shredded. His closest companions had deserted Him. People on the ground cruelly shouted insults. He carried the sins of the world upon Himself.

Yet even in the midst of this unfathomable stress, His response to it flowed from His unwavering faith in the Father. He prayed to the Father, and through the Spirit’s empowering was able to say “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34a) 

Perhaps His example can show us how to handle stress. Through the Spirit’s enabling and empowering we can experience Christ’s victory, as we dwell in His peaceful presence.

How would our lives change if we said and did only what the Lord told us?

Copyright © 2015 Cheryl Elton

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