Have you ever been in a conversation with someone and you are interacting and yet not fully present?
You catch yourself nodding and even saying something in response every now and then. It’s generally more like an ‘uh huh’ instead of a real response. You are smiling and pretending to be engaged, but the whole time you are actually somewhere else.
We’ve all done it, we make the grocery list, text our kids, husband or friends, maybe even check in on Facebook…all the while in the presence of someone right in front of us. It might be the kids, our husband, one of our co-workers, it doesn’t really matter because in the world we live in right now it is a constant challenge to be fully present.
Over the last few years or so God has really challenged me that I need to focus on being “fully present” with those He puts in front of me. With my kids, my husband, my co-workers, the check out person at Target…you name it, if they are in front of me I need to focus on them.
In the past, when I visit with a friend, pray with someone, go to the grocery, or whatever I’ve got going on that day, it’s a constant struggle for me to not have my mind wander in a thousand other places. In trying to do so many things good things that will make a big difference we lose sight that what God wants us to focus on is the small thing in front of us.
We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee. ~Marian Wright Edelman
What I’ve learned through all of this is that the people that God has brought in front of me that day aren’t getting me, they are only getting a small, distracted part of me, and let’s face it, that’s just not enough. They deserve all of me…and all of you. We need to be “fully present” in the here and now so that we can make sure to be all God created us to be, not what “we” want to be, do, or get done.
I love this verse found in Romans 15:14, I’m simply underlining how very much I need your help in carrying out this highly focused assignment God gave me…
Our friends, our family, and our God deserve our best and sweet sisters, we are not giving them our best if we are only “half” listening or paying attention. They need us to stop all the random thoughts in our head and to focus on whatever He puts right in front of us.
Why don’t we make a fresh start today?
We can set down our phone, close the laptop, turn off the noise and give our full attention to our kids, our husbands, our jobs, our friends, you name it. I know it won’t be easy, believe me, I still struggle with it, but if we make an effort to be fully present then I believe that God will bless us with deeper more intimate conversations than we’ve ever had before.
Come on, we can do this together.
What about you…
What keeps you from being completely “there”?
What/Where does your mind tend to drift instead of being “Fully Present”?
What do you do to practice being a fully present woman?
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REGISTER NOW for the
2014 M.O.M. Conference ~ BETTER TOGETHER
July 31st – August 2nd,
Jacksonville, Florida at Trinity Baptist Church
Registration Information, Location, List of Breakout Sessions, Descriptions of Workshops, Conference Speaking Team, Better Together Conference Flyer, Better Together Bulletin Insert (Full Color), Better Together Bulletin Insert (Black & White), Better Together Conference Cards (Postcard Size)
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