"Wisdom in balance" by guest blogger Maureen Brown

As we prepare for our 14th annual conference "Wisdom" with Keynote speaker Mary Kassian and musical guest Point of Grace, we are featuring blog posts from our recommended speaker team to share their journey on wisdom! This week, Maureen Brown shares with us the value of restoring balance through wisdom...

Have you ever found yourself at the end of the day asking the question “where did that day go?”  Just like the line that Alabama used to sing – “I’m in a hurry to get things done; I rush and rush until life’s no fun.”  Do you sometimes feel like your life is “rushed” or “out of balance”? 

Balance and time management – 

two thoughts that can bring instant fear and guilt into the heart of every woman.

Wouldn’t it be helpful if you could hire your own personal balance and time-management consultant?  Someone who could see the big picture and look down at your to-do list and put things into proper perspective dictating things like “ok, that item is a waste of time –this, now this is important – focus on this – take more time for that - and this is okay, as long as it doesn’t get in the way of that”.   

I remember when my children were little, feeling like that infamous gerbil running on the wheel of life.  Missing moments that I could never get back and not appreciating the incredible moments that God had given me.   During that time I had the blessing of meeting weekly with a group of close friends for bible study.  Oh they were sometimes crazy mornings because we all brought our kids and it would be loud.  But those coffee mornings were the highlight of my week and the friendships and support helped me so much through those years.  I’ll never forget a verse that we studied one time that hit me like a ton of bricks.

Proverbs 14:1 The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.

Was I tearing my house down?  Was I using the wisdom God offered me? I had an opportunity as a mother to build into my children’s lives......to be thankful for my circumstances....to realize that there is a bigger plan........to realize that this time goes so quickly. ….did I have an attitude of gratitude….was I thankful for every moment?  Did I realize that though it was one of the hardest jobs I would ever do, it was one of the most important jobs I would ever do?  Did I realize that there was a bigger picture and there was a plan and a purpose for all that my life entailed? 

And so that lesson continues on for me until this day.  Maybe there is something in it for you as well? Each of us is part of a bigger picture and we need to realize that there is a plan and purpose for the stage we are going through right now…and we have the wisdom that is needed to consider the bigger picture.  The Bible tells us in James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.  God is eager to give us wisdom…….and the fee is absolutely nothing (or absolutely everything depending how you look at it).   I love the end of that verse “without finding fault” – that says to me that even when I feel like I am not doing a good job, or I realize that I am tearing down and not building up,  - He still wants to give me wisdom when I ask offering transformation and restoration in every area of my life.

So, the answer is ‘yes’.  We do have access to our own “personal balance and time-management consultant” and we can live wisely if we yield our dreams, hopes, desires and plans to the one who is all wisdom and has the best plan and purpose for our lives, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  Then we can be that wise woman that builds her house. 

Maureen’s passion is that every person would come to the full understanding of how special, unique and loved they are. With the joy of adding a beautiful daughter in law to her family, she is a wife and mother of four. Maureen serves on the Board of Directors for Women’s Journey of Faith and is passionate about their vision for the restoration of women. As a speaker, Maureen mixes humour and her personal testimony with the goal of encouraging women on their journey of faith. She also serves as Director of Children’s Ministries in her church in Saskatoon working with both children and women. Maureen is a Certified Life Coach registered with the International Coaching Federation, and a SheSpeaks graduate. She meets with women individually and in groups to inspire them to live the full life they were created to live. As a retreat, conference, workshop and ladies event speaker, God uses her life struggles to give hope and encouragement to others. With transparency and warmth, Maureen speaks from a heart that has been transformed by the power of God’s love.

Get to know Maureen a little better by visiting her website here: Maureen

To get updated on our upcoming Wisdom Conference click here: Wisdom/WJOF