We each have a life story, penned without ink, read by the people around us. Who's writing your story?

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Finding Focus

"Can you wait a minute, hon?" someone from the ER asked as she pointed to a wheelchair and turned her attention to another patient.
 
"Uh . . . sure." I tried to breath as I lowered my bulky self into the chair. I had been in labor all day and had no intention of arriving early enough to walk the halls as I had done with my firstborn. By now, the clock read 9:35 p.m. Maybe I'd waited too long.
 
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Finally, after a bumpy elevator ride, I somehow got into a hospital gown and stumbled toward the bed. A quick check revealed it was time . . . time to push. But the contractions, one on top of the other, got the best of me. I lost my focus.
 
The nurse gently took my face in her hands, looked me in the eye, and spoke calmly and firmly. "Sarah! It won't be long now. Come on. You can do this."
 
That's all I needed. Less than thirty minutes later, we welcomed our beautiful Sharon Joy into the world. I cuddled her close and focused on her tiny face. Twenty-nine years ago today. Happy Birthday, Sharon!
 
Sometimes, life's circumstances seem a little like birthing a baby. Maybe we've been working on a project for a long time. Or, a difficult relationship seems to be wearing on us. Or, keeping up our health regime seems overwhelming. Or, it seems like forever until we will finally finish an important goal. It's easy to feel panicky, to lose our bearings. Maybe all we need is for someone to encourage us, to help us focus.
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Today, let's find someone to encourage. We all need to hear: "It won't be long now. You can do this. I know you can."

An unnamed New Testament author must have needed a little focus, too, when he wrote, "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith . . . Consider him . . . lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls."(Hebrews 12:2).

Need a little focus today? Look up!

5 comments:

  1. Oh, yeah . . .Labor and delivery. So many good lessons came out of that for me, too--and finding focus is certainly way up on the list.

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    1. You have been that "You-can-do-it" voice for me over and over, Sherry. Thank you!

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  2. Perfect timing, Sarah...time to put pen to paper (or fingers to computer). Thanks for the encouragement.

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    1. Thanks, Gayle, for encouraging ME! Today I began a new chapter . . . need to focus this week! Blessings to you and your writing.

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  3. Great encouragement in this post. I really enjoyed it, Sarah. The impact our words can have really can minister life or death in a situation, and "a word fitly spoken" (Proverbs 25:11) can make all the difference between failure and success, distress or joy. Your story was a great reminder of this truth. Thanks!

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