Keep It Filled Up

On my way home from work about 30 minutes ago, I was talking to a friend. She has just entered a new phase of her life and she's tired. I know exactly why. I entered that world a short 18 months ago. Here's what she said:

"Jules, my brain is just tired. I give and give and give. I'm tired of the meltdowns so I'm just not going to think anymore."

Oh, I so sympathized but something caught my attention as she was mid-sentence. She gives...and gives...and gives. Truly she does--she is not exaggerating. After her statement, I said:

"You know you are crossing to a danger zone. Want to know what I just heard?"

"What?" she asked.

"Your output is exceeding your intake. You can only give to the extent that you're getting filled up yourself."

So I want to throw that out there for you too, particularly if you're a pastor's wife or a pastor, but it applies to all ministry leaders. You have to keep yourself filled up and while a quiet time is a great place to start and an essential discipline, don't forget to find others to fellowship with where you can be served. Many of us in ministry are the servers and we don't really get the option of just participating. Find a group of people in your same situation and just soak it in.

This very thing has been on my heart the last several days and I'm taking steps to form a small group of girls just like me. Okay, not just like me (I'm imagining a huge sigh of relief at that), but in my same circumstances!