Nancy is one of the most capable people I know. Not only professionally, but also on a soul level. She has deep wisdom, even deeper compassion and is this incredible shepherd of relationships.
Yesterday was her last day at my day job. Not because she is "leaving to pursue opportunities," but because she is struggling with bandwidth. For the past two years, she has been caring for her parents. Her mom has Alzheimers (a disease that is harder on the family than the person who has it).
The woman who can "do it all"...host a church small group, actively participate in another, serve her parents, serve her family, serve her job...found that after two years of 16 hour days that refreshing her soul mattered.
The thing is that caring for your soul when so many depend on you is rarely as simple as simply taking a vacation day. (Especially when all of your vacation days have been spent taking elderly parents to doctors appointments or in hospital visits.) It takes a radical move to know that God didn't design you to live this way and to "accept the things you cannot change and change the things you can."
Nancy made a bold move in trust to follow where she believes God is leading with no clue of the outcome. There are financial fears, relational fears, the pressure of expectations...
The needs of those we love are great. Yet God commands rest and Jesus modeled pulling away (even when there were more people who needed healing). It is a really brave thing to pursue that.
2 comments
Thank you,my friend! The way you put words to my life is so clarifying and encouraging.
"Radical" was my word for the year...I just didn't realize the lengths that was going to encompass!! Whew!
Now to see what's next...
Yay for Nancy J!! Prayers for more time for her to just "be..."
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