Robert Swenson defines margin as, "the space between our load and our limits." The problem is...we are constantly pushing our limits and it eventually takes a toll on our soul, our family, and the people and places we lead.

5 Guiding Principles to Making Margin

• You are loved by God without limits or conditions (not based on what you do).
• Jesus came so that you can have life and life to the fullest (you are not the exception).
• You were made for margin.
• Who you are becoming matters more than what you are doing.
• The degree of your intentionality and how purposeful you are in your decision-making will determine the degree of margin you will have.
  

More Things We Covered

• The epidemic of busyness.
• The role of the pandemic.
• What we have in common with rubber bands.
• The margin in the life of Jesus

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 In today’s show I am interviewing my friend Jill McCormick as we talk about grace for the try-hard girl, especially when we sense we are in a season of change.

Anyone feel like a try-hard girl? You know, the one who loves Jesus and her people so she tries hard to get it all done, to not disappoint, to do everything well, to always be there, to help fix the problems and right the wrongs? That try-hard girl lives in me and I don’t know about you but the idea of living in the freedom of God’s grace is something I desperately need. And I believe you will find so many things you can personally relate to and take away from my conversation with Jill that will fill your soul with grace.

Some Things We Covered

• Who is the try-hard girl?
• Understanding how we can extend grace to ourselves.
• Accepting we are human beings, not productivity machines.
• Why it is so hard to admit that something needs to change?
• Ideas about how to create space to be with Jesus...

Is the pace of life and ministry unsustainable? Are there too many things to manage? Do you wish you could slow down? 

In today's episode, I interview Jodi Grubbs who is a slow living advocate. Here are some of the things we talk about:

• What happens when you don't slow down
• The importance of soul care and community
• Slow living in the scriptures and how it relates to our relationship with God
• The role of people pleasing
• Tips to slow down the pace
• Obstacles to watch out for as you slow down

Favorite Quotes from Jodi

If you're passionate about something, slowing down will help you.

You are not going to hear God say, "I need to hustle more!"

If we are doing this for God and not for other people, we need to take seriously all the slow living that Jesus did.

More About Jodi

Jodi is a former island girl and is passionate about coming alongside women who long for that shift to slower living. She is a writer and the host of Our Island in the City Podcast where she loves...

There is a choice that will determine our future. It is not about an election or a virus, but it will impact the health of our souls and decide the legacy we will leave. 

In this episode, Jen scraps her original plans for the podcast and shares her mental fatigue and the anger that is rearing its ugly head. It's a sign of the worst pandemic we face but it can lead to a place of radical change.

Do you ever feel like you are failing at being spiritual? Are there times when you struggle concentrating on Jesus? If so, I totally get it! My mind has been all over the place lately. I show up consistently to meet with God and try so hard to "just be" with Him. But then the mind starts turning...and turning...and turning! My body is quite but my thoughts are all over the place.

In this episode, I share my experience over these last few months of being disappointed in my inability to calm the chaos, and the scripture that reminded me that Jesus knows what it's like to be me...He knows what it's like to be you...not just because He made us and has knowledge of everything (which He does) BUT He knows because HE HAS BEEN THERE! He's totally, 100% fully human...just like you and me. So He gets it too!

The question was never did you have the time, but rather, what will you do with the time you have?

There is a great gift that awaits you in this season...to give up the normal things that were hurting your soul so that you can fully live and lead as the person God created you to be!