Recently I was reminded of a day when I watched Kate walk towards me after a game. She was carrying a backpack on her back filled to the seams with her school books and another full backpack on her front filled with her sports stuff. If that wasn’t enough, her hands loaded with a few extra items. When I saw all she was carrying, all I wanted to do was lend her a hand and help her to share the load and lighten the heavy. I asked her if she needed a hand but she said she was fine she continued to the car without receiving the help that was offered her way.

As we drove away my eyes were opened to how I am like my daughter.

Although I am not carrying around physical backpacks on my front and my back and extra items in my hands, every day I am carrying around all that I need to do as a wife, a mom of three, a daughter, sister, friend, neighbor, teacher, and a writer. Yet that isn’t all I carry with me. I also carry around what is happening with our family, friends, and all that is happening in the world. I saw how I am like my daughter, going through the motions, carrying more than I need to, saying I am fine, and doing things on my own strength.

I know we have a gracious God who sees me and wants to share the load and lighten the heavy. Yet I was humbled that day to see how I often can be towards God, how my daughter was to me.

Can you relate?

I share this story with you because so many of us are carrying so much on our shoulders. We do not need to go through this week powering through on our own strength while feeling overwhelmed and depleted. That is not how God designed us nor what He wants for us. We have a choice before us, to keep walking through our days with the weight of all we are carrying on our shoulders, or we can turn to God, who sees all that we are carrying and is asking us to come His way so He can help us.

I invite you to join me to…

Pause. Breathe. Pray.™

May we turn to God and accept His invitation. May we be willing to lay all we are carrying before Him. May we ask for wisdom and help to know what is ours to do and what is not ours to do.

God wants to lighten the heavy for us.

Let's let Him in so He will help us.

With love and hope,
Shawn

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."
- Psalm 46:1