When was the last time you played?

When was the last time you played? When was the last time you were able to get away? Get away from your daily routine, responsibilities, work demands, house demands, and in turn, just play like a kid again? One of the privileges my husband and I have with living in the Orlando area is that Disney is 20 minutes from our house. Because of that, we try to always fit some time in our busy schedule to visit the place where "Dreams come true". This past weekend was one of those weekends. We stayed both Friday and Saturday night at the Boardwalk Hotel on Disney property and in turn, spent Saturday at the Magic Kingdom riding rides like Thunder Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, the Jungle Cruise, etc.. What a refreshing weekend it was. No computer, no alarm clock, no grading papers, no lesson plans to put together, and no doctoral classes to work on. Nothing. All we did was play.

I once heard a speaker state that the busier you are, the more play time you need. When was the last time you played? Are the responsibilities of life just wearing you down? Are you tired, worn out, burned out, etc? If so, play time is what you may need. Maybe your schedule or finances will not allow you to get away for the night. If so, why not take into consideration some of the ideas listed below:

* get out and have a picnic

* go to the park and swing on the swings like a kid again

* go down the slide at the park

* jump on your bed because you can

* have a pillow fight

* play hide-n-seek

* rent a canoe

* take a hike

* jump like a kid into a pool

* go on a bike ride

* go to a cafe and read a good book

* go to the beach

* fly a kite

* take a bubble bath

* go see a girl movie

* rent a girl movie

If the stresses of life are getting to you, set up some time to play. I promise, it will be well worth it!

What Are You Afraid Of?

What is the first fear that jumps into your mind? We all struggle with fears, some paralyzing, others mildly nagging. What about you? What is your greatest fear? Fear can motivate you to seek God's strength and power, or it can keep you from embracing new opportunities, including those that would help you fulfill His plan for your life."

You Are Not Alone

"I cross paths with women every day who have fears like these: heights, snakes, public speaking, cancer, terrorism, financial ruin, spiders, bridges, or dogs. Some have a fear of flying, falling, enclosed spaces, job loss, husband's death, being alone, fish, or chemical warfare. You may know someone who has a fear of abandonment, rejection, being attacked, failure, success, ridicule, or being found out that she's not smart. What about an extreme fear of dying, which causes you to avoid your annual checkup" (Brazelton, 29).

What are you afraid of? Like many women, I too have my fair share of fears. What I have come to realize is that many times, fears can keep you from fulfilling the plan that God has for your life. Let me explain. For the past 10 years I have had the opportunity to speak in a variety of venues. Each time I'm approached about speaking, believe it or not, I can't help but have this immediate fear creep up within me. Yes, the speaker who gets nervous! My first response is to say no. But as I think about and pray about the opportunity that the Lord has placed before me, I can't help but feel the Lord nudging me to accept the invitation. I have to admit, I'm nervous until the speaking engagement is over! But what's interesting to note is that while I'm speaking, I am in my element. My heart is filled with an unexplainable joy and while I'm speaking I can't help but think, gosh, this is what I was made for. I love nothing more than being able to share my heart with others and in turn, being able to encourage and inspire others to live the life that God has called them to live. What's even more amazing is that after each speaking engagement, my heart is overflowing with the encouragement I receive from the audience members.

Here's my point-I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has called me to be a speaker-to share His Word with others. When I'm asked to speak somewhere, I have to consistently remind myself that this is what God has called me to and in turn, I have to trust that He will give me the words to speak. I can't allow my fear to keep me from doing what it is that God has called me to do. If I do, I end up missing out on the wonderful blessings that the Lord wants to pour out upon me.

So, what are you afraid of? Where in your life are you allowing fear to take control? What would it look like if you allowed God to take that fear and use you in the mighty ways that He wants to use you?

Don't let fear win out. Give your fear over to God and watch what He will do. I promise, it will be well worth it!

Brazelton, Katie (2005). Praying for Purpose for Women. Grand Rapids, Michigan. Zondervan