We are knee-deep into fall. The leaves are falling and October is filled with activity between Thanksgiving and Halloween. All of the YES's given in September fall along with the leaves in October. Overwhelm begins and when overwhelmed our moods and emotions seem to be all over the place.
I can attest to just how busy October can be. I have the holidays, two retreats, and numerous other things all tugging at me. There are moments when I feel like I am drowning in everything I have taken on. You see, many times when I have said yes to things, it is when things are quieter and I believe wholeheartedly I have time for it. I try hard to provide myself with margin and balance and yet there are months like October when everything needs my full attention at once.
There are several ways I can respond to this overwhelming scenario. I can let it crush me under the weight making me highly ineffective, and making the overwhelm even worse. Another option is to take the bull by the horns and prioritize the important things. I did this last week. I took a whole morning to organize my life and it helped immensely. It gave me a path to navigate all my responsibilities this month and has enabled me to be effective while facing the mountain before me.
No matter how big the mountain is, you also do not face it alone. God can help us with everything! Matthew 11:28 (NLT) - Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." We can give our overwhelm to God and He will provide us strength to carry us through. Embrace the rest that can come from turning to God in these times.