Just. Be.

Life can get so hectic sometimes. I so easily lose focus and get bogged down by day to day stuff. I lose sight of the end goal, which is to love God and love people. Now, I know God cares about the little in between things, but I sense His challenge to look up and beyond today's worries. To look outside my own life and into the lives of those around me. I am loving the time I have when I get outside the walls of my house and go to work at a local retail store. It challenges me to be God's hands and feet in small, tangible ways. My attitude, work ethic, speech, actions, even my smile...are all small, but real ways God can use to show Himself to others around me. I don't get many opportunities to talk about God to my co-workers or especially customers. The shifts are busy and rarely do I find myself sitting on break with someone who's wanting to chat :). So it really is the small actions that I have to trust the Lord will use. I want people to see that there's something different about me and wonder what it is...and who knows, maybe someday, someone will ask me what that is! I have already found that the guys and gals around me trust me, when I wouldn't expect trust to have been earned yet. They share bits & pieces of their lives casually in conversation-relationship troubles, family issues, kids...it's amazing how much people will share. I can only attribute this trust to the Lord.

For the past 8 years, I have worked in a Christian work environment. Don't get me wrong, these places were wonderful! And I wouldn't trade my time there for anything. But I certainly didn't interact with non-Christians very often...and let's be honest, randomly leading someone to Christ at the grocery store just doesn't happen (at least not in my world). So here I am-working a job that on one hand drives me nuts (just juggling being a mom & working is tough-I'm sure you understand!), but on the other hand is a great joy. I am learning through this job to just be. Just be me. God's love has changed my life and I now have a new way of sharing His love with the people I come into contact with at this workplace-be it co-workers or customers.

Smile. Care. Go the extra mile. Listen. Work hard.

(No, this is not from a motivational book :), but just a few practical (& Biblical) ways we can show the love of God to those around us.