One thing that I have noticed over the many years that I have served as a wife to a minister is that staleness can creep into a woman’s life when she begins to base who she is, or her identity, on a performance standard set by others. One reason for this staleness is because she has begun to let other people dictate her schedule and her ministry. She has allowed herself to listen to the “Martha’s” in her life rather than to Jesus.

Let’s recall what Martha said in Luke 10:40, “But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, ‘Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.’ ”

Tell her to help me. Tell her to get busy. Tell her to do what I’m doing. Tell her to get distracted too. But Jesus didn’t tell Mary any of those things. Rather, He told Martha that Mary had chosen the better thing.

We can lose our blessing by hanging around people who feel that they have been appointed by God to tell us what to do. 

And if we allow ourselves to take our directions and marching orders from others rather than from God, we will quickly find ourselves defeated.

So rather than looking to others, or even to myself, to find the standard for the life to which Jesus has called me, I need to look directly at God. Because when I look at God, this is when I can better see myself. He created me for His purposes, so why not look to the Creator to discover those purposes?

Letter from a Listener

“I had been at a job for almost a year and a half that, from week one, I knew was going to be a struggle. So I spent the entire time searching for a new job within three different states but had no luck.

I would listen to you on the radio from my tractor. Just a few weeks ago, I had been listening to your Detours lessons, finding them quite fitting. Out of the blue, a company I had applied to from months past called and said, ‘We want you, what is it going to take?’ They accepted my offer without any negotiation, and I prepared to relocate to my new town.

But as I wondered about housing in this new town, I ran into a sales rep I had met a few times. I casually mentioned that I had accepted a new job and was worried about housing. He laughed and answered, ‘Text me this afternoon. I know of a house five miles from your new job in a great neighborhood with great folks.’ After a year and half of trying to stay positive, in less than 24 hours, I had a new job and housing lined up. All I could do was laugh and be filled with joy. He does have a sense of humor sometimes.

I have no doubt that the message of Detours was directly in sync with what I have experienced and am still experiencing. You have positively affected me and have given me hope when I was short on it. Thanks!”