Jan 29

Jan 29 How To Do It All (Hint! It’s Easier Than You Think.)

Join me in welcoming one of our newest contributors, Kristin Funston, to The Better Mom! Today Kristin is sharing a fresh perspective on doing “it all” from the woman we find in Proverbs 31. - XO, Ruth

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"I don't know how you do all you do."

"You seem to do it all.”

Have you ever said or thought this about someone?

Or has anyone ever said it to you?

I’ve definitely thought this about others many times, and have been told this once or twice.

I love to work. As an Enneagram 3 (The Achiever), work is wired into my personality. So I’m constantly working on emails, projects, or any other number of work-related tasks. I feel blessed to be a mom who works both inside and outside the home.

My work, for the most part, brings me joy. And — of course — my family and taking care of them does too.

Until they don’t.

It’s easy to get stressed and worn-out trying to do everything for everybody, am I right?

Yet, the longer I’ve been a mom the more clear God has taught me that doing “it all” doesn’t mean doing everything.

That sounds contradictory, but the Proverbs 31 woman shows us a different perspective.

Talk about someone who did it all. The Proverbs 31 woman was an excellent wife, mother, and worker. She handled everything, right?

Wrong.

If we re-read some of these verses from Proverbs 31, we notice her ownership of everything she did. She brought her food, provided for her husband, her maidens, and looked well to the ways of her household.

She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens … She perceives that her merchandise is profitable … She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. (Proverbs 31:14-15, 18, 21, emphasis mine)

The Proverbs 31 woman did it all. But, hidden behind her example of excellence is a small nugget of truth we can't miss here.

The Proverbs 31 woman didn’t do everything. She simply did what was given to her.

We don't have to do everything. We simply do all that is given to us.

The majority of what the Proverbs 31 woman worked on was hers already ... what God had given her. Sure, she gave to the poor and needy (v.20), but that's after she dealt with what was entrusted to her.

The same goes for us.

Doing "it all" only includes what God has laid in front of us.

Once we recognize what is ours to do, then we can do what we have to, in order to fulfill what God has called us to do.

This is when we do it all.

So today, I am doing what I have to in order to do all I'm called to.

Would you join me? We will be blessed when we do.

Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. (Proverbs 31:28)

If that means saying no to a good thing at church or in the community because our people, our job, or we may suffer, then so be it. If it means taking on extra hours to provide for our families, then so be it. If it means not taking on extra hours at work to spend more with family, then so be it.

Let's look straight ahead at the people and work given only to us. We will do "it all" willingly, and we will do it well. We won't stress since “it all" includes only what God has put in front of only us at this season in our lives.