When Bedtime Stories Are Whispers From God

God is speaking to me in a new way lately, and it’s taken me awhile to figure it out. I wish I could tell you it was something incredibly holy or deep or intellectual. But it’s incredibly simple and such a part of our daily routine that it barely registered.

God is whispering to my heart through bedtime stories.

I’ve been inspired by the childlike bravery of Grover going to look for his teddy bear under the bed. I’ve admired Pooh’s commitment to his friends and how they celebrate even the smallest of victories. I’ve learned about forgiveness with Hermie the worm and been reminded that it’s all going to be ok with Little Seed.

And tonight God affirmed a desire in my heart for boundaries with a story about a lemonade stand. It was really a story about waiting – waiting for God and knowing that His timing is perfect. But it was what I needed to feel freedom from my to-do list.

The work that I do? It never stops. The internet never sleeps, email can always be accessed, social media makes us available to one another 24/7. Voxer and text messages give us instant access to friends and smartphones make sure we never miss an appointment, phone call, or Instagram update.

I love it all.

I really do. I love the internet and the way women connect through it. I love being able to answer questions and connect with new friends, and I see it as a way to spread the Gospel to all ends of the earth.

But just because we have instant access to one another doesn’t mean our expectation should be instant response. I’ve learned the hard way that waiting to send an email response until after your emotions have settled is always the right choice. And I’ve also learned that the boundaries I put in place (or fail to put in place) give others a sense of unrealistic expectations.

• If you email me a work question at 10pm and I respond right away? You’ll probably expect the same the next time you email after business hours.
• If you ask me to do something and I drop everything else I’m working on to do it? You’ll probably expect the same response the next time.

Setting boundaries for my time is hard. I love being generous with my time. But I’m also learning to protect the time I have with my family and the time God has given me to take care of myself. I’ve had to work hard over the last year to break some bad habits and to embrace waiting.

• After 5pm, my family becomes my priority and work waits until the morning.
• I’m learning to recognize that someone else’s level of urgency doesn’t need to impact my priorities.
• God has been teaching me that waiting to respond with grace is always better than responding quickly.
• My to-do list will not become overwhelming if a few emails sit unanswered until I can answer them properly. It’s not about neglect, it’s about working effectively.
• Sometimes the best solutions come from some time spent away from the issue with a clear head and a change of scenery.

When we wait on God, we are always blessed by the result. And when we set healthy boundaries we can be good stewards of the time God has given us.

I’d love to know: what unique ways has God been speaking to you lately? Do you find it hard to set boundaries on your time in our instant-access internet world?