Overwhelmed?
Hi Girls! I’m glad you stopped by today because I really need your input.
I am in the beginning stages of working on a study I will be teaching at a fall weekend retreat tentatively called, “Get Over It! (Being an Overcomer in an Overwhelming World)” The theme will be taken from the letters to the churches in Revelations and the promises made to those who overcome.
Here is where I need your help.
I would be so grateful if you would list the top three things in your life which overwhelm you. I especially need to hear from the 40+ crowd as this is a season of life I have not yet experienced and could use your wisdom in. If you would like to email me privately, you certainly are welcome. I will not use your names in my teaching but may use some of your examples unless you ask me not to.
I’m begging you to come out of the closet on this one…I really need a well-rounded sample in order to feel this study will address the heartfelt needs of the different generations of women who are attending this conference….So far there will be girls there from 20-80!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the great information I know you are going to lend me!
Lisa,
This week life in general seems to overwhelm me. But more specifically: 1. Meeting the needs of my children (home school, toilet training, play time with Mom) 2. Finding time to be alone with God 3. Maintaining the order of home.
Blessings as you plan your conference.
MiPa (age 39 with little kids–age 4 & 2)
Overcoming depression has been a huge issue in my life. And as the nest empties, it can bring women in their 40s down.
I’ll chime in for the 40-something crowd. Here’s what overwhelms me:
1. Keeping up with the varying activities of our family. Right now our kids attend school in three different buildings. Next year we’ll have one in college, one in high school, one in middle school and one in elementary. YIKES! Also, my husband is a Creative Arts pastor and our life revolves around church activities (but you’ve already got that, right?).
2. Maintaining relationships and making yourself available for others is so important in my book, but takes time and I often feel I fail in this area.
3. Noticing and feeling the pain of others gets to me. There are so many needs and so much to pray for. It makes me feel helpless at times.
Hey Lisa!
Three areas that continue to overwhelm me are 1)taking care of three children and molding them and shaping them according to God’s word 2) being the godly woman that God has called me to be, and the wife that my husband needs me to be, and manager of my home that I desperately need to be (3) finding balance between my extremes of Mary-ness and Martha-hood and sticking to a schedule! Between the three of these things, it’s easy to feel like I am drowning at times. But I know that as long as I keep my eyes on Jesus, he will not let the waves take me in!!
I hope my answers help!! My prayers will be with you as you study and prepare. Hopefully you’ll get to share this one with us in bloggy land, too!!
Just three?? :) Let’s just say, it’s been quite a morning. :)
1. Not being the wife I should be.
2. Falling so far short of where I want to be as a mama to my kids.
3. Balencing ministry and home without feeling like the first is constantly overtaking the second.
Overcoming (I am 45 years old);
1. Fear
2. Insecurity
3. Diabetes (my part in this is to lose weight and exercise consistantly).
4. Being Lazy (even though I am currently working 2 jobs, I find myself getting lazy about things I need to do).
5. Love (Loving myself first so then I can love God and others)- Love means not to be jealous of others and forgiving others being patient etc…sp the overcoming is to over come all the opposites of Love to get to Love.
6. Fear of Man – I have come a long way but not totally there yet.
7. Not being full of religion like the PHarisse’s but truly whole heartly loving God.
8. Consistency – In the study of Gods word and spending the quiet time with Him (I do pray and read the word – the time where I am still and hearing His still small voice).
9. Doing God’s will and not my will.
10. Being a doer of God’s word and not a hearer only.
I hope that helps you some.
Here are a few things I feel overwhelmed with…
1. Keeping my house clean with 4 young boys.
2. Homeschooling 1 child, while sending 1 to school, and juggling my twin toddlers
3. Being the best mom I can, I fail at this time and time again.
If you need more examples, I can certainly give you lots more! :)
Sorry! I just realized that you said (3) not 10!
1. Balance. There’s so much to do. Learning to choose God’s BEST things instead of just the good things.
2. Money
3. The battle of the mind. All the things that the enemy throws our way to keep us off track. Insecurities, worry, fears, doubt, etc.
There are so many things I think women struggle with. I identify with many mothers when it comes to balancing the needs of family with that of my own needs. So here is my list
1) Struggling to place God first in all things and not allowing busyness or distraction to get in the way.
2) Being the godly wife, mother, friend, Bible Study teacher, sister… that is expected of me.
3) Battling constant fear. I have extreme fear of public speaking yet God has called me into Women’s Ministry. It is a daily struggle to be obedient to God in this area (as well as other areas) b/c I just want to listen to my flesh and take the easy way out.
Ok those are just 3 I could list many more.
God bless you in this endeavor siesta!
Kim
1. Realizing that my time with my children is short to teach and train them in godliness (ultimately, whether they choose to live for Christ is up to them!).
2. Being the only one responsible for my children’s education (homeschooling and all that goes with it)
3. Finding time to take care of myself spiritually and physically while still maintaining a parsonage that gets lots of drop by company.
As an over-40 mom, I can state without reservation – Teenagers. The constant worry that I am raising them right, and the constant mood swings (and I have BOYS!).
I’m 21, married & in school, and my top three overwhelming things are:
1. Getting into grad school
2. Taking care of our apartment
3. Writing my undergrad thesis
I hope that helps a little, and that it’s not too specific to my situation!!
You know the list would be shorter if you had asked what doesn’t overwhelm me! But, I’ll follow the rules…this time :)
1. Keeping up with daily housecleaning/chores. ie. laundry, dishes, vacuuming, dusting, just keeping things picked up in general.
2. Homeschooling. It seems that no child ever gets enough time or attention from me to be able to learn all that I want them to learn.
3. Activities. Whether it’s the kids’ sports, church gatherings, or just getting together with my friends to have fun, it is always added stress just to fit.in.one.more.thing.
And yes, I’m over 40…but I have a two year old…so THAT should be its very own category I think. LOL!
Can I send four? They all can be so overwhelming.
1. Disappointing God
2. Accepting myself through God’s eyes
3. Not falling victim to the enemy
4. Not re-crucifying Jesus
I have emailed my comment. :)
Bobbie (over 60)
Lots of things sometime overwhelm me. Since I have raised 4 boys and they all have homes of their own, I find I worry about them. Trying not to be the nosey mother is sometimes all I can handle. You see their mistakes but you have to learn to let them make them. I hope that I tried to put or let them put God in their lives and think maybe I failed.
Also I’m not in the best of health and feel at times that I let God down because there is not much I can do. He has never failed me but I have failed him.
I know I need to be more consciensious about my bible study and time in his word. I think as you get older you realize more and more your shortcomings. However, I know that without him I would be truly lost and absolutely miserable.
I can’t say I ever feel overwhelmed. It’s not my personality. I’m too happy-go-lucky and go-with-the-flow.
But! Here are the things that I consistently battle:
1. Daily, consistent time with God. And I’d love part of it to be my own discovery of His Word, instead of always studying other people’s study.
2. Balancing my own needs with the needs of my family.
3. Seeking God and his adventure for my life above comfort or what I want.
I’m 35, married 14 years, 2.5 kids. In case you’re looking for biographical data. :-)
I’m a 47 yo pastor’s wife with a 15 yo son and 12 (going on 21) yo daughter, both homeschooled. This is my first time at this site, and I am looking forward to more.
Biggest challenges:
1 (and 2 & 3). Hormomes! Peri-menopause, etc.! LOL! Seriously, though, hormones are a problem at this stage in life, and managing them, your emotions, etc.; while, all the time you are …
2. Dealing with the expectations that the church has for you. My husband and I have worked these out, but others still have opinions about how I should be.
3. Loving and keeping God first in my life, and then loving my children, husband and others.
God bless.
Tanya
Overcoming laziness overall – I mean that is why I struggle with all health related issues… diet, exercise, even spiritual health.
Thank you so much for the visit! Loved the saying you put at the end ;-) we hope 2! by His Grace.
Thanks for the visit.
we are very excited but at the same time nervous.. hoping this will last.. we so desire to be settled!
Well I’m that 40+ age… so here ya go…
1. Submitting to my husband….and / or authority situations… God calls us to be servants… but because I am equating service and being taken advantage of… “Old flesh” I still struggle. Submitting does not mean I’m letting my husband “control” me.. it’s different… I need help!!
2. addiction — food.. not allowing my body to be God’s temple.
no self control
3. blended family issues
(I can go into detail via email)
blessings
Here’s another from a 40+ girl who gets overwhelmed by…
1). The feeling of loss during the “empty nesting” season of life.
2). Parents health issues… now they seem so much more important to me. “Family history” has a new meaning to me.
3). Being a Godly wife in the midst of hormones going crazy!
Hope this helps!
-Angie
Turning 40 this year. I get overwhelmed by:
The demands of my job as a paralegal/my client’s needs (and how they really need Spiritual Help most, not legal).
The suspicicion that I’m not doing all I can to raise my two teenagers in the way of the Lord.
The need to support my pastor/husband when I feel drained.
Top three things that overwhelm me (not in any particular order, they are all equally overwhelming): 1) Finances; 2) Parenting; 3) My spiritual state and my relationship with God and fellow believers.
That’s it in a nutshell. Just for the record, I’m 34 years old, mother of 3, and I live in Saskatchewan, Canada. I love your blog and I visit frequently. I’m also a HUGE, HUGE, HUGE fan of Diet Coke.
For the college crew…
1.Trying to balance relationships (God,family, friends old and new ones, roomates, classmates, boyfriends) it gets crazy and “girl drama” is the worst thing EVER!
2. Class, grades, career path all that good stuff
3.Trying to get everything done and still have time for fun
1. Raising a daughter in this world. I am constantly in fear of what could happen.
2. I am in a constant battle in my mind with wanting more stuff and comparing myself to others. I know it’s wrong, which is why it’s something I struggle with.
3. Finding time for my quiet time with a baby girl and working.
1)Being a Godly wife. Keeping my mouth shut when I should;D
2) Training up two toddler little boys!
3)Loving the un-loveable people in my life!
I am not in the 40+ croud, but I will let you know what overwhelms me anyway!
1. Being the wife and mother that God wants me to be and knowing that I fall so short of accomplishing that!
2. My Living Testimony when things are not going so well in life.
3. Juggeling kids and family, quite time with God, college, work and all the other stuff in between.
I am sure that this will be an awesome study, of course I think that anything you write is!
Love in Christ,
Cindy
PS, would you do me a favor and stop by my blog and read the latest post, I have a favor to ask of you!
Being over 40, I guess I have to leave my list! LOL!
1)Changes. In life situations. All changes seem more difficult to handle now than they did when I was younger.
2)Changes. Getting used to children growing up and leaving home.
3)Changes. In the body! Hormones and all that.
Me, me, me!!!! I fit your profile. I am overwhelmed…and over 40!
You know the funny thing is that everyone is telling you “when your children are all grown up, you have so much time on hand you don’t know what to do with it…”. Huh? Okay, maybe I lost the time somewhere, but I sure don’t have any extra time…
So, not having the time for all the things I really, really would like to do is overwhelming me. My husband wants to spend time with me, I want to read books (which I need time for), I want to be more encouraging to younger women online…need time for that too. Really, Lisa, the time factor is huge to me and gets me quite frazzled why I do not have the time…Does that even make sense what I am rambling about???? The only time I truly make on a daily basis is spending time in His Word and that keeps me at least a little in line–time wise.
I know that the ladies you will be leading will be blessed beyond belief.
Be blessed today and always.
I’m 51, single for 12 years with three adult children, one precious grandson and a demanding career. My love for the Lord and my commitment to follow Him is unwavering. And when I’m overwhelmed my perspective gets skewed so I try to avoid that state of being… LOL But this is real life and it happens.
Three things that impact me deeply are…
Broken relationships.
Fears about facing old age alone.
Unrelenting demands that drain my spiritual and emotional resources.
At those times I crawl inside the simple Psalm that promises…
HE WILL PERFECT THAT WHICH CONCERNTH ME.
Oh my do I have to limit it to 3 things…….I was thinking of 20-25 things that overwhelm me!! LOL!
I have 2 kids, work full time as a teacher and am 43. So here is my list
find time to spending with God and then being able to focus when I do.
(last spring I taught a class for about 60 ladies at my church, I did a survey and asked what keeps them from spending time with the Lord…the #1 answer from 85% of the women was, they can’t focus, they are distracted easily during prayer etc……so I realized I am not the only one!)
energy……..emotions…..hormone issues ( this is so not fun!)
time……I need 36 hours in a day
keeping up with busy kids and a busy hubby, and trying to organize schedules, activities etc.
keepin up with the housework, yard work, cooking, cleaning etc.
finding time for family devotions
finding time to spend alone time with hubby.
deciding what kind of chocolate I should eat when I am stressed out……..ooops sorry that one slipped in
I could go on, but that is the bulk of it.
Great idea for a teaching, I think it’s so important to address the practical side of living for the Lord and giving hands on suggestions to ladies, so this sounds like what you are trying to do.
When I teach a lesson sometimes I will say it’s “PAP” time ladies…………..meaning it’s the time in the lesson for a “practical application party!” The ladies get a kick out of that one! :)
glad to be helpful with the “over 40 perspective!” i’m almost 46!
i guess some major concerns at this stage of life are:
1. i’ve had a good friend become a widow. her husband’s death was very unexpected. i tell her “everything’s going to be fine,” but what if it happened to us?
2. as my children get older, i worry about whether they’ll carry their faith with them. i hope that we haven’t created any bitterness in them towards “the church,” because we’re so involved in leadership.
I’m afraid I have more than three so choose which ever ones you’d like. Honestly, I’m not sure how helpful these will be Lisa but here goes.
I’m 40 and single:
1. The demanding schedule required to sustain and meet my sons daily needs.
2.The never ending battles I have with my sons insurance as they deny and reduce quantities of many medical items and pieces of equipement that are necessary. This is a constant battle that never ends and I can honestly say they have scored many more wins than I.
3. The montly battles with The Department of Job and Family Services trying to squeeze Jophies adoption assistance out of them. It’s nothing for them to be 2-3 months behind with his payment. Currently I’m fighting for July and today the battle begins for August.
4. Daily I stand toe to toe with the reality that my son could die this day.
5. Watching my child in pain and or suffering.
I do pick and choose my battles and have made it a rule to NEVER fight for everything in the same day lest it surely drive me mad! LOL
Trina