Devoted by Krissy NordhoffSample

ENOUGH STRENGTH

Mom used to have a friend named Mrs. Foster. Mrs. Foster was an elderly lady at church

who didn’t have any family in town. My mom was always good at loving on people like that.

We always knew when Mom was on the phone with Mrs. Foster because the call would last

for hours. She was too kind-hearted not to listen. Apparently, Mrs. Foster always started

these conversations with, “I’m not complaining, I’m explaining!” And she sure did! I think

there were a few times when they got disconnected, and Mom would try to call her back, but

the phone would be busy for hours.

I never want to complain either, but sometimes I look back through my journal and see how

I’m bellyaching to God. Sometimes I laugh at these pages when I see them again, and

sometimes I skip right over them! One of those times, I was telling the Lord how tired I was.

How I felt so pulled in so many directions. With ministry, family, and career. Then I heard

a one-liner that changed my life: “I give you enough strength for what I have called you to

do. So if you are running out of strength, what are you doing that I haven’t called you to?”

That truth rang through my heart. I knew I needed to reevaluate my calendar that day and

the rest of the year. Those words still guide me to this day. When I feel overwhelmed, I hear

them echo. When I lose direction, I hear them echo. When I need to remember what is

important again, I hear them echo.

The climate of the world is “busy.” So many times, we view being busy as success.

We fill up our schedules to feel important, and we don’t even mean to. We think

achievement will raise our worth. When all the while, He is calling us to less. For our time to

be spent in potent, undiluted, effective, meaningful, and on-purpose ways. Somehow, when

we do that, we have all the strength we need. This is clear in scripture, including today's.

PRAYER

Lord, help me to know how best to use my time in this day and in this season.

Help me remember when I’m running out of strength to evaluate what I may be doing that I

shouldn’t be.

JOURNAL

If you are able, I would encourage you to take some time with pen and paper to reflect on how this devotional relates to your life right now, and give some room for the Holy Spirit to respond.

TODAY'S SONG

To hear a song co-written and sung by Krissy that resonates with this message, go here:

Sabbath by Krissy Nordhoff