Happy summer! Can you believe that we are halfway through June? I feel like it was just yesterday that I was taking the Christmas decorations down. But here we are in the hot days of summer, and I am so excited to bring back our blog so you can stay up-to-date on the happenings around Anne Neilson Home, Anne Neilson Fine Art, and all the exciting publishing projects coming out this Fall!
Yes, I run two companies, speak across the US and have several projects on the horizon with my incredible publishers, Zondervan and Thomas Nelson Publishing. The number one comment I constantly hear from everyone is, “You are so BUSY.” I want to pause on that word BUSY for a second — aren’t we all busy? If you are a mom chasing toddlers around, a business man/woman, a caregiver, a volunteer, or a student cramming for exams, we are all busy! I don’t want us to fall into the trap of glorifying that word.
Throughout my journey, I talk about how each of us are called to Be Uniquely Serving Yahweh — By Using [what is] Specifically Yours. We are all doing ‘something’ and instead of letting the ‘something’s’ consume our days, let’s surrender to a GOD who has a calling on our lives! Serve HIM with everything you have — I promise you will not feel “BUSY” if you surrender your hopes, your dreams, and your desires to the ONE who has a plan for your life! It is not always easy, but when you grab ahold of God’s hands, He will always equip and guide you along the path He has set before you.
The other comment I get is, “How do you do all that you do?” Good question. Sometimes it gets overwhelming. However, I stumbled upon a book many, many years ago by Mark Batterson, The 40 Day Prayer Challenge. AMAZING book…I suggest that you pause right now and go purchase a few copies on Amazon. You will want to share them with all your friends! Chapter One was entitled “Get Ready” and the scripture verse was from Acts 10:2. These five lines tell us one thing about Corneilus: he "prayed to God regularly." It doesn’t tell us how he prayed or when he prayed…just that he prayed all the time! We know that when you pray to God regularly, irregular things happen on a regular basis (Mark Batterson’s words and oh so good!) My journey has been just that. As I have prayed and surrendered, He has taken me on this incredible ride and He gets all the glory!
So, welcome summer! The days are long and the sun shines brighter and brighter...and, in some places, hotter and hotter! Find time to sit with the master Creator and talk about your desires, hopes, and dreams. His word promises us in Psalm 37:4, "Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." Here are some tips that help me tune out the noise of this world and find rest in the Lord:
1. Find times this summer to delight yourselves in the Lord and spend time with Him.
2. Pray without ceasing for all the needs in your life.
3. Journal your thoughts and prayers so that you can go back and see His hand moving in miraculous ways.
4. Keep a gratitude card always handy…having a grateful heart is a magnet for miracles!
5. Find time to pray with a friend in need, or drop a note (instead of a text).
6. Last and most importantly, drop the word BUSY from your vocabulary and seek God every moment of every day! His best is yet to come!
We have some exciting things happening this summer/fall, and I am grateful for each of you who support our small business. We hope that you will join along and share this blog with your friends and family. Also, we want to know more about YOU! What are some ways that you feel overwhelmed with the busyness of life? How can you tune out the noise of the world this summer and sit quietly with God? We are here for you! Message us on Instagram @anneneilsonhome to share your thoughts. We want to encourage you along your journey and know that God will do immeasurably more than you could ever ask or imagine! Grab ahold of His hand…the best is yet to come!
Grateful,
- Anne
"It is not your business to succeed, but to do right. When you have done so the rest lies with God."
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