Hello, Friends! I have been spending this week at a conference and writing time is limited. But let me encourage you with these three thoughts I’ve learned about distractions when it comes to accomplishing your God-given purpose. Your purpose is more than checking things off a list. Your purpose involves God, people and love. Anything else is just stuff.

1. People are not a distraction. People are your purpose. Your purpose and mine will always be a derivative of Jesus’ stated purpose, “To seek and save the lost.” (Luke 19:10) The things on your God-ordained to-do list are meant to serve people, not the other way around. I can be task-oriented at times. This is a biggie for me!

2. When you re-arrange your schedule for the sake of relationship you are accomplishing your purpose. Why? See point number one. If you rearrange your planned tasks in order to spend time with a family member or someone who needs you, you are accomplishing your purpose. Kudos to you!

3. Purpose over perfection. I like things done well. Sometimes that can lead me toward perfectionism. In evaluating the success of a task or event, I’ve learned to look past the mistakes and slip-ups and ask, “Did this accomplish our intended purpose for the people involved?” As long as I can say, “Yes” to that the event was a success no matter what went wrong.

Dear One, purpose is bigger than accomplishments. Accomplishments are nice, but they don’t necessarilly fulfill purpose. Review your to-do list in terms of people served and you will find that you are accomplishing so much more than you think. Your God-ordained purpose is not about doing something. It’s about loving and serving someone in Jesus’ name. Be blessed!

Key thought: People are your purpose.

A Scripture to consider: “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:13-14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

A YES challenge: Prayerfully review the last couple of days. Notice when you put people over tasks. Ask God to show you how you accomplished His purpose for the people in your life.

Prayer: Lord, I want to accomplish Your purpose for my life. Help me to remember that Your purpose will always be about people. Amen.

August 8, 2026

A - C = P: Anxiety - Control = Peace (Repost)

'Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. ‘Philippians 4:6-7 MSG

I was listening to a podcast when I heard a quote that brought so much clarity, I couldn’t get it out of my head. Here it is: “Anxiety results from wanting to control something God has not given us to control.” I didn’t remember the name of the person or why she was on the podcast, but what she said made so much practical sense. (I looked it up later. So, if you are interested, it was Joanna Weaver’s podcast, The Living Room, and the guest was Sharon Hodde Miller, author of The Cost of Control: Why We Crave It, the Anxiety It Gives Us, and the Real Power God Promises Us.) As I pondered her statement, a formula took shape in my brain, “A – C = P,” Anxiety – Control = Peace. Easy to remember and a goal worth aiming for.

Anxiety is something we all experience. Anxiety steals peace and commands focus. Whether it’s something personal about your family, or a job, or something broader like politics and the world situation, anxiety creeps up behind us, leaps upon us and gets us in a stranglehold. Ever feel that way?

Your brain goes in circles, trying to resolve something you are powerless to resolve. You can’t sleep and every waking moment is consumed with mental and practical fruitless attempts to solve the problem. Suddenly, it seems like nothing else is happening in your life. What started as a thought becomes a huge shadow. What do you do?