Looking long and hard at time—this one unalterable, precious gift which we cannot change, but only learn to use well—I asked, “Am I being a good steward of my time?” Once I began to perceive what time was, how it could be used or wasted, and what the Lord wanted me to do with it, my whole life started to change. Time was extremely important in determining the kind of ministry of hospitality I exercised.
Setting that summer aside, so that I could learn how to manage my time, I first found it necessary to spend several weeks learning what I presently did with each moment of the day. A notebook provided me with that daily information, because into it I recorded every activity, logging the amount of time I devoted to each.
I became aware of something I suppose I already knew subconsciously. I wasted hours of each day by not finishing tasks I had started or by failing to begin the projects which most needed to be done. I was a dreamer, a passive uncontrolled thinker, an unsystemetized reader, a loafer.
From this point my goal became to discipline myself to become disciplined. With all honesty, I must admit it was comparable to changing the course of tumbling water in midstream. As I began to progress, I even gave a few sighs for the impulsive life.
After logging my time, I began to work the entire summer on developing schedules, systems, attacks, and approaches to keeping an orderly house. The home was my primary area of responsibility, and it was the one I felt I had to conquer first before I could go on to anything else.
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Through her Hungry Souls ministry, Karen Mains serves as a spiritual coach to many Christian women and men, and teaches a mentor-writing class. And, through the Global Bag Project, she is working to develop a network of African women who sew exquisite cloth reusable shopping bags. This micro-finance women opportunity helps provide a much-needed sustainable income for struggling African families. For more information on this critically important project, please click here.
Karen has long had an interest in Christian hospitality and is the author of the best-selling book, Open Heart, Open Home.
An award-winning author of several other books, Karen continues to write content for her Christian blog, “Thoughts-by-Karen-Mains.” In so doing, she desires to touch the lives of Christian women and men and help them find ways to walk closer with the Lord Jesus Christ. In addition, through silent retreats, spiritual teaching, women’s retreats, Christian vacation opportunities, and other ministry activities, Karen helps each Christian woman and man receive vital spiritual food.
For decades, Karen and her husband, David, have served God through religious communications—radio, television, and print publication. The are the co-authors of the Kingdom Tales Trilogy: Tales of the Kingdom, Tales of the Resistance, and Tales of the Restoration. To find many valuable resources for pastors and churches at the Mainstay Ministries main website, please click here.
Likewise, pastors will find special resources to help them prepare effective, life-transforming Sunday sermons by visiting David Mains’ website by clicking here.
