I’ve managed to do it again. I’ve found an interest in three books and am in the process of reading all three. Eventually I will finish these as I’ve done with others in the past.

So first of all I’m reading a book for work. As part of my summer goals, I’ve determined to read a book a month and find three things to pull from each book and implement it into my life at work. I chose Take the Stairs by Rory Vaden[i] to read through the month of May. Yes, I have to finish it today, but what I’ve learned from Mr. Vaden is that there are no shortcuts in this world if we want to be successful. It will take work. There will be pain along the way. But when we chose to “take the stairs” over the escalator or elevator, we are making improvement in our life. That’s how I can measure success in the work place.

The second book I’m reading was written by the gal who runs the bed and breakfast in Irvine, Kentucky. Mom and I stayed there a couple of nights last month. Johnetta Kirby Dunaway wrote Under the Cowboy Hat[ii] and it is a biographical book about her marriage to Cincinnati FOP President, Elmer Dunaway. While there were some tough times in their marriage, Johnetta tells a great story. She shares funny accounts of her younger days and there have multiple times I’ve laughed out loud. I’ve fallen in love with her whit, her style and her writing ability. I want to read more Johnetta!

Finally the last book I’m reading just came yesterday, but as soon as I received it, I opened the pages and started reading. Faith in the Fast Lane: How NASCAR Found Jesus[iii] is written by Chad Bonham. In the introduction of this book, Mr. Bonham shares his experiences of worship services before a NASCAR race, prayers offered before each race, and the individual people who pray for each driver before the race begins.

And then the race begins. Wrecks occur. Tempers flare. Mistakes are made. Foul language escapes lips. Even fighting in the pit area. Seems a world away from the hour before the race that pointed people to Jesus.

But then I read this paragraph:

“The NASCAR race day experience is a lot like real life. Some people get along. Some people don’t. Drama happens, and sometimes it gets ugly. And often all of this occurs in places where spirituality and irreverence run congruently. Sure, there are strong measures of faith to be found here, but this is by no means a sanitized environment.”[iv]

And then I realized that this is exactly what we all face each day when we leave our little cocoon. We spend a little time with Jesus. We read the Bible. We meditate over what we’ve read. We pray. We listen. We ask for the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us throughout our day. And then we face the world.

Traffic

Extra workload

Grumpy boss

Bank overdraft

Car breakdown

Needy coworker

More traffic

Dinner

Kid’s soccer game

Cranky kids

Exhaustion

It’s no wonder we lose focus on Jesus before we even make it to work!

So how can we be more conscious of Jesus throughout our day? Let me give you a few ideas.

First, listen to something uplifting while you’re in traffic. After the Colorado flood in September, I sat in traffic for 1 ½ hours to work and back home each day. I found that when my music was happy, I was happy. Find a radio station that fills you with good (K-Love for instance). Or create a playlist of your favorite songs and only listen to that.

Another idea is to listen to the Bible as you drive. I love hearing what God’s Word says to me. Almost as if God is speaking to my heart. Right now I’m listening to 1^st and 2^nd Peter (I will be writing a study on these two books and need to hear/read it as often as I can). What better encouragement is there than hearing “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9 – NIV)

Work conditions are obviously different, but staying positive and focusing on Jesus must be the goal. A little sticky note in your drawer with a verse of Scripture might help. If you’re not at a desk, put the note in your pocket. Each time you touch it you’ll remember what to stay focused on.

Smile. I’ve found that my relaxed face isn’t as appealing as it could be. So I’ve chosen to smile more. When I am busy working on my computer and realize how my face may look to others, I immediately smile. It lifts my spirits and I’m sure it’s much more appealing to those who walk by my office as well. This one I’m still working on.

Co-workers may find themselves coming to you because of who you are in Jesus. You remain calm in stressful situations. You just seem to have it all together. But it can be a drag sometimes when others are sharing the horrors of their own lives. Maybe it’s time to ask if you can pray for them. Open the door to sharing your faith. Tell them why you are able to do the things you do. It’s all because of Jesus.

And then there’s the home situation. As soon as you walk in the door it seems like it’s time to do something. Fix dinner. Help with homework. Do a load of laundry. Run Bobby to practice. I find that when I know what I’m going to prepare for dinner, there is less stress in my household. Granted, we’re all adults here (really, three adults live in my home), but there does seem to be a little stress for me. So when I feel like I’m about done with it all, I go to my office and I’m reminded of Who is in control of it all. Jesus. I read the Scriptures on my wall. I recall the good things that Philippians 4:8 tells me to think about. And then I head back to the kitchen. Maybe I need to put verses of Scripture in my kitchen. I like that idea.

Life is never going to be completely smooth. Life can be messy. Life can be, as Mr. Bonham called it, “an unsanitized environment.” It’s in those moments that we must remember to give all of the mess to Jesus. Just try it. You might be amazed of what He’s able to do with it.

Perhaps you have other ideas for helping you remember to think about Jesus throughout your day. If you do, please share! I’d love to hear from you!

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna

[i] Take the Stairs, Rory Vaden, Published by the Penguin Group, 2012.

[ii] Under the Cowboy Hat, Johnetta Kirby Dunaway, Published by J. Dunaway Publishing, 1997.

[iii] Faith in the Fast Lane: How NASCAR Found Jesus, Chad Bonham, Published by Judson Press, 2014.

[iv] Faith in the Fast Lane: How NASCAR Found Jesus, Chad Bonham, Published by Judson Press, 2014, page xiii.