Text messages
Voice mails
Crying toddler
Appointment alarms
Team meeting conversations
Messages swirling in thought form begging to be typed out
And don’t forget the inner voice reminding you to put some makeup on and look presentable for the day or at the very least…..shower.

All before 6:30am.

One of my favorite quotes from the original Alice in Wonderland is a conversation between Alice and the Mad Hatter. The Hatter asks Alice, “Have I gone mad?” and Alice responds with a smile on her face, “I’m afraid so. You’re entirely bonkers. But I’ll tell you a secret, all the best people are.”

I’m sure much like myself, there are days you can relate to this quote and honestly appreciate it. After all, there is a level of madness to our daily routine. The world we live in teaches us and even encourages us to wear our busy routines as a badge of honor. “Look at me and all I can do and accomplish all before noon on an average day! Wonder woman, that’s me!” Latte after latte (make that one a triple shot!), filling every minute of every day so that when our head hits the pillow, we feel accomplished knowing everything is completed and done well.

The only thing wrong with this picture is when at the end of that day, you don’t feel very accomplished. In fact, you feel just the opposite of accomplished. You feel drained, depleted and weary. What then? Cause let’s be real….women in leadership got this handled right?! Yes. Except for when we don’t.

A little over a month ago I had the privilege of visiting Israel. Our first full day there, we sailed out to the Sea of Galilee and about 2 minutes in an acoustic guitar began to play and every person began to worship. When the boat found the middle of the sea, the driver turned the engines off and there we sat. The middle of the Sea of Galilee, complete stillness, worshiping our creator. (is this real life?!) The sea where Jesus spoke to the wind and waves, “Peace! Be Still!” and they obeyed. As I stood at the front of that boat with my hands lifted high to the Heavens, everyone else disappeared. Nothing and no one else existed in that space, it was me and Jesus on the Sea of Galilee and He spoke to my heart “Peace, be still.”

He reminded me everywhere I walk, every person I lead, every situation I’m in I either carry peace or chaos. I either calm the storms or attribute to them. And it all begins in my heart. Is the condition of my heart peaceful? Is the state of my soul stillness?

On a daily basis we have schedules to keep, deadlines to meet, people to lead, families to nurture but we must remember ALL of that comes secondary to our time with Jesus. The time we set aside for ourselves, not in preparation for teaching or leading, but the time that is just for us to meet with Him and quiet ourselves before Him. It’s in this place we find our peace and our rest. It’s only from this place we have the ability to do anything and everything else!

How much more of an impact do we make when we lead from a place a peace?! The place of knowing we are only equipped to do what we do and lead who we lead because of Him who gives us the ability to do so. This isn’t something we get from reading the latest self-help book or following the right inspirational people on Instagram. This peace only comes from deciding daily to quiet all other voices, listen to His voice and choose peace in our spirits no matter what our day or circumstances look like.

Only then are we able to carry peace into turbulent situations and calm the storms.

Every day there are events, people, situations, schedules…I could go on….just waiting to steal this peace from you. But when we remember His words, “Peace be still” and walk in them, we not only change the atmosphere around us but we lead others to do the same.

In days full of important things, let’s lead others to seek after the MOST important
thing. Jesus.

How will you focus on peace this week?