LIVING WITH MARGIN - HOW TO LOWER YOUR STRESS AND RAISE YOUR PEACE OF MIND& PRODUCTIVITY

LIVING WITH MARGIN -- Part 1

There are too many choices in life. In one way or the other we are all experiencing an overload in various areas of our life.

YOU CAN BE OVERLOADED AND STRESSED OUT BY: Activities, Work, Information, Choices, Debt, Accessibility, Change, Worries, The Pace of Life, etc.
Have you ever felt like Job - “I have no peace! I have no quiet! I have no rest! And trouble keeps coming!” Job 3:26 (GW)

Our primary goal in this series will be to lower your stress and increase your peace.

MARGIN is THE SPACE I create between My LOAD and My LIMITS .

Building margin into your life will help you have some reserve in your life. You need physical margin, spiritual margin, emotional margin, financial margin, time margin, etc. How many times have you decided to arrive right on time…exactly the time for an appointment, event, etc…you just discover that more often you are at least 5mins late? It is because you did not create margin into your life and schedule.

LIVING WITH A MARGIN: Not using up all I have, but reserving some of my time, energy, and resources for the unexpected.
“You have six days to do your work, but every seventh day you must stop and rest! Do this so that you, and your animals, and your house staff and your foreign workers may be refreshed.”
Exodus 23:12

THE BENEFITS OF LIVING WITH A MARGIN
A) Healthier Mind
B) Healthier Body
C) Healthier Relationships
D) More relevant and impactful to your world
E) More available for God to use

FIRST STEPS TO LIVING WITH A MARGIN
1. I must accept my human limitation
“I have learned that everything has limits . . .” Psalm 119:96 (TEV)
Limitations you have to accept: Physical limitation, Emotional limitation, Mental limitation, Time limitation. “Our time is limited. You (God) have given us only so many months to live and have set limits we cannot go beyond.” Job 14:5 (NCV).
In Cars, phones and other utility devices/equipment, we have warning lights and signals that show you are getting to your limit. In life, one warning signal is pain, stress, fatigue, irritability, loss of joy, etc.

2. I ask myself what drives me to overload my life
Ask yourself the question of motivation – honest evaluation of motivation. Some people overload/overwork their lives because of: insecurity, fear, envy of others, desire to impress. “Some people are never satisfied with what they own, and they never stop working to get more. They should ask themselves, “Why am I always working to have more? What a senseless and miserable life!” Ecclesiastes 4:8 (CEV)

3. I must expect problems and delays -
But most time we don’t act like it…you know there may be traffic yet leave at a time as if you have absolute control of the driver, other road users, nature, and other activities that could come up on your trip. Airlines build margin into their schedule…that is why a 2hrs flight will be planned and broadcasted as a 2:30hrs flight. Jesus said: “In this world you WILL have trouble!” John 16:33 (NIV)
Part of living on a margin is thinking ahead…
“Sensible people will see trouble coming and avoid it, but an unthinking person will walk right into it and regret it later.”
Proverbs 22:3 (TEV)

4. Add buffer space in my schedule. Do not expect someone else to do this for you. Leave some empty space in your daily plan. “It is senseless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, fearing you’ll starve to death; for God wants his loved ones to get their proper rest.” Psalm 127:2 (LB). The faster I go, the more margin I need.
“Only someone too stupid to find his way home would wear himself out with work.” Eccl. 10:15 (TEV)

5. I need to prune my activities regularly. You don’t just keep adding up to your activities, you should also need to stop some activities. “There is a time to keep things and a time to throw things away.” Ecclesiastes 3:6 (NCV). “We should remove from our lives anything that would get in the way and the sin that so easily holds us back.” Hebrews 12:1b (NCV). “Everything is permissible for me – but not everything is beneficial.”
1 Cor. 6:12 (NIV). We need to learn to say NO! It could be easy to say no to what you do not enjoy, but more challenging to say no to what you enjoy doing but might not or no longer be adding any value to you. “Some of you are keeping things God commanded you to destroy. You will never defeat your enemies until you throw away those things.” Joshua 7:13 (NCV)

6. Walk with Jesus and learn. “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matt. 11:28-30 (MSG)

Most of us are living without margin in our lives, and this is negatively affecting our health, relationship, finances and even spiritual lives.

We need to decide to take these 6 steps above to start the process of bringing back margin into our lives so we can reduce our stress and increase our peace.

Have a great week living with margin.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Monday 12th August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* So many choices in life can cause an overload in various areas of our life.

*Notes/Prayers:* Dear Lord, help me to streamline my choices to those that are more important. Amen

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Tuesday 13th August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* It is important to know that building margin into your life will help you have some reserve for the unexpected in your life. Ex 23:12

*Notes/Prayers:* Father, teach me how to conserve and reserve resources for the unexpected. Amen

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Wednesday 14th August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* We must become aware of our human limitations and understand that we can't go on without rest and not breakdown eventually. Ps 199:96

*Notes/Prayers:* Lord, help me to see areas I need to change with respect to my social interactions. Amen

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Thursday 15th August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* We must be able to pinpoint what drives us to overload our lives. Be sure it is not fear, envy, or desire to impress others.

*Notes/Prayers:* Father, help me have the right motivation and drive in life. Amen

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Friday 16th August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Do you know that certain problems or challenges we have would have been averted if we placed margin in our lives?

*Notes/Prayers:* Lord, help me to be deliberate about keeping margin. Help me to define my priorities right. Amen

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Saturday 17th August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:*A walk with Jesus is the best way to learn how to keep margin in our lives. Matt 11:28-30

*Notes/Prayers:* Dear Jesus, help me identify you as my ultimate source of rest and teach me how to learn from you. Amen

Living With Margin – Part 2: LEARNING TO SLOW DOWN

As we start the part 2 of our Living With Margin series, let us remind ourselves of what Margin is… MARGIN is THE SPACE I create between My LOAD and My LIMITS . Margin is having breathing room in your life. It’s creating some reserves so you aren’t running on empty all the time.

You need margin in every area of your life: You need physical margin so you don’t wear out; spiritual margin to defeat temptation and help others, emotional margin for relationships, financial margin to avoid the pressure of debt, and time margin in your schedule, so you are not always rushed and in a hurry and worn out . . . We’ll look at each of these in this series.

HOW ALWAYS BEING IN A HURRY HURTS YOU
• HURRY increases your stress . When you’re always in a hurry, your personal reserve gets depleted.
“I had no time to care for myself . . .”
Song of Solomon 1:6 (TEV)
• HURRY decreases your joy. “My days go by faster than a runner; they fly away without my seeing any joy.” Job 9:25 (NCV)
• HURRY makes you less productive. I can’t keep charging without recharging.
“A person in a hurry makes mistakes.”
Proverbs 19:2b (GW). “Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run; hurry and scurry puts you further behind.”
Proverbs 21:5 (MSG)
• HURRY dries up your love. When you are so much in a hurry, you won’t have time to love. Your relationship bears the brunt of your hurried life.
“. . . without love I am no good to anybody.” 1 Corinthians 13:2 (NLT)
• HURRY keeps you from hearing God . You should have still times in your schedule so you can hear God. Schedule quiet times to fellowship and hear from God. God will not speak to you in a hurry because you may not fully grasp what he is saying. “Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

WHAT YOU NEED TO LEARN TO SLOW YOUR PACE FOR A HEALTHIER LIFE
1. Learn to be content. By nature, humans are discontented. It can be learned. What keeps you pushing for more? An ambition that is not controlled can be destructive. What is behind your motivations?- love, insecurity, envy, proving to someone e.t.c Your work has nothing to do with your worth. Be content with who you are and what you have. Will doing more, having more make me more happy? Stop comparing your life with other people. Comparing and contentment are rivals. “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Phil. 4:11 (NIV)
“It is better to have only a little, with peace of mind, than be busy all the time . . .” Ecclesiastes 4:6 (TEV)
“A relaxed attitude lengthens a man’s life but jealousy rots it away.” Proverbs 14:30 (NLT)

2. Learn to say “No”. You maybe addicted to the speed of life. You may have a hard time saying “no” to requests because you want to please. You have to have boundaries in your life. Don’t decide without deliberating. It’s always easier to get in than to get out. It is easier to fill your schedule than fulfil it. It’s easier to get into debt than to get out. It’s easier to get into a relationship than to get out. Don’t do it just because you could do it. Don’t keep on adding to your schedule. When you start something new, think of what you are going to give up before you start. Also have a ‘don’t do list. Also a ‘what matters most’ list. Ask- is it worth my time, reputation e.t.c. “An impulsive vow is a trap; later you’ll wish you could get out of it.” Proverbs 20:25 (Mes)
Getting the power to say no. “The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” Titus 2:11-12

3. Learn to take a weekly Sabbath day of rest. Rest is so important. Even God rested on the seventh day after creation. This should set a pace for us. We must create time to rest a day in every week. It really doesn’t matter the day but it should be weekly. Do not use your day of rest to clear up backlog of work that has been left undone before. Your Sabbath should be to rest your body, recharge your emotions, refocus your spirit. You can refocus your spirit through (worship- put your life in perspective-group worship, private worship) God is an example- Gen. 2:2. You must be able to schedule rest and recreation. If you don’t, your body will do it for you. “You have six days in which to do your work, but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to Me.” Exodus 20:9-10 (TEV). Jesus: “Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.” Matthew 11:29 (Mes) “It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know God enjoys giving rest to those He loves?”
Psalm 127:2 (Mes)

4. Learn to trust in God’s perfect timing. God has a plan for your life, He also has a time table for that plan. He doesn’t tell you the details in that plan because he wants you to trust Him. Trust Him to always be on time. Do away with impatience. “. . . God does everything just right and on time. But people can never completely understand what He is doing.”
Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NCV) “These things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.”
Hab. 2:3 (NLT) “We suffered so that we would stop trusting ourselves and learn to trust God, who brings the dead back to life.” 2 Corinthians 1:9 (GW)

5. Learn to use love as your filter. Love is your no 1 time management filter. When you have to decide between two options, let love help you in your decisions. Consider love at the three levels as the Bible admonishes- love for God, yourself & others. “Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that!” Ephesians 5:2 (Mes). “Do everything in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14 (NCV)

ASK: What is the loving thing to do here?
“God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my mind.” Psalm 51:10 (Mes)
You need a pacesetter for your life and JESUS CAN BE
THE BEST PACESETTER FOR YOUR LIFE if you ask Him.

POEM- SLOW ME DOWN LORD
Slow me down Lord! Ease the pounding of my heart by the quieting of my mind,
Steady my hurried and harried pace with the vision of the eternal reach of time,
Give me amidst the confusion of my day the calmness of the everlasting hills,
Break the tensions of my nerves with the soothing music of the singing streams that live in my memory,
Help me Lord to know the restoring power of sleep, Teach me the art of taking minute vacations of slowing down
To look at a flower; to pat a stray dog, To chat with an old friend or make a new one;
To watch a spider build a web; To smile at a child; Or to read a few lines from a good book,
Remind me each day that the race is not always to the swift; That there’s more to life than increasing its speed
Let me look upward into the branches of the towering oak and know that it grew great and strong because it grew slow and well.

PRAYER: Psalm 51-MSG
Thank you for this series, Help us to live balanced and healthy Life, Jesus, give me grace to make the changes that I need to.
Be the manager of my life, Help me to sort it out, I commit all of my life to you, So I can be more blessed and be a blessing
In Jesus name, Amen.

Have a blessed week living with margin. Blessings

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Monday 19th August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Cultivate a mindset and attitude of infusing margin into every aspect of your life

*Notes/Prayers:* Lord, I pray your wisdom is actively at work in me teaching me do that which is right and pleasing to You.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Tuesday 20th August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Learn not to keep up with an attitude or disposition of always being in a hurry.

*Notes/Prayers:* Father, help me not to constantly be in a state of haste and hurry as I navigate my daily activities. Amen

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Wednesday 21st August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Never get into the trap of comparing your life with that of those around you. Learn to be content.

*Notes/Prayers:* Lord, help me to constantly acknowledge your blessings and goodness to me. I choose to be content in all things. Amen

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Thursday 22nd August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Avoid the quest of wanting to please everyone. It sstrains your inner peace. Learn to say 'No'.

*Notes/Prayers:* Father, help me never to allow any external force or agent deprive me of the peace I have in You. Amen

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Friday 23rd August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* God is never too late. Learn to trust Him and His timing against all odds.

*Notes/Prayers:* Spirit of God, help me to put all of my trust in You and to rest upon all of your promises.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Saturday 24th August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Gods love abounds in your heart by the Holy Spirit. Let it be a guiding compass in your decision making process.

*Notes/Prayers:* Dear Lord, let your love be the motivation for all I do. Help me to love you more, to love myself and others alike.

Living With Margin – Part 3: STARTING YOUR DAY RIGHT

You are welcome to the 3rd part of our #LivingWithMargin series… MARGIN is
THE SPACE I create between My LOAD and My LIMITS . It’s creating some reserves so you aren’t running on empty all the time.
Last week we also examined how learning to say “NO” and taking a weekly Sabbath (rest) can help us to live with margin and we discussed in our Life Connect Group (Small Group chat) why this can be difficult sometimes).
Today we will examine “starting our day right” and how it can help us to live with margin.

There is no better way to start your day than a brief quiet moment with God. When you start your day rushed, you may go through your day rushed. A quiet time with God is God’s idea. If God doesn’t want to speak with you, He wouldn’t give you His word –the Bible. If God doesn’t want to hear from you, He will not ask you to pray. God wants to talk to you, He has something to say to you every day.

THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE IN STARTING YOUR DAY RIGHT IS: SLOW DOWN God is not in a hurry…you have to slow down
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.”
Matthew 11:28-29 (MSG)

• SLOW DOWN TO READ GOD’S WORD
You can’t live your life without the word of God. You should not just have Bible in your house but you should have it in your heart . “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” 2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT). When you read and think about the Bible, its like breathing God’s breath.

Bible reading and prayer are not TWO SEPARATE ACTIVITIES , They are TWO PARTS OF A CONVERSATION
“Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.” Matthew 6:6 (MSG)
Read for DEPTH not for DISTANCE. Reading the Bible should be a deep long gaze not a quick glance. Don’t read the Bible as if you are on a deadline. Reading the Bible is not a race it is an exploration. “But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does.”
James 1:25 (NIV)

Bible meditation is filling your mind with the word of God. Having a pen is essential in your quiet time.
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11 (NIV)

• SLOW DOWN TO HEAR GOD’S VOICE
Tell God to speak to you. Ask him questions.
“He awakens me morning by morning, he awakens my ear to listen as a disciple.”
Isaiah 50:4 (NASB)
Don’t let the busy of your day drown God’s voice.

THREE WAYS GOD SPEAKS TO US
1. God speaks through his WORD. God’s voice can’t contradict God’s word. “The Word of God is alive and active. It is sharper than the sharpest two edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”
Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)
2. God speaks through his CREATION
“What can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes –his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse” Romans 1:19-20 (NET)
3. God speaks through his STILL SMALL VOICE
Don’t try to look out for God’s voice through “amazing ways” it could come in simple ways you never thought of.
“. . . And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD
was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” 1 Kings 19:11-12 (NKJV)

• SLOW DOWN TO RESPOND IN PRAYER
Don’t be in a hurry when you pray and don’t be afraid to engage your emotions when you pray.
Your prayer don’t have to be fancy…its not about eloquence… you are not trying to impress God.
“Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.”
Psalm 5:1-2 (NIV)

The ultimate objective is not to STUDY ABOUT CHRIST, but to SPEND TIME WITH HIM

15 MINUTES ALONE WITH GOD
1. RELAX – before you open your Bible, open your heart (1 Minute) “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
2. READ - Read the Bible…(4 Minutes)
“Open my eyes to see wonderful things in your Word.” Psalm 119:18 (TLB)
3. REFLECT – Think about (meditation) what you read and how it applies to you. (4 Minutes) “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.” Psalm 119:97 (NIV)
4. RECORD – write out all the applications, lessons and tots (2 Minutes)
“Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord.” Psalm 102:18 (NIV)
5. REQUEST – This is your prayer time (4 Minutes) “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask
anything according to his will, he hears us.” 1 John 5:14 (NIV)

Reflection for the week: God is so interested with us # LivingWithMargin , so we can lower our stress and increase our peace of mind and productivity. He has all the answers to the challenge of life, hence our best bet is to start our day right by spending some time with him. This week decide to initiate the daily “15 MINUTES ALONE WITH GOD”

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Monday 26th August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* There is no better way to start your day than to have a quiet moment with God.

*Notes/Prayers:* Lord, teach me to honor You by seeking moments to speak and hear from You daily.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Tuesday 27th August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* God’s word is an integral part of your life. Prioritize it and let it inspire your day to day decision making process.

*Notes/Prayers:* Spirit of God, help me to fellowship with You daily in Your word and be quiet to hear You speak to me.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Wednesday 28th August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* God speaks to us in diverse way. He speaks through His word, His creation and His still small voice.

*Notes/Prayers:* Dear Lord, teach me to be sensitive and discerning of Your voice however way it comes to me.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Thursday 29th August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Don’t be afraid to engage your emotions when you pray. Remember you are not out to impress God with your prayers.

*Notes/Prayers:* Father, help me to be real with You in my prayers. Help me to understand You and Your will for my life per time.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Friday 30th August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Reading the Bible is not a race, it is an exploration. Read for depth and not for length.

*Notes/Prayers:* Lord, teach me to cherish and enjoy moments spent with You. Help me never to be in a hurry.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Saturday 31st August 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* God desires that you have a peaceful and productive life. Acknowledge God and start your day with Him.

*Notes/Prayers:* Dear Lord, help me to maintain a healthy relationship with You amidst life’s ups and downs. I choose to start my day with You.

Happy New Month people. This month is preserved and blessed for your sakes. Soar.

Living With Margin Part 4: LEARNING TO BE CONTENT

You are welcome to the 4th episode of our #LivingWithMargin series MARGIN is THE SPACE I create between My LOAD and My LIMITS. Its creating some reserves so you arent running on empty all the time. Last week we examined how to start your day right. Most of the time hurrying get us in the wrong footing to start our day, but it will make a world of difference when we start up our day slowing down in Gods presence with God speaking to us through his word and we speaking to Him in prayers. Today we shall examine Learning To Be Content and how it can help us to live with margin.


A DEFINITION OF CONTENTMENT - Contentment is MARGIN for your soul. Contentment is seen as happiness irrespective of happenings.
Its healthy to be content, but envy can eat you up. Proverbs 14:30 (CEV)

LEARNING THE SECRET OF BEING CONTENT
“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:11-13 (NIV)
Take note of the word learnedcontentment is something we learn, we are not born with itbut we have to acquire it.

THREE TRUTHS ABOUT CONTENTMENT
1. Contentment isnt found in what I HAVE
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. Philippians 4:12a (NIV)
From time to time we will always find ourselves in various needand at such time we just need to be thankful.
2. Contentment isnt found in what HAPPENS TO ME
Any contentment we seems to get in life circumstances or events is going to be short lived. You may have a temporary contentment but in a short while you will start searching for more.
I have learned the secret in being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. Philippians 4:12b (NIV)
To get better understanding in the statement that contentment is not found in what happens to me is to take note of this two words:
Two key words: HERE and THERE
The “here” is your present, where you presently are and the “there” is your future, where you want to be.
We must find contentment both in Here and There
Appreciate and make the most of the present and you plan and project into the future.
Contentment does not destroy desire. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 (ESV)
Dont confuse contentment with COMPLACENCY
When you have contentment that does not mean you became laid back, but you enjoy where you are as you push forward to change your world.
3. Contentment isnt found in comparing myself with OTHERS
We do not dare classify or compare ourselves . . . It is not wise. 2 Corinthians 10:12 (NIV)
People compare a lot of things house, cloth, car, shoes, etc
Why God dont want us to compare ourselves
1. It brings stress to your life 2. It denies our uniqueness 3. It distract us from pursing Gods original purpose for our life
4. It robs you of your joy 5. It is a foolish thing to do

Three Boats We Board That Take Us To Comparison
COMMUNITY Circle people you do life with. Family, friends, neighbor, colleagues, etc

SOCIAL Circle people we meet on day to day basis. Much wider than our community. It is both physical and digital. The social media has become one of the major tools of comparison. To free yourself from this -
1 use social media to promote and build up others and not just projecting yourself. 2 be yourselfdo not try to impress people
3 evaluate yourself by Gods standard.
F.O.M.O. FEAR OF MISSING OUT

FIVE KEY ACTIONS FOR FINDING CONTENTMENT - Enrolling in the School of Contentment
1. Put your hope in GOD Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is uncertain, but to put their hope in God. 1 Timothy 6:17a (NIV)
2. FOCUS on what you have and not on what you dont have. If you focus on what you dont have, you become discontented and when you focus on what you have will make you thankful. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 (NIV)
3. Enjoy what you HAVE (God), who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 1 Timothy 6:17b (NIV). Anything you have, enjoy it.
4. Invest in what lasts FOREVER Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way, they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:18-19 (NIV) Pay attention to what will outlast every other thing. Reach out to help others.
5. Find your sufficiency in CHRIST - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)
The secret of contentment is not in a program, but in a person the person of Jesus Christ.
REMEMBER: God is with YOU!

Reflection for the week: No matter the level or situation I find myself, I will learn to be content and enjoy the moment as I thank God for where I am and have faith in him to take me to where I want to be.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Monday 2nd September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Contentment is margin for your soul. It mirrors the condition of your heart midst the changing wave of circumstances.

*Notes/Prayers:* Lord, teach my heart to be stayed on You irrespective of the circumstances of life. I choose to lean unto You at all times.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Tuesday 3rd September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Contentment isn’t a gift that’s imparted; it’s a culture and attitude of the mind to be learnt.

*Notes/Prayers:* Spirit of God, help me to learn the art and attitude of contentment as I journey through life.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Wednesday 4th September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Never allow your sense of satisfaction and contentment be found in the things you have.

*Notes/Prayers:* Dear Lord, help me to find my satisfaction and happiness in You alone, never in earthly things.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Thursday 5th September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Contentment does not sabotage desire. God is committed to granting your heart desires.

*Notes/Prayers:* Father, as I take pleasure in You and in the things of the kingdom, please grant my heart desires. Ps. 37:4

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Friday 6th September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:*Being content isn’t an excuse to be complacent and laid back about issues of life.

*Notes/prayers:* Lord, save me from any inclination towards complacency and fantasy.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Saturday 7th September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Find sufficiency in Christ, invest in that which outlives you, rejoice in season and out or season.

*Notes/prayers:* Dear Lord, help me to find my sufficiency in You alone and to rejoice evermore.

SUNDAY OUTLINE 8th of August, 2019

Living With Margin Part 5: HOW TO MAKE ROOM FOR WHAT MATTERS MOST
Welcome to the 5th part of our #LivingWithMargin series. MARGIN is THE SPACE I create between My LOAD and My LIMITS. Margin is not just a tool for becoming more productive, it is also a time management strategy: a tool we employ to help prevent the busyness of life from taking over. It is a management tool that helps us prioritize. The world in recent times has been structured in such a way that we have become driven by activities which distract us from what is really important. Perhaps the problem is we dont know what the most important thing in life is.

What is the Most Important Thing in Life?
Live a Life of Love - One major challenge we face in the world today is that we use the wrong yardstick to measure success. We must come to a point whereby our day is incomplete without: ruminating on Gods love, showing love to others and understanding the extent of Gods love towards us. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second command is this: Love your neighbor as you love yourself. There are no commands more important than these. (Mark 12:30-‬31, NCV)‬. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-‬35, NIV)

Let God define what love is - We humans lack a proper understanding of what love truly entails and so we must let God define what love is, for true love comes from Him, it is in His nature. Love comes from God . . . for God is love. (1 John 4:7-8, NLT).
What is Gods own definition of love? - Love is patient, Love is kind, Love does not envy, Love does not boast, Love is not proud,
Love does not dishonor others, Love is not self-seeking, Love is not easily angered, Love keeps no record of wrongs, Love does not delight in evil, Love rejoices with the truth, Love always protects, Love always trusts, Love always hopes, Love always perseveres, Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:4-‬8, NIV)‬.
When we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive God in us. Therefore, since God’s nature is love, he spreads the love. And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us (Romans 5:5, KJV). And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them (1 John 4:16, NIV).
Relationship between Living a Love Lifestyle and Work - The mentality we have about work is discouraging. We most times consider work as an activity we need to survive and so we place it higher above love. However, this was not what God intended it to be like. God himself enjoyed work and had to work for six good days. The story about creation, Adam and Eve explains the significance of a love life in relation to a work life (Genesis 1 and 2).

Let Love Define Your Priorities - Let love be your highest goal (1 Corinthians 14:1). Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. (Colossians 3:23, NIV). Work is good but it is not the thing that will ultimately fulfill us, loving relationship will. Though the human body is not programmed to love, yet, we have to keep on practicing loving relationship. Whatever you do can become an act of worship, an act of love when it is done with our heart first.
THREE PRACTICAL WAYS WE CAN MAKE SPACE FOR LOVE
Get filled up before you pour out - Many at times we try to express love to others as we have been commanded, but we find it difficult. This is because we attempt to do that on our own power. When we try to love others on our own power it is going to be exhausting. Our own personal love is limited while Gods own love is endless. And may you have the power to understand, as all Gods people should, how wide, how long, how high and how deep His love is. (Ephesians 3:18, NLT). The starting place of living a life of love is been loved. We love because God first loved us (1 John 4:19, NIV). Know this: God is not waiting for us to make the first move.
One of the reasons many do not feel loved by God is because we project our own imperfect models of human love towards him. Some of us make reference to our primary relationships to understand how to build love. This is good, but some of our foundational relationships are poor. We need to get to a point where we let God be God and People be People.
How often should we get filled up? The more we consistently get filled up the more we will be able to pour out.

ACTIVITY - Take a couple of cards and write down the verses that have been mentioned today or some others, and then below the verses write down how God loves you. Thereafter, you tuck them into your pocket or paste them at different locations in your home. The whole essence is for you to be constantly reminded of the way God loves you. Try this for a couple of weeks and look out for how this has impacted your show of love to, yourself, others and your ability to love God back.

Focus on faces over screens and voices over texts - “Dont just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. (Romans 12:9-10, NLT)
This action might imply; sharing details about your day through conversation with another person and not text it, it may mean instead of settling for virtual socialization in social media go for meeting the person in real life, instead of snapchatting your frustration you can call or meet the person you are frustrated with, instead of scrolling instagram and watching other peoples lives you can invite somebody to hang out, instead of texting for an hour on the couch you can call someone on the phone. To accomplish all these needs courage and only those that are resolute to live a different way will be able to stand against this culture. We need to understand that the fact that something is common does not mean it is normal and is life-giving.

3. Practice Presence Over Productivity - Average lifespan of a human being is 27,375 days. A 25 years old individual has 18, 250 days left, 50-year old individual has 9, 125 days left, 65-year old individual has 3, 650 days left. Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12, NIV). “This is our prayer for you: that your love will grow more and more and that you will have knowledge and understanding with love. (Philippians 1:9, NCV). This implies that we need to prioritise our time not necessarily be more productive. A heart of wisdom implies knowing what matters most which is living a life of love. We communicate love to others by spending time and showing commitment. Who do we show love and commitment to? i. God ii. People
Reflection for the week: I will decide to love and value people for who they are. I will take practical and bold steps to talk with people I only chat with. I will take practical steps to love people around me just the same way God demonstrated His love to me.

*I apologise for late posting.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Monday 9th September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* Living a life of love entails ruminating on and understanding the extent of God’s love as well as showing love to others. John 13:34-‬35, NIV

*Notes/prayers:* Lord Jesus, help me have a deeper understanding of Your love so that I can love You and others better.

```Focus For Daily Personal Reflections/Devotion for Tuesday 10th September 2019```

*Focus/Reflection:* God is love and with the Holy Spirit in us, we can begin to love like God does.
Romans 5:5, KJV

*Notes/prayers:* Holy Spirit, help me to yield to you and may the love of God be shed abroad in my heart.