Give Me Margin
Posted on Apr 23 2006 | Tagged as: community, faith, leadership
The last two weeks have been extremely busy and draining. I have not had the margin in my life to adequately refill what I have been required to give out. This weekend I am shell shocked after the week I just had. It does not seem to be ending. Yesterday was my daughters birthday party. I am speaking at Church tonight with Josh regarding Thailand. Marta and I are leaving for D.C. on Thursday night for the prayer gathering at IJM. I have a site 25 team meeting on Monday night, a Thailand Team meeting on Tuesday, and I am trying to schedule a meeting on Wednesday after school. That has been the consistent pattern since I got back from NYC.
Margin is required to function at a deep level. I need space alone to think, write, pray, and listen. I want to live my life with deep purpose and not dictated by deep pressure. I want to spend time doing what is important and not only dealing with the urgent. I want to be where my God is, not where I have wandered to because I have not looked up for weeks.
This morning I am sitting at my comfort place… Starbucks. If I can get a couple of hours alone to renew my perspective my battery is quickly charged. I find that when I take this kind of time my focus changes and I quickly remember that I am not operating on my own strength or for my own purposes.
Philipians 4:13 MSG
Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.
on 24 Apr 2006 at 1:04 pm 1 Aj said …
You mean the Holy St. Arbucks, yes? A very sacred place.
Thanks for sharing last night: amazing stories. And thank you for following through with your call, as well as for sharing that call with us so we can journey together.
on 24 Apr 2006 at 1:25 pm 2 Andy said …
It was an encouraging night. Thank you for coming. With each of these opportunities more doors are opened. It is very humbling to be a part. I am really excited that our church will be sending a team.
on 01 May 2006 at 8:15 am 3 Carolyn Quatier said …
Hi Andy,
Here are the titles for the books that have really spoken to my heart on the subject of margin. Margin, by Dr. Richard Swenson, and The Overload Syndrome, also by Dr. Richard Swenson. Incredibly important reading in this day of so much in the 24/7 mode.
Carolyn
on 03 May 2006 at 5:38 am 4 Steve said …
Brother Andrew: I am grateful to have spent a busy weekend with you and Marta in DC that was margin without margin…I am equally grateful to God that you were not able to get on the plane which gave you a day of margin you richly deserve. All things can wait and will be taken care of in time. Keep in mind the necessity of Jesus to find margin to connect and receive vision from the Father. Blessings on you my friend. Steve