Same reminders, different contexts: from career woman to being a stay-at home mother

So the other night I was invited to be part of a panel of speakers at our church.  The event focused on how to share your faith at work, and the target audience were career and young adults.

Suffice to say I felt honoured to be considered as someone who could still contribute within this realm as I have been a stay-at-home mom for almost 6 years now.  It felt affirming to be considered still 'relevant'.

It felt so odd almost to share about my life before kids.  It now feels like ages ago.  Was that me?  Wow.

Anyways, after the event one of the organizers shared her notes of the evening with everyone in her group.  As I read them, I realized not only had God prepared me for motherhood, unbeknownst to me back then, but that ALL THAT EXPERIENCE is RELEVANT RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW.  There is nothing in that list I could not apply to my mommy-world right now.  What a great encouragement!  I am learning the depth of the meaning of the Master's interwoven purpose for each one of us, at ANY phase in our lives:  That everything we do, say, think and everywhere we go will point back to the Master and that these things will give Glory back to God, not us.  I am finally understanding this a bit more, after more than 37 years on earth....

Here is her list.  Let me share with you what I mean...The Red are my thoughts on her notes.

1. Comfort with prayer - you can bring comfort to your colleagues, and yourself, with prayer  ... I often see bewildered parents at their school, at the supermarket, at the kids lessons...do I bring comfort to them with prayer?
2. Crisis points with colleagues - these are amazing opportunities to reach out to your colleagues ... Again, I see small crisis daily -- kids having tantrums, kids crying, parents needing an extra set of hands because one of the kids is sick, etc.  Have I reached out to them during the small crisis?  There are big ones too but I the small ones every day!
3. Can I pray for you? - in the panelists' experience, people never say 'no' to you asking if you can pray for them, especially during crisis points...Have you ventured out of my comfort routine to pause and pray for people crossing my path?
4. Intentional living - you have to live your Christian live intentionally.  For example, think about what you'll tell your colleagues on Monday when they inevitably ask, 'So how was your weekend?' How about telling them that you went to church?...Same in mommy-world!!!!
5. How can I help you succeed? - some career advice from Rev Chiu who worked at P&G for 24 years - ask your boss and your boss' boss how you can help them succeed.  This will help put you in a good light....translation to my world:  how can I help other parents succeed too?  It is not just about me and my family.
6. "Positioning" as a Christian - let others at work know that you're Christian.  This doesn't have to be overt - Sandy never told her colleagues that she was Christian, yet they all knew it.  Is it saying grace during lunch?  Is it mentioning what you went to church on the weekend?...I don't have to tell other parents I am a Christian, but do the parents I see every morning during drop off, with whom I sometimes chit chat about life, notice the difference in my life?
7. God gives us opportunities, not necessarily that we're seeking them - don't stress out over beginning conversations with your colleagues about your faith - God puts opportunities in our way!  We just need to be ready to seize the moment and not be afraid to do His will when the time comes. ...I have certainly experienced that!!!  It goes with being intentional and wanting to Bless others during the day because we are Blessed by the Blesser.
8. Make church fun! - When you're telling others about church - make it fun!  Tell them about all the amazing people that you connect with and things that you do at church.  A lot of people don't have any idea what goes on at church, and might just have some strange ideas about what church really is like....Do they know there are moms and dads like them in church?  Do they know we go out and do fun things like the movies, for a spa getaway, and other things?
9. Be joyful, calm, peaceful - bring these great attitudes to work.  People will know you as such and might wonder why you're like that.  Great example of living Christ-like without being overt about it....Oh such a great reminder for a parent at the beginning and end of a day!
10. Bring your youth to the workplace - more career aydvice from Rev. Chiu.  Just 'cause we're young doesn't mean that we don't contribute to the workplace.  Our youth, positive attitudes and new ways of thinking are our great assets.....I don't consider myself 'young' any more (oops!) but this is still relevant.  Be positive and think outside the box!
11. Do I know how to pray for my colleagues? It's a good question to ask ourselves.  What do you we know about our colleagues?  How can we pray for them?  How can we pray for opportunities to speak to them about your faith?...Same questions apply to the mommies, caregivers, teachers, the same supermarket cashiers and others I encounter daily
12. Do I know the Bible? Do you know the Word? .... do I take time to hear Him through His Word?
13. Star at your level - career advice from Rev Chiu - be a star at your level of work - do you best at whatever you're doing....does that mean 'be a super mom' in my context?  Maybe!!! But only if that draws people back to God!!!
14. Integration of faith at the workplace - I can't remember who said this - Maybe Teresa or Sandy?  It's the thing that I remember most about the workshop.  It's not about your faith at your workplace - it's the integration of your faith in every aspect of our lives, including at work!  There really shouldn't be a separation of your 'faith life' and your 'work life'.  Faith is a part of everything that we do in our lives!...Amen!
15. Don't stress out over it - no need to stress out over how to share your faith at work.  Be real, be who you are as a child of God, keep an open heart, be prepared and God will give you opportunities....Enough stresses in life as a parent to add this one which is not meant for us to carry!
16. Be real!!