Do you ever get the feeling that God is trying to drill a lesson into your brain?
Like — you’ll have all of these odd coincidences that just keep happening. And finally one day you wake up and you’re like…”Oh! Perhaps I’m supposed to recognize all these things to mean XYZ?”
Yeah, well — let’s just say that’s been happening to me here recently. A lot.
I was on my morning jog earlier this week, and a commercial came on, interrupting my “Latin Reggaeton Jams” playlist. ((Because, yes — I am one of those curmudgeons that still has the free Spotify and refuses to fork over the cash for ad-free listening.))
I digress. The ad caught me off guard, because it was for Black Friday. And the ad said, “Spend your Thanksgiving with us! Doors will open at 6pm on Thanksgiving for doorbuster savings!”
SIX PM. On Thanksgiving. Right when the turkey is supposed to be being carved, this store had the audacity to lure people away from their loved ones to get a sick deal on some electronics.
Now, I didn’t catch which store this was — and believe me, had I remembered I would put them on blast for having a sale at dinnertime on Thanksgiving.
But like, are you kidding me? IS NOTHING SACRED ANYMORE?
I didn’t have too much time to deliberate over the impudence of it all, before my favorite Bad Bunny song came on, and my mind quickly went elsewhere.
However, that evening — I was having coffee with a friend, and the conversation somehow turned to priorities. And he proceeded to share with me a fascinating piece of information, which — for the record — I have since fact checked on Google, and it is, in fact, true.
The word, “priority” was never meant to be pluralized. It was always the singular: priority. For hundreds of years, it was always recognized and accepted that, by definition, the nature of a priority is that there can only be one. It wasn’t until the late 1900s that the word’s plural form, priorities, came into existence.
Compelling fact, no? Anywho, I filed that away in the, “share-this-at-a-party-to-sound-smart” section of my brain.
But the next morning, I kept circling back to it.
My life has been all over the map here recently — with work, with people in my life, with family, with social engagements. The pile of unprocessed clean laundry in my apartment can attest to the fact that I have been going a mile-a-minute, nonstop for the last several months.
And to be fair, I love it that way. I love the hustle. I love spending time with people. I love the fast life.
BUT. All these recent happenings have me calling into question what exactly I am prioritizing in my life.
Sure, I’m at the stage in life where it’s all about the hustle: you’re trying to build a life, and earn a living so that you can pay your bills, and nurture relationships to cultivate a thriving community. So yeah, it’s easy to spread yourself thin and become so scattered you don’t even have time to put your clean clothes away.
But it begs the question: what do I prioritize? And if I’m truly trying to listen to what God’s been throwing at me here lately, the question I really should be asking is, “What is my singular priority?”
It’s an uncomfortable question, let’s be honest. Ask me at different times of the day, and it’ll be a different answer every time.
But deep in my heart, I know what that answer truly should be.
All the things in life that I want to prioritize: my family, my friends, my health and recovery, my job, my passions, my social life, my fitness — all of those things are actually offshoots of the greatest priority of all: my relationship with God.
Because here’s the thing: none of those things can be at the healthy, optimal level I want them to be, unless I am grounded in my relationship with God.
I cannot be the daughter, or the friend, or the writer I want to be, unless my feet are firmly planted in a foundation in Christ.
I cannot respect my body, and honor my recovery, unless I am centered in the identity and worth I have in Christ.
All of these things I want to prioritize — and yes, they are important and should be priorities on my list — I cannot fulfill them to my fullest potential unless I first prioritize Him.
That’s something that I really need to work on sometimes. Ok, a lot of times.
So what does that look like?
Spending time in prayer. Going to mass. Seeing myself and others through a Christ-filter. Giving of my time, talent or treasure – especially during the holiday season. Speaking about my faith with others.
Easier said than done, believe me. Much easier.
But I think it’s important to at least try.
So my question to you, is what is your singular priority? And perhaps the even more challenging question, is: Would your actions and words communicate the same answer?
Dun dun dunnnnnn!!
Have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving, my friends!
Hugs and love xox
Care
“This is what the Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.” Ez 37:5
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The Singular is just that huh!?!? Great post.
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Hah! You’re right about that Brian!! Thanks so much for stopping by my friend! Hope you have a beautiful thanksgiving! Hugs and love xox
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You do the same!! Love and Peace.
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💛✌🏼💛✌🏼💛✌🏼💛
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My relationship with last person of the Trinity-the Holy Spirit who guides us to all truth. I want to hear from HIM only, as to what are the next steps in His calling upon my life while I’m here in this earth. 🙏
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Yes! I think our relationship with the Holy Spirit is so special – our helper, our advocate, our guide, I love all his names! Hugs and love xox
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Thank you Simply Balanced for making your relationship with the HOLY SPIRIT a priority for HIS calling upon your Life…
Many people are deceived by the pronoun HIM. When God joins a bride to her bridegroom they both shed their blood. They leave their old families behind…
“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” They will cleave unto one another. In patriarchal language, he/she become HIM.
John 3:28-29 confirms this teaching too. For John’s followers called him Lord and Rabbi and believed him to be the Christ. Yet John instructed them saying…You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before Him.’The bride belongs to the bridegroom…”
May you have a joyous Thanksgiving this year full of TOM TURKEY…fully stuffed and remember how the TWIN needed to see the evidence of Christ’s firm attachment “cleaving” to the TREE!
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TY, and you too enjoy you Thanksgiving and Christmas!! ❤️
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I feel like this is precisely what I needed to read today; thank you so much! Some days it seems like all I do is worry, and then I remember that God has been with us through each day; even our worst days. And He’ll continue to be with us and love us for the rest of our days, too!
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Oh good! I’m so glad this resonated with you Kaitlyn!! Amen- He is always with us! What a comforting fact! Hugs and love xox
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Arranging Priorities often have a connotation of “worry” behind it. If you don’t make something or a someone a priority, it will disappear from your life and you end up regretting it.
Often we have to decide for ourselves what our priorities are and often, we have to arrange them in a particular order. You said something very important. The greatest priority is your relationship with God.
I think it is best said by Christ himself in Matthew 6:24 – 34.
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
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You’re so right about that! He has got it all under control. What a comforting truth that is! J all e have to do is trust and be patient! Thanks for stopping by! Hugs and love xox
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“Like — you’ll have all of these odd coincidences that just keep happening. And finally one day you wake up and you’re like…”Oh! Perhaps I’m supposed to recognize all these things to mean XYZ?”
I read your post just before going to sleep last night. The 2nd of 3 verses of the day I follow was Luke 11:13
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: HOW MUCH MORE shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
How Much More seemed to jump off the screen saying look at me. I looked up the verse in the interlinear to learn more about that phrase. “How much” is one Greek word “poso” and means just that.
More – G3123 mállon – the comparative (“-er”) form of malla (“very”) meaning “rather, more than,” i.e. more than what it is compared to. 3123 /mállon (“more than, better rather”) is a comparative adverb so it refers to what is better as compared to what is merely “good.” This INVOLVES Prioritizing or ranking to elevate the better over the good, i.e. THE HIGHER Priority (the more important) over the less-important.
In Hebrew thinking, and in the language, it is said there is No singular Hebrew word for coincidence. Everything is a “Happening of God.” It’s like, “Is God Sovereign or not?”
So the mindset of God believing Jews, what the world calls a coincidence is really “God Saying Hello”
https://www.aish.com/sp/ph/God-Says-Hello.html?mobile=yes
So this morning, God said Hello to me too through your post and this verse of the day.
God wants us to take note that He takes note of us. Isn’t that an awesome thoight!!!
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Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on this, and for sharing those verses! I love that – God saying hello! Love it!! Hope you have a happy thanksgiving! Hugs and love xox
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Full disclosure, I just discovered your blog and am so glad I did. I loved this post! I have written about this topic before and yet, it never gets old (which is sad that we need to discuss so often). We all need a wake-up call now and then and reminder of who is in charge and how we need to redirect our lives. Thank you for sharing and I look forward to more great posts! Happy Thanksgiving!
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Thank you so much Mary! Aw what a kind thing to say!! You’re so right – a reminder of Who is in charge!! Especially as we enter into the holidays! Happy thanksgiving! Hugs and love xox
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You’re right. Jesus should be our priority. And you’re right. It is hard. Which is odd. How can it be difficult to respond to a God who is constantly saying “I love you”?
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Amen to that Penny! He’s always pouring His love on us! I think sometimes we can be afraid to let that love in! At least it is for me! Thanks for stopping by my friend! Hugs and love xox
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Prirotizing is so important. It sometimes takes a health crisis but when it comes from thinking about life and considering the legacy we want to leave, what a rich experience! My singular priority is to truly live a life that Christ died for me to live. This encompasses serving him with my gifts, living a full life in which I leave nothing on the table, and ensuring people around me see his love through me. I pray that is what my words, actions, and priorties show. I’d have to ask those around me to be sure.
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It really is so impact! I love your priority! He died for us to live – that is what it all boils down to – that is the truth we need to center our life in. Thanks for sharing that! Hugs and love xox
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As has already been said in the responses God does set our priority. The tricky part is the also God given power of choice for each individual is to be aligned with this priority and we as fallen humans are not good at that. We even need to be gifted the will to do that. If we don’t align our priority with God’s best plan for us the end result is we will get what we’ve chosen in our life and that is to be outside the kingdom Jesus has gone to prepare for those who genuinely want to be in that kingdom. That unfortunately is the choice of the majority. I’m glad you choose to be part of His kingdom. 🙂
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Thanks Ian for this thoughtful response. You’re so right, He has it all laid out for us, e we need to just align our priority with Him. Great food for thought. So glad you stopped by! Happy thanksgiving! Hugs and love xox
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Matthew 10:37. “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
39. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
40. He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.”
….👉Priority👈….☝☝☝
God Bless & Happy Thanksgiving
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Thank you so much for sharing those verses! They are truly illuminating. Growing up i always had such a hard time conceptualizing those verses, but now, I think i understand more the meaning behind them. hope you have a blessed thanksgiving! hugs xox
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It’s unfair to blast the retailer for starting Black Friday on Thanksgiving evening. If you wish to blast somebody, blast the consumers. It’s they who want it, demand it, RESPOND to it en masse. (In fact, many state they’d rather be shopping — or anywhere away from families but that’s another subject!) Remove the consumer demand and you remove the reason retailers open.
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That’s a good point. Yeah, but that’ll Bea hard one. I mean I’m guilty of getting some Black Friday deals on line today. Who can pass up a foot hundred dollar discount on the I phone 11?!? 😩😬😬😬😬lol thanks for stopping by! Hugs and love xox
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Wasn’t suggesting consumers should — or would — forgo their Black Friday Fever! Might as well tell the blue sky to turn purple … the pope to become a New York party boy … Americans to put down their cell phones … ain’t gonna happen!
I was only pointing out the shortsightenedness & unfairness of blasting retailers for meeting consumer demand. Not for nuthin’ but I wouldn’t go within a 10-mile radius of any Black Friday slapdown so will be forever passing on that iPhone deal! 🙂
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hahah – gotcha. you’re right about that. luckily i got my black friday deal online! no mall madness for me! haha hugs xo
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Thank you for your honesty and vulnerability.
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Thanks so much 🙂 I appreciate you stopping by!! Hugs and love xox
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I wasn’t aware of that priority was meant to be singular – as in, you have ONE priority. At a time. That’s it. All else is secondary.
On the outset, it feels kinda constricting, but when given pause – it’s actually feels very refreshing.
And THEN, when you add the lens of faith on top of the whole spectacle, it becomes wonderfully simple. I don’t have to be the boss – I get to be the servant! And for me (the guy who haaates making decisions), that’s a yuge relief!
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it does feel refreshing when you think about it, doesn’t it?? thanks Josh for sharing your thoughts!! hooray for serving the Lord! 🙂 glad you stopped by! big hugs xox
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And thanks to you for replying BBB. I really don’t know how you keep up with all the replies on your posts? But kudos to you anyway! Lol.
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you’re so welcome! hahah it involves hunkering down with a piping cup of tea 🙂 xoxoxo
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I have been having problems with this very issue lately. I just don’t know what do to get back on track.
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thanks for sharing that, Amanda, yeah I think it is something that we all have to continually work on. i would just suggest carving out some time — even just 5 minutes at first — to pray and listen to His guidance 🙂 hugs xo
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Your blog posts are always so informative. Your are so gifted. Thank you for teaching us how to improve our health and prolong our quality of life through healthy eating, living and God’s word! Blessings!
Beloved, since you follow my blog; I hope you will also read and share my prayer journal and workbook: Journaling with Intentionality for My Beloved.
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/JournalingwithIntentionality
Or
My blog post:
https://gabrielsinspirations.wordpress.com/2019/11/21/my-new-book-on-sale-now-journaling-with-intentionality-for-my-beloved/
I would love you know your thoughts. Hugs,
Georganna W. Lewis
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Oh my gosh what a kind thing to say. Thank you so much!! I look forward to reading your journal. Hugs and love xox
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Amen! You have articulated your priority as God would like it to be. Thank you for sharing your personal testament. God bless!
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You’re on a reading roll! thank you so much! God is good!!! 🙂 i appreciate you stopping by! big hugs to you xo x
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I love your perspective. And I always laugh as His persistence with His plans. 💕
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Thanks so much Bobby! What a kind thing to say! Hugs and love xox
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◇ – Diamond Hard – ◇
◇ As a Boy, “God” EveryOne, I Simply Go About My Business with Relative Peace without Actually GETTING ANYTHING GIRLY DONE!!! while My Cells Evolve; it’s Crystal Clear Clarity that The Girls in My 3DLife Starting with My Mom ARE KEEN TO DO THINGS!!! ergo “God” often Finds HimSelf Saying to His Spouse, “Goddess”, “Please just chill, relax and destress; otherwise these Natural Disasters WILL!!! Be Just Continuing Happening.”
◇ – Diamond Hard – ◇
…◇◇◇…
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