Is there something you’re about to give up for good — or maybe disappear from or pause for awhile? Real stewardship today means you’re constantly rearranging schedules and assessing all the people, things, and commitments that devour your resources.
There’s a seismic difference between scorched earth and retrenchment, between annihilation and scaling back. Maybe you never want to see old what’s-his-name again, but do you need to blow something up in order to cool his jets?
One of my clients unexpectedly became a caregiver for a family member and planned to shut down a start-up business until the emergency passes. The business already has a couple of steady customers and momentum is waiting just over the next ridge.
This quote popped into my head when I learned about the plan:
Never cut what can be untied.
Leave A Little Something To Work With
Want to keep the water running when meteorologists warn that a 100-year freeze is coming? Don’t shut off the water — leave a little trickle running.
Before you burn a bridge, remember:
- It’s more difficult to start up than gear down.
- It’s more difficult to prime a pump that’s totally dry.
- It’s more difficult to re-establish connection than stay connected.
- It’s harder to stitch something back together than untie a bow.
- Earning trust once broken is VERY tough.
- In other words, use it or lose it. Even if you can’t offer anything new for a while, you don’t have to slam a door in someone’s face and throw away the key.
“Unexpected” Doesn’t Have To Mean “The End”
I asked my client if it’s possible to serve existing customers on a flexible schedule. Most folks understand that ‘unexpected’ isn’t all that rare anymore. If the events of 2020 did nothing else, it moved “unexpected” onto center stage.
Maybe you can’t ride your horse for at least six months and are considering rehoming her. Do you remember how long it takes to establish trust and connection with a new horse? Most horses HONESTLY don’t care if you ride them or just hang out.
Detours Often Bring You Back To The Beginning
Instead of exploding the bridge, leave breath in most relationships. Keep the window of possibility cracked just a smidge. God has a habit of taking us on detours that eventually return us to where we started. We’re changed by the experience, with new insights, wisdom, or humility. If that happens to you, the last thing you want to see on the return trip is smoldering ashes.
Moses came full circle. So did Joseph and Peter. So have I. It happens. Two words I’ve learned not to use with horses — always and never. When it comes to the Lord, I’ve learned NEVER to assume. Full circle is a real possibility.
There Are No Coincidences
THE GOD DOT
Spiritual Markers of God's Divine and Constant Presence
Connecting Your Journey Past, Present, and Future
Where is God in the midst of the noise and distraction of everyday life? God Dots are signs of God’s presence in your life. They’re unique to each person, unexpected, and come for at least a dozen different reasons. From the miraculous to the mundane, The God Dot shows you how God reached into your life in the past, how He appears today, and connects the pieces that never made sense.
