Kathy Thomas Uncategorized

Help for Busy Moms

You’re a busy mom, and with Mother’s Day approaching, the thought of being showered with love and appreciation may seem like a dream. As a kid, I watched a TV show called Queen for a Day. The premise was to celebrate a hardworking mother by telling her story, putting a crown on her head, and placing flowers in her arms. There would be tears and gratitude, but it was a show.

On Sunday, many women will be enjoying attention from their families. But you might be telling yourself it doesn’t matter if no one is making a show of you.

Friend, you are special every day. You matter to God, and he values you as his dearly loved daughter. Someone once told me, “I think there must be a special reward for women in heaven. They endure so much.” It was a man who said it! While those around you may be caught up in their own busyness and distractions to make a fuss, God sees you, and he wants you to rest in him.

“You cannot bear your load alone. Jesus has power over the things you can’t control. Tell him your concerns and don’t mull over them. Rest in knowing he’s working in the background to restore you, resolve problems, and rearrange deadlines” (p. 182, Eve Blameless and Beloved).

Check out more about God’s rest in my book, Eve Blameless and Beloved: Freedom from Lies That Say You’re Not Enough (available on Amazon). There, you can also find these Bible references as examples of Jesus’ tender interactions with women: Matthew 28:1-10, Luke 7:36–50, Luke 10:38–42, John 4:1–16, John 8:2–11, John 11:1–35, and John 19:26–27.

I’m praying that you rest in quietly knowing God is with you.

“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. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” 

Matthew 11:28 (The Message)

“Feel his grace-filled hug and walk securely in who you are and how God has made you. You are more than enough. You are God’s blameless and beloved” (p. 257).

Blessings and Happy Mother’s Day,

Kathy Thomas Uncategorized

When Love Fails and Relationships Disappoint  

“People can’t be our only source of peace and consolation; we need a comforter who will never fail. We’re blessed with a savior who sticks with us through the most difficult circumstances. He’s not hidden or unapproachable. As our perfect father, lover, and friend, he remains by our side forever” (from my book, Eve Blameless and Beloved: Freedom from Lies That Say You’re Not Enough).

Years ago, during a particularly difficult season in my life, my husband had to leave on a business trip. I pleaded with him to stay, but he said it was necessary. A part of me felt abandoned, and my heart broke a little. But in that moment, Jesus gently reminded me: I am with you. I will never leave you. That truth wrapped around me like a warm embrace. (And just so you know—I’m not throwing my husband under the bus! We’ve since shared many wonderful years together.)  

As Valentine’s Day approaches, while some look forward to flowers and chocolate, others may be feeling the ache of disappointment and loss. If that’s you, take heart. The love you long for—the one that never fails—is already yours.  

One of my favorite verses was spoken to nation, but taken personally, it reminds us of God’s faithfulness:  

“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.  He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you,  but will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17 NIV).

I’ve always imagined that being serenaded would be the height of romance. This verse tells us that God himself sings over us. Can you picture that? The Creator of the universe delighting in you, his voice lifted in a song of love?  

If you’re still waiting for a knight in shining armor to rescue you, remember—your Mighty Warrior has already come. He is with you. He loves you. And he will never leave your side.

Embrace Him! 

Have a blessed Valentine’s Day.

Kathy

Kathy Thomas Uncategorized

The Secret to Making Resolutions Last

Congratulations. If you’re keeping your New Year’s resolutions, you’ve passed Quitter’s Day—the second Friday after New Year’s—it’s a thing. If you’ve quit, don’t dismay. Only thirty-six percent of the population endure past January. But here’s the good news: Establishing new habits and routines can be fun.

While living among the Guji people of Ethiopia, we noticed if a person was laboring alone, someone would join in to help for a while. Soon, smiles and laughter broke out. I think they held a secret we’ve lost in our culture.

The Guji knew work was easier and more pleasurable when done together.

My mother-in-law used to say, “Many hands make light work.” If you’re trying to accomplish something on your own, you’ll tire quickly and join the rest of the population who give up their resolutions before January is over. 

However, Americans have traditionally rewarded efficiency and valued working independently. Many of us now work remotely, and our help comes from Google. If we need information or want to learn something new, we search the Internet or create with ChatGPT. We read a self-help books or watch a YouTube videos rather than consulting a person. We seek advice only if we get stuck.

Human interaction creates synergy and benefits our mental health. When was the last time you laughed? Were you alone or with others? The saying, “Teamwork makes the dream work,” may be accurate, but in our hurry-up world, it seems faster to work alone.

But what do work ethic and human interaction have to do with sticking to New Year’s resolutions? The Bible says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17 NIV). Wisdom tells us combining our efforts is powerful. If you want to change a habit or develop a new one in 2025, I advocate finding a friend and doing it together. You’ll have more fun, hold one another accountable, and achieve better results. 

In my last blog, I discussed the value of having an accountability partner. Biblical wisdom says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up” (Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 NIV). A friend asked me three years ago to be her writing accountability partner. Since then, we’ve each published a book—a testimony to the truth of these verses.

Okay, I hear your objections. You may want to work with another person, but it seems too hard to find a common meeting time, or you worry you’re interrupting an already busy person.

Get creative. Consider times you’re already with someone, and make your time together intentional. Meet with a colleague or friend before work, at the gym, or over lunch. Walk with a neighbor in the morning or after work. Or, try a video call one evening a week after the kids are in bed. Meet with your accountability partner to discuss your goals, plans, and processes and then meet regularly to encourage and also challenge one another.

Kathy

P.S. Don’t forget to have fun and celebrate small milestones accomplished.

Kathy Thomas Uncategorized

Need Help Making Year’s Resolutions Last?

Each January, I feel sad removing ornaments from our Christmas tree. Since each one holds meaning, it’s hard to pack them away for another year. So, to cheer myself up, I think of new beginnings for the year ahead.

Are you starting the new year hoping to break a habit or start a healthy new one? 

As you know, it’s hard to keep those resolutions for more than two weeks. Like many people, I struggle to follow through because I want behavior change without the work, or I struggle in my own strength instead of asking God’s help to take charge. 

Want to make lasting change?

You can make a fresh start no matter your situation, season of life, or past missteps. When you surrender your weaknesses to God, he lavishes you with his love and equips you with his power. It’s never too late to start anew. Chapter eleven of my book, Eve Blameless and Beloved, examines new beginnings. After the tragedy of Cain killing Abel, Adam and Eve needed hope. They anticipated a new future with the birth of Seth, who would be an ancestor in Jesus’s human lineage.

Habit changes begin with heart changes. This new year, if you’re looking for deep change or a significant life transformation, don’t strive to change your behavior; ask Jesus to change your heart. Transformation flows out of a renewed heart.

Jesus is our only hope. Meditate on this biblical promise: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV). Pray for the change you’d like to establish, claim you are loved by Christ, and ask God to renew your old, tired, stressed life with freedom from lies that say you’re not enough so you can pursue all you’re meant to do.

Give it to God and get an accountability partner.

Grab an accountability partner to improve your chances of keeping your New Year’s resolutions. I’d love for you to get my book, grab a friend, head to page 262 for discussion questions, and seek God’s truth regarding your identity: You are God’s blameless and beloved creation.

I’m offering January discounts on Eve Blameless and Beloved: Freedom from Lies That Say You’re Not Enough to encourage you on your new beginnings. Click here and use the code NEWYEAR to purchase a discounted book for yourself and one for a friend. 

By Kathy Thomas, author of Eve Blameless and Beloved: Freedom from Lies That Say You’re Not Enough.

Kathy Thomas Write On Business, Write On Wisdom

Too Many Bosses? Three Questions to Ask Yourself

“I feel like running away!” my neighbor exclaimed when I caught up with her after work one day. She added in exasperation, “I can’t do it all.”

Do you feel like hiding from the expectations weighing on you? Maybe your boss has just asked you to work overtime. Now you must arrange pick up for the kids and cancel a social event this evening. Meanwhile, an urgent request sits unanswered in your inbox, and a voicemail from a needy friend pops up in your notifications. Where do you draw the line?

Your packed calendar signals there’s no relief in sight.

Do you serve too many bosses? Asking yourself these questions might help you find peace.

1. Principals—Who’s the Boss? 

Whether you serve one principal boss or answer to an entire chain of command, it’s impossible to satisfy everyone and worse if they contradict one another. Adding to their demands are the loud expectations of our culture. We subconsciously serve the most demanding voices, so we stifle our deep desires and do our duty.

I recently noticed that at every request for my time, I felt angry. I acted grumpy even toward the grandkids. Upon analysis, I discovered the expectations prevented me from spending time on a personal writing project. Are you frustrated? Maybe something has blocked your heart’s desire. 

Consider the obligations begging your attention. Evaluate which voices need to be heeded. Then commit to what is important to you. This necessitates prioritizing your values.

2. Priorities—Where to Focus?

Consider the obligations begging your attention. Evaluate which voices need a response. Determine which commitments align with your values, and then commit to doing what is important to you. 

Do you find time to satisfy the desires of your heart? Look at your time use. Does it reflect your priorities? It may not be a time problem but a priority problem. 

If you feel overworked, you might ask your boss to prioritize your projects. Follow their directive and in that way, the responsibility falls back on them.

When making a major time commitment, I find it helpful to ask myself, “What roles do I serve that no one else can?” A wife to my husband. A mother to my children. Primary earner. Reorder your priorities to reflect your most important roles and spend quality time on those.

If you could reorder your priorities, what would be your ideal? What would bring you the most peace?

3. Peace—What is Your Why?

You may have a ready answer for why you do what you do—“I work because I need the money.” “I work overtime because if I didn’t, I’d lose my job.” “I work to provide my children the best educational opportunities.” “I serve my church because no one else is stepping up.”

Someone showed me how to drill down to find my “why.” For each expectation that demands your attention, continue to ask why. For example: “I work because I need the money.” Why? “Because my husband’s income isn’t enough.” Why? “Truth is, we’re in debt.” Why? “We need to handle our money more wisely.” 

In this case, the solution might be handling money better, not earning additional income. Alternatively, you might say, “I work because I enjoy it.” Ask why to discover new things about your desires. Then determine how to satisfy those deeper needs rather than reacting to outside demands.

Make God your boss

Serve One Boss

Make God your boss. It takes resolve and determination to follow Jesus. Your circumstances may or may not dramatically change, and your work boss will likely still ask you to work overtime, but you will be better prepared to give an answer true to your heart.