Only A Few Things Are Important: Anchoring Your Heart in What Matters Most

Welcome to the Thankful Homemaker podcast, a podcast to be an encouragement and blessing to each other in the role God has called us to as women.

I'm so thankful you stopped by, so grab yourself a coffee or tea and sit with me a bit as we talk about how God's Word impacts every area of our lives as Christian women. Hello, friend. I'm Marci Farrell from Thankful Homemaker. And as always, I'm so glad to be here with you today. We are on episode 178, and it's titled Only a Few Things Are Important. I often share how thankful I am for the life and ministry of Elizabeth Elliott.

She has been such a steady voice of truth and encouragement in my walk with the Lord. And again, even though I've never met her personally, she's discipled me over the years through her writing. And two of her books in particular, Keep a Quiet Heart, which is one of my current reads. Again, many times I've reread this one. I just share that along with a devotional from Mark 5 in my June newsletter.

And then Let Me Be a Woman is another one. But those are books of hers that I return to again and again. And each time I open them, the Lord uses her words to draw my heart back to what truly matters in this life as a Christian woman and wife and mother, grandmother and homemaker. And if you're not on my email list, I'd love to have you join me. there. It's just a place where I share monthly encouragement, book updates, favorite finds, what the Lord's been teaching me, and the link to sign up.

It'll be in the show notes, but you can always just head over to thankfulhomemaker.com, and the sign up, it's literally right on my homepage, so it's there for you. But one of the things that I've always appreciated about Elizabeth is how she trusted the providence of God, even when life was painful and uncertain. She understood that nothing ever took the Lord by surprise.

And that truth, that continues to comfort and steady my own heart, especially on days when life feels unpredictable or it's overwhelming or it simply feels like too much. There's one particular quote from her that I've really appreciated. And it's one that I keep in my journal. It really helps reorient my thinking when I've allowed the noise of the world or even the good desires to do more, to just crowd out the simple, faithful work that the Lord has called me to do.

And she stated, and this was from Keep a Quiet Heart. She said, only a few things are really important, and for those, we have the promise of divine help, sitting in silence with the Master in order to hear His Word and obey it in the ordinary line of duty.

For example, in being a good husband, wife, mother, son, daughter, or spiritual father or mother to those nearby who need protection and care, humble work, which is never on the world's list because it leads to nothing impressive on one's resume. Just reminds me of Jesus's words to Martha in Luke 10, when he gently told her that only one thing was necessary and Mary had chosen it, right? Sitting at his feet and listening to his teaching.

The world is always going to call us to do more, but Jesus calls us to himself. And that quote that I shared of hers, that was originally part of a reflection on Thanksgiving and how the spirit of greed and even the greed of like, quote, doing and being more can, how that can crowd out a grateful heart.

And that connection really has stuck with me because when I neglect time with the Lord, my heart tends to chase after the things that look impressive. I always think of busyness, but leave me empty because gratitude grows in the quiet when I remember that God sees and values faithfulness in the small things. And that obedience, it flows out of grace. It's not about trying harder to be a better homemaker or Christian.

But it's about resting in what Christ has already done because as we abide in Him, we're strengthened to walk faithfully in whatever He's called us to today. I always mess up that word strengthened. That's a tough one for me. But truly, as we abide in Him, we're strengthened to walk faithfully in whatever He called us to today or what He calls us to today. And that's such a needed reminder that we all need, right? Because it's so easy to fall into the trap of busyness.

We chase after those long to-do lists. We maybe look for validation and productivity or striving to do more in hopes that it's finally gonna feel like enough. But the Lord hasn't asked us to keep up with the world's expectations. He calls us to something far simpler and far more beautiful, to sit at his feet, to listen to his word, and to walk in obedience in the ordinary places of life.

That sitting, that comes first. And for me, what that often really looks like very simply is opening my Bible in the early hours of the morning with a cup of coffee nearby and jotting down what I'm learning and praying through my day before the house is busy. If I'm not slowing down to listen, to really sit with his word, like if I'm rushing through it, right?

If I'm just rushing through it to check that box off my list, which we can do so easily, and I find myself doing more often than I would like to, then I'm quick to forget what matters most. But it's there in those moments where I can just sit with him and be reminded of the beauty of the work he's entrusted to me. Caring for my home, loving my husband and children, being present and available for a friend in need, encouraging a younger woman in the faith.

These are the places where kingdom work often happens.

And none of it is impressive in the eyes of the world, but it's precious in the eyes of our Savior. Philippians 2, 3-4, it gives us such a clear picture of what this kind of life looks like. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. It's the kind of humility that flows not from our own strength,

but from knowing who we are in Christ. We're not earning favor with God through our service. We already have it fully and forever because of Jesus, right? If you have repented of your sins and put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, you already have his favor. You are his child. From that place of rest, we're free to walk in obedience right in the middle of the laundry piles and those sinks full of dishes or even those quiet moments spent praying for someone we love.

My prayer is that the Lord would continue to help me keep my eyes and your eyes fixed on the few things that are truly important, to sit with Him daily, to hear His voice through His word, and to faithfully walk in the simple duties He's given us, knowing that none of it is wasted when it's done unto Him. So let me leave us with a couple questions today. What is one simple area of

obedience the Lord is calling you to today? and how can you approach it with joy and gratitude knowing that it's not wasted in his sight? Because my friend, we know it and I'm gonna say it again and again and again because we forget it. But Jesus truly is enough always. I am so grateful for you being here with me. You can read the full show notes for this post at the blog, thankfulhomemaker.com. And again, friend, if you've enjoyed your time here, would you just take a moment

to leave a rating or review? It's such a help in getting the podcast in front of other women who need encouragement in the Lord, and it's such a blessing to me too. I'm so, so grateful for you. Thank you for being here, and I do pray that you have a very blessed week. Music.