“Karen’s Notes!
Insights from a Glory-Bound Lady”

Selected Notes
Volume 6 Number 28
#272 “Busy People Still Find Time”
July 12th, 2023

Here is something that you just might not know about Karen.

Do you have any idea what one of Karen’s favorite Old Testament passages of Scripture was? The answer to that question is Psalm 100, which is a psalm of praise.

“Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! Serve the LORD with gladness: Come before His presence with singing. Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations” (Psalm 100:1-5). NKJV

This is how she viewed her life, her home, and her ministry.

This is not meant to glorify Karen. But I do want to use her life as an example. She lived her life in a Psalm 100 kind of way.

She was first and foremost a devoted follower of Christ.
She was my wife.
She was mother to many biological, adopted, and foster children and then grandma to our grandchildren.
She was a pastor’s wife and had a tremendous ministry to the women and children of our local churches.
When we became part of the ministry of Baptist Church Planters, she was then the vice president’s wife and loved the BCP family. Soon thereafter, she became the national Director of the Baptist Church Planters’ JOY Club youth ministry.

She was busy.
She was very busy.
She loved to serve.

Psalm 100:2 was often her motto. “Serve the LORD with gladness.”

She was determined to prioritize her time.

Even though she was busy with loved ones, people close to her, family around her, church ladies that sought her out, local church ministry to children, she still prioritized her life that there was time to serve the Lord with gladness when He had an assignment for her.
On one such occasion, an invitation from out-of-state came to her to speak in several ladies’ sessions. Karen and I prayed about it, and we agreed that this was an assignment from the Lord.

She knew nothing of the situation that many of the ladies were facing. But what joy she had as she watched the Holy Spirit sweetly working in and among the ladies. Here is a brief part of the thank you card she received.

Dear Karen, We want to say a big “thank you” for such an uplifting and encouraging time on Saturday at our Ladies’ Day. So many ladies were commenting in church on Sunday about the blessed time they had and how encouraged they were by your sessions. We thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to come and speak to us.”

Here is a little takeaway for all of us.

The Lord does not expect you to say “yes” to every request that comes your way.
When He does bring an assignment to you, He will equip you to do it.
He will help you to order your schedule so that there will be time to serve Him in this.

Always keep before us, “Serve the Lord with gladness.”

I wonder what the Lord will bring to our lives in the days ahead that will stretch us, bless us, and cause us to praise Him?