Thankfully I am not the only one working at a million miles per hour.

If you have been paying much attention on The Fight Spot lately there are two things you’ll have noticed.

First is the obvious change in posting schedule. This change has been simultaneously intentional and unintentional. Intentional because after 18 months of following many websites and weblogs on a near daily basis with new ones getting added and old ones getting dropped, I have discovered that most of the handful which have made it through the test of time and now rest on the top of my list do not post every day. Some only post once a week. Thus the myth of keeping up with the Joneses has been broken. (And is that how you spell “Jonses”?)

Unintentional because the reality of publishing two weblogs naturally means a little less time for each. Pardon a slight tangent here, but I am really enjoying having two weblogs. The ability to have a razor sharp focus on each has been surprisingly freeing.

Additionally, the change to my posting schedule is due to the many new outlets I have stepped into for teaching. 3 months ago I had one outlet: this website. Now I have five - not including my Moleskine.

The second thing you may have noticed is that I am now working at a million miles an hour. Of course as I say that, I’m not so sure it’s accurate to say “now”. In fact, I’m not doing that much more than I used to be. However, now all the work I am doing is on the clock and I’m accountable to someone for it.

I currently have quite a few responsibilities including supervising all the morning prayer room teams, teaching at the new private K-12 Daniel Academy, working for the IHOP-KC marketing department, and developing a new department within IHOP.

Although it sounds like a lot, it is the same as what I have already been doing for the past year and a half. But it was on my own time. I was doing freelance graphic design work while running a support raising company that served the IHOP staff. Then one week I got approached by two different leaders each asking me to do those jobs for IHOP instead. So now instead of working hours for IHOP and then 30 on my own, I work 80 for IHOP. And gladly.

I am radically committed to the prayer movement, and helping to create an infrastructure where men and women can go hard after God is a joy to me.

Now some of you may say to yourselves, “80 hours! Sweet Moses that’s crazy.”

But is it? If so, why?

Is it crazy because the world has told us 40 hours a week is the max anyone should work?

Ultimately, what it all comes down to is time management. A good man gave me some good advice once. He told me that our work life shouldn’t fight against our prayer life, but rather our work life, prayer life and home life should all work together. And the problem is how we spend our time at home. Do we spend it vegging out on TV or do we spend it with friends, family and in the Word?

It’s not how much you work, but how much you rest. And ultimately, how you rest.

Yesterday when journaling I realized that distractions and selfish ambition were my biggest enemies. I wrote in my Moleskine -

Death to myself is the only option if I want my spirit to soar. Everything I do should strengthen my friendship with Jesus. he must become greater and I must become less.

Now, back to the title of this post. Spooling down -

This morning it was raining. So being the gentleman that I am I pulled up as close to the back entrance to IHOP as I could so my wife could keep her hair dry. Then I parked the car but instead of getting out, I just sat there and listened. With a hot mug of “everlovin’ coffee bean goodness” I turned off the engine, unbuckled my seat-belt and was simply silent.

I realized that through all the work and busyness of life there is no rule that says I cannot enjoy God and be enjoyed by Him. More than my talents or work ethic or responsibilities is the need to simply be with God.

For those of you who — like Randy and I — are busy, with many unique items on your plate, trust that God wants to give you the grace to walk in the fullness of your calling. Remember three things: (1) Give yourself to prayer and the ministry of the Word; (2) God likes you, and (3) drink lots of coffee.