From Overwhelmed to Overflowing

[00:00:01] Speaker A: Hey, friend. Welcome to Perspectives into Practice, a place where life's stories meet practical wisdom. Together, we'll explore how faith filled perspectives can transform the way we live, love, and grow. So grab a seat, settle in, and join us on this journey to turn inspiration into action. Let's dive in foreign. Welcome back to Perspectives into Practice. If you've ever felt drained, like you have nothing left to give, you are not alone. But what if we could shift that perspective from overwhelmed to overflowing? Well, today we are talking yet again with our wonderful friend Alana. You know her, you love her. Welcome back, Alanna. [00:00:53] Speaker B: Hey. Hey, friends. [00:00:55] Speaker A: So if you loved all of our other episodes that we've done together, you are seriously going to love this too, because this has just been amazing. But before we dive in, you know what time it is? It's fun fact time. Oh, what am I gonna say? [00:01:11] Speaker B: Oh, no. You always are like, oh, yeah, yeah. [00:01:16] Speaker A: That is fun fact. Alanna loves skiing. [00:01:21] Speaker B: I do. I like skiing. Of all time. [00:01:24] Speaker A: She loves it. And does that ever remind you of some, like, life balance things when you're out there? [00:01:30] Speaker B: Yes, yes. Honestly? Yes. I grew up water skiing, loved it. Like fun in the sun. But recently, within the past year, I decided that I wanted to learn how to snow ski. This southern girl does not do outdoor cold, first of all. So I had to, you know, enlist some help in getting ready for that. And it has been the. It was challenging. [00:02:04] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:02:05] Speaker B: I am not used to sucking at things. I really am not. I was bad with a capital bad when I first started. And I think it's applicable that this is my fun fact from, for the topic from overwhelmed to overflowing, because I really do be starting out overwhelmed. And now I can say it is a source of joy. And I, like, I truly enjoy it. And it is an overflow versus and overwhelmed. [00:02:42] Speaker A: I mean, there may or may not have been some tears in your first couple, but that was also a difference between the hills in Tennessee and the hills in Colorado. [00:02:53] Speaker B: Those are not hills, ma'am. [00:02:54] Speaker A: But you know what? I, I, okay, I have never skied. Girls got some weak ankles. So that is not. I will take pictures of you and cheer you on and that it will. [00:03:06] Speaker B: Make your whole self feel weak. It really will. I was like, why are the palms of my hand sore? I'm like, oh, it's because I was gripping my snow ski poles like a mad woman. [00:03:17] Speaker A: I was thinking you were falling. [00:03:19] Speaker B: No, I mean that too. But I was like, you got to learn how to relax. [00:03:25] Speaker A: Don't hold so tight to Things I. [00:03:28] Speaker B: Did, I was holding tight for dear life, but not anymore. And it's amazing. [00:03:34] Speaker A: Oh, I love that. So much fun. Isn't she? So much fun. I'm. I know that you guys just love hearing her as much as I do. So I think that we have all had these seasons where we feel like we're running on empty, trying to pour out, but have nothing left to give. Can you share a time when you felt completely overwhelmed and what helped you to shift from that place to living in overflow? [00:03:58] Speaker B: Ooh. A time in my life when I was thoroughly overwhelmed and then I was able to shift my perspective into overflowing. [00:04:09] Speaker A: Yeah. Okay. [00:04:12] Speaker B: I have recently gone through a divorce, and nothing could have prepared me. Not even like the throes of toddler teenagerhood, motherhood. Like, nothing could have prepared me for how overwhelming this would be because you think you're overwhelmed when you first consider such a drastic, terrible, awful thing. And nothing could have really prepared me for how much more overwhelming the process was going to be and still is. [00:04:49] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:04:50] Speaker B: And so I knew that it was going to be challenging. I knew that it was going to be financially challenging. I knew that it was going to be emotionally, spiritually, like, I knew all of that. And in the middle of. I think it was like month six of just trying to find some sort of common ground and to be able to move forward, I realized that I wasn't just empty. I wasn't just dry. I was like, I am the dead bounds. Like, I am. I'm not in church. I was so hurt by how the church had handled that situation. Just my church, not the church with a capital C. But when you're in ministry and when you're in full time ministry and you make that kind of drastic life change and decision and it has spiritual implications, I just, I didn't know how they would handle it, but I was sure that it needed to happen for everyone's well being, spiritually, emotionally and otherwise. And there were also, just for anyone thinking about credibility out there, there were biblical reasons that were supported by the word of God that said, yes, you should divorce. And in the breaking of that covenant, I was in a place where I'm a visual person. God gives us a bucket or a boat or a calling. He says, hey, build this. And when he pours out blessings and when he pours out things, we're able to catch, you know, in our. In our marriage covenant, I feel like it comes with a cup or a bowl or a bucket or, you know, something like when my patient, you know, Bucket with my kids. It was a season where I felt like all of my jars had been smashed and I was left with no way to catch anything, good or bad. I'm like, that was a blessing. And it just slipped. It slipped between my fingers. God, I can't even hold the good things in my life. I can't. You're pouring out blessings, and I can't catch them. You're pouring out these things, and I can't. Like, I can't catch it. And I saw his grace in that moment when I was just sitting before him, just. I'd taken out my wedding dress that day, and I was just mourning the loss, and I was so overwhelmed. And he said, I have smashed all of your jars and all of your buckets and all of your expectations, because right now, if you were able to catch anything, it would be bitter, it would be bad, and you would not want to drink from this cup. That was just like, God. Okay, you right. You are right about that. Like, I was just in a season where I thought I am overwhelmed by things that I'm not supposed to be catching. Because it was. It was a lot of grief. It was a lot of bitterness. And I realized his grace in that moment. And my takeaway was, if you were in a season where you are feeling overwhelmed, you have to embrace that and see God's grace in that. Don't get a bucket. Do not try to catch the waves. Like, waves are not intended to be caught. They are intended to be surfed. They are intended to, like, find a place where you can rise above. Like, find a place where you can surf it out. Find a place where, like, we do not catch waves. We do. That is not what we do. In the body of Christ. We walk on waves. We can tell them, like, peace, be still, but we don't. They're not intended to be caught and drunk. So I was mourning something that God was like, hey, this is my grace. I've smashed all these things because you just need to let me wash you. And it was that moment of, like, he has called us to walk on waves. He has said, it's okay to sit down, it's okay to stand up. Like, it's okay. Just find a place where you are okay. [00:09:32] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:09:32] Speaker B: And just be. And I did. For the next six months. I just. I didn't run back to church. I didn't. I didn't try to start gathering jars. I didn't work at all. I gave up half a year salary almost to just be. And his sustenance was so Sweet. But changing the perspective that I needed to stand up, changing the perspective that I needed to run back to church and I needed to be catching all of these things. Like, Holy Spirit was so gracious in that. He was like, I have done what I have done for a purpose and for a reason, and it is okay for you to just sit down everything, it's all broken and just let it be. He gave me a vision of, like, mothers with, like, small toddlers. You can either let them play for the day and give them appropriate places to make messes or you can really overextend yourself. Trying to constantly clean up behind them, you know, that's overwhelming. They make like 15 messes a day. And so it's like, okay, you can make your mess in this space for the whole day and then at the end of the day we clean it up and we start over tomorrow. Or I'm going to clean up this mess for 15 times today just so it is cleaned up, but it never stays cleaned up. So there are seasons in our life where it is really okay to just let the mess be because it's not time to clean it up yet. It is broken. It is what it is. Let it be broken. And coming out of that season, there are still areas where God is just saying, like, let it be. I am not back in full time ministry. I am in church, but I am not back in full time ministry. I am not leading worship. I am not leading a small group. I am not. Like, there are things that, like, my heart's desire is that it is to do those things, but I'm not there. I am not there. I don't even have a cup for that right now. And that is okay. That was the most underwhelming thing I think that I've ever experienced spiritually where, like, you can sit with Holy Spirit. Had a dream that night and I was sitting in that wedding dress in a heap of ashes. It wasn't just a heap of ashes. It was like my whole world had caught on fire and burned down. The house was in the background. My kids looked like little orphans covered in soot, barely clothed in rags. And I was just sitting there. And a lot of people in church and hypocrisy were telling me to get up. Like, it's time to get up, it's time to move on. It's been a year. It's been a year and a half. Like you, you need to get back into ministry. You need to get back in the game. And Holy Spirit walked up to me in that dream. And he said, get up. And I said, I can't and I am not ready. Like, I can't. I was mad and he said, okay. And he sat down with me and he just held my hand and I thought, man, God help me to be that for somebody when they are sitting in ashes. You might send me to say get up. But if they say I can't and I'm not ready, like, let me have the discernment to know they are overwhelmed and maybe they just need me to sit with them. That is okay. Like it is okay to be that friend that pushes someone and says, get up. And it's okay to be that friend and that person who just sits down with someone. Yeah, that was the. Has been the by far biggest breakthrough in this season. Going from overwhelmed to overflowing is to know that I can sit down and do nothing and be in a broken place and still be a daughter of the most high king who is beloved and cherished. And he doesn't care what I bring to the table in that season. Like, he loves me right where I'm at. And I have a purpose. I'm not forfeiting my anointing. I'm not forfeiting my calling. I'm not forfeiting my effectiveness. I'm just sitting down for a minute. [00:14:27] Speaker A: Yeah, and we all need that break. But isn't it just like the enemy to go, hey, I know you're overwhelmed, but you need to do more. You need to get up. You need to. It's. He wants to keep us in a place of overwhelm because he doesn't want that darkness to come into the light. He doesn't want other people to come in to help us. He's like, I got you where I want you. Let's just continue to heap it on loads and loads. [00:14:57] Speaker B: So Malachi, chapter three with something in that season that God said, even though you're sitting in your ashes and you are broken. Malachi, chapter three. He was. It's the you know subtitle. You know how in. In our modern day Bible it gives little titles. It's robbing God. [00:15:23] Speaker A: Oh. [00:15:26] Speaker B: And it starts in verse eight. It says, will a man rob God? Question mark. Yet you are. You are robbing me. And they were like, how do we rob you? And he just said, by not making the payments of the 10th of the contributions. You're suffering under a curse. Not just you, the whole nation are still robbing me. Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be. May be food in the storehouse in my house. Test me in this way, says the armies, the Lord of the armies. See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure. I didn't realize in that season how important. Like a tenth is just it. It really is like tithing and giving to the Lord. What is the Lord's. It really is important. [00:16:26] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:16:27] Speaker B: And even in seasons where you are sitting and you feel like you have nothing to give and that whatever you give is menial, God really does see our hearts. He really does judge our hearts. He really does take things seriously that he says, like, don't rob me. [00:16:48] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:16:49] Speaker B: He doesn't need that. Like, he needs our hearts in that position. [00:16:54] Speaker A: Yes. [00:16:55] Speaker B: And so it was such a simple spiritual principle, but I found a way to be faithful in that, even in the middle of a hard season. And it definitely changed my perspective on what ushers the blessings of God into your life. [00:17:19] Speaker A: Yes. [00:17:19] Speaker B: Like, what ushers his favor in. What helps you go from overwhelmed to overflowing. And there are spiritual, like, simple spiritual principles that we can apply even when we are overwhelmed that begin to activate, like, God's favor and attention in our lives and the position of our heart. It matters. [00:17:44] Speaker A: Yeah. So that reminds me of that song. And I can't think of who wrote it now, but it's like all my words fall short I've got nothing new how could I express all my gratitude? I could sing these songs as I often do but every song must end and you never do so I throw up my hands and praise you again and again because all I have is. [00:18:05] Speaker B: A hallelu Praise you again and again all that I have is a hallelujah I know it's not much I have nothing else before King except for heart singing Hallelujah. Hallelujah. [00:18:44] Speaker A: Yeah, that song. That's it. [00:18:47] Speaker B: When we have nothing else to give. [00:18:49] Speaker A: Him when we are broken in ashes and we are trying to collect all the pieces and he's like, I see your heart, sister. I see it. And then Holy Spirit comes and sits down by you and holds your hand. [00:19:04] Speaker B: There were definitely moments where all that I could utter was like, Jesus. Hallelujah. [00:19:12] Speaker A: Yeah. Even in hardness, it's not hallelujah. I'm glad I'm in this pain, but it's hallelujah, you are good God, you are faithful God, you are everything that I need and can want. And even if I can't get up right now. Yeah, even if I can't get up right now, I will praise you and that's the beauty Ah, yeah. [00:19:39] Speaker B: Oh so come on my show don't you get shy on me Lift up. Oh, my God. That's such a. That is such a shifting song. [00:19:48] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:19:49] Speaker B: Of like, it really goes from a place in that song to like, he really was like, man, how do I even express my gratitude? How can I sing songs? How can I do this? [00:20:01] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:20:01] Speaker B: To like. He really is like, encouraging himself. [00:20:06] Speaker A: Come on. [00:20:07] Speaker B: He really is like, oh, my God. That's the Life lion song. [00:20:11] Speaker A: Yeah. You've got a lion inside of those lungs. Like, I know. It gets me every time. [00:20:18] Speaker B: Me too. [00:20:19] Speaker A: My girls love that song. When we sing it, we like turn it all the way up and they're praising it. It's like, thank you, Lord, for lyrics and songs because they matter. [00:20:30] Speaker B: And I don't think I have emphasized that enough because I am a word. Like, I grew up Southern Baptist, like, doing my Bible drills. Um, which is a great foundation. [00:20:40] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:20:41] Speaker B: Everything should tie back to the word, even the, like, worship that we sing. There is power in worship. Like, there is like in my worship. [00:20:52] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:20:53] Speaker B: In like turning on a worship song and like lifting my voice before the Lord. Like, there really is something that will stir up your soul and like, it really banishes stress and being overwhelmed. It will encourage your spirit. Like, it will encourage your soul. I think, like, nothing. Like, sometimes sitting down and reading the word might not have you all fired up. It will give you tools. But like, to me, worship is like, man, that brings me to a place where I'm encouraged. I am like, I'm ready to fight another round for sure. Let's go. [00:21:38] Speaker A: So in your shift from overwhelmed to overflowing, what is one small change that maybe you made that you can put forward to these. These ladies listening, that they can help get to that overflow. [00:21:54] Speaker B: So the definition of disappointment is like just facing an unmet expectation. So disappointment like it and being overwhelmed, to me are just. Are really similar. [00:22:08] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:22:09] Speaker B: When you are experiencing like extreme disappointment, it's just like the same feeling of being overwhelmed and adjusting your expectations. Adjust your expectations. Not just your expectations of other people, but of yourself. [00:22:26] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:22:27] Speaker B: And you cannot have the same expectations of yourself when you are, you know, have on a 75 pound weighted vest and you're treading water versus a season where you are just walking leisurely along the beach in the sunshine and roses. [00:22:47] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:22:48] Speaker B: There are both seasons. But you. We just have a hard time recognizing when we need to shift our expectations of ourself and other people in our life. [00:22:58] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:22:59] Speaker B: And it doesn't mean that you lower your standards. It doesn't mean that you forfeit godliness for worldliness. It doesn't mean any of those things. It doesn't mean that you tolerate sin. But you can have godly expectations and you can ask him, what do I need to sit down in this season? What do I even need to have on my plate in this season? Like what do I need to re evaluate and just be willing to listen to the Lord and say no to things that you've always said yes to and leave relationships that are not benefiting his purposes in your life. Letting things go that you prefer, that you enjoy and knowing that if you get to pick those things up, back up later, great. If he never brings those things back into your life, that is also okay. Because what he has for us is far better than staying in a place where we're overwhelmed and ineffective. [00:24:07] Speaker A: Yeah. Well, it reminds me of if you've ever gone camping and there are, there are tent campers who just go and they take their car and they set up the tents. Right. Then you have like the hardcore tent campers. Those two people are not bringing the same equipment. [00:24:25] Speaker B: Exactly. [00:24:26] Speaker A: One has things that are heavier and they are load bearing like they are heavy things. But the ones that are taking the trip, like they are not overwhelmed by the weight of all that they have. They are overflowing and can get further than the others just because they've changed their perspective and their expectations and the weight, literal weight of what they are carrying. But they're still, they still can see the same things. However, this one that has the lighter load is probably going to get a little higher and is going to go into from overwhelmed to overflowing because it's laying down things that they just don't need. And honestly with, with the, the campers, the, the hiker people that come, I don't even. Oh yeah, they just like a water bottle they won't take because that's too heavy. Like you know, like the canteens, they'll take an empty one with a filter and then filter out any water they like. That blows my mind. [00:25:25] Speaker B: It is a perspective shift for sure. There's what I saw when you were saying that where was a boat, just a little canoe. But like if you're taking on water and you're overwhelmed, like you do really have to decide in your life what is necessary. [00:25:43] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:25:43] Speaker B: And if your boat is too heavy that you are literally being overwhelmed. Like you have to get to a place where you're above water to where then you can give from the boat. [00:25:53] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:25:54] Speaker B: Like, if you're overwhelmed by water taking on water, you have to get rid of things in your life to the point where you're okay, I'm floating now. Now from this, I'm stable, and now I can give from this boat. [00:26:05] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:26:05] Speaker B: That is just. We are such a consuming culture. Consume, consume, consume. Get, get, get, get that. I'm like, yeah, no wonder you're overwhelmed. Your closet is overwhelmed. Your. Your assets are overwhelmed. Like, your house is overwhelmed. Like, there was a season of going through that divorce where I left with nothing. Like, I left with my clothes, a few things for the kids. Like, I didn't want to go into another season of, like, just being obese and with stuff. [00:26:43] Speaker A: Well, and the beauty of that is that I love that I got to, like, walk through that with you, and I'm still walking through. But to see. See the people giving you things. I mean, your. Your house was overflowing at that point because of the free things that people were like, I got an extra couch. [00:27:01] Speaker B: I've got an extra bed, and it's perfect. Yes. Like. Like, people are like, oh, my gosh, this is so cute. I'm like, jesus. [00:27:08] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:27:08] Speaker B: Because when he decorates our life and when he gives us what we need, it is exactly what we need. It's not going to weigh us down to the point where, like, his yoke is easy, his burden is light. When we trust him. [00:27:23] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:27:24] Speaker B: I was like, man, I don't want to trust you for the kitchen table. I want to pick it out. [00:27:29] Speaker A: Yes. [00:27:30] Speaker B: And it was better than anything I could have picked out. And I'm like, I want things that match. I don't want to. Oh, I don't. [00:27:37] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:27:38] Speaker B: And it was perfect. [00:27:39] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:27:39] Speaker B: When we trust him and when we really do, I'm like, I really. Again, I mentioned in a previous podcast I had to confront the fact that I didn't really trust him the way that I could front. Like, I did. [00:27:52] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:27:52] Speaker B: I didn't think I did. I knew I didn't trust him, but it had never been exposed. And I was like, I can't front no more. That I don't trust you. Like, it is being exposed, and you're asking me to deal with it. Okay. If you really want to get to the place where you're not overwhelmed, you're going to have to confront that you're selfish and that you don't trust him or that you don't trust your husband or that you are maybe a little bit lazy or, like, things that are hard to admit because when we're feeling overwhelmed, the last thing that we want to do is like feel like we're demeaning ourselves or degrading ourselves anymore. I'm like, no, no. Satan is the accuser of the brethren. [00:28:31] Speaker A: Absolutely. [00:28:32] Speaker B: He will say all of those things to shame you. You can tell yourself the truth about a situation and the end result of that is freedom. Those are two very different things with very different motives. Yes, the truth might be that I am lazy. Satan will tell us that in such a way that shames us and that demeans us and heaps things on us. That is not freedom. I can admit that I'm lazy and God simultaneously meet me in that place and say, but this is what I call you. This is the way that I have provided you. But like, I can give you strength. The joy of the Lord is my strength. That helps me to like stay on task and like get things done, leading me to a place where I'm not lazy. I'm a hard worker and I'm diligent and I'm consistent and that leads me to be an overcomer. Like, he will give us stepping stones to a place of freedom where. And it is really hard if you don't know the voice of the Lord that when he begins to convict us, we think that it is just an attack from Satan. And I'm like, no, that is. Those two things are not the same. You have to be in your word. You have to know the voice of the Lord or you're never going to get from that place to overwhelmed, like to overflowing that place from like bondage to freedom. And in that process, you're going to have to confront some difficult things. [00:29:55] Speaker A: Yeah. And it will be worth it on the other side. [00:29:58] Speaker B: It is always worth it. [00:30:00] Speaker A: It's always worth it. [00:30:01] Speaker B: It is always. [00:30:02] Speaker A: And a little side note, if you missed our little chat about hearing God's voice, when you finish here, go and find that it is wonderful and amazing and it has a great tidbits that you can take away and start applying right now to help you to hear that voice. Because maybe you are in this season of overwhelmed and you want to get to overflowing. Or maybe the enemy is giving you these negative things of you know, you're not worthy and you are lazy and you're not consistent and whatever it is, but God has something for you on the other side if you can lay down and listen to him. Man, Lana, this has been so amazing. What my last question I always ask is, what is one perspective that you would encourage listeners to apply today. [00:30:53] Speaker B: Adopting the perspective that we need to daily take up our cross and follow him means that daily we have to submit our plans and our expectations to the Lord and trusting him that he really leads us step by step, day by day. And being open to the fact that if he says to get rid of something, get rid of it. If he says to invest more time in something, do that, because it will have a fruit either way. [00:31:26] Speaker A: Absolutely. Oof. So good. So, friends, if this episode has encouraged you, please take a moment to share it with a friend who needs some encouragement today. Be sure to be following so that you never miss an episode. And remember that even small shifts in perspective can lead to big changes. Now go put those perspectives into practice. Talk to you next time.