Since last week we talked about our wonderful Truth and all His glory, this week we’re going to flip the coin and look closer at what and who  we’re up against in our quest for truthful working, thinking and living.

And in our desk to desk segment, I’m going to share some ways you can help improve your focus -- because that is something we all struggle with from time to time, some more than others.

Listen in for Part Two of our Lies at Work Series on the Working Upward podcast. 

Show Notes

A few ways to help you keep focus as you work:

• Start your work with prayer.
• Make a list of three essential tasks for the day and focus on those. A variation: Brain dump a master list and cross out those things than can wait.
• Ask a simple question to yourself: What is the next right thing for me to do?
• Try the Pomodoro technique and set a timer for chunks of time at a time.
• Listen to instrumental music -- I've found the Chamber Baroque station on Pandora to be incredibly conducive to focusing.
• Take exercise breaks. 
• Intentionally recognize your work as worship.

Recommended resource:

The Non-Prophet's Guide to Spiritual Warfare by Todd Hampson 

It’s here. The final episode of our Lies at Work Series and today we’re talking about our actual battle plan. Piece by piece.

Mentioned Resources:

The Prayer Map Journal for Women
Podcast Insider Newsletter Sign-Up (at the top of the page)

In this latest episode of Working Upward, we take a look at some actual lies prevalent in the work at home space, the different categories they fall into and the truth that keeps us on our mission.

Next week, we'll wrap up by taking a closer look at our battle strategy to make sure we don't fall prey to these lies and the others that dilute the truth, distract us from our mission or detail us from our mission entirely.

Stay tuned!

SHOW NOTES

Desk to Desk:

Here are two good questions to help transition any conversation from 'small talk" to spiritual:

1. When you were younger, did anyone take you to church?

2. Tell me more about your spiritual journey.

Word of the Week: 

Discernment.

According to GotQuestions.org, “Discernment is defined as “the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure; an act of perceiving something; a power to see what is not evident to the average mind.” The definition also stresses accuracy, as in “the ability to see the truth.” Spiritual discernment is the ability to tell the difference between truth and error. It is basic to having wisdom. . . . . .

I’ve used the idea of recognizing counterfeit money here before and it fits here perfectly again so I’ll remind you of this principle.  There are so many different types of counterfeit bills that the best way to recognize them is to know the real money so well, it’s easy to spot the fake money. 

The same concept holds true for the truth of the Word of God. Hebrews 5:14 says that when we know the Word of God well, we are “trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” 

In other words, we will be able to distinguish the voice of the world from the voice of God. 

My prayer for you is that through a close walk with the Lord and time in His Word, you will develop discernment to recognize the lies in the work at home arena and beyond. 

Categories of Lies We Work at Home Women Believe:

Category #1: Diluted Lies

Lies with only a smidgen of truth.

Money = Success.

You've Got This.

Follow Your Heart.

Category #2: Distracting Lies

Lies that distract us from our mission by directing our attention to ourselves.

I can't do this.

Who am I to do this? (Imposter syndrome).

I need to look right to be successful.

So and so is better than me (comparison game).

Category #3: Derailing Lies

Lies that derail us completely from our mission. These lies are usually about our work itself. 

God doesn't care about my work.

The primary purpose of work is to just put food on the table or to pay the rent.

Recommended Resources:

Episode #1: It's 9 o'Clock Somewhere (Or, Why Work Is Good)

Episode #2: How to Know Your True Calling from God

This episode of Working Upward launches our summer series (as promised earlier) which is all about the lies we work-at-home-women believe. But in order to recognize and fight the lies we believe, we must first recognize and know the Truth -- in all His glory.

How to Spring-Clean Your Business (episode 14)

Free Business Spring-Cleaning Guide

Virtual Assistant FAQs and Resource Page

$27  Virtual Assistant Course (The Upward VA Roadmap)

Read the devotional transcript here.

Show Notes & Resources:

The question of the week is: 

How do you or your family prepare your hearts for Easter, aka Resurrection Sunday?

Email me at mail@workingupward.com or comment or message me on Instagram or Facebook or email me at mail@workingupward.com or comment or message me on Instagram or Facebook. 

To read a hymn a day during Passion Week, follow or subscribe to emails from HymnsIllustrated.com (my hobby site).

As business owners who want to integrate our faith with our work and who understand that even a financially successful business outside God’s will isn’t truly successful, we should avail ourselves of all God’s help available to us, right? 

But do we? 

This week we’re focusing on a specific way God helps us we tend to forget about.  But it's an encouraging truth best remembered!

Note:

The Theme of the Month is Burnout and the  Word of the Week is help.  You can read the devotional transcript here.

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Desk to Desk Links and Resources:

The question of the week is: 

• How do you or your family prepare your hearts for Resurrection Sunday?

Email me at mail@workingupward.com or comment or message me on Instagram or Facebook. 

Book Recommendation: 

Crazy Busy
By Kevin DeYoung

Recipes:
Morning Glory Muffins & Cream Cheese Frosting (not too sweet, just right!)