by Kristin Bonham
Have you ever made arrangements to have people over and your day didn’t go the way you planned? You were late getting home and the clean up you thought you would have time for didn’t happen. You end up running around throwing things in closets and cabinets to 
straighten up. For me, everything gets piled up on the washer and dryer. I mean a huge pile! It’s pretty ridiculous. I pray no one opens the laundry room door because while my house looks orderly and clean on the surface, behind that door is a mess!
One of my biggest struggles is keeping my relationships and responsibilities in the right order in my life. While I have good intentions, what ends up happening is I look like I have it all together on the outside but I fall into bed replaying all the things I missed or people I didn’t spend enough time with.
Years ago, I heard a question posed to a woman in leadership, ”How do you keep your priorities balanced? God, Husband, Kids, Work, Ministry, Friends, etc…?” Her answer was simple: “If I keep God in first place in my life, everything else will be brought to my attention when it needs attention.”
She wasn’t saying that we shouldn’t have a plan to spend time on our important relationships and responsibilities. She was saying that when we make our relationship with God our first priority and we invite Him into our schedule each day, He leads us. If something needs some extra attention, He will prompt us and help us make the time.
So how do I put God first? I think it starts with inviting God to be in charge of each day. Trusting that He can use anything that happens to bring me closer to Him and show me where He is working. My relationship with Him will grow. Instead of reading a few verses in my bible, I might read a chapter. I’ll find myself praying and inviting Him to direct my steps when decisions need to be made. When things go different than I planned, I look to Him to help me figure it out and I don’t get rattled as easily when I know He is in control.
When my need to appear like everything is perfect falls away, I get to be the “real” me. My family and friends will see my flaws and I’m not afraid to admit that I can’t do it all. I need God to help me every day and my day goes so much better when I start it with Him!
Kristin is the women’s ministry director for Grace Family Church. She’s been married to Chris for 24 years and is mom to Taylor, Abby, and Casey. She loves the beach, New York City and traveling with Chris to anywhere tropical. She collects books and reads some of them. Her favorite part of the week is Sunday lunch with family and friends around the table.