The Planner

I have always been told that my Achilles heel is my organizational skills. When really delving into the idea, I have come to realize that I am clean but very unorganized. There are probably one or two days during the normal calendar year in which I haven't misplaced my keys, forgotten an appointment, or ran late to class. I know what you are thinking, "This doesn't sound like a great quality a leader should have." Trust me, I agree!

Approaching my junior year of college, I knew something had to be done. After deliberating a number of possible remedies I came to the conclusion that I needed a planner. Eagerly I searched the aisles of Wal-Mart for a petite, elegant planner that would hold the key to solving my abysmal organizational skills. There, on the display between aisles eight and nine, was a tiny navy-blue planner that fit the bill, exactly what I was looking for. I was no longer Mandy Ogunnowo. I was now, Mandy Ogunnowo; the girl with the planner. It felt incredible.

When I returned to campus, I sat in my room for nearly thirty minutes filling up my planner with any and every event or meeting I could think of. Perhaps I did go a little overboard, but it was the most refreshing feeling in the world knowing that I had taken a step towards being more organized. And if you ask me, color coding was not only necessary, but fun! I spent the next couple of days bragging about my new planner and my new-found organizational skills to all my friends and even some professors.

It wasn't until a week or so of having the planner that I was hit with a huge revelation. Looking through my planner, I couldn't help but think, "Does my planner show a girl who is striving to hear the voice of God?"

Simply by glancing at my planner one could conclude that I am a pretty busy college student. I had to think, could one just as easily conclude that I don't leave the necessary time to be still and at one with the Lord? Psalms 46:10 says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." When translated from the Hebrew language, "Be Still" would be synonymous with, "Enough!" or "Stop!" In this passage, we see our God addressing the nations and climactically saying, "Stop! Enough! Know that I am God." Knowing the Lord takes patience, silence, stillness. Here I was, foolishly being excited about the organization and fullness of my planner, when I should have instantly saw the lack of time allotted to just be still and in constant conversation with the Lord. Needless to say, adjustments in my life had to be made.

Serving and being a student leader is the byproduct of a good relationship with Christ. This semester I plan to use my planner for two purposes. The secondary purpose is to enhance my organizational skills, but the primary purpose is to really monitor how much time I spend being silent and in communion with the Lord. I cannot wait to see the great things the Lord will do through the HELM Leadership Fellows this year. With a clear head and pretty clear agenda, I am excited to serve the Lord however He sees fit.