Exhausted. Maxed Out. Running on Fumes. Bone-Tired. Drowning.
We cannot go one day without hearing these words from friends, co-workers, family members, and sisters in Christ. No matter the season of life – college student, young mother, business executive, teacher, ministry leader, empty-nester, or retiree – we women long for margin, rest, and affirmation that all our efforts mean something. Does anyone even see, let alone appreciate, how HARD we are working? Surely, there must be a purpose beyond this daily grind that overwhelms our schedules and hearts.
For many, the busyness of our lives results from saying yes to good things. But at what cost? When did we trade our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health for a couple of extra likes, fewer numbers on the scale, a bit more in our bank account, or one more thing marked off our to-do list? Do you find that your life is checking all the right boxes but still cannot find satisfaction or contentment?
What’s the answer for today’s worn-out woman? A shift in perspective.
In this episode, Laura Baily chats about her book Embracing Eternity. We journey through the book of Ecclesiastes and discover how living with an eternal perspective results in more peaceful, purposeful, and plentiful lives today.
Join us to:
- Discover how to cling to an eternal perspective in all seasons and situations
- Determine how to evaluate the worth of your time and energy
- Dive into scripture for timeless reminders about true freedom
When we discover, determine, and dive into God’s design for life, we can let go of the lesser things and embrace those with greater, eternal significance. Let’s stop surviving and start living. We can experience life filtered through the lens of eternity, garnering the freedom only found in the permanent rather than the temporal, and discover the unimaginable benefits of a purpose and identity rooted in Christ.
Summary
In this engaging conversation, Rachael Adams and Laura Bailey reconnect after five years to discuss Laura’s new book, ‘Embracing Eternity in the Here and Now.’ They explore the themes of Ecclesiastes, the importance of living with an eternal perspective, and how to balance life’s responsibilities with spiritual growth. Laura shares her journey and insights on finding purpose and meaning in everyday life, emphasizing the significance of understanding God’s timing and the beauty of each season. In this conversation, Laura Bailey and Rachael Adams explore the themes of personal choices, relationships, and living with intentionality. They discuss the importance of making decisions that align with one’s values and the impact of those choices on relationships. The conversation emphasizes the need for a Christ-centered approach to life, highlighting the freedom from understanding one’s identity in Christ. They also touch on the significance of community and the love of God in fostering a peaceful and purposeful life.
Takeaways
The Lord divinely places people in our lives.
Ecclesiastes offers an honest viewpoint on life.
Living with an eternal perspective brings purpose.
Our lives are a vapor, but they have significance.
We must filter our decisions through our purpose.
Comparison can hinder our spiritual growth.
God’s timing is crucial in our lives.
Every day is an opportunity to embrace our purpose.
We should discern between human guilt and Holy Spirit conviction.
Embracing the here and now is essential for spiritual fulfillment. We often worry about things that don’t matter in the long run.
Our responses should point others to Jesus.
Living with intentionality means valuing ordinary moments.
Hospitality is about mindset, not just opening your home.
We are not responsible for the world’s outcomes.
Freedom comes from realizing life is not about us.
Our identity is rooted in who we are in Christ.
God desires for us to experience His love.
Community is essential for spiritual growth.
We are called to share the love of Christ with others.
Chapters
00:00 Reconnecting After Five Years
02:08 Embracing Eternity: The Inspiration Behind the Book
05:26 Understanding Ecclesiastes: Misconceptions and Insights
08:00 Living with an Eternal Perspective
12:31 Balancing Responsibilities and Rest
18:12 God’s Timing: Embracing Beauty in Every Season
22:40 Practical Steps for Living in the Here and Now
25:31 Navigating Personal Choices and Relationships
30:28 Living with Intentionality and Purpose
34:10 Finding Freedom in Christ’s Love
37:12 Embracing Peaceful and Purposeful Living
41:49 Experiencing God’s Love and Community
Transcript
Rachael Adams (00:01.43)
Hi Laura, and welcome back to the Love Offering Podcast. I’m so happy to have you again.
Laura Bailey (00:06.703)
Yes, I am so glad to be here almost five years later. I can’t believe it.
Rachael Adams (00:11.442)
I can’t believe it either. And I’m so thankful for that day five years ago when we were first able to meet. We talk about the chances that you can have a conversation on a podcast with somebody and then truly become in-person friends; even though we live in different states, we continue to get to see one another. And you got to come and speak to the women of my church at a retreat in Asheville, North Carolina, at the Billy Graham Cove Center, and so I’m just so excited. That was the first time you shared this message about embracing eternity, which is now a book. So, I’m glad to have this conversation and introduce you to the listeners if they have yet to learn from you.
Laura Bailey (00:53.935)
Yes, that was, it was just so great. And as you said, I often think about how many chance meetings we say are chance meetings, and yet the Lord divinely places people in our lives and opportunities. As you know, I recently wrote a devotion about our meeting, but one of the things I said is that the Lord used our faithfulness to bring us together to work and bring glory to his kingdom jointly. And I think that’s what’s so often, that’s what is the beautiful gift of the body of believers, is that individually we come together for the greater good of him and the gospel. So I just love that.
Rachael Adams (01:40.512)
Yeah, me too. And in fact, I will get to come and see you next weekend. So this is like an ongoing thing. I’m so excited about that. But I’m excited about your message today. It is called Embracing Eternity in the Here and Now. How the Book of Ecclesiastes helps us to live more peaceful, purposeful, and plentiful lives today. And again, I have heard this message. I’ve read this message. I have endorsed this message. I can’t tell everybody enough
how much I believe in you and this message. And so, in your words, what inspired you to write this book, and how did your journey lead you to this particular focus?
Laura Bailey (02:20.509)
So, I felt like a modern-day Solomon. Now, I didn’t have a bunch of temples, and I didn’t have multiple husbands, but regarding just this, Solomon, know, scripture tells us that he was the wisest man that ever lived. The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at his young age, and he said, “I’ll give you whatever you desire.” And Solomon said, “I desire wisdom.”
Laura Bailey (02:47.439)
And so the Lord says, because you asked for something of this nature, I’m going to give you wisdom, but I’m also going to give you great wealth. I’m going to provide you with notoriety. I will give you the things you should have asked for. But here’s the deal: even though he was the wisest man that ever lived, Solomon had a very good head knowledge of God. He often still was distracted by the things of this world. So much so that, right there, smack in the first part of chapter two, he says clearly he says, I denied myself nothing. And he lists all of these things he tried to do to satisfy or find contentment. And you’re like, Solomon, you literally heard from the Lord, what are you doing? But that’s exactly how I felt. I grew up in a church; my parents were missionaries when I was a small girl.
I knew, did, I said all the right things, but truthfully, I was practicing a very good, like checklist Christianity, right? I was reading my Bible, I was praying on the outside, I looked, it looked really good. But inside, I had a divided heart, and I was trying. I had one foot in the church, in my faith, and in one church, one foot in the world. And I kept asking why I still felt uneasy. Why do I have so much unrest? Why am I experiencing so much turmoil and anxiety? And the reality is, just like Solomon, that I was chasing the things that had no lasting significance. But the truth is, I knew the other-worldly solution just like him and us today, right? I knew God was with me the whole time. I had to say, okay, you know what? I will put down those lesser things and cling to those that matter. That’s a little bit about my story. But I feel like when I read Ecclesiastes, I’m like, yes, Solomon, I get it. I feel seen as people say, right?
Rachael Adams (04:51.232)
Yeah, now I get it, too. I empathize with and relate to so much of what you say, and that’s why we’re friends. We have similar hearts and struggles, and, interestingly, we don’t see much material on Ecclesiastes. It’s more than just one of the books that everybody is typically drawn to immediately because we’re intimidated or maybe even confused by it. So, what do you think is the most misunderstood of the book, and how does your devotional seek to clarify its message?
Laura Bailey (05:26.171)
Yes, so I tell people that if I were going to run for president, I would make my motto, you know, make Ecclesiastes readable again. I have such a great tribe in my friend group who are so encouraging of everything I write. But when I told them that my next book would be on Ecclesiastes, they were just like.
Okay, well, I will catch up with you next time. So I get it. Many people look at Ecclesiastes and feel doom, gloom, and despair. But the first advice I would tell everybody, whether it’s my devotional or just reading it in general, is to read chapter one, the first four verses, and then flip to the end and make sure you read the last four verses of chapter 12. Because even though, when we approach any book of the Bible, it’s advantageous for us to read the whole book, especially with Ecclesiastes. As one commentary said, we want to ensure that we get that unflinchingly honest viewpoint. But what’s so beautiful about this book is it doesn’t leave us there. Yes, it does highlight the pitfalls of life in a fallen world. Yes, it does just.
I don’t even think Solomon had a shade of pink in his glasses. He’s looking at it clearly and just seeing it as it is. I like it because it says I’m not denying that there will be suffering. I’m not denying that there’s injustice. I’m not denying that you can praise the Lord and do all the right things, yet good things happen to bad people, and bad things happen to good people. I acknowledge it and see it all, but he doesn’t leave us there. Because the last half of chapter 12 reminds us of where our hope is. It reminds us of what we weren’t created for here. We weren’t created when God created humans. Like he had eternity in mind from the beginning, he reminds us of where we have that hope, that eternal hope, as I talk about it. And so I want readers to understand that, yes. However, there are aspects of humanity that aren’t that great. We live with eternal hope and experience God’s blessings on this side of heaven, those glimmers of heaven, as we’ll discuss briefly.
Rachael Adams (08:00.364)
In the book, you emphasize the importance of living with an eternal perspective. Can you share some practical examples of what this looks like in our everyday lives regardless of our season of life?
Laura Bailey (08:12.913)
Yes. One of the reasons this book came about was because I would hear about women who were exactly to your point. They were in all different seasons, from somebody who had a newborn, somebody who had an empty nester, even women in their seventies and eighties. And they’re saying, I’m doing all the right things. And some of these ladies, I mean, these are godly women, like pillars of the faith almost that I know. And they say I’m saying yes to all the good things. God’s opening this opportunity, yet why am I so exhausted? Why do I feel overwhelmed? But more importantly, why do I still feel empty? Why is that void? Why can’t I fill that void? And so when we look at the book of Ecclesiastes, and we’re examining this concept of filtering life through that lens of eternity, so eternity, right? What does that mean?
So we back up, and chapter 12 and those last verses in 13 and 14 tell us that we will one day, and death will come to all, right? The reality of our mortality as we talk about it. And one day, we will stand in front of a holy God. And he will, for those of us in Christ, we will enter into heaven and be with him for all eternity. And for those of Christ, especially, there will be one more step, right? It says that we must account for the deeds done in the flesh. And so we do realize a lot of times people look at Ecclesiastes, and they’re like, my goodness, he says everything is meaningless. So, is my life meaningless? Do I have no purpose? Not. We have to back up and say the word meaningless is the Hebrew word, which means level, translated as a vapor or a mist. So Solomon is not saying that our lives are meaningless.
On the contrary, he’s saying they’re here today, gone tomorrow. They’re a blink of an eye. Yet, we still have a purpose. And because we were created for eternity and to ultimately be in the presence of the Lord, the only thing that will matter is where we will spend it, right? So our souls. And so when you’re living with an eternal perspective, it’s that person we’re always asking, will this last? Will this, I tell people, well, what are my actions?
Are they going to point somebody to Christ? Are they going to open the door for a gospel conversation? Are they going to highlight the work of Jesus in my life? Right? Those are the questions we ask when we say yes to things or say no to things. And will it matter at the end of the day? When I stand before the Lord, will he ask me, okay, did you Baked those cookies from scratch, or did you stop by the grocery store? No, he’s not. You know what he’s going to say? Hey, a foster care worker needed cookies, and you brought cookies. Thank you for filling that need, right? And that’s where I’m coming from.
Rachael Adams (11:24.086)
Yeah. It’s so good because we don’t know how many daily decisions we have to make, but there are thousands of decisions, including what to say yes to and what to say no to. And so often, it’s hard to discern the right way to do things, especially when there’s good and better, and everything is good. Everything sounds good. And I know you, and I struggle with that. We want to take advantage of things; our society and this culture are just.
Rachael Adams (11:52.662)
Once you get to one level, there’s another level that you want to get to. And we want to steward our lives well. And we want to, you know, there’s the parable of the five talents, and we don’t want to bury our talents; we want to invest and do the good things. But that can lend itself if we’re not careful to strive. But Ecclesiastes often talks about the futility of human strivings. So how can women today who are stretched? Then, with responsibilities like ours, how can we embrace this wisdom without feeling guilty about stepping back or slowing down? Because we do feel that. It’s like we take an effort, we rest, it’s like, I shouldn’t be doing this.
Laura Bailey (12:27.782)
Woo! You and me, sister. It’s funny that in a different interview, they asked, said, what are you intentional about, and what are you not intentional about? And, you know, it was funny, the not intentional, like I didn’t even want to admit it out loud, but I said, honestly, I struggled to do anything that I didn’t see had an actual purpose.
I gave the example of my daughter being sick the other day. She was fine; it was just a tummy. And I said, okay, well, I’m going to put this show on, and I’m going to do some work. I’m going to get some stuff done. I’m going to check off that list. And she said, well, mom, you watch this with me? And Rachel, my thought should have been, here’s my daughter, the one the Lord gave to me, appointed me to be her mother.
That stuff was not important. Don’t hear me wrong. There are important things in life that we have to get done. But at that moment, what I wanted to do was—I didn’t know—organize the clothes or something. It was not important, but in my mind, I had to push myself to say yes to sitting with her. And the reality is that we talk about eternal moments.
That was an eternal moment. It’s saying, hey, my mom loved me enough to set down what it was, spend time with me, and invest with me because she matters. Why does she matter? Because she matters to God, so she matters to me, right? Those connections were made, but that still needs to be improved. And so, for those of us who are to your point, we’ve got so many things on our plate, so many things, so many responsibilities, things that we’ve said yes to.
The biggest piece of advice I can give women is to go back to it, and I’m one of those people, I love a good T-chart. I love a good, you know, it’s like strength, weaknesses, time, what’s important, what’s not important. I’m big on drawing it out so you can see where you spend your time, what you can let go, and what you can add. My biggest advice is to go back to remember your purpose. Why did God create humans?
He created us so that we would know Him and make Him known. The purpose is universal. It transcends time. It is for every nation, every tribe. It is for men. It is for women. It is for every single human being that has ever been created on this earth. So your purpose always stays the same. Now, knowing that your purpose stays the same, and if you think about it, it’s like a triangle. So, your purpose stays the same at the top. Then, at the base of that triangle, we have our individuality.
So, how did God create you uniquely? And then, on the other side of that triangle, we have our season. So here’s the deal: purpose stays the same. I would argue that our individuality and talents can change and evolve, right? We might have some that stay with us throughout our lives, but I’m sure you might have discovered something that you’re good at now that you weren’t as a teen, right? So, there are different ways in which we were created.
But the season is constantly changing. And so we must realize, okay, Lord, this is my purpose. This is the way you create me. This is my season. How, in my season and the way that you created me, am I going to do that for your purpose? But Rachel, the biggest hindrance to that, feeling confident in how you feel the Lord speaking to your heart, is looking at another woman, especially one that might be in your same season and be created like you, saying, well, God called her to this. So I should do that, too, right? Because we get bogged down in the should have. We live in the should have space a lot. I should do this. I should do that. I’ll always remember one of the spring things the most. I was in a stretching class, and I was so tempted because I’m a purpose person. I did my head exercise. I’m sweating. You know, I’m like, this is good. And she goes,
Laura Bailey (16:38.429)
We’re going to do something different today. We’re going to do a five-minute cool down on our backs, and we’re just going to take time to rest. And I’m like, okay, I have to get out of here, right? But I’m so glad I stayed because she said, “I want to share something with you today.” She said she read in a devotion about this concept of releasing ourselves from the should.
And she went on to say, like so often, especially women, we tell ourselves, because so and so is doing this, I should be doing this, I should be. Or because there is a signup sheet, and sure, I could, I should. And so it’s releasing ourselves of just because you can or perhaps you’re able or maybe even because somebody else is doing it, that doesn’t necessarily mean that’s right for us. When we get to that section, we can start saying again what we discussed, okay? This might be good, but it is the best thing for me that the Lord is calling me to do in this season the way he’s created me for his purpose.
Rachael Adams (17:47.842)
Yeah, you shared that triangle diagram at our retreat, and that was one of my favorite takeaways. It’s another lens and a way to look and have perspective over your life and not compare. You’re exactly right. Comparison plays a huge role in whether we lack or need to do more, so I’m so glad you brought up those points. One of the most well-known verses in Ecclesiastes is Ecclesiastes 3 11, which plays a central role in your book. How is the truth that God makes everything beautiful in its time? How has that impacted your life, particularly in seasons of waiting or uncertainty?
Laura Bailey (18:30.427)
Yes, and Rachel, if you don’t mind, I’m adding actually to the second half of that book because your second half, excuse me, to that verse, because yes, you are correct. The first half of people often cling to that because it is a good encouragement. So the first half says he’s made everything beautiful in his time. We back up, and we say, who’s time? It doesn’t say Laura’s time. It doesn’t say Rachel’s time. It doesn’t say man’s time, woman’s time, right? It says his time because we have to go back and we have to remember.
Who is God? God is the beginning and the end. God was there at creation. He is sovereign, meaning He knows all and sees all. Going back to what Solomon says, our lives are but a vapor, a mist, a blink. So we get to see a tiny sliver of that big picture. God sees the entire thing. We have to end, but I don’t know about you, but I have a little, a lot of issues with control.
So, to be able to, I struggle with that releasing of control. But if you think about it like people often ask me when I plan a trip, am I one who micromanages everything down to the hour? And I said no because that wouldn’t be a vacation. I said, actually, on my vacation, I like to throw the schedule out the window because I don’t have priorities. I don’t have expectations. Sure, if we have to eat dinner at a certain time, there’s so much freedom in releasing control over time.
We can go and do everything, and so if we apply that to our faith, like so often, we believe that lie that was whispered to Eve: You should be like God. But do we want to be like God? Do I want control over the universe, the seasons, everybody’s life, and all these things? Not. So there’s freedom when we say, “You know what?”
I’m not in control. I’m not in charge of this. The fate of the world does not rest on my shoulders. I can only solve some problems. I cannot fix everything, right? But I can surrender it to the one is why? Because in his time, ultimately, as we read the book of Revelation, he will once again wholly redeem and make it all beautiful. However, the second half of that verse tells us that God created mankind with eternity in his heart. And so we have to remind ourselves that we were not made for this earth. We were made to be in the presence of our Lord and Savior, to be with him. So when we feel that void or that, I tell people, embrace the eternal wanderlust. Wanderlust is a longing, right? It’s a desire. And the reason why we might feel like man, this isn’t quite it. Even those of us in Christ, right? We’re like, man, something missing. That’s because it is. You have a hole that was made for eternity. Because one day it tells us that we are, scripture tells us the blood of Christ justifies us. We’re being sanctified daily by the Holy Spirit. But Rachel, man, the day that we will be glorified, meaning that we are completely redeemed and renewed in the presence of our Savior, that is when we will be made complete. But again, what does he tell us in scripture about the timing when that happens, when Jesus will return? Jesus said he didn’t even know; only the heavenly Father knows that time, but I look forward to that day.
Rachael Adams (22:11.33)
Yeah, me too. But the reality is, we’re all here right now. And so what do we do with our lives? How do we spend our time? And that is how we spend our energy. That’s what we’re all probably, it’s like, okay, we don’t know when it will be. We want to be with heaven some, in heaven someday with the Lord. But what do we do right now? So, what practical steps or questions do you suggest women ask themselves as they begin this process?
Laura Bailey (22:40.507)
Yes, and I want women to be prudent because I have met women, and even as I was doing this study, I’ll be transparent, where we can swing the pendulum so far to living for eternity or perhaps, you know, you’ve lost a loved one. You’re just like, okay, I’m one day closer, I’m one day closer. You’re so focused on the end goal that you don’t truly embrace the here and now. Again, I go back to how Jesus prayed in the Lord’s Prayer. He says on Earth,
as it is in heaven. He’s saying, let’s make the way our lives here on earth. You know, we get to see, like I said, that glimmer of heaven. And so I’m reminded. I love how Solomon says that. In the book of Ecclesiastes, there’s some pretty fun language. I’ll say, he says, better a live dog than a dead lion. Like, what? Who comes up with this stuff? But what he’s telling us is he’s saying that while you’re on Earth, you still have a purpose. You still have an opportunity. For those of us, for perhaps if you don’t know the Lord, every day is an opportunity to accept Him. Because what happens when we’re gone? That opportunity is over. We’ve missed the chance. So, while you’re alive, every day is an opportunity to turn and submit your life to Christ. Every day is an opportunity for believers to grow more like Him, continue with our purpose, and make others known.
And so I tell people in doing that, so practically speaking, when we have to get to the nitty-gritty of deciding where we’re going to invest our time, where we’re going to invest our money because our resources are limited. You brought up the talents, right? The Lord has given us five, two, and one for some of us. Either way, what does he tell the one with the person with the one? He was frustrated. He was like, don’t, no, no, no, no, no, don’t bury him, right? To whom? And the rest of that is how much is given?
Much is expected. So when we’re looking at how we’re going to invest the way that God has given us our resources, there are two things I tell people. The first one is we want to go, and we want to say, well, what’s our motivation? Why are we saying yes? Or why are we saying no? It comes down to it. Am I saying yes to committing my schedule here? Am I saying yes to whatever it is because somebody else is doing it? Again, laying back in the should, I should be doing it. Are we saying yes because I got this from a friend of mine? I was like, I’ve never thought of it that way. She says, Laura, is that like human guilt, or is that Holy Spirit conviction you’re experiencing? And I’m like, my goodness. Are we saying yes because we feel we might disappoint somebody, or are we leaning toward that people-pleasing side? Are we saying yes because it will give us purpose or identity? We have to, and Rachel, that’s exhausting sometimes, taking every thought captive, right? But if we truly want to say that we are making the best decision, the most, we have to ask ourselves those questions. And then more, like getting even more practical, I tell people,
Is this going to matter? So one of the things that my husband, I’ll be honest with you, doesn’t argue a lot is that where we spend holidays is a big point of contention for us. I came from a family that lived all over the nation. So often, like every year was different. We might be at home for one year, we might travel. It was just sporadic. Well, my husband and everybody else live within a five-mile radius. So they might have done Thanksgiving dinner about 20 times. Like, I’m kidding, but seriously. So it was difficult for us because we come from just radical backgrounds. Well, here’s the year. Here’s the deal. Every year is the holiday, so right around this time, we start to have these discussions, and they get pretty heated and tense. But if you asked us what we did last year, More often than not, we can’t even remember what we did.
So we will spend so much headspace in weeks. Or I was guilty and spent that day in a bad mood because I didn’t get my way. And yet, I can’t even remember when it comes up again. And so I share with you that example is because how many times do we get flustered or been out of shape or irritated, or we spend so much headspace worrying about things that, like in a couple of days, a couple of weeks, goodness, in a couple of months, in the grand scheme of things? Don’t matter, truly don’t matter. And so, a good benchmark, as I tell myself, is that, again, it preaches easy, live hard. So, for the ladies out there, you’re like, that sounds good. Listen, I’m living the message, too. These are reminders for me. But I often ask myself, is the way that I’m going to respond to this going to point somebody to Jesus, or is it going to turn them away?
Will it open the door for a gospel conversation at some point? Maybe not that day. Or is it going to close the door? We’re reminded that only our souls are last when we think about living for eternity. And that means people, those relationships, how we interact, we invest. And so, is this an opportunity to lead somebody to Christ? This a, or, you know, is this, or is my action going to turn away? Now, again, sometimes though, as my husband says, learn, and this is the message of Ecclesiastes too, while the Lord does want us to live in light of eternity and to make, you know, to make him known, what’s great is that God also gave us the blessings of a good meal. He gave us the blessing of hanging out with friends. He gave us the mountains and the beaches and rest, the Sabbath.
And so now all of our choices have to be these like deep, you know, analytical things. Sometimes, we can say, you know what, Lord, I am so grateful that you gave me this wonderful meal with my friend. And that’s what I’m going to do today. I’m going to enjoy the blessings. I’m going to experience a taste of what it’s going to be like in eternity. So I remind women of that because I can be guilty of swinging it on one side, but it’s not either. We get the tension of both.
Rachael Adams (29:29.088)
we need to be careful because I have this tendency. Like, okay, I’ve got to make every single moment count. This is so much pressure; every conversation must be in-depth and meaningful. And as you were talking, I was thinking about it because I want people to know you live this way as somebody who knows you personally and has you do this well. I was thinking about the people in the Bible who also did this well, and I was thinking about Jesus and how he knew he would be in eternity. He knew he had a short amount of time. He knew he had a lot to accomplish in his ministry. But yet, how did he live his life with so much intentionality? By sharing meals, praying with people, and having one-on-one conversations with groups of thousands. And so when you look at Jesus’s life, how do you think he lived his life with eternity in mind while walking on the earth?
Laura Bailey (30:32.295)
So what I think is so interesting is that as I was doing a study, I learned that in Luke, over 40 times, Jesus was either going to a meal, at a meal, or coming from a meal. And that was interesting. And I’m telling you that because, frequently, those meals were not in big groups of people; they were small. And so you hit the nail on the head. His primary ministry was only three years. It wasn’t a lot of times. And so he invested in personal relationships in the hope that those people, it was the first discipleship, right? And good grief, the disciples, right? He had 12 friends, not a thousand, not a million, 12 men that he poured into. And what did they do? They poured into somebody else and poured into somebody else.
And I think for myself when I look at Jesus’s example, and I look at where he spent time and where he spent trying in those, what I say, those gospel conversations, that’s a term we use here a lot, it was in the ordinary moments that we probably would brush off. So, to give you real-life examples, it is okay to invite the woman you were sitting next to after the football game.
For you all, for your families to grab ice cream. It is Sunday afternoon at church, and you see a new family saying, “Hey, let’s grab lunch.” Do you want to grab lunch with us? It’s the opportunity. It is willing. This is what I say: it is being willing. A lot of people think of hospitality as just opening your home. Being hospitable is a mindset. It is a way of being. It is looking for opportunities to bring people in.
And that’s what Jesus did. He brought people together. He gathered people together. He made time for people. And so often, if Jesus had that opportunity to sit at His feet, I do, granted, know that He was the world’s Savior. I know that He was God in the flesh.
But he wouldn’t be rushed. He wouldn’t be looking at his phone. He wouldn’t be trying to, like, okay, I go to the next thing, or I’ve been double-booked, or you know what? I know you’re telling me about something that’s going on in your life, but sorry, I have to get eight hours of sleep. You would feel like you matter at that moment. And so, on a very small scale, I encourage you whatever way it is.
Whether it’s the post office woman, going back to watching the movie with your child, or your husband who says, “Can you come to linger with me on the front porch when you’ve got a million things to do?” It’s taking those moments when you can, allowing people to have that space, and showing them, hey, you matter, you’re important, and your significance is something you talk about. You have significance. And so I’m going to value you and value our time together.
Rachael Adams (33:42.85)
Yeah, but to your point, even about rest and not striving, when you look at Jesus, and he napped in boats, he, you know, went away to a quiet place with solitude to connect with his father. And so there is this dance of, like, you’ve got to come away with the Lord, and then you can serve. Then, come away with the Lord and serve with the Lord. This is not all up to us. People’s eternities are not up to us. It is up to the Lord. Do you have anything to say about that?
Laura Bailey (34:13.341)
100%. So as you were talking, tell people all the time, like, look, you are not again, it’s that concept of like, you are not responsible for the world. You know, our job is to share, right to share either, whether it’s a gospel moment or a smile, but we are not responsible for people receiving; only the Holy Spirit has the power to convict to open people’s hearts, to illuminate their hearts and minds, as Paul tells us numerous times in his letters. Then I think about this: it is one of the key verses. So I used to read that scripture of the harvest is plentiful and the workers are few. When I first read that, I’d be like, that’s right. So I have to get out there; I have to get moving. But what does Jesus say in the second half of that verse? So pray that the Lord will send more workers.
He doesn’t turn to his disciples and say, get out there, get moving. He says you have a lot of work, so pray that the Lord will continue to provide opportunities. And that’s as Ecclesiastes brings it back to this solemn message. He’s not saying that our work is bad, whatever capacity that is. He’s not saying that wanting to do a good job is bad. He’s not saying that relationships or any of those things are bad.
What he’s saying is that if we’re not looking at it with Christ at the center and realizing that, ultimately, the results are not up to us, that is where we’ve made a good thing bad. And so I share with women that there is freedom when we realize it’s not about us. There is freedom when we can say, “You know what? I don’t have to worry about living my life.”
Instead, my life should always point to the perfect one, right? Who is whose peace, who can provide ultimate peace, who can provide ultimate salvation? But, Rachel, I typically get caught up in that savior complex, right? Like, no, I’ve got to do it. I can do it; I can do it. Instead of saying like, you know what, Lord? I’m going to release this to you. I can’t. I can’t, but you can.
Rachael Adams (36:35.286)
Yeah, there’s so much freedom in that. As close, I was looking at your tagline again. So, the book of Ecclesiastes will help us live more peaceful, purposeful, and plentiful lives today. So, as you’ve written this book, as you’re sharing this message, as you’ve lived this way, and as you hope your readers and the people listening today hear this message. How has your life become more peaceful, purposeful, and plentiful? And how do you believe that it can also be true of the people listening?
Laura Bailey (37:12.125)
So, and I mentioned this a little bit in the introduction, I’ll try to keep it brief, but for me, I was just caught up in the rat race of the American dream. I was constantly striving for that next big thing. It didn’t matter whatever the number on the scale, I needed it. I wanted it lower. Whatever the paycheck was, I liked it higher. Whatever the status was, I needed one more. It has always been this concept that more is required. I always need to improve. Nothing that I do is ever going to be good enough. And it was exhausting. This constant needing to, you know, we talk about keeping up with the Joneses because what happens, like the Jones get, you know, this car, so you get one better. Well, what do they do?
They get one better. You can never find this lasting contentment or satisfaction as you’re just constantly. And again, this is one of those rote Sunday school answers, but it’s when you truly, when you say, Lord, help me to believe these words, that my identity, who I am, you love me not because of who I am, but it’s because who I am in. It’s not for what I do. Let me rephrase that because I want to make sure I get that right. I said that it was wonky. Not for the fact of what all the things that I do, right? You’re not saying, hey, Laura, she’s all my titles, right? You don’t love me because Laura is a mom, daughter, this, whatever. You love me because you created me. And I have to return to a world where people’s love and adoration are fickle, which mainly depends on what you can do for them or what you have done. Isn’t that like a weight lifted to say it’s not what I’ve done? It’s not the title by my name. I achieved something else. It’s not like God still loves me, right? He loves me, and even when I mess up, let’s take it back to Jesus. Who was Jesus eating with?
Laura Bailey (39:21.915)
He wasn’t eating with the kings, queens, or people in our society who were more significant than us. No, he was eating with the less than of society, the ultimate, the beggars, the prostitutes. The worse they were, the more Jesus was saying, come. And he tells us, I went for the sick, not the healthy. But so often, Rachel, we don’t see ourselves as sick.
And so we keep trying to be self-satisfied and self-soothed when all God says is, what does he say? Come to me, those who are weary, and I’ll give you rest. Let it go. It’s not self-reliance. Let go of self-reliance. You don’t have to have it all, be it all, say it all, do it all. I’ve already done that through the work of Christ on the cross. And again, that takes a three-pointer approach. First, you must be in the Word almost daily and get those truths. So, however, you need to do it, whether memorization or singing a song; you have to get those reminders up here. It has got to be written, what it says, written in your hearts and your minds. It’s got to be a daily thing. Second, we genuinely and earnestly need to pray that the Lord will continue to open our hearts and minds as He leads. So we’re asking the Holy Spirit, and when it helps us, we have to lean into it, right? Not away. The third, probably equally important, is that we must be part of the Christian community. So being a part of a local church, being a part of a Christian community, having friends, mean, goodness, you know, I, the readers don’t know this, like, or listeners, but you and I like, we encourage each other because we believe some of these exact whys. And so having a friend in a place that you can say, this is what I’m believing, and they’re like, mm-mm, I know that’s you’re thinking, but that’s not what God says about you—and so having those three things to help us cling to these truths. And even then, some days, it looks better than others, just to be truthful.
Rachael Adams (41:36.384)
Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Well, this is the question I’ve been asking all my guests this season. Is there a biblical concept of love that applies to this topic?
Laura Bailey (41:48.637)
I would say, so I wrote this down and said, you know, we talk about this concept again, but why did God create humans? He didn’t make us because he was bored. He didn’t create us because he needed us. He didn’t create us because I don’t think he was like, this is fun. I’ll do this today. He created us because he wanted us to experience that the Father loves the Son. What does it say? The begotten love. He wanted, says, for God so loved the world, right? And so we know that he created humans because he loved us and desired us to experience what life is like in him. And so we see the fact, we see the story. Most of us women know the story, right? We see the fall, but again, in God’s abundance of love,
You know, people say, then why didn’t he just let humans roam the earth then? Because he didn’t want us to have that. That wasn’t the purpose. She didn’t want us to live life forever in a fallen world. Do you want to live here forever in this in this state? I do not. So we go back to Ecclesiastes 311. He created humans with eternity in mind. And so again, in another loving way, he set our days as a certain number on earth.
Then we go a step further, as we know it says that God desires that none should perish but come to Him. So we don’t know when the time is, but He is waiting for whoever that last person is to go to Him. And then, ultimately, He will renew and redeem, and we will live in the new heaven and the new earth. And we will get to experience how it was when He created. But it all stems from a desire for us to experience the love of the
Rachael Adams (43:41.954)
Yeah, God is love. So, what is something you are loving right now?
Laura Bailey (43:44.134)
Yes!
Laura Bailey (43:48.261)
Okay, well, I know you all are listening, but if you get to see a clip, I am in my sweater. So, sweater weather. Yes, yes, it’s up to you all to listen. Yes, okay, so I’m in South Carolina, and for those of you people who experience faux fall all the time, I feel you deeply in my bones, and this still may be faux fall, but let me tell you, the last like three days, the highs have been 61, it has been
Rachael Adams (43:52.482)
Is it where you are? I would like to know. Like, is it Laura?
Laura Bailey (44:18.045)
in the 30s at night, and I’ve been waking up, taking my coffee outside, and yelling, it’s fall y’all. So I love sweater weather. So that’s why my mood is so good. But don’t talk to me next week because I can’t get to 80.
Rachael Adams (44:28.226)
No, is it you? I’m curious if it’s you or somebody else that’s like, you’re out there in your sweater and like water and your mom’s and like sweating. Is that you that says that? That’s you.
Laura Bailey (44:37.499)
That was me. Yes, that is me. That is what happens to me almost every year. Fortunately, this year, it hasn’t happened, but I take it day by day because if I look next week, it could easily be 90 degrees. I am, you know what? Speaking of embracing, I’m going to embrace the fact that the high today is 61, and I’m going to wear this burnt orange turtleneck sweater, and I’m just going to. Yeah, I’m going to be grateful for today’s blessing.
Rachael Adams (45:05.036)
Well, you look beautiful in it. It’s cold here in Kentucky, too, and it’s football season. I just bought a heated stadium seat and am so excited to try it out today. And I’m thinking about every summer you need to buy a heated vest or jacket because it’s been in the thirties at night here, and that’s odd. So anyway, yeah.
Laura Bailey (45:27.033)
Again, he is one of my favorite guys on Instagram. He highlights many of the funny things Southerners say and does this whole skit on faux fall. And I just was like, he’s like, I’ma hold your hand, cause this is not fall. Like don’t fall, know, don’t believe these lies. And I’m like, no! And that’s the truth. That’s how I feel every year, but that’s okay. I’m going to embrace it. I’m going to be happy about it today. So.
Rachael Adams (45:50.72)
Yes, well, I love your turtleneck; you look beautiful. I was okay, so I know I want to stay connected with you, and I know I will, but I know everybody else has found a friend in you today and wants to hear from you and your wisdom; get a copy of your book, and all the things to tell us how we can best do that.
Laura Bailey (45:53.735)
Thank you.
Laura Bailey (46:06.513)
You can find the book Embracing Eternity in the Here and Now on Amazon. I have a website, LauraRBailey.com, and I’m also on Facebook and Instagram at Laura Bailey Writes.
Rachael Adams (46:21.507)
Awesome. Well, Laura, would you honor us by praying for us today?
Laura Bailey (46:27.375)
Yes, of course. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so much for our conversation today and for this opportunity to be again connected with Rachel and her listeners. Lord, we ask that we know there are so many things in our life that are vying for our attention that You help us to cling to those that have lasting significance truly, the things Your word tells us, as Solomon encourages us, what’s important: to fear God and keep his commandments, Lord. So, help us not to live distracted lives but to live lives focused on you and Christ at the center. We love you, Lord, and thank you for your blessings. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Rachael Adams (47:09.589)
Amen. Thank you so much.
Laura Bailey (47:11.185)
Thank you.
Connect with Laura:
Laura R Bailey – Living Life Filtered Through the Lens of Eternity
To learn more about purpose, season, and individuality, see this book:
Biblical Femininity by Grace Church
