Author: Sarah Garone

  • 5 Proverbs to Make You a Better Employee

    5 Proverbs to Make You a Better Employee

    The book of Proverbs may have been written centuries ago for an agrarian Middle Eastern society, but its wisdom isn’t bound by the confines of the “B.C.” era or the lifestyle of the ancient Israelites. From marriage to money to food, this book has something relevant to say about numerous aspects of living right—a compendium of biblical life hacks, if you will. One area in which the book of Proverbs offers a lot of insight is work.

    Work comprises a major part of most of our lives. Wouldn’t we all like to say we’re good employees? Whether our work is agrarian like the Israelites’, industrial, corporate, or something else entirely, we can glean a surprising amount of solid advice about how to work well from various proverbs.

    RELATED: How Can I Live Out My Faith at Work?

    Here are five favorites to take to heart to become a better employee.

    1. Take criticism graciously

    “To one who listens, valid criticism is like a gold earring or other gold jewelry.” — Proverbs 25:12 (NLT)

    In the moment, taking criticism rarely feels like being given a gift—it usually feels more like a slap in the face—but with the right attitude, criticism from a co-worker or boss truly can become constructive. We all make mistakes, and we all have blind spots. Gaining awareness of our missteps is an opportunity for growth and improvement. The miracle of perspective turns an affront into a gift of precious gold.

    2. Stay out of office gossip

    “A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don’t hang around with chatterers.”  — Proverbs 20:19 (NLT)

    Workplace gossip can be tempting. When juicy secrets about your boss or rumors of the upcoming corporate shakedown get passed around, it can be hard to tune out. But the more you hang around with gossipers, the more susceptible you become to getting gossiped about yourself. After all, if a co-worker unloads to you in whispered tones about others, they’re probably doing the same about you, too. Making a commitment to keep yourself out of such discussions sends a message to everyone around you about your integrity. Plus, when you stay out of gossip, you won’t be burdened with information you didn’t really want to know.

    3. Bring your company good

    “[The wife of noble character] brings [her husband] good and not evil all the days of her life.” — Proverbs 31:12 (NASB)

    Bringing your workplace good things is a win-win. It benefits from what you bring to the table (new business, positive representation in the marketplace, or just plain old outstanding day-to-day work), and you get recognition for being a rockstar.

    So, put your thinking cap on: How could you go above and beyond to bring blessing to your organization? Do you have a great connection that could open doors? Is there an opportunity for distinction that your workplace could earn (like a grant, if you work for a non-profit, or an award of excellence, if you work for a school)? Could you organize a social or volunteer event to boost morale? Great things may result.

    4. Take advantage of opportunities

    “He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully.” — Proverbs 10:5 (NASB)

    If this proverb had been written today, it might be summed up as “Don’t miss out.” When summertime comes, run, don’t walk, to get some of that harvest! Many jobs present seasons of opportunity. If you find yourself in a position you don’t love, try staying on the lookout for projects that could highlight your skills or fit your passions, even if they aren’t part of the on-paper job description. (And as long as they don’t take away from your regular work.) Eventually, this may make you stand out as the go-to employee for these tasks. Your job might even get upgraded to something more in line with your interests. Harvest time!

    5. Give it your all

    “Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense.” — Proverbs 12:11 (NIV)

    Especially in a less-than-satisfying job, dreaming about better things to come can feel like a relief. This proverb reminds us that hunkering down and doing the work in front of us at the moment yields more positive results than fantasizing about the future. It’s not wrong to dream big, but couple it with consistent hard work. Your efforts will develop character and lay the foundation for a successful career.

    Doing well in the workplace is an ongoing journey. It’s so good to know God has given us a resource that’s always available for advice.

    Originally published September 16, 2019.

  • 5 Meaningful Ways Your Family Can Honor the Sabbath

    5 Meaningful Ways Your Family Can Honor the Sabbath

    Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

    As someone who’s driven by productivity, keeping the Sabbath holy can sometimes feel like the one commandment that really cramps my style. It always seems like Sundays are the days I get inspired to jump into some new work project or frantically clean out all my closets. I find myself wheedling the Lord in ways I’d never dream the rest of the week: “Can’t I just scrub one toilet, pleeeease?” 

    And yet, there’s that still, small voice telling me to hold off on stressful activities — just for the day — in favor of rest. Over my years of following Jesus, I’ve gradually found that listening to this prompting reaps major benefits. When I actually slow down one day a week, not only do I feel closer to God, I’m less stressed and more level-headed throughout the week.

    Of course, there’s the obvious biblical directive to not work one day a week—but a truly restorative Sabbath is so much more than not going into the office on Sunday. Here are five ways to add extra layers of refreshment to your day of rest.

    RELATED: How to Intentionally Plan a Day of Rest

    Read a spiritual book

    While I’m a hard-core book lover, I have a hard time allowing myself to simply sit and read during the day—especially when there are other tasks that beckon. Sundays, though, I try to give myself a pass. After all, there’s nothing like a good book on a lazy day to slow the head-spinning pace of weekday life. If it’s a book that’s spiritually enriching, so much the better. Some of my personal inspirational faves include “My Sisters the Saints” by Colleen Carroll Campbell, “Same Kind of Different as Me” by Ron Hall and Denver Moore, and “Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese of Liseux.”    

    Spend time in adoration or pray the rosary

    Once I get my heinie in the pew on Sunday morning, I often find the hour of prayer leaves me wanting more time in God’s presence. I’m fortunate enough to live down the street from my church, which has an adoration chapel, so some Sunday afternoons I’ll slip over there to finish the convo I started with the Lord during Mass. I always leave feeling “prayed up” for the week ahead.

    Want to take your spiritual development a step further? Make time during your Sabbath to pray the Rosary. The quiet rhythm of this prayer is a uniquely soothing way to connect with God. 

    RELATED: Why Isn’t the Sabbath on Saturday? 

    Invest in a hobby

    God may not have instructed us to go play in a garage band or take up paintball on the Sabbath, but this day is all about refreshment—and doesn’t having fun make you feel refreshed? Taking time for hobbies you enjoy is a surefire way to refill your mental (and even spiritual) tank. In fact, research shows that getting into a state of “flow”—where you’re completely immersed in an activity, such as a hobby—may reduce depression and anxiety. 

    On any given Sunday afternoon, you can usually find me working on counted cross-stitch (my latest project: a festive-looking llama for my daughter’s bedroom), baking cookies, or playing jazz standards on the piano.

    Make it family time

    The Sabbath presents an opportunity to get intentional about quality time with family—something that all too easily falls by the wayside on hectic weekdays. Haul out a board game that everyone can play, or go for a family hike on Sunday. If family doesn’t live close by or relationships are strained, reach out to close friends for a cozy dinner or movie night at your place. You might even consider taking a social media break to help you focus on whatever loved ones are in front of you in real life, rather than on a screen. 

    RELATED: 5 Tips for a Spiritual Summer

    Skip the chores and errands

    We all know we’re not “supposed” to work on the Sabbath, but to me, work goes beyond the kind I get paid to do. If I spend my whole Sunday doing laundry, wrestling my cantankerous vacuum, and running errands, have I actually rested? Well…not really.

    We live in a busy world, and everyone’s schedules are different, so it may not always be feasible to skip housework or grocery shopping for a full 24 hours. In our family, though, we’ve made a commitment to frontload chores and errands on Saturday as much as possible. It’s sometimes a tall order, but it pays off in a full day of chill on Sunday. When we genuinely get a whole day off of work (in the home and out of it), we recharge our spiritual batteries to be God’s hands and feet in the world the rest of the week.

    Originally published July 1, 2020.

  • 5 Psalms for When You’re Sick

    5 Psalms for When You’re Sick

    For many of us, as we move through January, our thoughts turn to getting healthy by watching what we eat and hitting the gym. But the reality of winter presents us with some health challenges, as contagious illnesses like colds and the flu make their annual rounds. When we get sick in the winter months, darker days and colder weather can compound the misery of the experience.

    Whether you’re laid low with something acute, like the flu, or something chronic you struggle with all year long, it can be tough to find comfort for your soul when your body feels so wretched. Thankfully, the Bible offers a wealth of encouragement for such times. If you’ve ever read the Book of Psalms, you know that these ancient prayers of praise (and sometimes even anger or despair) resonate on a deep level even today. Though you may have read the psalms in the midst of other trials in the past, perhaps it’s time for a fresh look at how they can serve as a source of hope and comfort for illness. Here are five psalms to turn to when you’re sick.

    Psalm 6: God hears us

    Sometimes when you don’t feel well, don’t you just want someone to commiserate with you? If you can’t call upon loved ones to share the pain of your illness, try praying along with David, the author of Psalm 6. This biblical “man after God’s own heart” knew well the burden of unrelenting affliction. In this totally relatable cry for mercy, he pleads with God, “O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish. How long, O Lord, how long?” The psalm ends with the helpful reminder that “the Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer.” We, too, can rest in the knowledge that no matter how God may choose to answer, he does hear and accept our prayers.

    RELATED: How I Started Praying the 23rd Psalm with My Kids

    Psalm 38: You’re not in this alone

    Though most psalms point to God’s enduring faithfulness and eventual deliverance, they don’t all end neatly tied up with a bow. But that doesn’t mean they don’t still bring comfort. I personally find enormous amount of encouragement in Psalm 38, where David offers up a litany of his sufferings. “There is no health in my body,” he laments. His wounds “fester and are loathsome,” his back “is filled with searing pain.” To me, it’s good to read that my suffering is not unique. There’s solidarity in remembering that even (or especially) God’s beloved saints have endured illnesses just as bad—or far worse—than mine.

    Psalm 41: God is Healer

    Psalm 41 contains perhaps the most comforting verse in all of Scripture for anyone struggling with sickness: “The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.” While we know that God doesn’t heal every illness—and when he does, it’s always on his own timeline—this psalm testifies to the sustaining grace he offers our souls when our bodies fail us.

    WATCH: Who Can Receive the Anointing of the Sick?

    Psalm 35: Fight back against illness

    In Psalm 35, David asks the Lord to “contend with those who contend with me”—meaning King Saul’s army that pursued David as he fled through the desert. But in my own life, I like to use this psalm as a rallying cry against the invading agents that assault my body during a sickness. I picture the “attackers gathered against me when I was unaware” as the bacteria or virus that’s making me sick. And I pray that, like David’s pursuers, they may they be scattered far away. In a final, beautiful affirmation, this psalm ends by declaring that God loves it when his children are healthy: “The Lord delights in the well-being of his servant.”

    Psalm 73: Don’t compare and despair

    When I’m sick, it’s all too easy to look at others who feel fine and get jealous or resentful. Why am I the one stuck here suffering?, I wonder. It’s not fair! The writer of Psalm 73 apparently felt the same way. “They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong,” he notes about those around him. Still, by the psalm’s end, he circles back to the truth of God’s perpetual presence: “Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.” He even finds peace in detaching from the comparison trap: “But, as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge.”

    The psalms not only offer encouragement for recovery from sickness, but remind us that suffering is part of the human condition. God’s understanding of—and compassion for—sickness comes through loud and clear in these ancient poems. May you find comfort and healing as you read them during an illness.

    (Originally published January 23, 2019)