Capable but Not Called

You know what I am not this weekend... I am not overbooked, overcommitted or over-caffeinated. 😏 Which, if you know me, is rare. We say yes because we're capable. We volunteer because we care. We sign up because we can. And then somewhere between the third meeting, the half-done laundry, and the second Dr. Pepper... we whisper, how did we get here? Being gifted is not the same thing as being assigned. Just because you're good at something doesn't mean you're called to everything. Guilty. That's something I need to remind myself of daily. And let me tell you why.

In college, my husband and I got engaged. Naturally, we started looking at wedding venues. We toured one, met the owner… and somehow left with me having a job. Yep, sure did... as their wedding coordinator. Y’all. I was 20. Maybe 21. I hadn’t even been in a wedding besides being a flower girl. I wasn’t married. But one thing about me? I can fake it till I make it. So, I accepted the job. Then I went to Chicago (with my Granny in tow) to get certified as a wedding planner. I got the certificate—which clearly meant I knew what I was doing, right? Junior and senior year of college, I drove nearly an hour each way Monday through Saturday. Conducted tours. Booked weddings. Managed events. Put out every possible fire you could imagine. And I was good at it, like really good. Fast forward a few years. I opened my own wedding planning business. The LLC was official. It took off. I traveled e-v-e-r-y-where. My work was featured in local and national magazines, and I even worked with professional athletes. True story. I guess you could say, it popped off. And because it popped off… I kept going. All while working a 9–5, the stable one. The one with insurance. Retirement. Security. In 2022, I had nearly 35 weddings. At the beginning of the year? It sounded impressive. By mid-summer? I was so burnt out I couldn’t even cry if I tried. But because I was good at it, I kept saying, what’s one more? And then another. And another. And another. Until my calendar was so full… I missed my Mamaw and Papaw’s funeral. And that is something I live with.

But here’s the part that changed everything. There came a time I realized I wasn’t managing my time, and I beat myself up to this day that it took loss for me to slow down. And even deeper than that—where my faith was going and where the wedding industry was taking me were two completely different paths. From the outside, the wedding industry looks dreamy. Timelines. Stunning tablescapes. Happy brides. Magazine features. We've all seen the movie The Wedding Planner, that movie is nothing but a lie. The reality? Drunken wedding parties. Disrespectful parents. Being taken advantage of. Long hours. Sketchy parking garages. Chaos behind the curtain. And what was the return? Pretty pictures in a magazine. And yes, I could deliver those every time. But I had to ask myself a hard question... just because I’m talented at planning weddings, does that mean it’s the path God is calling me to long-term? The answer was no.

You see, talent can open doors, but calling determines which ones you stay in. I realized I had built something that fed my ambition… but not my spirit. And slowly, the more I chased momentum, the more I felt distance from the direction God was gently nudging me toward. I'd be lying if I told you I didn't miss it. It gave me a lot of opportunities, friendships, and memories that I will always cherish. But the time I have now, you can't put a price tag on that.

Ephesians 5:16-17 says, "make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do." Be careful how you live. Not stressed, not frantic, not overextended. Careful. Intentional, strategic, purpose-filled. Making the most of every opportunity doesn't mean squeezing your schedule until it cries. It means managing your time like it matters, because it does. It means recognizing that every hour is an opportunity: to build, to rest, to serve, to grow... or to waste. And as wise women, we don't waste what heaven entrusted to us.

We guard our purses. We protect our skincare routine. We track our Amazon packages like detectives. But our time? We hand it out like free samples at Sam's Club. Yep, guilty again. Time is one of the only resources we can't get back. You can make more money. You can build new relationships. You can redecorate a whole house. But once Friday at 4:30 pm is gone... she's gone. Managing your time means asking:

1. Does this align with what God is building in me?

2. Is this an assignment or a distraction?

3. Am I saying yes out of obedience, or out of guilt?

Talent is for impact, not just applause. You are talented, I hope you know that. Whether it's writing, organizing, leading, nurturing, designing, strategizing, encouraging, speaking, hosting, creating—you've got something in your hands. But here's the truth... talent is not just for aesthetic moments, it's for impact. Your gift isn't random. Your skill set isn't accidental. Your personality isn't extra, it's intentional. The question isn't do you have talent? The question is, are you managing your talent or burying it?

You don’t need a busier life. You need a better-aligned one. God is not impressed by how packed your calendar is. He’s moved by how faithful your heart is. Stewardship and managing your time isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what matters. Being intentional with your time. So protect your peace. Guard your time. Develop your gift. And walk like a woman who knows she’s managing heaven’s resources. Because you are.

SHE Walks in Faith

As you look ahead to next week, don't just manage your calendar, audit it.

• review your commitments and identify one thing that no longer aligns with where God is leading you

• pause before saying yes and ask, “is this obedience or obligation?”

• protect one block of time next week for rest, or reflection

• release the pressure to prove yourself through productivity

• remember that your worth is not tied to how booked you are—but how aligned you are

  
  

Because walking in faith sometimes looks less like building… and more like stepping back. Sometimes it looks like closing a door you’re capable of thriving in, because God is redirecting you toward something eternal.

🩷 Prayer

Lord, Thank you for the gifts You’ve placed in my hands and the opportunities You’ve placed in front of me. Forgive me for the times I’ve confused being capable with being called. Teach me to recognize the difference between assignment and distraction. If I’ve built something that feeds my ambition but not my spirit, give me the courage to realign. If I’m overcommitted out of guilt, pride, or pressure, help me release what You never asked me to carry. Align my ambition with Your assignment. Guard my heart from burnout. Guard my calendar from misalignment. Guard my gifts from being buried or misused. I don’t want to be impressive. I want to be faithful. Lead me where You are calling me—and give me peace when I choose obedience over momentum. Amen.