The Next Thing

One of my favorite Christian authors Elisabeth Elliot has a phrase she quotes ever so often in her books to encourage others during times of hardship or waiting. She often says; “Do the next thing.”

This quote came to me last week when feeling in a funk about how to carry on now that my husband’s job is gone along with our medical coverage.

My focus has been to carry on, play with my kids, school, craft, and stay cheerfully occupied instead of remain in that old funky frame of mind because the rug’s been pulled out from under me. Truly, helping my youngest learn to ride her bike, crocheting stuffed animals for my kids Christmas presents, and carrying on with life has been a great blessing and has helped our family continue to carry on. Doing the next thing is something we can do and is a genuine gift from God while we wait or endure whatever it is we are faced with.

The tasks I have right before me, the next thing, is a genuine comfort because life goes on and although things aren’t perfect, I can still keep my family functioning and with God’s help we can still stay happily focused on what’s in front of us.

Much love,

Viv 🍁🍂🍄Airing out my yarn. There is one rather different skein in there. 😂My little “Monkey” riding her bike.

Author: Viv

I'm a spoonie Blogger grieving the loss of my husband who went home 2/13/22.

88 thoughts on “The Next Thing”

      1. Quite possibly it did. Cats often like to be surrounded like that, even male cats. In litters they are used to being crowded and squashed together. Kind of a comfort thing for them I think.🙂😺

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      2. Yeah, some of my furry yarn looked about the size of her nine kittens. She was such a smart mama cat and sorted her kittens by putting them together in pairs of the same colors. It was brilliant!

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  5. I will continue to pray for you. It’s not easy putting one foot in front of the other when the road is rough, but you did it! You are a living testimony of one who is trusting in God for each step that she takes. God bless you!

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  6. “Do the next thing” has been my mantra through many ups and downs. I didn’t realize that it was a quote from Elizabeth Elliot. I probably read it and adopted it somewhere in the past. Thank you for sharing and encouraging.

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    1. I’m glad you are familiar with this helpful phrase. Elisabeth Elliot’s books have often encouraged my heart through difficulties as she points upward to Christ. Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment and may God bless you always! ❤🍁🍄🍂

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    1. Thank you for praying dear Brenda! That encourages my heart so much tonight. Yes, my kitty loved playing and then napping in all my yarn. I think it reminded her of her furry kittens. Blessings dear one! ❤🤗🍁🍄🍂

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  8. I so love this quote Vivian, it is one I have never heard before but what wisdom in just a few words. I can’t imagine how scary things are, but you are displaying such beautiful faith through your posts giving hope to more people than you realize. I am praying for your husband to find work soon………God bless you and your family.

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    1. Oh, I’m thrilled it blessed you dear Wendi! I have learned to take one day at a time and keep focusing on my kids and Christmas presents for them. I’m thankful for the blessing of yarn given to me from friends so I do have something to create and give. Thank you for blessing us with your cherished prayers and love. It deeply touches my heart and I know God will continue to hold us all up. Much love Wendi. Xoxo

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      4. Oh this makes me want to cry dearest one. I often struggle of feeling unworthy….oh darling you are worthy of prayer and all God’s broken lambs who are suffering. You are always in my prayers daily. Chiari is a hard, hard thing and I hope someday the world wakes up and realizes the reality of invisible illness is life changing and shattering. Xoxoxo

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      5. you have such a beautiful kind soul Vivian, thank you for understanding…….invisible illness is so very misunderstood and the pain of that can be almost as devestating as the illnesses themselves. Prayers continued for your family……….

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      6. Yes, I am there. My doctor wants me to see a counselor because of this due to the massive amount of trauma I’ve faced, then the emotional trauma from ppl being mean, unsupportive, uncaring etc. But, it will be a wait due to job loss….thank you for praying Wendi and big gentle hugs my friend. 💖

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      7. Vivian, there may be churches or organizations in your city or surrounding area that offers free counseling. They work on a sliding scale and since you have no income it would be free and hopefully it would help you see just how worthy you truly are……..not just in God’s eyes but for all the others that you give hope and encouragment to as you go through your days.

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      8. Ohhhhh, I didn’t think of that. Okay, I’ll ask around and see. I need to talk to somebody but my PCP wants it to be with someone who specializes in brain trauma. Love, love, love and thank you for this Wendi! 🤗😍💖💖💖

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  10. ‘Doing the next thing’, I have not heard that before. I like it, it helps you stay focused on the life, people and other things God has blessed you with and by doing the next thing you are moving ahead with the hope that He will open that door of provision in His time.
    My mum used to say when we go through a corridor in life and see no door open or no way out yet, keep walking and keep taking those next steps because that sliding door will open only when you walk and reach close enough to it. So keep taking those steps in faith.
    Thank you for this encouraging post Vivian. Am keeping your needs in prayer. May God fill you with His peace and assurance of His provision while you wait for His provision.

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    1. Awwwwww, Perth Girl! Your Mum is very wise and I love that you shared her words of wisdom with me! I’m thankful for my beautiful blogging family that prays for me and supports me in these trials. I’m grateful for you dear one, who ministers to me and always has a word to encourage my soul and uplift my heart. I’m overjoyed as I write this because God is working and moving in all these things and I pray it reaches many for Him and for His glory! God bless you always my friend and thank you from the bottom of my heart, thank you! 🤗🍁🍄🍂

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    1. Matt, it’s such a blessing we can pray for each other and talk to Jesus on each other’s behalf. My kids are my world and I’m so thankful for the gift of being their mom. God bless you always and thank you Brother! 🤗🍁🍄🍂

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    1. God is so good to use my feeble writings to give hope to others. I feel so humbled by your words because I have been freaking out a bit today. But, God reminded me to pray which brought peace. Much love Cindy!! Xoxo

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  15. I like that, “Do the next thing.” It speaks volumes! All we can do is the next thing, in reality. All we can do is just take one step at a time in a forward direction, following after our Lord and where he leads us. So many things are really out of our control. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring or even what may happen to us in the next minute. And, everything we have planned could all fall apart in a split second. So, we just need to ask the Lord what that “next thing” is he has for us, and then just do it in his power and strength. And, we have to give it all over to the Lord. For, he has a plan and a purpose for it all.

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    1. This encourages my heart so much Sue. 💖 It’s such a comfort, when everything seems so out of control, that we can know our powerful God is in control and working everything together for our good. Giving it all over to the Lord is such a sweet surrender and posture of submission to His will. I’m so grateful for your words today dear one and thank you for all your love, support and kindness to me! 🤗🤗💖💖

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  16. Hi Viv, beautiful post, beautiful lady! Proverbs 16:8-9 comes to mind …8Better a little with righteousness than great gain with injustice. 9A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
    Personally I’m a big ideas girl and I like to know where I am going. It’s humbling every day that God only lights for us the next step. Humbling because we can’t be too proud, but also how amazing is it? How incomprehensible that God determines our steps? He cares. He cares about the crochet and the bike riding and the simple step of airing the yarn (I have to say I have never done that step. Why do you air the yarn? Did you make your own?) I love that verse 8 is before verse 9 because the doing of the next thing is wonderful with righteousness, there is joy and wonder in the tiniest thing. But sometime in order to achieve great gain from where we are would take injustice and I like that God says a little is better in that case.
    Bless you today, Lots of love, L

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    1. It’s so wonderful to hear from you my friend! How much this post blesses me this morning as I start my day. 💖 I love the verses from Proverbs 16! I am a big ideas girl too and find it hard to wait on things as the Lord guides my husband and I am glad He is teaching me to trust in Him day by day.

      A wonderful neighbor blesses me with yarn she doesn’t want, and she smokes so I have to air it out so the odor goes and doesn’t fill my house. I’m so honored you suggested I make it though…..I wish I could! She is a darling lady for giving it all to me!

      Yes, there is joy in the tiniest tasks that seem mundane but really are gifts. I’m becoming more and more aware of how blessed I am to have gobs of dirty clothes and dishes to wash.

      Right now, I am thankful so thankful from hearing from you my dearest, are you back to blogging?

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  17. Dearest Vivian, this message took me back to 2008, when the Lord called to a place where every creature comfort I had was SUDDENLY stripped away, yes, including health care! It was difficult to first grasp where I now was, but the Lord quickly reminded me of what He’d begun to do in me, particularly in my health, a year before! It was during this time when I fasted and the Lord began leading me on a health journey, where He taught me what to eat and how to begin preparing my food. So fast forward to finding myself without healthcare, He began telling me, “I was preparing you for this.”

    God began teaching me that it’s always been His desire for us to live healthy lives, both spiritually FIRST, and then physically, and emotionally. But now, my spiritual health was becoming the catalyst in my physical and emotional, and EVEN relational health! Boy, what a journey this has been, and to think, I STILL DON’T HAVE HEALTH CARE, BUT GOD!

    Through this tough time, my faith has been strengthened and my trust in God in all things, has been catapulted into a new dimension! So I’m praying for you all, that the Lord would strengthen you all during this time, and that your trust in God in all things will be thrust into the stratosphere! Blessings Sis! Love you guys!!

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    1. Dear Anthony, it’s so good to hear from you and wow, has this encouraged me greatly today! How amazing your journey has been and how God prepared you even prior is so comforting to me. Yes! I do believe our spiritual health comes first and am so thankful for God showing you and now me This! There are so many bible verses about where Jesus says how He is the bread of life. Amen. I am so amazed at the faithfulness of God in every lesson He teaches us. He is so good to strengthen our faith in trials which is why He allows these valleys because He loves us so much. I’m sorry you still don’t have health care though and will pray for that. Awwww, thanks for praying for us brother! God bless you always and we love you back!!! 😄😃

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  19. Pingback: The Sunshine Blogger Award 2019 | 9th Nomination – Something to Stu Over

    1. I think sometimes it’s as simple as the next step forward. When we become overwhelmed with what we can’t do, we need to focus on what we can. Sometimes, I have to take a ten minute break of nothingness. Just look outside the window, or go outside if weather permits, and pray.

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    2. Good question Rebekah. Sometimes I think asking God and then doing the next task laid before us, even the simplest like washing dishes, or making the bed. Just carrying on even on the worst days but when the body is too weak, the next thing could be a scripture to turn to or if that’s too much just meditating on a scripture already stored up in our memory can be the next thing. Whatever God gives or puts in front of us, nothing is too small in His kingdom to be offered unto Him in service. Praying for you Rebekah
      Much Love! 🤗

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      2. Oh I’m so sorry. 😔 I understand and have been there. When I was at my lowest, all I could do was listen to hymns. Praying specifically for you to be able to sleep dear Rebekah. 🤗

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    1. Thank you Renee! I just saw it and commented. Our comments must have high fived as they crossed eachother!😂❤ I greatly appreciate your support and love. This post was encouraging to me today to think on all God is doing in my life and my children’s lives too. ❤🤗

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  24. I have used the philosophy of ‘doing the next thing’ for years. I never realized it was an Elizabeth Elliot quote. It has served me well in overwhelming times. God only calls us to this moment.

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