The other day, I was watching the show Magnolia Table when Joanna Gaines did something that caught my attention. When her young son, Crew, interrupted the filming of the cooking show, she joyfully welcomed the interruption. She was delighted to see him and shifted her agenda from the show to spending time with him. It was a quiet move, a subtle shift in her actions and heart, but it spoke loudly to me.

God has recently been speaking to me on this exact thing—welcoming interruptions—and I was thrilled to see someone else live it out.

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You see, as a homeschooling mom, I have many things on my to-do list every day. When I attempt to tackle these responsibilities, I am constantly interrupted by someone or something (has anyone else experienced the highs and lows of having a new puppy?). I quickly feel overwhelmed with all the tasks set before me, and the interruptions make me feel like I’ll never get anything done. My stress and anxiety build with each interruption, and some days, it all just feels like too much.

I’m constantly fighting for peace, and I often lose the battle, feeling overtaken by never-ending to-do lists.

There has to be a better way, I would often think. I know I can have peace. It’s something available to me in Christ, after all. Yet it always felt just out of reach. Recently, it occurred to me that Jesus often had daily interruptions to His to-do list as well, yet He was the most peaceful man who ever lived. So, I started reading through the book of Luke, keeping a careful eye out for how Jesus handled interruptions. 

When I got to Luke 9:10-11, I reread it again and again. While Jesus was in the middle of teaching His disciples, a crowd of people sought Him out. They interrupted His plans. And He welcomed them. He welcomed them! Just like Joanna Gaines welcomed Crew when he interrupted her plans. Just like I can welcome interruptions to my plans.

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Now there certainly is a balance here. There is definitely a time to say, “Please don’t interrupt me while I’m doing this” or “We’ll do that later.” I’m not saying we should give in to our children’s every whim.

But we can still welcome the interruptions with grace and humility, even if our actions do not change course.

Right after learning these truths, one of my children was whining and crying about something that seemed trivial in my eyes. My initial reaction was frustration, but the Holy Spirit whispered to me, “There is a need behind that childish behavior. Your child needs your help right now.” And with the help of God’s Spirit, I was able to look past the surface-level frustrations of how my child was voicing her needs and respond with grace and patience instead. 

I believe the key in welcoming interruptions is abiding in Christ so closely that your eyes are open to loving the people around you well. Their good becomes more important to you than accomplishing a task. Just like Christ welcomed the crowd, just like Joanna Gaines welcomed Crew, I hope that going forward, I can welcome interruptions with grace, joy, and humility.

Originally published on the author’s Instagram page