Keys to Victory series

How to Avoid Stress‚ Pressure‚ and Burnout!—By Maria

Maria #487 CM/FM 3242 8/98

My dear precious Family,

1. One of the reassurances we have in our work for the Lord is that we will never be out of a job—we'll never be unemployed. In fact, there's always much more to be done than we could ever get to! That's one thing which was promised us by the Lord right in the beginning days of the Family, as Dad said that one of the few things we could be sure of in the Revolution was hard work—along with constant change and joy! "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the ­laborers are few!" (ML #S:10; Mat.9:37).

2. The wonderful thing about our work is that if we're doing it as unto the Lord, we know that our labors are not in vain, but that all of them will be rewarded and valued through eternity! Unlike the works of the flesh and of the world which are here today and gone tomorrow, ours will live on forever in the lives of those they touch! Whether you're a dishwasher, a cook, a behind-the-scenes typist, or a young person trying to find your calling in life, everything that you do for the Lord helps others to reach others—and on and on the cycle goes! What a privilege and honor to have such a guarantee for the rewards of our labors!

3. With so much to do and such a strong motivation to do all we can for the Lord and others, it's easy to sometimes feel very burdened or pressured. The Enemy loves to make us feel condemned that we're not doing enough, that we could have done more, or that we need to push ourselves harder in order to be more useful to the Lord. That's his ploy‚ to either get you so busy that you neglect your times of rest and loving the Lord, and thus burn out, or else get you under condemnation, and thus more stress, about all that you're not able to do.

4. You're each very precious to the Lord. As Dad always said, "The worker is more important than the work!" And while we need to do our best for Jesus, and there are times when the Lord asks us to press in more in a certain area, or gives us tips about how we can be more efficient, it's very important that we learn how to operate in the Lord's strength and not push ourselves beyond our physical limits, to the point where we wind up being less effective and useful to the Lord.

5. I've talked with some of our very busy folks in my Home several times about how they really need to fight the feeling of pressure that the Enemy would like to place upon them. Press­ure is of the Devil! It doesn't help you to get more done, because you usually have so much to do that you can't do any more anyway, so feeling pressured isn't going to help things.

6. As a matter of fact, it hinders you, because it puts extra strain on your nervous system, and that just slows you down because your mental capacities are diminished due to the stress. Plus, it probably makes you feel like cutting out your Word time‚ your rest time, and your times of relaxation, all of which you need in ­order to keep functioning. It makes you irritable and harder to work with, and can really take the joy out of life.

7. Usually the corners you start cutting when you're under pressure are the most important ones: stopping to take time with people and being prayerful, and taking your time with the Lord most of all!

8. So it never helps to let yourself get ­under that feeling of stress or pressure. Learning to recognize when you're starting to get under press­ure, realizing that it's of the Enemy and then going on the attack against it, is probably one of the most important work habits you could build. And it's not only an important work habit, but a very important spiritual principle as well—that of casting your cares on the Lord and consistently keeping your time with Him first!

9. It is possible to be very busy and with a whole lot to do without feeling under pressure. Look at my work—I have much more to do than I can ever get done! It's all very, very important, and most of it is timely and requires my attention. But I've simply had to pray and ask the Lord to help keep me from getting under press­ure—and He does! A key is just trusting the Lord, knowing that He knows His work better than you do and is going to help you get the most important things done if you're prayerful and looking to Him.

10. So it can be done‚ folks! Even if you're extremely busy and are surrounded by many pressing needs, and you know you're not going to be able to get to them all‚ you still don't have to allow yourself to get under the press­ure of the Enemy! Just fight it, knowing that it's counterproductive! "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee‚ because he trusteth in Thee" (Isa.26:3).

11. We asked the Lord for some instruction along the lines of coping with stress, how to cast our cares on Him‚ and what it is that makes us feel under pressure. He answered with some wonderful counsel, as well as practical tips which I think will be a great help to you. I pray that you can apply these personal Words from our loving and concerned Husband to your personal situation, and that they will lighten your load. Each of you is very, very valuable to the Lord, and you certainly make a great difference in the lives that He uses you to reach. So please, dearest ones, take care of yourselves—you belong to Him!

Peace Instead of Pressure!

12. (Jesus speaking: ) First of all‚ what is pressure? If you really boil it down, pressure is fear—fear that you're not going to make your goal or deadline; fear that you're not going to be able to raise the funds you need; fear that you're going to let others down; fear that you're going to seem lazy; fear that you're not going to finish your work; fear that you're going to seem incom­petent; fear that you're going to delay or hurt My work if you don't press in. Fear is the opposite of faith. Fear is of the Enemy! Fear cripples you. Fear and pressure are nonproductive, because they use up so much energy through worry and tension.

13. The most important job you have is listening to the King: to stop, look, and listen. But if you're hurrying along to finish something you think is so timely, you're just going to end up in a heap on the ground because you forgot to stop and listen to Me.

14. Staying calm, pacing yourself, going slow but steady, and exhibiting an attitude of faith and trust is not only wise, but it honors Me. Your actions tell others that I'm in control, that you're trusting Me to do the work through you‚ and to get it done on time. You can be diligent, you can work the works of Him that sent you while it is day, you can realize that time is short and strive to be faithful at the work I have given you, but you must also realize Who is running this outfit.

15. It's My work, and I care about it more than anyone else could. I care for My lost sheep and My precious children more than you or anyone else ever could. My heart aches to reach every single one of them as soon as possible. Yet our Heavenly Father has designed that you on Earth can only pass through a minute, an hour, a day, a week, a month or a year at a time; no more and no less. Do what you can do this minute, this hour, this day, this week, this month, this year, and then trust Me for the rest of it.

16. Pressure is a great enemy of My will and My plan, because when you have a feeling of pressure, what's the first thing to be pushed out of your schedule?—Your time with Me, your quiet time, your time loving others with My love, your time resting and refilling at My feet. You switch to high gear, and in so doing, if you do it consistently enough‚ you also unwittingly switch to auto–destruct‚ because you cannot do the Master's work without the Master's power!

17. One way to avoid pressure is, when you begin to feel yourself getting under the strain of all that needs to be done, stop and ask Me what to do. Tell Me your thoughts exactly, describe the extreme urgency of your task, and I will ­gently soothe your ruffled nerves and calm your mind with all its racing thoughts as I show you the most efficient way to accomplish My will. I'll also remind you that only I can accomplish what needs to be done, and that your worry and tension and frenzied rush will be energy ill-spent.

18. Another drawback of allowing yourself to get under pressure is that it's very easy to forget to acknowledge Me before each thing you do, and certainly it's easy to forget to ask for My counsel. Prayerfulness goes hand in hand with going slow, and thus it's important to check yourself when you find you're going on fast-forward speed.

19. Everyone is tempted to get under press­ure at some time or another, and this is why team­work and being in unity with others is so im­portant and helpful‚ because you can safeguard each other. When one is going fast‚ the other can help balance them out with a suggestion to pray and hear from the Lord‚ or to pause‚ or perhaps even have a break and come back to what you're tending to after taking quiet time with Me.

20. Things aren't going to get any less busy as the End approaches. Each of My children will be in great demand, and so each one must re­alize the extreme importance of prayerfulness, as well as taking quiet time with Me each day.

21. My peace passes all under­standing, but to get that peace you have to take time with Me. To take time with Me you have to trust that whatever you have on your plate that's so urgent is in My hands and under My control.

22. Those of you who find yourselves getting under pressure frequently must also re­alize that it's a tool of the Devil‚ plain and simple. With this in mind, seek Me for the right pace to go at, for the right mode of operation, and for the right spirit. Ask Me to give you some of the peace that we Here in Heaven have despite the very important, timely, and Earth-affecting work we have to accomplish.

23. As you take time with Me, I will quad­ruple your efforts, so that you can accomplish twice as much in half the time. More than that, as you acknowledge Me, I can perform that which you have no power to perform. I can work in the hearts and the lives of those around you and to whom you minister. I can prepare the way behind the scenes for that which you must do. I can make your way plain, clear and simple. Most of all, I can drape about your shoulders the garment of peace that passes understanding—My peace. (End of message from Jesus.)

24. (Mama:) Thank You, wonderful, faithful Jesus‚ for those promises about our work and the help You want to give us! Help us to remember them when we're in the midst of our busy lives‚ and help us to avail ourselves of the solutions You promised!

25. Next, Dad gives a very good message about practical ways to avoid stress, and how to best cope with it if you're already experiencing it.

Practical Ways to Avoid Stress!

26. (Dad speaking:) There are so many causes of stress and pressure, and the Enemy really likes to use any opportunity he can to increase your tendency to feel under pressure. He likes to try to accentuate the stress that you might already be feeling by telling you that you're not accomplishing enough, or that what you did wasn't good enough‚ or by getting you to look at what's left undone.

27. Everyone has probably felt the stress and strain of their responsibilities and ministries for the Lord at some time—whether you're a wit­nesser and you're out with the public as your main ministry, and you feel the pressure to make contacts and to find the key to people's hearts and to bear fruit; or whether your ministry is more behind the scenes at home keeping the home fires burning and taking care of the children; or if your ministry is shepherding, where you're constantly faced with taking care of people's needs and their training.

28. The Family is a very busy outfit, with busy people who have more than enough to do, more on their to-do list than they feel they can ever get done. Plus, they need to spend time with their families, fellowship with the brethren, and take the time they need in communion with the Lord. This can all add up to a feeling of pressure‚ stress and strain which just compounds the problem and makes people feel burdened, guilty‚ or discouraged.

29. The key is not to try and get everything done. The key is to avoid that feeling of stress and pressure. And the best way to avoid feeling under pressure about all the things that you have to do is to try not to do too much! When you give yourself too much to do and you put much more on your plate than you can realistically get done that day‚ then you end up putting yourself under pressure and feeling guilty or condemned when you can't accomplish it.

30. It's good to push yourself a little, to stir yourself up and expect enough of yourself. It's good not to just be laid back and not giving to your capacity. But at the same time you have to know your limits and organize your time and your day so that you're aiming at a realistic goal.

31. If you're feeling the stress and strain of your ministry, it might be helpful to sit down and take a good look at what your priorities are, and what things you're doing that maybe you shouldn't be doing. Just sit down and pray and ask the Lord to help you to organize your work‚ your schedule, your day, your week, etc., and take things one step at a time.

32. You'll find things will go much smoother if you put a little time and thought into organizing your work for the day, and it will take away that feeling of pressure. You'll have the peace of mind of knowing you prayed about your work and the Lord showed you how to go about things.

33. You'll be amazed at how specific the Lord will be in His instruction to you about your daily schedule, and how concerned and involved He wants to be with your workload. He's a concerned Husband and will help you as much as you let Him! If you ask Him, He'll give you your priorities. He'll give you tips on how to get them done most efficiently and effectively. He'll show you if there are things you could delegate‚ and to whom, and even remind you of other things you may have forgotten. He loves to be involved, and will lighten your load incredibly if you'll just ask Him!

34. Everyone is different, and what works well for one person might not work for another. So it's up to each individual to get the Lord's solution to their particular ministry needs.

35. Taking the time to pray more and seek the Lord about things will help to alleviate a lot of the pressure in people's lives, because it sort of opens up that pressure valve as you pour out your heart and your questions to the Lord and seek Him for the answers. But if you don't take the time to talk to the Lord, to pray and hear from Him in prophecy and get His answers to your needs, then you continue to carry all that pressure and stress inside, and it becomes a real burden in your life.

36. So whatever you do, don't cut back on your quiet time with the Lord and your personal Word time, because that's the main thing that will keep you sane and help you to avoid the much greater feeling of stress and pressure that the Enemy would love to pile on you. You just have to keep coming to the Lord daily, regularly, unburdening your heart and casting all your cares upon Him and listening to His voice.

37. Even if you're the most organized person in the world and can organize everything to work like clockwork, if you neglect your Word time and time with the Lord, your spirit is going to suffer. Your body might be able to take care of the physical organization well, but you need your spirit to be well-oiled and inspired and fed in order to carry out your plan with the love, peace, faith and power of His Spirit.

38. Look at some of these worldly ­executives who don't turn to the Lord, who hardly even acknowledge the Lord for anything, yet are top executives running highly intricate and organized businesses—and who often have nervous break­downs in the process! You can learn from some of their organizational skills, but they can certainly learn from our connection with the Lord. And when you put the two together, you have a very powerful tool against stress and pressure.

39. When the job gets to be too much and you start to feel the strain of it all, sometimes it really helps to get away from your ministry for a while, even if it's just for a couple of hours, and take a break and do something else totally different.

40. If you feel you need it and you can work it out, try to take more time away from it all. If the need exists‚ there must be some way to fill it and to resolve the problem. Take some time just soaking in the refreshing waters of the Lord's Word, really meditating and reflecting and ­loving Jesus. It'll be such an encouragement and strength to your spirit and help you to be able to face your responsibilities again with a renewed vision. Or maybe you just need to do something relaxing and entertaining. Everything has its place and purpose; you just need to pray and ask the Lord what He knows is the best thing for you to do at the time.

41. Practically speaking‚ some people find it very helpful in relieving stress to do some form of vigorous exercise‚ especially if you can go out in the fresh air and sunshine—whether it's a vigorous walk or bike ride or jogging or some other type of exercise. But even if you're limited for some reason and can't get outside‚ you can still do some indoor type of exercises, such as aerobics. Exercise really helps to relieve tension and emotional stress.

42. Try to stick to a regular schedule as much as possible, even when you're feeling under pressure with all your work before you. Because once you let your schedule go and you start skipping meals, start going to bed later‚ skipping naps and skipping your get–out because you're trying to get more done, you're only adding to the problem of stress.

43. Your body and spirit need regular times of rest, sleep‚ get-out, meals, and Word time. That's one of the big keys to keeping the stress and strain out of your ministry. Of course, there will be times when you need to work extra and put in more hours for some reason, but generally speaking, moderation and a good balance between your work, your rest‚ and your play is healthy for your body and spirit.

44. Have you ever been working when you suddenly started to feel burdened and had a hard time concentrating? You feel tired, drained, and at the end of your rope. Things are going slower and getting harder by the minute, and the thought of doing even more is almost too much. If someone were to come along and suggest more work, it would probably be like the straw that broke the camel's back. But if someone comes along and suggests some fun activity, all of a sudden—presto—you come alive! That's because you need times to relax, to play, and to just get away from the stress of your work. If you take those times when you need them, then you're much better prepared to return to your work later and get things done.

45. If you pray and ask the Lord, He'll show you what to do, how much to do, and what you should do later. He'll show you how to go about your work, how to organize your time, when to take your Word time and quiet time with Him, when to have your prayer time, and still be able to get the other things done that you need to do.

46. He'll also show you what to do when you start to feel those signs of stress—feeling irritated, emotional, easily upset or angered, forgetful, fatigued, headachy, pressured or worried. He'll tell you what to do about it and what you personally need to relieve the burdens of your ministry. So just ask Him! He knows what you need and what's best for you‚ and He's more than happy to tell you what to do and how to do it. (End of message from Dad.)

47. (Mama: ) This next message was what the Lord gave when we asked the question: "How can we actually cast all our cares on Jesus?"

How to Cast Your Cares on Him!

48. (Jesus speaking:) My shoulders are broad enough to carry any load. They may seem too heavy for you to bear, but they are not too heavy for Me. You've heard the saying, "Cast your cares upon Jesus" many times before, but maybe you wonder exactly how to do that. You say‚ "It all sounds well and good, but practically speaking, how can I cast all of my cares on You?"

49. This is a good, legitimate question, and one which I will give the answer to‚ as you have your ears attuned to the voice of My Spirit. Just think for a moment, what are cares? Are cares placed on your shoulders by Me? Am I the One Who causes you to be anxious and to worry about the future? Am I the One Who makes your burdens heavy and your yoke weighty? No, I'm not the One Who places cares upon you. My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

50. There is a place of complete and total peace; this is the place of surrender and complete faith and trust. You ask‚ "How can I have this faith and trust? With all that is to be done, how can I ensure that my cares will be upon Your shoulders and not mine?" It's simple, My dear.

51. First you must stop and take a look at your priorities. Take a look at the tasks at hand. Take a look at the jobs you have to do. Take a look at your responsibilities. Take a look at the worries and burdens that you have on your mind. Ask for My wisdom and I will help you to see which are legitimate concerns and which are burdens and unnecessary cares.

52. At the beginning of your day—or the evening before, if you prefer—take a piece of paper or a notebook and write down all that you have to do in the day, as well as all of your concerns, battles and worries. Together we can read through the list and sort out the tasks and responsibilities that must be taken care of, and separate them from the unnecessary tasks, burdens, trials, worries, fears or cares.

53. Then take a look at the list of un­necessary items and cross them all out. Ask Me to take care of all of your worries and cares. Promise Me that you will not try to take the burdens upon yourself, at least for that one day. Take it one day at a time.

54. Then take a look at the list of jobs, responsibilities, tasks and projects that must be done in your day. Pray and commit them all into My hands, and in doing so you'll be casting all of your cares upon Me. Ask Me to help you and strengthen you and give you the grace, wisdom and anointing for each item on your to–do list. Then once you've committed your to-do list into My capable hands, arrange the jobs in order of priority and start prayerfully and carefully completing them one by one.

55. If you're not sure what your priorities are, just ask Me‚ and I'll be happy to tell you that too! Or, even if you think you know, I can give you a confirmation or instruction which will not only give you peace and faith as you walk the path of My perfect will, but will also help you take the smoothest and most direct route ­possible.

56. Continually come back and check with Me throughout the day, because sometimes plans may change and you may not need to do something that day that you'd originally thought needed to be done. Also, I can give you instructions each step of the way. I know the weight of the cares and the burdens and I will carry them, for you will have cast your cares upon Me.

57. No matter what your ministry or calling is in this Kingdom, casting all of your cares upon Me will make your burdens so much lighter. If you are a cook, a teacher‚ a childcare worker, a pro­visioner, a driver, a handyman, a secretary, a media spokes­person, a Home team­worker, or a jack-of-all-trades, you can have your load lightened and your burdens relieved by casting your cares on My shoulders.

58. You can start to get into this habit by actually pulling out a piece of paper and a pen in the morning and giving Me all your cares. If you do this to begin with, it's a good reminder and a physical manifestation of what you're doing in the spirit. Then once you get used to casting your worries and cares upon Me, you will no longer have to use a pen and paper; it will just come automatically.

59. Of course, throughout the day there are always emergencies that come up. Cares and problems seem to tumble in on every side. But just remember that you don't have to bear the load yourself. Throw the extra problems on My shoulders and I will help you take care of them if they need to be taken care of, or I will take care of the problems in My Own way without you even having to lift a finger.

60. Trust Me. I'm more interested in seeing My work get done quickly, efficiently, and ­easily than you are. And if you let Me take over more and bear more of the load, you'll find that things will actually run smoother, faster, and more efficiently. Try it, you just might like it! Try it, it just might be good! (End of message from Jesus)

61. (Mama: ) Thank You so much, our dear Husband, for such very detailed and practical counsel about how to cast our cares upon You. It's obviously very important that we learn to do so. You really want us to let You carry the weight. It shows You that we love You and need You and trust You‚ and then You're able to help us accomplish much more than if we were trying to do it all in our own strength. Help us to realize the importance of giving You our burdens and letting You help us deal with them one by one, rather than letting them stack up to where they cause us big problems. Thank You so much for Your simple solutions, sweet Jesus!

Burnout Can Affect Anyone

62. Over the months and years we've received various reports of some of our dear ones who have experienced nervous breakdowns, or burnout, or have become stressed out.

63. Burnout affects not only leadership but can affect anyone. It can affect witnessers who are involved in a needy witnessing ministry—for example‚ disaster relief or refugee camps‚ or even just daily tool distribution or outreach and feeling responsible to bring in the monthly ­budget. It can affect childcare workers and parents. It can affect Home team­workers or those who take care of the business or finances, those ­caring for the sick‚ or our dear faithful kitchen deacons.

64. It affects young and old alike whenever they take too much upon themselves. It affects many of us—our dear CROs and VSs, shepherds, mothers, childcare workers, provisioners, shoppers, secretaries‚ pubs people, etc., etc.

65. Recently we asked the Lord for some specific counsel about burnout—what causes it and how to deal with it. We are to burn up fast and bright for Jesus, as Dad said, but not to the point where we're extinguished. We die daily, but not completely. To do the Lord's work here, the Lord needs His workers. We need you desperately, and the Lord needs you to be able to continue in His work for as long as possible. He has given us instructions‚ which, if we are obedient to follow, will prevent our burning out.

66. I pray that the following messages will be a help to you, and will serve as a warning to all of us to take the time with Jesus that we need and learn these vital lessons of casting our cares upon Him, so that we don't become easy prey for the Enemy. None of us are immune to burnout, and its effects can be devastating to your service to the Lord, so please take it seriously.

67. We know from personal experience that everyone needs to have time away from their ministry at one time or another—whether just a daily break for an hour or two to have time with the Lord, or a regular day off to get away and relax, or whatever the case may be. Please don't neglect those times of rest, thinking that you can do without them or that you can't afford to take that time off. The way to look at it is that if you want to keep going for the Lord, you can't afford not to!

68. Peter and I are praying for you, that you get the rest and relaxation that you need, and most of all, the time with our wonderful Husband, which will make the burdens and problems melt away! Praise the Lord!

What Is Burnout?

69. In this first message, the Lord explains what burnout is. It's more than feeling stressed, pressured, tired or overworked. It's the combination of these things with insufficient time with the Lord and His Word, and can be very dangerous spiritually!

70. (Jesus speaking:) Burnout is very dan­gerous. Most people don't realize how ­dangerous it is. They relate burnout to feeling tired at the end of the day or not wanting to take on one more task. Although that's part of it, burnout is deeper than that‚ and often creeps up unexpectedly.

71. It's a spiritual thing—the Enemy is con­stantly fighting, and when you run only on "spiritual adrenaline‚" the high of accomplishments or the fulfillment of being in My service, the inspiration of your brethren or even just the pressing needs which you help to fill which spur you on, you put yourself in grave danger of burning out. For though you do not notice it‚ little by little you are becoming spiritually exhausted, because you are not taking time to refill and refuel. You are running on a "high‚" but when you hit a low‚ you have no reserves‚ no strength, and you basically crash.

72. It can be triggered by anything—but when it happens, you have no strength to get up and try again. You even lose the desire to read My Word or hear from Me, and so you often get more and more run-down and battle-weary. When you are in this weakened state, the cure is the Word—time with Me and time resting and seeing My perspective on things. If you don't take it, you begin to see things as the Enemy would have you see them. You become vulnerable to his doubts and negative thoughts, and thus he is able to destroy your service for Me.

73. It is different than feeling tired or simply working too much. Even if you're working more than you should, if you're faithful in taking time with Me‚ you won't burn out easily. The danger comes when you're not taking time with Me, but you still feel fine. That's a sign that you're starting to run on "fumes" rather than fuel, and it's very bad for your engine. It's a good sign if you miss your time with Me and really feel it—that shows you're in the habit of taking it and you know you need it. But if you find that your Word time is slipping, your time in the temple is being eaten up by other things and you're not missing it, you're not desperately craving it, but you actually feel fine without it—that should set off alarm bells in your heart, and the first thing you should do is stop and take time with Me, whether you feel like it or not!

74. Yes, there are times when a certain pro­ject needs to be done, when the needs are pressing, and I give you extra strength to make it through without taking as much time with Me as usual. But even during those times, there is a danger that you will start to become accustomed to taking less time with Me, riding more on the anointing than on desperation and quiet times of My instructions.

75. So even during those times you must be careful, and as soon as they are over, you should take more time with Me to catch up on what you weren't able to have. Your attitude shouldn't be that things have gone fine and that I just helped you not to need time with Me. You should realize that while I did help you and give you strength, if you're going to be able to continue‚ you have to get back to the good habit of spending the needed daily time with Me.

76. It's like I put a mantle of protection over you during times when you're really not able to have as much time as normal, and you're desperate for My help. Then, when those times are finished, you have to build up your resist­ance again by taking even more time to be strengthened and refilled. The fact that it's humbling for some people to take extra time with Me is also good, especially after they've had a big mission or been anointed in some busy project. It helps remind them that it's only Me, as well as protecting them from the danger of burnout.

77. The important thing to remember about burnout is that it often creeps up very suddenly. You can be feeling fine, then all of a sudden hit bottom when the inspiration gives way, because you've been using up your spiritual stores and not replenishing them. The way to prevent it is on a daily basis, taking time with Me and letting Me give you the spiritual cushion of faith that you need. (End of message from Jesus.)

What Causes Burnout and

What Are the Results?

78. (Jesus speaking:) The pilgrimage of the Christian life is always an upward climb, a continual climb to the top of the peak. There are small plateaus or ledges where I allow you to rest and relax, or even an occasional cave where you may camp out and regain your strength before going ahead. But sometimes My children have slipped and fallen and gone backward, for they have not stopped to rest when they reached the plateaus and the lookout points.

79. Although climbing the mountain is arduous and tiring and even dangerous, I do provide times of relaxation, little plateaus and caves to rest in, little stopping points that I create as little parks where you can rest and enjoy and recoup your strength.

80. These little lookout points are beautiful stopping places where you can look out over the valley and take in the awe–inspiring view, the breath­taking‚ majestic scenery of the mountain range‚ the sky, the forests and the creation. It will inspire you and feed you‚ and give you time to ponder and be fed by the beauty of it all and to think about the mission, your purpose and your goals‚ to inspire you that it's worth it all before you continue your climb.

81. But sometimes My dear ones do not take advantage of the small plateaus and parks and lookout points to rest and be refilled‚ to just relax and not only enjoy the climb and the view, but to take the time to be fed themselves and rest before they continue their difficult journey.

82. The journey upward for My Family is very arduous. It is only for mountain climbers‚ for the most rugged. They must know that they have to pace themselves, or they'll burn out. When they come to these little plateaus or lookout points or places where they encounter a rest spot or picnic table, they should take advantage of it to regain their strength, knowing that the uphill climb will be taxing and require great strength and endurance.

83. Some of My dear children who have experienced burnout did not pace themselves. They knew the mountain was steep but they pressed on in their own strength and wisdom. And because they did not rest, they began to wear out slowly in certain areas and became weakened and sick.

84. They were beginning to feel unwell and to come down with certain sicknesses, but rather than resting, they pushed on, so they got worse instead of better. They were weakened with such things as impatience, feelings of hopelessness, lack of faith, irritability‚ etc., and these things grew and worsened and festered because they did not tend to their wounds.

85. Why did they keep going, even though it is clearly stated in the Mountain Climber's Manual: "You must rest at the places provided and not go on in your own strength. You must stop, look and listen"?

86. It was disobedience. For obedience to Me is taking that rest and quiet time with Me and putting Me first. The first mistake was not taking that time of love with Me, letting it be crowded out, not stopping at the rest stops, at the lookout points, the little caves to rest and relax and be filled, to be strengthened before traveling on.

87. This is a basic principle for My moun­tain climbers. The first thing they learn when they are given their gear and start up the mountain is to stop and rest and take time with Me and not let it be crowded out. It's the principle of the mountain—one of the most important tenets of the Christian life—to stop, and to look, and to listen.

88. In this new day when the Enemy has been unleashed and given greater freedom, My mountain climbers must take heed to take that time with Me more than ever and listen to the whispers for their instruction, their guidance, their rest, their healing, and for the strength they need to carry on and to continue on the right path.

89. When My dear mountain climbers do not take that time with Me in rest and re-strengthening, they grow weary and faint in their mind. When they faint in their mind, My whispers become distant, cloudy, and confused. As they begin to faint in their mind, the Enemy is also able to get his whispers in, to afflict with his diseases and sick­nesses. The less time they spend listening to My whispers, the louder the little lying voices of the Enemy become, taking them down the wrong path, though they think they're still going up.

90. This is a warning‚ that those who are weary and fainting in their minds must take time with Me to hear My whispers in order to stay on the right path. They must take that time with Me before they get weary, before they faint in their minds and burn out. They must hear from Me. They must take their quiet time. They must hear My whispers. They must practice this as never before so they don't reach burnout, and so they are well tuned and not receptive to the Enemy's voice of deception.

91. Reaching burnout is very‚ very danger­ous—not only because the climber can become so weakened that he loses his resistance and becomes physically or spiritually sick‚ but he can also put his own life and the lives of others in danger. He can lead others astray. In not resting and in not taking the time to receive instructions and having a clear channel to receive My guidance for the upward climb, he instead gets on the channel of the Enemy in his weakened state—what he thinks is My channel—and can become deceived and then retreat down the wrong path.

92. Of course‚ if My climbers wonder if they are on the wrong track, all they have to do is stop and ask Me‚ and I will tell them. They can trust that when they stop to hear My voice, I will speak to them clearly and it will be My voice, not the voice of the Impostor. All those who come in faith and ask for My will, will receive it.

93. But I am limited from protecting someone from the voice of the Enemy when their heart is not toward Me. Such a climber can become deceived and retreat. The sad thing is that the progress he made has been lost and he does not see it‚ but he thinks he is traveling in the right direction. And now, according to him‚ the others are wrong. At times he's so convinced of this that he even begins to despise those who are continuing upward, thinking they are wrong, and begins telling those that he meets who are climbing up that those who are on the upward climb are going the wrong way.

94. Even those who are very good mountain climbers can become a stumbling block to ­others if they do not take the time with Me and time reading My Mountain Climber's Manual. Times change, circumstances change, the weather changes, and even mountain conditions change as you get further and further up the mountain. So even those who are very adept climbers must not only rest, but most importantly take time with Me, or else they too can become weary and discourage others from the climb. The climb is not too hard for anyone, as long as they take the breaks and the time reading the Manual and following its instructions.

95. Otherwise, after some time My whispers become so faint that they don't recognize them anymore, and they begin to despise some of the new tools of climbing and new methods, like loving Jesus, praise time, or various other beliefs or practices, and even the whispers themselves. Or they even despise the mountain itself, telling others that it has become some kind of weirdness with deviant practices. This is what My children can come to when they become burned out because they have not taken sufficient time with Me. They can become so weak that they can no longer distinguish the truth from the lie. This is not an overnight occurrence‚ but one which happens gradually over time—so gradually that often they do not see it coming.

96. Being burned out is a serious spiritual condition—one which takes you down the mountain, and which causes you to lose ground in the spirit if you do not immediately stop and refill with Me. Many who reach this stage of burnout do not recover, for they are so weak that they do not even desire to read My Word, which they must have in order to regain their strength.

97. Being burned out is different than desiring a change of ministry, or feeling the need for some excitement, or going stir-crazy, or even just needing a break from your regular work for a day or two. It is a condition of the spirit, where your spirit is weakened and you lose your perspective on reality. The Enemy's lies become as real to you as My Words, because you have depleted your spiritual stores and have nothing left to fall back on. Burnout can also come as a result of unyieldedness. If someone is taking time in My Word, but is not receiving it because they are unyielded and unreceptive, then they can also burn out in this way.

98. It is akin to backsliding, for while you might not go back in the flesh, in the spirit you are wounded and beaten, and except for a miracle and much soaking in My Word, you lose ground in the spirit and go back—ground which you must regain when you recover strength. So do you see how important it is to take your time with Me?

99. Don't try to climb in your own strength, in your own wisdom, out of pride, to show ­others how strong you are, or how you climb‚ or what a great climber you are, or what a wonderful guide. For unless you listen to Me and hear My whispers and receive your strength from Me, you will fall.

100. This mountain can only be climbed in My strength and by listening to My whispers. There is no other way up the mountain‚ and the only way to go up is to stop at times‚ for ­periods of rest. You must have times of stopping to refer to the Mountain Climber's Manual, and the new ways I am showing for the changing conditions, if you wish to make it up the mountain. It seems so contradictory. It's so against the carnal mind and reasoning that the only way to go up is to stop. In your carnal mind you think you make no progress, you think you go nowhere. But according to My law of physics, if you don't stop‚ you go down instead of up.

101. All climbers must stop and be refreshed. They must look to Me. They must hear the whispers on the mountain. They must take off their baggage. They must lay aside the weights and they must rest. They must stop and look and listen to be refilled and strengthened before they continue on—even the guides and the shepherds.

102. Especially the guides and the shep­herds, because they have to carry not only their own weight but sometimes the weights and weak­nesses of others. They must carry the weight of responsi­bility for the group and other climbers. So it's even more important that they stop and rest so that they don't wear out or faint in their minds and burn out, endangering not only themselves, but others as well.

103. Never think you're above burnout. No one is immune to falling. I say to you: Tune in to My whispers. Take time to listen to them, time to stay close to Me‚ and time to rest and be strengthened. (End of message from Jesus.)

104. (Mama: ) Lord help us to obey and stop and take our time with You! After reading those convicting and sobering messages, you might wonder what you should do if you're beginning to feel burned out. Following is a very encour­aging message from the Lord which was given for one of our dear shepherds who was going through "burnout" battles. It contains very good counsel for all of us about what to do when we're in that weary state, and how to begin climbing back up the mountain again. The Lord also exposes more of how the Enemy enters in with the feeling of burnout, and how to go on the attack against it.

How to Go on the Attack

Against Burnout!

105. (Jesus speaking:) My dear one, come and sit by My side and let Me speak with you. I see your great love for Me. You have given your life for Me‚ and I am well pleased. I see the longings of your heart, the desire to do that which is right, that which is needed, that which I have called you to do. I also see the struggle that it is, for the Enemy fights you greatly. He knows the importance of your tasks for Me, and he knows that if he can stop you or slow you down to where you become ineffective, that it will hinder My work.

106. The Enemy is out to hinder, stop, and even destroy you. You must therefore stand strong against his attacks. You must take up the shield of faith and put on the breastplate of right­eousness—not your own righteousness, but Mine—and, wielding the sword of the Word, cut the Devil to the heart!

107. You must attack, attack, and attack! Go on the attack! Even when you don't feel like it‚ when you feel you can't take one more step and that you have not the willpower or the strength to do so, attack, and I will strengthen you as you lean on Me and depend on Me.

108. I am not the author of this burnout feeling that you're experiencing, but this is an attack of the Enemy. There are inroads that he has found, whereby he is able to enter in and cause damage. You must seal up these inroads. You must not allow resentment, bitterness or anger to enter into your heart, as these are inroads which the Enemy can get in through, which then lead to him causing you to feel burned out and unable to do your job. They render you ineffective, and they paralyze your movements and your service for Me.

109. Yes, there are many problems and there are many who are not doing their best for Me. You are in a difficult situation, with many who are weaker; having to lift them up continually, and seeing how some despise it and carry on with their problems is draining. I know this and I understand. It hurts My heart also, and I long for these to forsake their selfish ways and return to full dedication and revolutionary discipleship.

110. I understand how it hurts and grieves your heart, but you must not allow that to change into resentment, anger or bitterness. Their de­cisions and their fate are between them and Me. You can only encourage and challenge them to do their best, and correct them when they fall short of the mark, and the rest is in My hands.

111. You must trust Me that I know best, and that I am in control of the situation and in control of people's lives. Trust Me. I am in control, and I will not allow anything to happen that is not within the confines of My will. Of course things happen that I would rather not‚ because of the wrong choices of man and the free will that I have given him. Yet I am able to turn all things into good for those that love Me and are doing their best for Me. So I will contain things, and I will cause it to bear good fruit in the end for those who are close to My bosom and who love and follow Me.

112. Fret not. Do not take the burdens upon yourself, for they are too heavy. You cannot carry them. You must take them off and simply rest in Me. Then you will find the strength that you need to continue on with your work. But even in your work you must not pick up the burdens and carry them again.

113. You must not only leave them aside during our times together, but you must leave them aside always. You must let Me carry them for you. You must go out into the wings and do the work‚ and the work is difficult and taxing. But the burdens, the worries, and the cares—wondering how things will turn out, whether people will change‚ whether problems will resolve themselves—these burdens you must leave with Me. They are not for you to carry.

114. Yes, you should be desperate about these matters. You should cry out to Me in desperate prayer‚ claiming My promises and releasing My answers and power through your prayers. Yet having committed them to Me in desperate prayer‚ and in continuing to bring them before Me, your task ends there, and you should not carry the burden further.

115. When you have committed the matter to Me in fervent prayer, then I take the burden and it is no longer yours. You should continue to pray and continue to do what I show you re­garding the situation, but the burden of ­resolving it is no longer yours‚ for you have transferred it to Me; it is now on My to–do list, not yours.

116. So come to Me and lay down your cares. Forsake your resentments and frustrations. See each individual even as I see them—with the potential that they have, and what they can be if they will only fully yield themselves to Me. I look not on the negative and the faults and the lacks. While it is necessary to correct the faults and lacks, and they cannot be ignored, they are not what I focus on.

117. I focus on the potential that lies within each one. With some it is dormant, waiting to be stirred at the right note, the right tune from My harp, even as I played upon the harp of David and it awoke your father and stirred the potential that lay within him.

118. The same potential, to one degree or another, lies within each of My children. I long to stir them from their slumber and spark them, light their fuse, that they might explode for Me! I use you, My shepherds, to help light their fuse and to stir them from their sleep—to get their eyes off of themselves and to instead look upon the fields that are white, ready to harvest.

119. This is the task for which I have commissioned you—to get My children to look up at the commission that I have given them. Stir up the potential that is within them. And if some would not, worry not and fret not, nor allow your frustration or anger to rise up within you. Do not let self-righteousness take root within your heart. For they are still in My hands, and I will work in their lives according to My will and My plan.

120. My plans are above your under­stand­ing and ways‚ therefore sometimes you can't understand the way I work. But that's because My ways can't always be understood by ­mortal men. That's why you must trust Me. You must listen to My voice, commit your burdens and the problems around you to Me, and let Me carry them.

121. Seek not to implement your own right­eousness, for you have none without Me. Without Me you are nothing, and you have no strength to serve Me and to accomplish My will. All that you have is made possible by My power. So you must encourage others to tap into that same source of power. You must not become frustrated or angry when they are weak, for you are also weak. You must help them tap into My power. You must inspire them by setting the sample for them.

122. Many of My children are beset with prob­lems and burdens that weigh on them. You can help them be free by showing them the way—by setting the sample in casting your own burdens upon Me and letting Me carry them, thus relieving you of the strain, resentment, and feeling of being burned out—and which others feel as well, for it affects and influences them.

123. I'm proud of you for coming before the body and asking for prayer. You should do this as often as you need to, for it has many ben­efits: It strengthens you, and the prayers of those around you help move the hand that will ­perform miracles in your life. It also encourages those around you and lets them know that you are just like them; this strengthens their respect for you and motivates them to want to listen to you more. It also humbles you, which in turn strengthens you and brings you closer to Me. So there are many benefits, and this is something that you should do regularly as the need arises.

124. You are fighting a big battle and doing a good work. I'm thankful for your love and dedication to Me. Don't think that you're failing, for I say to you that you are not. Follow the instructions that I've given you and you will go on to greater battles and victories, and continue to fulfill the job that I have given you of feeding My flock and bringing them to Me by setting the sample that I wish for them to follow.

125. Continue to humbly serve My flock, caring for the little lambs, leading them like a good bellwether, close behind your Shepherd. As you continue to look to Me, I will give you the strength and anointing and spirit that you need. I love you, My dear one. (End of message from Jesus.)

126. (Mama:) One of the keys to overcoming this feeling of burnout—besides learning to cast your cares upon the Lord and taking steps in your life to close off the inroads of the Enemy—is asking for united prayer. If you'll take this counsel to heart and ask for help by asking for prayer when you need it, the Lord can continue to use you in the wonderful way He has planned.

127. If you're feeling dry spiritually and un­inspired, if you lack enthusiasm for what you're doing‚ it's natural that you would think that a change of scenery is the answer. The following prophecy will shed some light on how much such a change can help or hinder when someone is suffering from burnout.

The Long-lasting Cure for Burnout!

128. (Jesus speaking:) The solution to burn­out is not just a temporary change of ministry‚ field‚ sights, or people. Although these things can help‚ they are not the full solution. The long-lasting cure for burn­out is a regular, nourishing, intimate time with Me‚ communion with Me, and resting in Me—not just putting in the time‚ but a feeding Word time. After that‚ the next part of the lasting cure is a slower pace, a pace you are comfortable with without having to feel rushed or that you have to cram too much work in, or have too long hours. Do your work, and then cut off and have get–out, go for a walk, have a hobby, do something different.

129. This must be a daily habit and not just something you do once in a great while. If you want to last and not wear out, if you want to have the strength to make it to the end, you must have that time with Me, and slow down and do only what you're capable of physically, mentally, and spiritually without getting stressed. There are different ways of ac­complishing this—by delegating more, restructuring so the jobs are spread out, having someone else do more of the footwork. Just seek Me and I will give the answers.

130. Even if you change ministries and you feel inspired and like you can just get in there and go and go and go, you've still got to get tanked up and not simply give and give and give without taking time with Me in the bed of love, taking your Word time, taking time to relax and get away from the fray, or it will only add to your burnout.

131. Change alone is not the answer to burnout, nor is variety. It may seem fun and different and refreshing in the beginning, and give added incentive and inspiration to be away from home, away from your normal work or old routine, but if you're still working hard and pressing in, putting in long hours shepherding, witnessing, sacrificing, or whatever work you're doing, the end result is still the same—you'll find yourself drained dry and running on empty. It will have the same end result, the same effect.

132. This has been the mistake of some. They thought that doing something different temporarily or having a change away from home, talking to different people‚ would be part of the solution and give them new inspiration and vision. Yes, it did, for a few days, but the end result was that they ended up in a worse state because they didn't take sufficient time with Me. They treated the symptoms of the problem rather than striking at its root, so the problem remained and sometimes got worse. They only added to their burnout because they were not getting fed on the Word and resting spiritually and physically.

133. Changing ministries without taking time to get refilled and tanked up is the same as a horse pulling a heavy plow. He may get tired of pulling the heavy plow day after day, and get weary and bored and wish he could instead be like the horse who gets to carry the master and pull the wagon to town full of supplies. Oh, what a nice change that would be, to be able to see other people‚ new sights and sounds, all the activity in town‚ and be more used.

134. However, what the plow horse doesn't know is that the master's wagon is just as heavy as pulling the plow, and sometimes heavier‚ and at the end of the day both horses are just as tired. The weights are similar. One load may be heavy while the other is light, but the light load may get pulled a lot further. Or the light loads may alternate with the heavy loads, just as heavy plowing may alternate with light plowing and farm work‚ so that the work of the two horses averages out the same over time.

135. There is also the extra strain and tension the town horse faces with the traffic‚ or the risk of accidents, loud noises, and always having to be on guard, getting dusty and dirty. The town horse looks at the plow horse and thinks, "Boy, he's got it best. He only has to pull his plow in the nice quiet atmosphere, enjoy the beautiful countryside and scenery all day. He can graze a bit while he works sometimes and he gets to look back and see all the progress he's made in those beautiful furrows he's left behind."

136. So the secret to burnout is not just a change, but more time with Me and lightening your workload, doing less, no matter what your ministry. Having a change or going somewhere else is not the answer. That is actually more like drinking caffeine to give you a hit or a boost of energy to pump you up. Drinking too much caffeine‚ like a temporary change where you may work just as hard or harder, does give you extra energy and strength, but it is only temporary. You may think it gives you a boost because you get an extra shot of adrenaline in your system, but once the adrenaline wears off, then it leaves you feeling even more tired and depleted—and not only that‚ but sad and depressed along with it, bringing on a feeling of giving up, getting fed up with your job and with people, and a feeling of hopelessness about things. Over the long term, it can even develop into attitudes of negativity and critical­ness.

137. If someone needs a change of ministry, scenery, or fields, this can be a help, but the most important thing is that they take good feeding Word time, bed-of-love time, relaxation time, and don't overdo with long hours and too much work. (End of message from Jesus.)

Feeling Overloaded? Speak Up!

138. (Mama:) Our faithful Husband gave this next message to one of my secretaries who was beginning to feel pressured during a par­ticularly busy period.

139. (Jesus speaking:) Relax, don't pressure yourself. There is a lot to do sometimes, but you can add to the pressure yourself. When you feel pressured, sometimes it's because I haven't given you the anointing for the job, because someone else can do it, and you should just speak up.

140. If there's a lot to do and I'm giving you more than you normally do, or you're in unusual circumstances or conditions, something that is out of your control, then I will give you the grace to sustain you and empower you to do the task. But at other times when you're feeling pressed or strained or beginning to fritz, just ask Me, because maybe you're doing something that you're not supposed to be doing. If you don't have the anointing, it's probably because it's not My highest will. I give you the anointing and grace for the things you should be doing‚ the priority things that I want you to be doing, even if it's a lot.

141. So if you're feeling strained, just mention sweetly that your plate is full and ask if there isn't someone else who can help, and whether you can delegate whatever it is that needs to be done. Ask and ye shall receive. If you don't ask or speak up‚ then it's your fault.

142. You don't have to worry that people will think that you're sloughing off or not accomplish­ing a lot. I know you work hard and that it takes time and diligence and faithfulness to follow through on the details; it requires long hours and even forsaking some activities sometimes to get the job done. So don't worry about it; just make sure you seek Me for My highest will, for your priorities, and I will bless the work of your hands and will keep you productive and accomplishing what I know is the most important thing to get done every day. Be happy and stay close to Me. (End of message from Jesus.)

143. (Mama: ) This message from the Lord reminds us of a very important point—that if you're too busy or are beginning to feel overloaded or stressed out, please speak up! Maybe there's someone else who can take part of your load. It could be that that's the solution.

144. But when you delegate your work to others‚ you also have to consider their workload. For example, if you're feeling pressured, you might pass some important work on to someone else, and they might then pass it on to someone else. The thing to remember, however, is that eventually that work is going to land on someone's shoulders. But what if that person also feels he has too much to do? What if he's overloaded and stressed, but there's no one for him to download some of his work to? What happens then?

145. In a case like that‚ the idea of delegating might be the solution for you‚ but what about the person who is "at the end of the line‚" so to speak? Does he just keep getting more and more work to do? That's a valid question and has potential to be a real problem. When we asked the Lord about this, He had the following to say:

Too Much Work? Ask Me for the Solution!

146. (Jesus speaking:) An important part of the solution for burnout is communication, as mentioned earlier—being willing to admit it and be honest when you can't handle any more projects‚ work, or deadlines. But if there is no one who seems to be able to shoulder that extra work, then the solution is to come to Me unitedly and let Me reassess and fine-tune your priorities.

147. I have said that My yoke is easy and My burden is light, if you're coming unto Me. That's as true today as it was thousands of years ago when I walked the Earth in the flesh. But in order for that promise to be a reality in your life, you have to communicate and seek Me.

148. If there seems to be too much work to do and too few people to do it, ask Me for the solution. It could be that there is someone who you have never considered doing a certain kind of work who would love the challenge and jump at the chance to help. If you ask Me and hear from Me, I'll give you the guidance and faith you need to use each person in your Home to the full. Or possibly I'll show you that some of the projects that you feel pressed to do are not as timely as you think, and can be pushed further down your to-do list. Or I'll show you a faster, easier way to accomplish your goals. Or I'll even lead you to seek help outside your Home—professional help, or the help of other nearby Homes, or some kind of teamworking with others to lighten your load. Or I'll show you that there may be others in your Home who feel they can't take any more of a load, but with proper encouragement, vision, and the tools to do the job, they can branch out a little more and exercise more faith to shoulder more of the load.

149. So it's true that one of the most im­portant keys to avoiding burnout is communi­cating and being honest about your limitations. But you need to be careful that the delegating of some of your load doesn't land on the shoulders of someone else who is also already overloaded. To be sure that doesn't happen, seek Me. Hear from Me. Let Me establish your priorities and show you what needs to be done, when, and by whom. (End of message from Jesus.)

150. (Mama:) As you have read in this GN, the Enemy is out to get us all, and no one is immune to the dangers of burnout. This is why it's imperative that we all stay very close to the Lord and under His protection. As long as you keep looking to Jesus and following His explicit direction, putting the counsel in His Word into practice in your daily lives, He will not fail to keep you on track.

Burnout Safeguards!

151. Recently one of our WS members began to recognize the symptoms of burnout in her life. After reading the messages in the first half of this GN, this dear one went to the Lord for His direction on what to do about it; she asked Him how she could put this counsel into effect in practical terms in her specific situation. Following are excerpts of her prayer and the Lord's reply. As you will see, it contains some very good practical counsel that can benefit all of us.

152. (Prayer:) Thank You‚ Jesus, my won­derful‚ precious Lover. You are everything to me. You're so good to me‚ so precious, so caring. You never fail me‚ even when I sometimes fail You so terribly.

153. Thank You, Lord, for this wonderful Word‚ this "Keys to Victory" Letter about stress and burnout. It has so many keys‚ so many answers, and very clear-cut guidelines and warnings. As You know, Jesus, over these last weeks I have been overwhelmed with very strong feelings of burn­out‚ more than what I've experienced in the past. I know that the basic principles and answers are in the prophecies that I just read, and I'm so thankful for them. Thank You that I can also come to You now and hear from You the specific instruction that You have for me personally. Please help me, Jesus, to have a clear channel.

154. Please forgive me, Lord, for not taking the time with You that I should have. I know that is my main problem, as is brought out so many times in this GN. We know that's the key—to keep You in first place and to have daily intimate time with You. I feel horrible for being so negligent and so disobedient‚ because You've made it unbelievably clear in the Word, and it's been such an important emphasis for years and years, especially since "The Spiritual Health Revolution." So much has been published that I'm completely without excuse. I know the need, I know what You expect of me, and I feel really convicted for having failed so badly in this.

155. I know that my main problem is just not taking time with You to read the Word for personal leading, not taking time with You to hear Your voice in prophecy, not taking enough time to simply rest in Your arms or enjoy the beautiful music You've provided, not taking time in lovemaking with You, loving You as Your bride and receiving Your seeds. I know this is the main problem, Jesus. Please forgive me. Thank You for showing it to me so clearly. Thank You for these very strong warnings in this GN.

156. Jesus, I feel very unworthy for You to give me even more counsel when I have hardly listened to the important counsel that You've given in the past, but I know You are quick to forgive and Your mercies are renewed every day. So please give me the counsel that You know I need for my situation and for my particular problems and weak­nesses. Please give me the tips and the guidelines and the things that will help me to not only pull out of this horrible burned-out state, but also to avoid falling into it in the future.

157. Now I see how very, very dangerous burnout is; the negative feelings that come with it are so incredibly strong and overwhelming. I'm in the fear of You, Jesus, and realize how much I need to change if I'm going to continue to do this work, and continue to make the needed changes and rev­olutions that You have for us in the future.

158. I completely admit my weakness and my total dependence on You. I want to repent and change and to develop better habits. I want to recognize my limitations. I want to see the ways that I've been failing, Jesus. I know generally, but I'd like to know more specifically. I really need You, sweet Jesus. Please, please, help me. You are my won­derful Husband, my best Friend, the One Who knows me better than anyone, Who loves me more than anyone, and You are my Answer Man. So please do give me the answers I need. Give me a clear channel. Please take away any of my own thoughts or unyieldedness or anything that would stand in the way.

159. Jesus, I yield to You. I want to change. I want to forsake anything that's not right. I don't want to lose this precious privilege of my ministry and work for You, the blessing of being in this Family and living for You. I don't want my channel to be hindered. I don't want to be a bad example to others. So please help me, Jesus. I really need You. Thank You, Lord! Thank You, sweet Jesus!

160. (Jesus speaking:) Come, My darling, let Me kiss away those tears. I'm so sorry for the battles, I'm so sorry for the pressure, and I'm es­pecially sorry for the sadness and the hopelessness you have felt. You mustn't condemn yourself, but instead look upon this as a learning experience, one which will benefit not only you, but others as well.

161. There are others within My Kingdom who feel overloaded, stressed out, pressured, and even burned out. As I have clearly explained in the Words you just read‚ burnout is extremely dangerous and must be taken very seriously. For when a person reaches burnout, if they don't go on the attack quickly, then they become weaker and weaker and weaker. It's like a fatal illness, and the negative progression happens very quickly. Because when someone is burned out, they don't have the spiritual reserves needed to help them continue to fight, trust, hope in Me‚ or even just to hold on.

162. A lot of people faint in their minds and they faint altogether when they're burned out. They fail to hold on, and it has cost many even their service for Me. This is especially true amongst the ranks of the children of David‚ because the Enemy fights My Gideon's band even more ferociously. The demands on the children of David are more than the demands on My other children, because the children of David are accountable for the Word they know, their vision is greater, their expectations are higher, their ministries are more complicated, and they are more effective. So the Enemy does all he can to try to defeat them.

163. So you must recognize burnout as an attack of the Enemy. You've done well to recognize the seriousness of it, for there's a big difference between being tired or feeling temporarily pressured or overloaded with the workload, and being burned out. Burnout goes past physical and nervous ex­haustion; it is an attack on your very spirit, your very life, your future for Me.

164. Many of the children of David have very strong, firm‚ deep foundations of faith which have been built over years and years of faithful study of the Word. But still‚ even these resources of strength can be depleted with time if you foolishly think that you can continue on in your own strength when you feel yourself weakening. The greatest danger is not the weakening of the flesh through tiredness or physical afflictions, but it is the weakening of the spirit through discouragement, losing the vision‚ a feeling of hope­less­ness.

165. But, My darling, you are now well aware of the dangers and the powerful negative feelings of burnout. Thank you for recognizing the problem and taking the time to seek Me. Don't be condemned for these feelings, these outbursts, this much weep­ing, this heaviness of spirit; for if you recognize these symptoms‚ they can be your friends, they can be your salvation, they can be that which alerts you to the danger and causes you to take action to remedy the problem.

166. You've run a long race, you've fought a big battle, and you've done well. It's only human that you are now battle-weary, that you've suffered some injuries and are in need of healing. This is nothing to be ashamed of, but instead it's something that should be shared with others. You should confess your faults, your failings, your lessons, so that others may be strengthened and warned. You should also share these many battles and lessons with your shepherds, so that they too can help you to assess your schedule, your needs, and make any adjustments that are needed—not only for your life‚ but for the lives of others as well.

167. This is a time of war! It is a time of sacrifice, for it is a time of much preparation for the days which are to come, and I am asking you to work My works while it is day, knowing that the night comes when no man can work as you can today. But also, as you often say, "you're in this for the long haul," and if you expect to be able to continue to carry the load you carry and even a greater one, you must pace yourself, you must recognize your limitations, and you must see the error of your ways and how you have allowed yourself to become weakened in spirit.

168. And now, My precious one, I will give you safeguards:

1) You must have private Word time with Me every day. In order to do this, you must find out what time of day works best for you, and stick to it. Regularity and consistency in your schedule is extremely important at this time, because when you don't have a good habit of getting your personal Word time every day, then you can't depend on your burden or inspiration or natural inclination to get it. You have to have something that disciplines you, a specific requirement that, if missed, reminds you that you are not fulfilling your end of the bargain, you're not keeping up your commitments to Me. So prayerfully assess your schedule, even if you have to do a little experimentation, and find out the time of day that works best for you for your private time of love with Me—then keep that appointment no matter what!

2) I ask you to please promise to take some time each day to hear from Me in personal prophecy. I know you hear from Me often regarding your work and the ministry you have, but it's not the same thing. When you're working and you ask Me questions and hear from Me in prophecy, it's as if we are in a teamwork meeting and we're counseling about the work at hand. But when you sit down to hear My voice personally, then it's like we're talking heart to heart in the bed of love, and instead of just being a source of answers and direction, your hearing from Me under those conditions is a source of encouragement and inspiration, which renews your spirit, increases your vision, and gives you the strength you need to carry on in spite of the pressure, workload or deadlines.

3) Humble yourself and ask for prayer from the body. Confess your faults and receive the prayer you need that you may be healed. This will serve not only as a good lesson for others, but also as a reminder for others who need it.

4) Keep a regular schedule. That includes not only your Word time and personal prayer time, but also your get-out, your fellowship with others, and a definite cut-off time at night. I know you like the late night hours when there are less interruptions for working‚ but at this point in time especially, it would serve you better to have a cut-off point that is earlier than what you are accustomed to so that you would have some time to wind down, relax, have Word and prayer time‚ listen to the music which I have inspired for the Family‚ have dates or fellowship with others before going to sleep.

5) Make a list of and collect the various GNs and publications that you'd like to read in order to have them handy. When you're out of the habit of reading the Word, if you don't have it handy and easily accessible, without having to try to go round it up, it's easy to put off having Word time or to become distracted. When you don't have a good habit of getting in the Word, any little thing can cause you to miss it. So you need to make the circumstances such that they readily lend themselves to your having your Word time.

6) You need to reassess your work schedule. Any time you work on big projects with short deadlines‚ when the project is completed it is a good time to stop and reassess your schedule and seek Me for ways to adjust it back to a more relaxed pace which allows for more variety, more change‚ more fellowship, more rest and relaxation. Otherwise, the tendency is that your "big push" schedule will eventually become a way of life and your daily standard, and this is a sure formula for burnout. Therefore, come before Me and seek Me after every big project to see if there are changes that need to be made in your daily schedule.

7) Get in the habit when you are not working of playing more Family music or Word tapes in your bedroom. The beautiful, edifying, Spirit-filled music that I have given the children of David has great power in recreating your spirit and boosting your inspiration level.

8) Get regular exercise and get–out. This not only boosts your inspiration level and relieves stress, but it also helps you to feel good about yourself, helps you to feel like you're on top of it, that you're on the attack.

9) Slot some time to take care of some of your ministry-related projects that you've gotten so behind in—purge down, clean out‚ sort through your papers and materials, update, etc. When you get behind in these sorts of things, it can become almost a constant reminder that there are things that you're not getting to, which enhances your feeling of inadequacy or disorganization, making you feel like you're barely keeping your head above water.

10) Update your to-do lists, both work and personal; prioritize them and then commit them to Me. You can come to Me to ask Me what are the most important things‚ or even if there are things on your to-do list that you can delegate to others, or just drop altogether.

11) Take time to walk and talk and fellowship with your loved ones in the Home, and this will give you the intimate communication and bond with others that is so important to you and to your personal happi­ness. As you take the time and the initiative to reach out and to enlarge the borders of your tent to build more intimacy with your brethren, this will be a great blessing for not only you, but for them as well.

169. My precious one, be not fearful for the future, for as you follow Me in yieldedness and obedience I will protect you from further attacks of the Enemy. I will build up your strength, renew your inspiration, recreate your vision, and restore unto you once again the joy of your salvation and the joy of your ministry. I will not suffer you to be moved as long as you hold on and trust Me.

170. Do not listen to the lying vanities of the Evil One who tries to convince you that you can't make it. If you believe these lies of the Enemy, you forsake your own mercy as you give place to the Enemy. Know that I am your Husband, your Provider, your Shepherd. Have I not promised to give you all that you need? You do not know the future. You don't see all that I have in store for you, but believe Me, if you hold on, if you wait on Me with trusting faith, you will see the solutions to the problems, deliverance from burnout, and I will continue to give you the desires of your heart. (End of message from Jesus.)

Third-degree Burns Can Kill You!

171. (Mama: ) This woman had had other times previously in which she felt quite burned out‚ but she said this experience was different. I asked the Lord why this time it was different. His answer was a graphic word picture and serious warning. I believe this explanation will help you understand more fully what's going on if this happens to you or others, and I pray this will help you realize how very serious a bad case of burnout can be. It can cost you your strength‚ your joy, your inspiration, and can affect you very drastically, so please take heed!

172. (Jesus speaking:) Just like with any kind of burn, there are varying degrees of burn­out—first–degree, second-degree‚ and third-degree burns. This one has had a third-degree burn. The severity of the burn depends on how deep it is and how much of you it covers. Her burns are pretty extensive and have gone pretty deep, and that's why it is more severe this time. Sometimes you can get a burn and you can recover pretty quickly because you have not been exposed to too much heat for too long a period. This one's burns are more extensive just because she's been over the heat for so long, sort of like slow roasting for a while.

173. You've heard of the term, "My brain is fried." When you burn out, this is more or less what happens spiritually—your brain gets fried. It's like the verse about people fainting in their minds. If your mind faints‚ then the rest will soon follow. When you hit severe burnout in a certain area—for example‚ your work—you get fed up with it and even the thought of it is enough to fritz you, because your brain is fried. It can't take any more. It has fainted, it's shot, and it needs a rest, it needs to recuperate.

174. That's why Word time is so important, because it's input for your mind, and your mind affects your attitude and your outlook, your spiritual strength and stamina. If you've been feeding from the Word, it enlightens your mind and you're inspired and you're positive and you can then handle the load, the job, the work, the details, the problems, or whatever comes your way.

175. Your mind is almost like the control center. If you haven't read anything or taken quiet time and received the inspiration, the nourishment, the vision, then it can't handle things as well when they come up; and if this happens over a long period of time‚ then it begins to faint little by little. It starts to collapse and fold up and begins to check out, to not have as much grace for things. Your outlook be­comes progressively overcast and negative.

176. The reason her burnout is different this time is because it's more severe. The other times were like first-degree burns, then second-degree, but this is a third-degree burn. Third-degree burns can be fatal; they can kill you. You're severely burned to where you're almost incapacitated and can become useless and damaged to the point of having to be hospitalized and requiring treatment to heal and recuperate. The difference between third-degree and the other degrees is it is so severe that it can wipe you out if you don't take immediate action to take care of the burns and get out of the heat and away from the fire and put some ice on it.

177. The reason she was attacked and not others is because she has been closer to the fire. She's not only been working hard for a long period of time, under stress, strain, and deadlines, without the proper rest and time away and breaks, but also her other battles have been scorchers. These accumu­lated and multiple fires have all added to her burnout.

178. The queen and king, though they have fought some of the same battles and are also under pressure, have received more input, more inspiration that has insulated them. They've spent time hearing from Me in prophecy and have received more nourishment that has helped to protect and sustain them. They've kept a strong personal link with Me that has shielded them. They desperately come before Me for answers and guidance; they keep their relationship with Me intact, restored, fresh and in first place. Though they may be tested and though they may feel the heat, as they come to Me, the answers they receive put a shield of protection around them.

179. The weaker you get, the easier you're burned; and if you keep going, keep pushing, keep working, although it is a slow process, you will finally reach burnout. It's a little bit like the story of the frog in the pot of water. [GT 2, page 1693, #655]. If you were to put a frog in a pot of water and turn on the heat, he would squirm a little at first, until he became accustomed to it and didn't feel the heat anymore. Then if you were to turn up the heat a little more, little by little, very slowly and gradually, the frog would feel it, but only a little bit, because it would be so gradual. Finally, after some time, the water would be boiling and the frog still wouldn't feel it or realize it because he had gradually gotten used to the heat being turned up. But then all of a sudden you'd find yourself with a dead frog because he'd gotten cooked! That's what can happen to My children who are so busy: if they're not careful, they get fried or burn out!

180. You have to take Word time and quiet time to receive inspiration on a daily basis, to inspire you daily so your mind doesn't faint. You have to take it whether you feel like it or not. Even if you already feel inspired, you still need to take it to keep you protected and shielded from the fiery darts. You can't neglect your time with Me, hearing from Me, resting in My arms and being fed, because it's your protection‚ your strength, your joy‚ your nourishment, your daily bread‚ your salvation, and it's a matter of life and death. (End of message from Jesus.)

181. (Mama: ) I pray that this message con­vinces you that burnout is not something to take lightly. Please, if you feel the negative effects of over­work, pressure, tight deadlines, or other "scorchers" in your life, take some time right away to pray about it and ask the Lord what changes He wants you to make to protect yourself from burnout!

182. The same dear one that the Lord was talking about in the above prophecy kept coming back to Him for further information‚ explanation, and personal guidance. Here are other excerpts of His personal messages to her which are interesting and helpful for all of us. (The following messages were received within a week to ten days of the above messages.)

The Lord Is Able to Heal You Completely!

183. (Jesus speaking: ) Oh‚ My precious little one, you don't need to worry that you're going to be like this forever, or that you'll never regain your strength or inspiration or the joy you once had in My service and your work. I promise you that I will restore you to full health, but you have to realize that it is a matter of time. Just as healing in the physical takes time, so does healing in the spirit.

184. You're on the road to recovery, and even though you may not see a real lessening of the symptoms of this burnout, you're being strengthened in your inner man. You're strengthening your foun­dation of faith. You're replenishing the resources deep within your heart and mind. And although the Enemy is still able to attack through your emotions with feelings of discouragement or hopelessness, that doesn't mean that My remedies are not working or that you're doing something wrong. Because of course the Enemy is going to continue his relentless attack. He has seen you weakened, he has seen you fallen, he has seen you weeping, wondering if you have the strength to continue on, and while I have wept with you in your hour of need, he has rejoiced in your hour of weakness.

185. You must understand that the Enemy will not give up easily. So you must not gauge your victory or your recovery by your feelings, but you must stand fast in My promises. I have promised you that I would not suffer you to be moved.

186. The problem is not in the type of work you have done, but it has been in what you have not done. The problem did not come about as a result of the strenuous work or the intensity of the subject matter, but it came about largely as a result of the long hours and the neglect of your time with Me, and your not having a schedule that allowed sufficient variety or fellowship or relaxation. So if you arrange your schedule to include the things that you need as I have instructed you, then during your work hours you can work on whatever you feel is the most timely or pressing or important.

187. For yet a few more weeks you will need to go at a much slower pace. Though you don't feel tired physically and you feel that you have rested, for the next couple of weeks you will continue to need even more Word time than normal, and you will need a little more wiggle room in your schedule in order to recapture the joy of My Spirit through variety, unexpected change, conversation with others, extra lovemaking with Me and others, and things generally going at a little more leisurely pace.

188. With time you'll be able to pick up the pace and carry on a more normal work schedule. But the only way to get away from the heavy work schedule that you've carried for so long is to have a major break from it for a significant amount of time. Then when you go back to a normal work schedule‚ instead of feeling like you're doing so little (in comparison to what you're used to), you will feel like you're doing more.

189. You worry that you'll be handicapped from now on, that you'll never be able to carry the same load, that you'll easily get pressured or be weak in this area. But I say, don't worry, because when I heal, I am able to heal completely. It's not that you won't be able to take the weight or ever be under pressure, but you will just be wiser in the future and you won't allow yourself to be under that work schedule for such long periods of time.

190. We're in a war, and there will be times when there will be a lot to do and the workload will be heavier. It's not that you or My other faithful laborers cannot or will not be able to bear it, but the secret is in not letting it go on for too long. You must have rest to do your best, and you must have consistency in your schedule. You must be wise to make time for Me and time for others.

191. Don't worry, My love, this sickness is not unto death. Don't worry about the future; just take it one day at a time. Follow My simple instruc­tions and you will be restored to full health in mind, body and spirit. (End of message from Jesus.)

The Enemy Has Upped the Ante!

192. (Jesus speaking:) My darling one, yours is not a matter of unyieldedness, but a matter of disobedience; but not a willful disobedience, not a resistance or rejection of the truth of My Word and direction. Yours has been a sin of the mind and not of the heart. Yours has been a sin of overzealousness‚ lack of correct priorities, lack of having a proper balance.

193. The Enemy has upped the ante; his attacks are more vicious. Maybe you were able to get by with some things in the past without feeling such negative results, but that is no longer the case. The Enemy will take advantage of any disobedience, any lack of balance, any unprayerfulness, any delay in heeding My counsel or direction‚ to strike a blow that will be much more deadly and inflict much more harm than in previous times. I have allowed him this power, for it is part of the preparation of My children.

194. I know that the warfare intensifies‚ the battles are greater, the stakes are higher. So I let My children see the results of their disobediences and wrong choices and mistakes more clearly, because this serves to reinforce the good training that I am giving them, and helps them to see that I mean business‚ that My Word is true, that these aren't vain, empty warnings. When I say the Enemy goes about as a roaring lion, that the battles are hotter‚ the blows more devastating‚ the need for prayerfulness and yieldedness greater‚ these are not just pretty, poetic, inspiring, challenging words, but this is a true description of what's going on in spirit!

195. So you must walk soberly and in the fear of Me, knowing that something you may have gotten away with in the past could today bring dire results. When I say that I want to be in first place, that you must have your quiet time and time with Me to sit at My feet and to receive My instruction, when I say that the spiritual health revolution is your lifesaver—this is exactly what I mean.

196. My children have heard these admon­itions for years. Way back when your Father David gave the "Stop, Look, and Listen" talk, he was trying to impress upon you the need for quietness, prayer and meditation, but it's so easy to become familiar with this principle.

197. Sometimes for you personally, because you are often having prayer and prophecy time related to your work, you may feel that you are having sufficient time in prayer, quietness‚ and meditation. And it's true, you do spend a lot of time in prayer, and you are a prayerful person. You've developed good habits of prayer and seeking Me and knowing that you don't know the answers. You're quick to ask Me your questions, for you know that it makes it easier, better, faster, and more efficient; that it's safer to hear from Me in prophecy than to try to figure it out yourself, or even to try to counsel with others who you feel may have the answers.

198. But this kind of prayerfulness and quietness and meditation in My Spirit is not the same as personal time with Me in the bed of love. It is this misunderstanding, this lack of clarity in your priorities that has been your biggest mistake and which has opened a chink in your armor for the Enemy to attack you. You don't weaken overnight through this neglect, but you weaken gradually till you hardly notice it, day by day, so that your survival stock of resources is eventually depleted to such a point that when the Enemy comes in like a flood, you don't have the strength to raise a standard against him because you're barely treading water.

199. One of the most important lessons for you to learn through this experience is an understanding of the intensity of the Enemy's attacks. This should help you in the future to walk more in the fear of Me, which will be manifested through more prayerfulness, desperation, and a determination to keep Me first, not only in your heart, but in your time, priorities, and schedule.

200. It will take time to rebuild and restock your survival resources, but as you continue faithfully sitting at My feet‚ hearing My Word‚ and seeking Me on a daily basis for personal instruction and encouragement, I promise you that I will restore those resources to the full and even double your supply! For there will be times in the future when you will be called upon once again to labor under unusual circumstances of stress and strain and the pressure of deadlines.

201. I have lots in store for you, My beloved‚ so do not fear that you are permanently handi­capped—either mentally, emotionally, spiritually or physically—for I will make all things right and the end will be greater than the beginning. You will be stronger than ever, for you will have gained precious lessons. (End of message from Jesus.)

Close to the Edge of the Burnout Cliff!

202. (Mama:) When praying for another person who found great pleasure in his work‚ but who had been carrying a very heavy workload for a long time‚ the Lord gave some warnings that this person was close to the edge of the burnout cliff. He gave further insight into this problem and how to avoid it. I'll include excerpts of that message here:

203. (Jesus speaking:) There are many symp­toms and resultant problems that come along with overwork, pressure, stress, and ulti­mately, burnout. For each person there are some requirements and solutions that remain the same, and for each individual there are also specific things that are tailored to that person that they must do in order to remedy the situation‚ or to prevent the burnout from occurring.

204. This one has too great a workload for him alone to shoulder. He feels too much pressure, he's been put under stress‚ and he nears the burnout stage. In his heart he wishes to accomplish so many things for the good of the Kingdom. But the true good of the Kingdom will only be accomplished through Me and through My working in him. In order for him to have this power, he must have time set apart with Me.

205. It's hard for him to put this time aside and to take it, because of the press of the work, and because much is expected of him. He has found it nearly impossible to put aside his work to stop and be refreshed. And even when he has done so by himself, or because he has been forced to by circumstance or someone else, he is not able to get out of it what he should because of the press on his mind and spirit.

206. One who is work-oriented and accomplishment-oriented must know that it's more important that he gets Word time and time with Me‚ even if the work is set back a little bit or delayed. In the long run, a better job will come of it, and he'll be able to continue working and not experience the tremendous setback and crisis of a burnout.

207. This one will not see in full or want to accept that he is close to the edge of the burnout cliff. He knows that he needs to slow down. He feels the need to enjoy life more, and he knows that those close to him need that from him, but he personally enjoys the fast pace of work. He buries himself in his work and derives satisfaction from seeing projects completed, and of course, he loves to help and better the Family.

208. But for his own sake, it's important that he does not continue on at the pace that he's been going at, regardless of whether or not the work has to slow down or whether some projects and plans have to be cut back. For he will last but a little while longer, and then he will not have the strength and stamina in him any longer.

209. It's a funny thing about burnout. Once someone burns out, it's not that they no longer have the desire to do the work which I have called them to, but they simply feel unable to continue on with what they're doing, or where they're at. They must make a change or they feel they'll explode inside. It causes great emotional and mental distress. It's a built-in safeguard that I have given My children, so that they can't wander past a certain point. There comes a breaking point, and the burnout stage is My breaking point. Then they are unable to continue as they were, because I have put an adverse and negative reaction in them, so that they cannot simply continue on even if they want to.

210. They must stop and examine their heart and life and have some sort of change. Whether they change ministry or location or lifestyle, the change I most hope for is the change of the heart and spirit—that they will once again come to Me and lay aside the things and trappings that kept them from enjoying the simplicity of My Spirit.

211. This one has strayed away from enjoying not only the simplicity of My Spirit, but the simplicity of life. The complexity of his work has bled over into his relationship with Me and with others. This causes his heart to be heavy, though he does not understand why. He must somehow take more time to be simple and enjoy Me, My creation, and his loved ones, friends, and companions. I would have My joy be his strength, not his carnal mind or his willpower or drive.

212. Yes, he must have a change of lifestyle. I don't mean that he cannot still do his work, but it must be spread out more upon others. He must have a more reliable helper or staff upon which he can depend. He doesn't have as much time as he used to have, he's not as young as he used to be, and I'm requiring more of him than I used to require. He must learn to trust others, the good helpers that I will provide, and he must be willing to let the work go into My hands, and not always try to channel it along at the speed that he thinks it should go. Sometimes I have a different plan, but because he's so deter­mined, he runs himself ragged‚ because he doesn't pray and reevaluate and seek Me.

213. It will not be easy for him to slow things down‚ even though he desires to go at a slower pace and not to have so much weigh on him. He should have a time scheduled where he works and then specific time scheduled for things other than work. He's not strong enough at this point to ensure this himself‚ and even if he does for a while, he will feel condemned and guilty about it. Because at one point he used to put in so many more hours, he now feels like he's losing ground rather than gaining ground.

214. His load simply must shift somewhat. In looking to Me and drawing his answers from Me‚ he will find that as he slows it down and enjoys life and enjoys the work I've given him, I will still be able to accomplish what I would have accomplished through him, and more will get done than ever as he follows My plan and methods of working.

215. If he will only stop‚ look, listen, and put his trust in Me, knowing I love him and want to give him not only fruitful and inspiring work‚ but also rest and joy and fun in life, then I will help him to accomplish his work with greater ease. I will also bless and more powerfully anoint those who he works with‚ that their work also will be speedier and more anointed.

216. So it is a chain reaction of events that will have to happen in order to bring about My perfect will for this one's life. He must know that it's okay that he gets less work time in, because it's more important that he's having his time with Me, the Word, and having good, healthy fellowship with others, than it is for him to be overworking himself and racing ever closer to the point of burnout.

217. You'll have to check on him and work with him, and help him not to give up in the fight to go slow and slow it down. For him it will be a true fight. It will be just as much of a fight as for someone who is battling any other weakness, because it goes against his natural grain. It will take effort for him to fight to go slow and let go of the workaholic nature and feelings of guilt and condemnation that attack him if he is not working every moment of the day.

218. He must trust and believe that he is more important to Me than the work—that I would rather have him than the bedroom slippers he's making for Me. I would rather have him than all his good works and much effort. As he learns to put all these things into effect in his life, he will find his joy and love and happiness being restored in full measure. Then will he be able to again work with the great inspiration and joy that he has gradually lost over the months and years.

219. You must uphold him in prayer. You must check him. You must remind him. You must help him, for he is unable to make this break himself. He's already going at a fast pace, and it's very hard to slow down and to change directions when he's been going around and around in this rut for such a long time. But I will help you, and I will help him if he is willing‚ which he is.

220. I love this one, and I wish to restore unto him the joy of his salvation and to uphold him with My free Spirit, but he must give Me time to give these things to him. That's what he cherishes most—time. He feels he doesn't have enough of it, and it's precious, and he doesn't want to waste it. But he must give it back to the Maker of time, for I call his time back to Me, and he must give to Me that which I ask of him, in order for him to be in My perfect will and in the state I would have him. (End of message from Jesus.)

221. (Mama:) Though these messages were given for individuals, the principles contained therein apply to us all. Isn't it wonderful to be able to get such personal direction? And it's all ours for the asking! Thanks to our dear Husband, we can rest assured that when we bring our questions to Him and hear His personal Words of instruction and encour­age­ment, we are getting the specific counsel that is the best fitted for our particular situations and needs. We don't have to worry about a thing, all we have to do is look to Him and let Him carry us through.

222. Jesus wants each of you to be happy, so He's given you the keys, the answers and solutions on how to stay close to Him and avoid burnout. I pray the priceless counsel in this GN will be a blessing to each of you as you put it into effect in your life. You're all precious to us, and to Jesus most of all! I love you.

With much love in our precious Husband, Mama