Like so many of you, we find ourselves juggling family, ministry, and life at a pace that’s…well, unsustainable.

Here’s the reality: busyness doesn’t always come from bad things. In fact, most of the time, it’s good things like family time, ministry opportunities, meaningful work and stuff we actually enjoy! But too much of even good things eventually leads to burnout.

We’ve lived this cycle. Maybe you have too:

  • Busy → You say yes to everything.
  • Burnout → You’re exhausted, stressed, and emotionally drained.
  • Balance → You finally realize something has to change.

Jim Collins once said, “Good is the enemy of great.” Saying yes to good things all the time means we don’t have space for the great things God has for us.

Why Margin Matters

We’ve noticed something in our own lives:

  • When our schedule is overloaded, our time with Jesus gets squeezed.
  • When we’re burned out, our marriage connection suffers.
  • When we don’t rest, our family feels it, too. We’re less patient, less kind, more stressed.

The truth is, we all need margin. Margin is what gives us space to breathe, refuel, and focus on what matters most. Without it, even the best things in life will drain us dry.

Resetting Priorities

So how do we break the cycle?

  1. Jesus First.
    Our walk with Jesus is where true rest and renewal come from. It’s not about checking a box, it’s about intimacy with Him. When we give Him our first and best time, everything else flows from that.
  2. Then, Our Spouse Above Everything Else.
    We can’t nurture a healthy marriage if our schedules leave us no time together. Last week, we carved out a date night after a busy stretch, and it was a reminder: we need these resets to refuel our marriage.
  3. Self-Care Isn’t Selfish.
    Sleep. Nutrition. Exercise. These aren’t luxuries, they’re essential. When we neglect our own health, we can’t serve our families, our church, or each other well.
  4. Be Consistent.
    None of this works as a one-and-done fix. The power is in daily consistency,  little choices that add up over time.

A Personal Reminder

At Passion City Church recently, we heard Pastor David Platt say something that stopped us in our tracks:

“It’s scary how we can be successful in ministry in the eyes of others and in our eyes, while neglecting intimacy with Jesus in our own lives.”

That hit home. We don’t want to live in that scary place, and we don’t want you to either.

Finding Balance

So here’s the challenge (for us and for you):

  • Create margin.
  • Reset your priorities.
  • Seek Jesus first.
  • Invest in your marriage.
  • Care for yourself so you can care for others.

Because here’s the truth: Healthy marriages really do build healthy churches.

Let’s stop living in the busy → burnout cycle, and start walking in balance with Jesus at the center.

Do more than just dream big, LIVE IT!
Anthony & Shannen Braswell



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