E-Encouragement #9
Identifying The Spokes in Your Wheel
“Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you.” – Matthew 6:33
It is difficult to grasp that we are well into the year 2012. The New Year provides a natural
evaluation of where our time and energy is being spent and where we may want to redirect it for
the upcoming year. This is perfect timing for where we are on the journey of Living Out of the
Center using the analogy of the Wagon Wheel. It is my hope that this E-Encouragement will
assist you in focusing your year in an intentional direction of God being the Center, and as a
result living a more fulfilled life through identifying God given priorities.
Thus far on the journey we have learned three lessons. It is time to look at identifying the spokes
on the Wagon Wheel of life. Jesus at the Center
Lesson #1 – I need to let go of the rocks
places Him in position to be intricately involved in
I am not intended to carry.
all aspects of our life. The Spokes represent our
God given priorities/assignments/callings,
Lesson #2 – As much as possible; I
whether for a season or for a lifetime. Each
need to run everything through my
individual will have a different number of spokes
Center. As I do, I will be able to better
depending on callings and seasons of life. The
determine the will of God.
spokes of a wheel on a single woman fresh out of
Lesson # 3 – The lack of self-care
college will look much different than the labels
directly impacts our ability to love
given to the spokes of a woman who is a working
others.
single mother of three teenagers. For the married
woman whose last child has gone off to college,
her spokes will look much different than the newly married woman who is facing her first
pregnancy.
Regardless of your season of life, God has a purpose for you. It is essential that you have a spirit
of prayer throughout this entire process; praying and seeking what God wants your spokes to be
rather than everything you think you can do or want to do. Along with that spirit of prayer, a
spirit of humility needs to be next in line. For without humility, you will be in danger of
replacing Jesus from the Center with yourself. In that spirit of humility, Lesson #4 follows – I
am not God and I am not God’s answer to everyone’s needs.
1
Can we remember back to the LOC, E-Encouragement #6, “Carrying My Own Rocks”? Here
we read about a sojourner on her journey for God, who was to pull a few rocks in a wagon to a
certain place for Him. Along the way, several of her friends asked for her help in carrying one of
their rocks. When the sojourner prayed, she felt the Spirit leading her not to pick up each rock.
One of her friends was dumbfounded and was certain the sojourner was her answer to prayer.
However, she quickly discovered that God had someone else in mind to help her out. A
combination of praying through things before committing to them in conjunction with properly
identifying the spokes on your wheel will lead to more confident “yes’s” and “no’s”. Stress and
anxiety will be replaced with peace of mind and gratefulness.
In the last LOC, E-Encouragement, we learned that the first spoke on your wheel has a “Me”
label on it. Now it is time to start the process of labeling the other spokes on your wheel.
Labeling the Spokes on our Wheel
Step 1: With a spirit of prayer and humility, begin to make a list of all the things that are God
given priorities or assignments or callings in your life at this time.

This is not a huge, exhaustive list of all the things you do in a day, a week or a month’s
time. This is a list of major areas of focus in your life, such as family, job, community or
ministry. Contrary to what you may think – NOT everything is a priority.
o The spokes on my wheel are labeled as follows: Me, Tony (my husband),
Sydney & Silas (my children), Family Builders, Writing, Women’s Ministry,
Small Group Leader and Household Management/Unusual Tasks for a total of
eight spokes.
o The number of spokes does not matter. The fact that you feel confident God has
led you to these areas of focus for your life at this time is what is imperative.
o Label this list as “Spokes”.
Step 2: Continue with a spirit of prayer and make a separate exhaustive list of all the things that
take your time and energy.
 This list could include things like work, small group, taxi service, church, grocery
shopping, specific ministry(ies), school, recovery work, volunteering, hobbies, exercise,
couponing, special projects or commitments that are not long term. This needs to
include all commitments whether daily, weekly, monthly, etc. Take a look at your
calendar to see if there is anything you have left out. Keep the list available to add
things over the next couple of weeks as you remember them.
Step 3: Evaluate the list.
 After the list is completed, stop and look it over. Evaluate each item with questions that
help you determine what spoke the activity would fall under. For example, grocery
shopping, cooking, cleaning, and couponing all fall under my “Household Management”
spoke. Gardening, exercising & longer times with God fall under the “Me” spoke.
Basketball practice, lunch with my kids at school and piano lessons fall under my
“Sydney & Silas” spoke.
2

Circle anything that is left that does not fit under a priority.
Step 4: Delegate or eliminate.
 For each of those items circled that do not fit under one of the spokes on your
wheel…Run it through your Center and ask God about it. I am 99% sure, without even
looking at it, that it is a rock in your wagon that needs to come out. The items circled
represent things you are doing outside of your God given priorities/calling on your life.
These are the first rocks in your wagon that need to be let go.
 Begin praying through and asking God for wisdom on how to delegate or appropriately
eliminate these items. If this item is something God wants accomplished, He has
someone else in mind and is waiting for you to step out of the way. Otherwise the item
would be a God given priority to you. Trust God to provide and show you the way.
When I began doing this last year, I realized there were a few items on my list that were
worthwhile kingdom building things, but they did not fit under any of my spokes. Every peoplepleasing bone in my body had a hard time letting those go. I did not want to disappoint or let
anyone down. However, the results of walking in obedience were amazing. I felt freedom and
peace, and began to have more ability and joy to focus on the things that were priorities. This is
extremely fulfilling.
As we all begin to move into identifying our spokes and carrying the rocks we were meant to
carry…Shhhhhhh. Listen. Can you hear the rocks dropping?
Let the Wagon Wheel Roll:



For a more detailed understanding of how to balance your life using the concept of the
Wagon Wheel – Attend the March 3rd, Creating Balance in Your Life, Workshop. See
www.southshorechurch.com click on ministries, then women.
Find a friend to share this with and work through the steps together, encouraging one
another along the way.
If you are just joining us on the journey or are behind, check out our website at
www.southshorechurch.com, click on ministries, then women for numbers 1-8, LOC EEncouragements.
Written by
Janae Shatley Camp
Edited by
Kay Adams and Julie Smith Searer
3