Ok, first of all, volumes have been written on the subject of "Transition" and "Change" so, this is not that. I have found these 3 simple tips to very useful while I manage me in the midst of "change, transition, and chaos."

1. Give permission for chaos. We all know that life is not neat and tidy. Things happen. Our day doesn't always line up with our agenda, tasks and list of goals. When we make room for the chaos we can conserve and redirect our emotions and energies into more useful matters. Chaos does not immediately imply something bad is happening, it simply means SOMETHING is happening. I've watched the birth of my three kids. Chaos, tension, pain, joy, uncertainty were all in the room. When I quit fighting the emotional reactions to chaos and simply said, this chaos is normal, I was able to focus on the beauty of a life being born. What's being "birthed" in this season of your life?

2. Stay faithful to the rhythms chaos can't touch. I don't lead a large organization, but I lead one large enough that stress and chaos are normal parts of my life. If I'm not aware and careful, the chaos and uncertainty steal my time, my focus and my energy leading to an abandonment of the rhythms and practices that help me live at peace. Jesus described his followers as "peacemakers." He has empowered us to agree with his Kingdom and it's peace. After all the Apostle Paul describes the Kingdom of God as "righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit." The Apostle also said we can have a peace that passes understanding. Jesus spoke multiple times about peace and actually went as far as to give us peace. The last biblical reference I'll make is that the bible describes Jesus as the "Prince of Peace." I think peace is a big deal to God and while it's something he gives us in the Holy Spirit and an attribute of His Kingdom, we can partner with Him to live in peace. Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of a person(s)...namely Christ in you and Holy Spirit. When we maintain faithfulness to the rhythms that connect our heart and mind with God we thrive in the midst of chaos and we influence our environment, more than our environment influences us.

3. Dialogue. Talking, sharing, processing, listening, laughing, lamenting, weeping.....all are great ways to gain clarity, release the emotional pressure and make life-giving statements about yourself, your situations, etc. I heard a person say once, "What you don't talk out, you act out." The obvious reality is that the "pressure" we feel in the midst of "transition, change and chaos" is real and it will show up. I encourage us to be intentional about our conversations, our self-talk and make sure we are speaking words over ourselves. There's no room for negativity in the Kingdom and what we think is a negative may simply be a positive not yet seen.

I hope these 3 tips help you peacefully and victoriously navigate the chaos that comes with life.