Once holding positions at the White House, the Staubach Company, and Bank of America, Kay Wills Wyma is now a blogger, mother of five, author, and vodcaster. In her new book Not the Boss of Us: Putting Overwhelmed In Its Place in a Do-All, Be-All World, Kay encourages readers to find perspective and freedom.
With candor and humor, Kay’s latest book, I’m Happy for You (Sort of … not really) explores the troubling effects of living in a comparison-laced culture. Through it and her first book Cleaning House, she has appeared on NPRs Think, The Eric Metaxas Show, TODAY Show, CNN, Glenn Beck, The New York Times, Focus on the Family (Best of 2013), Family LIfe, Dr. James Dobson’s Family Talk (Best of 2013), and more.
Kay writes, “We need to let our actions act like a cool drink of water so that we’re fully hydrated—constantly being overwhelmed by Truth rather than caving to overwhelming issues of the world.” Here are some of her soul-hydration tips:
PRACTICE KINDNESS
- In every situation, especially those laced with unnecessary rudeness, remember that there are people on the other side – people who are likely dealing with tough situations.
- So, regardless of what someone dishes out, return to them a gentle response.
GET PERSPECTIVE
- In the midst of life’s mad-dash, recognize that there is sacred in the ordinary.
- Relish regular so we don’t forget to live today’s day. We might miss something wonderful in the rush for tomorrow.
FORGET FOMO
- FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) invites anxious thoughts to worry us into a race to keep up.
- Just say no, kick comparison to the curb. And remember the person walking alongside could use a boost of Loved-In since they might be tempted to feel Left Out.
PRACTICE THANKFULNESS
- Practice thankfulness TODAY. Then, when we’re tempted by life’s stuff, we’ll be well hydrated/trained to focus (with gratitude) on all we already have rather than on what we could, would or should have.
- LOOK UP. You never know what you might see. Looking up can turn the focus away from the life’s hectic and toward perspective, maybe slow things down a bit and bring some sanity – even in traffic.
In Not the Boss of Us, Kay digs to the heart of the matter, replacing heavy expectations with liberating Truth.
Kay Wyma’s new book is available on Amazon. Photo Courtesy Kay Wyma
Sonoma Christian Home had the pleasure of a refreshing interview with Kay Wyma. SCH Editor at Large Dr. Diane Howard reports.
SCH: What role does faith in Truth play in what you address in your new book?
KW: Overwhelming pressures exist in our world but can be overcome by Truth. We can call out pressures in our world for what they are and overcome them by faith in the light of Truth in God’s Word.
SCH: Have the scriptures given you wisdom?
KW: Yes, the names of God provide wisdom. For example, Jehovah-jireh means God will provide. God, who provided daily manna, is the same today. He doesn’t change. He provides one day at a time. We can respect yesterday and tomorrow, but we don’t need to worry about them.
SCH: How can Truth set us free from unhealthy pressures?
KW: God’s Truth is undeniable, faithful Truth that provides solid ground. We can bank on it.
SCH: How can we find this Truth?
KW: We find it from the scriptures from the beginning. We learn in the beginning that we are made in His image. Like the moon reflects the light of the sun, we reflect the image of God. Like a coin made from stamped metal, Jesus bears His image and we are stamped with His image.
SCH: How have you learned to rest in our Lord?
KW: I have learned to rest in the Lord daily, hourly. As I read the scriptures and come to know Him, I learn that He is faithful.
SCH: As a mother of kids about to navigate school pressures, how do you manage these challenges?
KW: I share what I have learned so that we share the same healthy perspective.
SCH: How do you manage the social media pressures you and your family face today?
KW: I share things like in stressing out we are often judging but being kind instead overcomes the judging and stress.
SCH: How do you manage performance pressures for you and your family?
KW: I share that God is the one who gifts us. Social pressures and standards change. When we plant seeds of Truth, we can see the positive side.
SCH: How can we and our family members find true belonging?
KW: This is a great need. The Truth is that we belong to God. He knows us by name. We are honored in His sight. We are precious to Him. He loves us.
SCH: How can we find the sacred rather than the ordinary?
KW: We need to look up. The creation is all around us. On a stressful day, for example, my daughter went outside to take a photo of the beautiful sunrise. We need to leave blank space in our days to see the sacred around us.
This new book shares how to become overwhelmed with what’s good instead of with what isn’t. Photo Courtesy Kay Wyma
Topics in Kay’s new book include how to be overwhelmed by what is good rather than what is harmful: purpose rather than pressure, beauty rather than appearance, belonging rather than group pressure, sacred rather than ordinary, looking up rather than at circumstances, forgiveness rather than bitterness, eternal perspective rather than present suffering, hope rather than traps and much more.
Here is how Christian family life leaders praise Kay’s new book:
“I love how Kay brings great wisdom to bear on the kind of real life all of us are experiencing. Who’s not overwhelmed, right? Here’s someone who can guide you to the rest and peace and joy your soul is craving.”
–Bob Lepine, cohost of FamilyLife Today
“I’ve learned to trust Kay Wyma in matters of family–and life. . . . In Not the Boss of Us she shoves the overwhelming threats around us back into the shadows and allows us to embrace the freedom for which Christ set us free.”
–Elisa Morgan, speaker; author of The Beauty of Broken and The Prayer Coin; cohost of
Discover the Word; president emerita of MOPS International
“All of us have times when life feels like a rat race–and the rats are winning! The chaotic pace of modern life can wreak havoc on our health, our families, and our sanity. But Kay Wills Wyma offers an encouraging and uplifting reminder that there’s a better way. We don’t have to let the tyranny of the urgent rob us of our joy.”
–Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family
“Kay has always been the friend who realigns my thinking and reshapes my heart–guiding me gently back to truth every time. This is exactly what she does throughout every page of Not the Boss of Us. It’s a much-needed mind-set shakeup in a world drowning in overwhelmed.”
–Courtney DeFeo, author of In This House, We Will Giggle and creator of Treasured Girlz
“This book is a breath of fresh air. Kay Wyma’s humor, honesty, and insight will inspire and encourage you to make some very good trades. Rather than allowing yourself to be overwhelmed by the trappings and pressures that seem chronic in this fast-paced world, Kay will show you how to slow down and lean into your Heavenly Father–who, by the way, made you for so much more.”
–Sandra Stanley, North Point Ministries
“In Not the Boss of Us, Kay doesn’t gloss over the complexities of the daily demands we face. Instead she shows us how those demands don’t get to dictate how we live. Kay is a gifted storyteller who weaves both compassion and invitation into this book that is a must-read for any woman who has ever felt overwhelmed and under pressure. In these pages you will–you can’t not–find the freedom-full way of life you’ve been longing to discover.”
–Jeannie Cunnion, author of Mom Set Free
Kay Wills Wyma, former White House staffer, international banker, and entrepreneur, is a mom of five who writes about seeing beyond life’s pressures in order to navigate life and thrive together. She is the author of two books and blogs at the popular themoatblog.com and video podcasts at saysomethingshow.com. She has been featured on outlets such as The Today Show, CNN, and Focus on the Family, and has contributed to the Huffington Post, NYT Motherlode, DMagazine, Thriving Families, and more. Kay lives in the Dallas area with her husband, Jon, and their family.
Check out Amazon to purchase the book.
To learn more about this author, please visit Dr. Diane Howard
John 8: 32 “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
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