Whatever life looks like in this moment, we’re invited to look at God. Knowing that He loves us or how His wisdom guides us can be the difference between lingering in self-defeat or learning how to thrive.

Whether we are consistent in spending time with God or looking for a solid routine, meet Marva A. Titley-Smith. She is a work and life strategist, and the author of Time to Thrive: A Busy Woman’s Devotional Journal. This biblically based resource is filled with life-giving principles and an easy-to-follow format to help keep us on track. After you read my conversation with Marva, we’d love to hear from you too!

JOY: At the beginning of your book, there is a Thrive Manifesto. It speaks of how we show up, embrace grace, take responsibility, and take action. It ends with this statement, “No matter my circumstances, I will choose to thrive.”  What makes thriving possible?

MARVA: When you consider what it means to ‘thrive’, the very definition suggests the ability to progress in spite of challenging circumstances. If we don’t face adversity, there would be no thriving. I admit, sometimes I wish life would be easy, but the truth is, we will all face hard things. Jesus himself warned us we’d have trouble (John 16:33) but he did not leave us without hope, and it is because of that hope we can thrive. Knowing that Jesus has already won the victory empowers us to stand in the face of any adversity that comes our way, and not barely survive, but thrive.

JOY: What was the turning point in your life, that made “thriving” a priority?

MARVA: It wasn’t a specific moment in time, but more like a slow awakening to what was missing in my life. According to the world’s standards, I had it all, but instead of a full life, I was simply living a busy life. The turning point came for me when I realized I was giving my all to the things that mattered least. As a Christian, I was doing a lot of the right things, but my career was consuming me while the other areas of my life got the short end of the stick. My children were still quite young, and I knew something needed to change. The desire to live a more balanced life prompted me to make a major career transition and set me on a path to determine what thriving means for me and my family. It’s a decision I have yet to regret.  

JOY: Time to Thrive covers eight common core life areas: spiritual, family, emotional, personal growth, physical, career, social, and financial. Why is this comprehensive approach recommended?

MARVA: Too often I see women who find themselves in a similar place where I was ten years ago. They are living unbalanced lives where they are thriving in one or two areas at the expense of other areas of their lives. By keeping the core life areas in view, we can intentionally live more fully and purposefully.

I should point out that it’s not the goal to have everything in perfect balance, and neither is there a ‘one-size fits all’ approach to thriving. That’s why it’s important for us to consider our individual needs, and the season God has us in.  

JOY: I love how each week ends with a R.E.C.A.P.^TM   Tells us what that looks like for a reader?

MARVA: The R.E.C.A.P.^TM   section of the book invites the reader into a weekly pause. Given how busy we all are, I thought it was important to build in that time of rest and reflection at the end of each week. R.E.C.A.P. is an acronym which makes it easy to remember, and it stands for: reflect, elaborate, celebrate, anticipate, and prayerfully plan and prepare.

The aim is for the reader to use that time to reflect on the past week, celebrate the wonderful things God has done, and plan the week ahead with great expectations.

JOY: Thanks Marva! Our great God is certainly worthy of us taking time to reflect on who He is and what He does. Time to Thrive provides plenty of encouragement to keep us focused on both.

Marva A. Titley-Smith is a Caribbean-based management & leadership consultant, work and life strategist, author of the best-selling book, Time to Thrive and co-author of She Writes for Him: Black Voices of Wisdom. Yet, her favorite titles are daughter of God, wife to her husband of 18 years, and mom to two teens. As a Certified Life Breakthrough Coach, she is passionate about equipping, inspiring and empowering women to thrive beyond the nine to five, and does this through her courses, coaching and online community Time to Thrive Women. Her ideal day starts while it’s still dark with her Bible in one hand and coffee in the other.

To connect with Marva start with her free THRIVE Assessment at bit.ly/gettothriving. You’ll also find her on her website MarvaSmith.com and on social media using the handle @marvatsmith on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. Subscribe to her YouTube channel where she hosts How She Does It – an interview series showcasing real women sharing real hope about how to thrive in work, life and faith.

Comment on this week’s post and ENTER A DRAWING TO WIN A FREE COPY OF IT’S TIME TO THRIVE! One entry per commenter. All eligible comments must be entered by Monday, February 28, 2022 at 8:00 p.m. ET.  The winner (must be located in the continental U.S.) will be announced on March 9, 2022!