Not only was writing an article purely a question of whether I had enough time; by extension and interconnection, it was also a question of whether I had the emotional energy. I am an introvert. Although I am not shy or withdrawn in social settings, I do not gain emotional energy from social events. Even if I could find the time needed to write an article, I was pretty sure I would need to spend most of that time in recovery from the last event or preparation for the next one. For me, that means sleep, solitude, silence, and uncluttered space.

As I considered all these factors—time, emotional energy, mental reserves, physical toll, my unique personality and wiring, and my personal values of doing things well and not sacrificing my relationships with God or my family in the process—it became clear that I just could not add one more thing to my plate. And that is how I decided that I would not be able to write an article about health for Gifted for Leadership.

Then again, writing about how I made that decision might be helpful to readers, so it turns out that I was able to write that article after all.

Angie Ward is a mom, pastor's wife, ministry leader, and Professor of Leadership, Education, & Discipleship at Capital Seminary & Graduate School.