Content To BE Overwhelmed

This post is from a couple of years ago.  


Today I am joining friends over at The Loft for a Link-Up.  
Our Word today is Contentment.  Will you join us?

Today, I should be doing yard work, house work... there is much to be done.  I am overwhelmed at the thought of how far behind I have gotten over the last several years. 

OVERWHELMED.

To the point of distraction.  I can't seem to accomplish anything. This reminds me, just now, of Jesus' words to Martha.  "you are worried and distracted by many things." 

I want to choose the "better" that he said of Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. I want to be contentedly overwhelmed by Jesus.  And I want to be overwhelming content in His presence.

So... I am.

I am sitting under the oak tree here in our yard.  I am not thinking of all the work I still need to do to make this the space I dream it to be.  I am simply enjoying the moment.

Emma is in the grass on her blanket, enjoying the sun and fresh air.
Birds singing all around. Children voices at recess nearby at school.
A lady bug on the arm of the chair where I am sitting.  An inch-worm just crawled by.
A red bird landed on a nearby branch and the leaves of the tree are clapping their hands.

And these words come to me from a heart that is thankful to just BE.

All Creatures of our God and King,

Arise to sing and joyfully sway

to the rhythm of praise and excellent joy.

Life lived well is a life lived as it was created to BE.

So do I, my God and King.

Arise to sing and joyfully BE

the LIFE you've created for me.

I will stand in awe of your excellent ways

Trusting you for all of my days.

The Word. Worship. Prayer.

These are my Roots.

You can also read great words at these blogs:

Jerralea’s blog

Christine’s blog

Live in Faith Everyday

Canva Design/De Anna Morris

 
 
A few years ago, my friend, Donna, introduced me to the concept of ONE WORD as a focus for an entire year! 

I was not in a good place at the time. I wanted my One Word to be

"Lord, I am sick of this season and I need you to change something before I loose my mind and do something weird!" 

Not really ONE WORD, I know, but life can be challenging at times.  I was over my challenge limit, or so I thought... until the Lord began to slowly and surely lead me through a valley of the shadow until I could lift my head on the other side of despair. 
 
Maybe you've been there too? 
 
The first ONE WORD that the Lord led me to during the season of darkness was COMPLETE. 

 

 Let perseverance finish its work so that

you may be

mature and complete,

not lacking anything.

James 1:4

 
I wanted a quick fix, however, I realized perseverance was the key and faith was at stake... I pressed on and into the Word of God and cannot tell you how amazing and tender He was to me during that time.  At the end of the year, Mike and I attended a Christmas service and the Lord whispered to my heart.
 

So you also are complete

through your union with Christ,

who is the head over every ruler and authority 

Colossians 2:10

 

Don't you love How gentle the Lord is? Even though He was reminding me that He was in charge and I am not, that I am called to trust His authority over me, He has already made me complete in Christ.

One Word themes of the last few years:

Complete

Chosen

Rest

Trust

This year, 2016, my ONE WORD is LIFE.  The Lord kept bringing the word LIFE to me during the last few months of 2015.  I have been asking Him to renew my soul and spirit along with a desire to be healthy and well.  Heart, Soul, Mind and Strength. 

I want to live well while living.

This will come as I allow His word at work in me to restore, heal and mend the broken places.  A work that will not be always pleasant but will be for my good in order to Complete the work  am Chosen to accomplish. As I Rest in His Word and Trust in His plan, true health and wellness will come and my LIFE will be abundant and vibrant.

The plan is simple. 

Live in Faith Everyday. 

Oh, how easily I complicate things! 

What is your ONE WORD this year?

 

 

You can join me and a group of bloggers over at The Loft to find courage, inspiration and hope. Please stop by and say hello!

Rest

God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it…Heb 4:1 

Whether we define REST as a verb or a noun, it is an act of TRUST when it comes to the Lord.  Do we trust His promise to bless us for obedience? When He said to work for six days and then rest on the seventh, will we receive the blessing that our rest in Him will provide?

This is the question that the Lord raised with me –again- recently.  Rest is about Trust.  Sabbath is about Surrender. 

Why do I struggle with this so?

For one, it is not in our culture to STOP and rest.  Our vacations are filled to the maximum level of activity and recreational fun and frenzy to the degree that we need a vacation to get over our vacations!!! But that aint gonna happen!  So we press on and wonder why we are striving to produce, achieve and accomplish in the work place. 

During a recent creative session at the Allume Conference, Carey Bailey led us in a childlike activity that turned out to be inspiration and relaxing for those of us who participated.  For a brief thirty minutes or so, we tore paper, pasted with our fingers, painted, stamped and enjoyed letting go our our Pintrest ideas of perfection to JUST BE and to allow our minds to rest and relax and to enjoy the moment. 

I felt like I was in kindergarten or first grade again and I LOVED IT!!  It took me two days to get all of the glue off of my fingers, paint from under my nails and everytime I washed my hands, I thought about that creative session and some fo the words that Carey shared of her own life and how she creates space for Sabbath in her very busy hectic life of home, work, faith and family.

Carey works hard all week in order to rest during the weekend with her family.  For twenty four-fortyeight hours she does not do dishes, laundry, cleaning, and not very much cooking.  Friday’s are pizza nights!  And she pulls our a basket of paint, glue and items for fun creativity that has no other purpose to serve than to simply allow her mind to relax, to give pause to her busy week and schedule, to be with those she loves and to celebrate the Life that God has given. 

I felt she was describing and unattainable life that I so desperately need in my own world.  Which if funny since I work from home for the purpose of being freed up to do what I am called to do, yet feel chaotic, stressed and never have time to just BE. 

I do have TIME.  The same amount that God gave the Israelites in the desert.  The same amount of time he has given to you as well.  My problem.  I do not CREATE a SPACE for REST on my calendar. 

Mike and I are in ministry together and our schedule cannot always be defined when we want it.  Needs come up at all hours, days, and times.  Then there are the ministry opportunities that we are involved in our community. 

One of my personal problems is that I enjoy being a part of everything! I love being in the center of what ever is going on.  I’m not sure if I am nosey, bossy or just plain curious… one thing is for sure… I LOVE PEOPLE.  Especially women.

In my struggle for boundaries, rest and Sabbath… which is really about surrender…I over commit my time and must pull back somewhere in order to create space for rest. 

In a recent conversation with my husband on how I can attain this, we had a different opinion on what resting for me could/should look like and this only caused more tension and internal conflict for me.  Who to please?  Who to let down? I dislike both of these distasteful ideas and abhor the thought that anyone will feel that I have not valued them with my time and affection.  UGGGHHH….another distraction of the enemy to put the brakes on my desire to cease trying to please everyone in order to overflow my life with more good things that will only serve to bring my health and wellness to a place of unrest…. Setting me up for mental and spiritual exhaustion will eventually put me in a pit of despair.  Been there, done that.  Don’t want to do that again.

I wish I were motivated to get 1,000 things done a day, but I seriously just want to feel great about the one day I have been given at a time and to be able to say “It is good” at the end of a day instead of a mind boggling blur of what didn’t get done, what is mandatory for the next day/week/month, what am I forgetting to get right!

REST:

Verb- cease work or movement in order to relax, 

refresh oneself, or recover strength.

Noun-an instance or period of relaxing or ceasing to engage

in strenuous or stressful activity.

Whether REST is a noun or a verb to you, the common thread should be to cease. 

Stop.  Resist the urge to continue.  To enjoy a Sabbath is to Surrender everything to the Father and allow our hearts and minds to simply trust HIM with all that we are and all that He has blessed us with and all that He has called us to accomplish in His Name. 

God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it…Heb 4:1 

I don't want to FAIL TO EXPEIENCE it.. or to fall in my desert of wondering and wandering.  I want to experience the FULL on Fullness of the Lord.  Therefore, I must REST.

The Armor of God [week2]

The Armor of God Bible Study

Week 2

Théoden:  "I will not risk open war."

Aragorn:   "Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not!"

 From J.R.R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings

I wonder if Priscilla Shirer enjoyed study time on the Belt of Truth for the Spiritual Armor?  I wonder this because I participated in her study Breathe with a group of ladies last spring.  During one of the teaching videos, she used her own belt organizer as an illustration of having too much stuff and how simplifying our stuff brings rest.

The Belt of Truth can do the same for us.  There are many ideas and opinions on who God is, how, who, when does He love/judge/hate people.  Do Christians sin? Does God as a loving parent discipline us?  Can heaven be earned? Is there more than one way to God’s favor? 

All of the arguments and discussions, while seemingly intellectual and convincing many times, are just that :  arguments and discussions.  

Truth is found in God alone and His Word reminds us that Jesus is the Word made Flesh so, I submit that if we do not love God’s Word, then we do not love God, since God loves His Word. 

As those who profess the name of Christ as savior, then we must know the word of God and how to put it into practice in our lives, or we will be left weak, powerless, and defenseless in a world gone crazy with intellectualism.

Priscilla gets all up in my business about having the Truth at work in my life when she uses the illustration of going to the gym to strengthen her core.  Ones’ core (abdominal muscles) are imperative for our over all health.  Who knew?  I just thought yoga and Pilates were a fitness craze much like high impact aerobics were in the 80s.  While I sweated to the oldies in my colorful leotard and tights, I quickly lost interest once I got the “shape” I wanted.  And besides, when I sweated, my hair just got bigger and bigger with all of the curls I naturally premed because that was what one also did in the 80’s. 

Per her doctor, Priscilla describes how if we do not strengthen our core and keep it strong, we will eventually stoop and sag.  Our core helps us with balance so if are not strong in our core muscles, then we will be more prone to injury.  The core is the centralized muscle group that connects our upper body to our lower body and from the extension of these muscles to other muscle groups, our arms and legs keep us moving, balanced and useful. 

Hmmm... I see where she is going here, and I want to think about this further, after I get back from the YMCA. 

Just like my physical self needs health and wellness, my spiritual self also needs health and wellness from the inside out, thus the Belt of Truth. 

How do we grow stronger in our core with the Belt of Truth? How do we get this in place and not grow 

weak and weary in our faith walk? 

     The Word. Worship.  Prayer.

These are our ROOTS.

The Armor of God [Introduction]

Well, there is a lot going on about a little movie called 
WAR ROOM by the Kendrick Brothers This film has (unexpectedly) gained momentum and box office sales/attendance that the culture is having to stop and take notice. 

War Room features one of my favorite Bible Study teachers, Priscilla Shirer...


And I am so excited for her!! I have been under her teaching via live audience and she is electric, real, and on an honest pursuit of God to live in the center of her everyday ordinary life.


This fall the ladies in my community and around the country-world even- are meeting together to study the companion Bible Study by Priscilla The Armor of God.

I have read from other authors, memorized the Armor of God, worked through other Bible studies on The Armor of God, but this one is THE BEST ONE YET!!!

Priscilla is a wife, mother and woman who is just trying to figure out how to keep ahead of the laundry while keeping food in the pantry other very active family-much like many of the rest of us! She has a large extended family, community and church activities... her life is busy and full!!!

What Priscilla does, though, is views her life trough the lens of God's Word and applies His Truth to her Reality.  Priscilla draws life application of the Word of God from this process of just doing life and watching how God works in her everyday.

Many of us have our lives...busy that they are!!... 
and then we have our Devoted Life.  

You know, church, small group, a verse a day to keep the Devil away... but then we go through life and never fully connect how the Word of God can also be our Reality.

We must allow the God of our Theology to be the God of our Reality.  The time is now and we must STAND firmly in the Word of God. 

Feel free to join in the study!! I will be posting here, there are many many resources online.  There are also small groups meeting literally everywhere!!! If you live in my area, you are more than welcome to join us as we meet weekly. 

Blessings!

Our small group meets at 
The Core of South Greenville 

8649 August Road Pelzer SC 29669 

beginning September 15 @ 6:30

To This You Were Called

Why do the righteous suffer?  Why are they called upon to endure such earthly hardship?  After living a life that loves God first and loves all people equally???  Why? For what purpose and plan?  What is God doing and why does it seem so painfully unfair?

Because our light and momentary trials do, indeed have a greater purpose, a greater gory, a greater revealing of who God is to the world around us. 

But this suffering?  
The Word of God tells us…

“to this you were called”.

1 Peter 2:21

Part of My Journey

 

The following are excerpts from a journal entryfrom November 2007:

I cannot fathom all that has happened-all that has occurred-both in the natural and in the supernatural.
 

It has been a long, dark night of the soul.  The presence of darkness, thick and pressing, to the point I thought I would not survive it…

But God…

           Is faithful

            Is a safe dwelling

            Is my shelter and strength

            My hiding place

He is persistent and relentless

and determined to see me through. 

               Praise His holy name. 

A few months ago I thought I would never be able to lift up my head, much less be able to stand up under the season of trials, adversity and warfare.  The presence of darkness wanted to consume me….

But God…

            Gave me what I needed each step of the way

            Withheld from me what I could not handle

            Did not give me what I was not ready for

Praise God.  Praise His holy and just Name.

I felt like God was farther and farther away. Did he hear me?  Did He see me?  Did He care that my heart was broken and torn to prices by those who “loved me”?  Did He see that the enemy snarled and spat at me? Did He hear my adversary continue to taunt and accuse me?  I felt so alone, wounded, beyond repair. 

I felt like I had been bitten and devoured---spiritually, mentally, emotionally….

But God….

Being rich in mercy and abounding in love

would speak to me….

He would sing over me…

words of encouragement and strength.

Sometimes through His word.

Sometime through a teaching,

Sometimes through a song, 

sometimes through a friend. 

Always at the right time, 

perfectly timed for my moment of need. 

I learned that God would sing over me by giving me a song that ministered to my broken heart.  And by faith I would receive the truth of the words He would sing to me. 

I did not “feel” the truth and I wondered if I could fully receive what he was speaking to me.  But by faith I received His comfort and encouragement. 

Even though I did not “feel” the truth, I chose to believe the truth. I would sing along in my car going and coming home from work…

and cry the tears of the pain I felt, or cry the tears of the questions still unanswered. 

Sometimes I just listened.   Sometimes I cried out to God, “Will I make it?”  
And God’s answer was this….

 

          You can make it through the storm

            You can make it through the rain

            You can make it through the trial

            You can make it through the pain

            And though you may not understand

            There is a purpose there’s a plan

            So while you worship

            You can make it through the storm

            The rain won’t last forever

            The sun will shine again

            And you’ll make it through just knowing

            That He is your friend

            The storm will make you stronger

            It drives you to your knees

            And only in His presence

            Can His glory be seen

I believed those words to be truth, but would they ever be my reality?