March 13, 2015

PLAN - A Five Minute Friday post


Oh man, last night was fun! Given, I was a little loopy from lack of sleep... spending a night in the ER will do that to you, I suppose! (All is fine... now!)  But I can't imagine a Thursday night without connecting with my people over on Twitter! From prayer requests to Gilmore Girls quotes, I love it all! However I was too exhausted to write coherently so this is a TRUE Five Minute FRIDAY! (You're welcome!)

I can't say it enough, really - I love my tribe! The Gathering that happens on Twitter on Thursday nights and then flashmob writes out their hearts and hits publish all over the interwebs on Thursday and Friday (and sometimes on Tuesdays!) But, I know... I'm like a broken record here, stuck on repeat! 
However today I am thinking of a different community. Let's just get started.  

This is Five Minute Friday and our Word Prompt for the day is: PLAN

{GO}

Oh, Plans... how I love them!

I love to make them... and follow along with them (most of the time) and I love to have them to fall back on.

You know what I mean.

I am a planner... I love me some bossy lists and day planners on every desk. I love my calendar filled-in and mapped out and flexible --sure... but still - color coded is nice too, am I right?


Now - this is all true, and yet...

I am also a Dreamer and an Artist and I am Spirit-led and my, how He loves a good surprise! He loves it when we hold on to our ideas and plans loosely, and are willing to just let them go and follow His leading on any given day, at any chosen hour.

And I am learning.


I am learning to live my life wide open and ready for change. I am looking for when and where He shows up, breaks through, pours out... I want to be where He is, to speak what He tells me to, and be a conduit of His Glory unfurling.  I want to be willing to follow without hesitation and to lean in to a life more risky and full of faith!

My Honey's word for the year is Change and his desire is to be less predictable and more spontaneous and oh my goodness how this can push me out of my planners' heart and beyond my comfort zone! But then... well, I have already told you of how God keeps asking me who told me I could have one of those anyway? 

Gah... He is really passionate about that, it seems, because He keeps lovingly bossing me around and pushing me a little further out and a littler further out and am I not the crazy faith girl who wants to walk on water and raise the dead? 

I am.

I am that girl.

So for months I have told you that I have been wanting to plan my talk for an upcoming conference but He just won't let me.  I was asked to return as a workshop speaker again this year at a womens' event and I like love to have all my ducks in a row.

I am a writer - and I love to write out exactly what I want to say. Not an outline, y'all. Like - word. for. word. 

As a teacher, this feels responsible and makes sense and goodness, if He will let you - you should do that!  But lately He has been telling me that my calling as a 'teacher' per say is shifting and I am not that anymore.  

No - in this season, blending all of my giftings and desires with the plans that He has for me... well, He is calling me to be a Storyteller... to simply get up and speak up and share my stories --our stories.

He assures me that I cannot mess that up! (Something about my testimony and leaving room for the Spirit to lead me, as in - for real - in the moment. Something about trusting Him.  Yeah. That.)

So in the Amplified Bible, Proverbs 19:21 reads this way:
"Many plans are in a man’s mind, but it is the Lord’s purpose for him that will stand."
Yes. That. Many are the plans in a man's mind, right? 

But more than my plans...
     I want His heart!

I want His heart to be what people read and hear and encounter* and if that means tossing away my comfort zone and having nothing but a blank page, a worshipers' heart,  and open hands and ears tuned in, waiting to hear what He wants to speak through me in the moment... then that is what it means. And I will wait.

I will wait.  I will pause and breathe and I will remember that I am a carrier of His Presence and more than anything that I have to bring to the table... I want to bring Him.

{STOP}

*This is where my 5minute mark hit, but again - I wanted to finish my thought... I pray for grace.

The organizer of this upcoming event asked me this week for a handout or info on what I am talking about to be included in the event booklet, but I had nothing.  She said she would just include the outline I sent her months ago.  Yeah... I made one - and since then, God has told me that it is pretty good and we might use some of it... but we might not use any of it! 

Fun times, y'all.  Stretching, growing, hold-your-plans-loosely-and-follow-Me times!  

But really, would we want it any other way?

What about you? Do you like to have everything all planned out and color coded, or are you more of a fly by the seat of your pants kind of person?  



I love the #fmfparty Community that gathers on Twitter and all across the Internet on Thursday nights and on Fridays... on into the next week, where we encourage and uplift... where we share prayer requests and praise reports... where we talk food and friends and we find support and kindred hearts and we are reminded that life is good and God is good and we are not alone... and then we all write for five minutes flat, a flash mob of wordsmiths letting our hearts and our fingers do the talking tapping and we hit publish before we can second guess... we just let Him flow!   Five Minute Fridays gives us the chance to dive right in and share what He puts on our hearts! Click here to read what others have to say about "PLAN"


Oh ...the fine print: if you don't know what FMF is!  Five Minute Fridays have been hosted by Lisa Jo Baker.  This week we start gathering over at Kate Motaung's.  FMF is open to anyone, so to learn more about it - and to jump in yourself (the more the merrier!) or just to find a linky to see what everyone is writing about today - click HERE!  The idea is to simply write... for Five Minutes flat... no editing, no deep thinking - or at least REthinking, no spell check - just write! Let it flow! We all write using a prompt that Lisa posts at 10pm Thursday night (EST.)  I'm loving the community of amazing bloggers and the creativity that flows from these magical Five Minutes!

26 comments :

  1. When I write my sermons, I have to write it out word for word. In many ways it is my security blanket. But I will tell you that once I'm up in the pulpit sometimes I end up being inspired to move away from those written words. I'm sure you are going to be a rockstar when you present my friend!

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    1. It's nice to know that I am not alone! I have been known to forget my notes as well - but it sure was nice to have them to fall back on! ;) xoxo

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  2. I get that whole planning thing. We like it all mapped out! Yet God is showing me as well to trust His plan and He works it out! Thanks for your words!

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    1. Ooooh yes - all mapped out is my favorite - but even though I WANT Him to be able to come in and change things up - I am finding it is much easier for Him to take the wheel at the beginning of the road trip! ;)

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  3. "As we follow Him, He reveals His plan for us." Whew...He seems to really want you to fly by the seat of those britches, sister....Like you, I write every word down when I speak...but as a Storyteller, now that might be classic God. You're going to do great because you are listening and heeding...xo

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    1. I know, right? ;) When He whispered Storyteller - well, I like that. So that helped! Thanks so much for your support and encouragement!

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  4. I also write my talks out word for word. About a month ago I learned that if I would listen to Him and speak what He had taught me then I didn't need to write it down. He continues to push me to walk out my faith one step at a time instead of the whole path at once.

    I can't wait to hear how He moves in hearts as His words are spoken across your lips. Love you and praying for you.

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    1. I am in such good company here! He has been known to change my notes - but I have never really felt like I was supposed to actually wing it! Thanks so much, friend!

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  5. I was going to quote some of my favorite parts of this. But then there were like a hundred and, yeah, all I can say is, "Yes." I am THIS girl too, all of it. And I love that we have such awesome company on our journey. Love you, dear.

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    1. You really DID make this the official "use ALL THE WAYS" to talk to Karrilee" day and I love it! That just happens to be my favorite day! ;) Love you right back, my friend!

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  6. I like things planned out and yet I don't like routines. Telling stories is a great way to share truths and connect people. Your talk will be awesome since that's what you'll be doing.

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    1. That is funny Susan... how you like things planned out but don't like a routine! Thanks so much for stopping by and for your support!

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  7. Anonymous2:46 PM

    Karrilee, I just love this and we have so much in common in the planning and ducks in a row department. My favorite part - "living life wide open" - God is still doing that work in me and it's a hard one, probably because of those darn ducks. Being Spirit-lead and having His heart - it is my heart, but I often try to squeeze it into the confines of my plans. Trying to let go of the reins more and hold things more loosely - it's a lesson that is coming slowly, but frankly one I'm ready to embrace. Thank you for the encouragement, friend. Hugs!

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    1. Ah yes - that.. learning to live life wide open! It is a journey and a process and I am so glad that we are on it together!!!

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  8. I like lists and plans because they help me stay on track and get things accomplished but your post reminded me to not be so wedded to my lists and plans that I miss the opportunities He provides daily to be part of what He is doing in the earth. I appreciate the reminder that, "He loves it when we hold on to our ideas and plans loosely, and are willing to just let them go and follow His leading on any given day, at any chosen hour." Visiting from FMF. Blessings.

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    1. Oh I agree... I am a lover of lists because they really DO help me to stay on track better! But I must remember to hold my plans loosely! So glad you stopped by, my friend!

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  9. I love plans and sometimes have a hard time letting go. It gives me a bit of anxiety for everything to not line up right and when life gets a little messy I try to lean in and trust Him. I'm working on the letting go part. God is in control and he works all things together for good.

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    1. Amen! It's a process - this learning to let go and let God, isn't it? Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  10. Miracles abound when I don't plan, when I abide in #God, letting His will guide. But sometimes that requires waiting, and discipline, a clear practice of listening, and sometimes its even painful because its dark. Those times I feel lost on a forest. Faith is my flashlight,, floodlight, candle.

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    1. See? This is just always the truth - and yet the longing for a comforting back up plan is like a sirens call sometimes! ;) I love this: "Faith is my flashlift, floodlight, candle!" That'll preach, my friend! That will preach! (So so happy that you joined us for the twitter party! It's fast and can be overwhelming - but you get the hang of it and it is just the best online community of writers around!)

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  11. Great article Karrilee! I hope everything is much better today after spending the night in the ER. You're words so beautifully describe how we need to really make an ongoing effort to leave our plans up to God everyday. I love this line you wrote: "I want to be willing to follow without hesitation and to lean in to a life more risky and full of faith!" I am doing that right now and it isn't easy but I know it will be very worth it! Many Blessings! :)

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    1. Thank you so much, Verona! Things are much better! That line... yeah - it really is what I want, it's just sometimes I forget! ;) It is NOT easy - but you are right, it is always worth it! Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  12. Wow...what a great Post! I can so relate. I have lists and notebooks all over. I have been doing it forever. I am learning to "be still" and trust my Lord and Savior. It is not always easy but rewarding and definitely increases my faith each day!

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    1. Amen, Horace! It's not always easy - but it IS always worth it!

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  13. Commenting days later....

    I honestly think that God laughs at my plans. Like, gets a real kick out of them. My life hasn't turned out to be the way I thought it would, like, AT ALL. And yet, it's somehow better that way. The intense goodness of His plans makes mine severely pale in comparison.

    You're going to rock that talk! Of this I have no doubt. Praying with you and for you as God leads and grants you words to speak into the lives of all who attend!

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    1. I think you are right... I think we are a constant entertainment for Him! ;) I so appreciate you... your support, your prayers, your encouragement... your accent... ;) Thanks so much, friend!

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Thanks so much for stopping by! I always love to hear your thoughts! Remember to: Speak Life - Be Love - Shine On!
~Karrilee~

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