I showed up early to the party tonight... I just couldn't wait! I love this Community oh so much and honestly - some of my best friends have been gathered from Five Minute Friday! I wasn't so sure I was going to write, but I can't help myself!
{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!}
This is Five Minute Friday and our Word Prompt for the day is: FOLLOW
{GO}
For years, I fell behind... I got lost... I gave up.
That was my mountain... I would circle and circle and never figure out how to get over it... how to get beyond it.
So I would camp out... Settle in... I'd settle period.
In other words, I would just stop trying... stop climbing... stop pushing forward.
I had little drive and a serious lack of follow-through.
I'm not sure exactly what lined up with what, but God is changing me from the inside out and I can honestly say that I see (most) things through now to completion.
I have found a drive and a satisfaction in reaching goals and in finishing well.
Still, some things are easier to follow-through with than others... and some days are easier...
Some days, well --some days I still think that I need a little breaky and if I'm not careful, I can lose a bit of momentum.
I think one of the things that really helped my follow-through was changing the way I look at three things:
Change, Rest, and Time.
Three very vital things.
Jesus had been whispering to me to just. stop. resisting. and somehow I trusted Him enough to start embracing change. He showed me that change is going to happen one way or the other, so I may as well lean in to it and ride the wave.
God also began to teach me about the difference between Resting in Him, and simply not doing anything. There is a HUGE difference, by the way!
He also began to teach me about the importance of Time. Ann with no 'e' taught me the secret to slowing it down, and the Holy Spirit last summer taught me how to spend it like it was cash... how to invest it and not just waste it away.
With Change... we are open and positioned for new...
With Rest... we are allowing Him to (re)fill us...
With Time, we are investing in others and being intentional.
When we find a balance, we will find a freedom.
When we find a freedom, we find our follow-through.
When we find our follow-through
--from a place of grace and not of works...
--from a place of rest and not of chaos...
well, when we find that...
it's easier to follow Him
--no matter where He leads!
{STOP}
Don't you just love it when something pours out that you didn't see coming? I don't know that I had ever connected those things, but I was talking with someone this afternoon about how I used to really battle with a lack of follow through. I would dream big, and then soon after, fade off.
Praise God, He is teaching me how to avoid those pitfalls and take the leaps of faith that require a bit of free falling and soaring on wings like eagles... how about you?
How is your follow through? Have you ever connected the dots to see what may be holding you back?
That was my mountain... I would circle and circle and never figure out how to get over it... how to get beyond it.
So I would camp out... Settle in... I'd settle period.
In other words, I would just stop trying... stop climbing... stop pushing forward.
I had little drive and a serious lack of follow-through.
I'm not sure exactly what lined up with what, but God is changing me from the inside out and I can honestly say that I see (most) things through now to completion.
I have found a drive and a satisfaction in reaching goals and in finishing well.
Still, some things are easier to follow-through with than others... and some days are easier...
Some days, well --some days I still think that I need a little breaky and if I'm not careful, I can lose a bit of momentum.
I think one of the things that really helped my follow-through was changing the way I look at three things:
Change, Rest, and Time.
Three very vital things.
Jesus had been whispering to me to just. stop. resisting. and somehow I trusted Him enough to start embracing change. He showed me that change is going to happen one way or the other, so I may as well lean in to it and ride the wave.
God also began to teach me about the difference between Resting in Him, and simply not doing anything. There is a HUGE difference, by the way!
He also began to teach me about the importance of Time. Ann with no 'e' taught me the secret to slowing it down, and the Holy Spirit last summer taught me how to spend it like it was cash... how to invest it and not just waste it away.
With Change... we are open and positioned for new...
With Rest... we are allowing Him to (re)fill us...
With Time, we are investing in others and being intentional.
When we find a balance, we will find a freedom.
When we find a freedom, we find our follow-through.
When we find our follow-through
--from a place of grace and not of works...
--from a place of rest and not of chaos...
well, when we find that...
it's easier to follow Him
--no matter where He leads!
{STOP}
Don't you just love it when something pours out that you didn't see coming? I don't know that I had ever connected those things, but I was talking with someone this afternoon about how I used to really battle with a lack of follow through. I would dream big, and then soon after, fade off.
Praise God, He is teaching me how to avoid those pitfalls and take the leaps of faith that require a bit of free falling and soaring on wings like eagles... how about you?
How is your follow through? Have you ever connected the dots to see what may be holding you back?
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
Oh ...the fine print: if you don't know what FMF is! Five Minute Fridays have been hosted by Lisa Jo Baker. Now we gather 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 Kate posts at 10pm Thursday night (EST.) I'm loving the community of amazing bloggers and the creativity that flows from these magical Five Minutes!
"from a place of grace and not of works, from a place of rest and not of chaos." It's amazing what a difference that makes - to not strive to follow, but to follow after Him to find rest. I'm pretty good at follow-through but I've been known to give up when the going gets tough and things feel too hard. Something in me seeks ease and sometimes (or often) God's stretching isn't easy - sometimes we follow hard out of obedience and in the end, that brings the rest, right? Loved your words as always, friend.
ReplyDeleteIt truly makes ALL the difference! Thanks so much for stopping by - and for the reminder that so often follow through really is the following hard out of obedience... and the reward is Rest... (and then, Time to go again... for His Kingdom never ends!) xoxo
DeleteI will admit I am not always great at follow through. I can be a bit of a procrastinator at times. I think I mentioned to you before, that I think of things musically. I read something and a song pops in my head. Your post reminded me of "This is only a mountain" by Jason Castro.
ReplyDeleteThis is only a mountain
You don't have to find your way around it
Tell it to move, it'll move
Tell it to fall, it'll fall
This is only a moment
You don't have to let your fear control it
Tell it to move, it'll move
Tell it to fall, it'll fall
Thank you for sharing your heart, friend. -Jolene
Jolene... the one thing I can tell you is (Well -first, thanks for that song! I'm gonna go YouTube it!) but also there is this... it gets easier... the more we lean in! Love you, girlie!
DeleteOh friend! I am pretty good at flow through but I haven't always been that way. God does call us to follow through. Reminds me of the first time I hiked in the Rocky Mts. I forgot how different the altitude is. I was really struggling but God put encourages in my path. I even finished!! Oh and this; " from s place of grace and not works; from a place of rest and not chaos."
ReplyDeleteIt takes practice, right? Getting good at the Follow-Through part! We have to see the value in it... and it helps to know ahead of time that we are truly called to it... (sometimes, He doesn't always give us that luxury!) I love that you pressed through and found encouragement along the way, and finished! So thankful for you, friend!
DeleteResting in him versus not doing anything - that's a really profound concept and one I needed to hear! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteSeriously - when He started to spell that out for me I was all like, I should know this but Wow! #MindBlown! (I wrote my whole 31Days series on Rest last Fall... and I have already had to go back and re-read it myself a time or two!)
Delete"I had little drive and a serious lack of follow-through." <----- This is a description of me over the last few months. Since being laid off after working for 30+ years finding a new routine and flow has been hard. Thanks for 'giving me permission' to accept the change, turn to Him for rest and wait my time. I just love you and your words so much !!!
ReplyDeleteOh Amy... yes! This! Grace to accept the change - to lean in to it even, and the gift of time to enter in to His rest... I can honestly say now - (again) - that I am so glad that I learned how to enter in to His Rest in a restful slower season, because seasons change - and now I am having to be intentional about entering in to His Rest in a busy season... but because it is a habit now, it's so much easier! Love you right back, sister!
DeleteIt was great meeting you at #fmfparty last night! Up until recently I would "settle" and give up on the follow through. It's only recently that God has convicted me to take a leap of faith. Thank you for your encouragement!
ReplyDeleteOh friend... we are leaping together! I am learning that taking risks pays off WAY BETTER than settling and staying 'safe'! Thanks so much for stopping by! (and joining in!)
DeleteLOVE!!! I love the reminder that following God requires rest, stepping away from the chaos and a follow through that leads us back to Him every time. Have a blessed weekend!
ReplyDeleteI loved every word. Blessings Diana
ReplyDeleteThanks Diana! This makes me happy that I hit publish anyway! I was tempted to hit delete instead! ;)
DeleteLove your three sentences about change rest and time. So very true. Thankful to know you.
ReplyDeleteThose lines... right? I had never connected those dots until I was writing this - but they are so true! Thanks so much for stopping by, Ashley!
DeleteSuch a good post! I can totally relate to your heart in this. Blessings to you, FMF friend! I'm so glad I came by today! It was so encouraging.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Tasha! I'm glad you stopped by too! I always love meeting new (to me, anyway!) FMFers! xoxo
DeleteOh friend... yes! A gently yes - I have lived there... the approach to living with the underlying philosophy of never risking failure... I remember when I was praying about why I was that way, the Lord told me that I was afraid of success. (What?) But it was true... if I tried something and succeeded - then change would happen, and expectations may rise, and what if I couldn't do it again or do it better... and what if I COULD and then... pressure! But He reminded me that living a small 'safe' risk-free life is not one that He had promised, nor was it one that would take me where He wanted me to go! God rewards RISK, not success! He wants us to live a life ABUNDANTLY... I am well-versed in Should Haves and What If's - but that is regret of the past and fear of the future, but our God is the Great I Am because He is always PRESENT... in the Present... Can I tell you a secret? The more you are willing to take a risk and let go of fear... the more you will find Him active in your life and the fear gives way to excitement and wonder! (Ha... ask me how I know!) Love you so, my friend! Praying for you!
ReplyDelete