When We Fall for the Lies of More... A Five Minute Friday post.

Apparently I need to reset an alarm to remind me of #fmfparty on Thursday nights!  I got a new phone and realized last night around 8:45pm how much I relied on those little reminders! (I wonder what else I missed out on this week?!)

So no party last night for me, but here we are on a gorgeous Friday morning...
You know the drill:

This is Five Minute Friday (- a five minute timed free write) and our One Word Prompt for the day is: MORE

{GO}

"There is no striving..."

I am in love with Rita Springer, and her newest CD Battles is amazing.  I first heard this song when she was singing with the worship team at Bethel a few years ago.  To find it on the album was a gift... a much needed gift in this season of declaring over and over things like, "It's not what you DO, it's who you are!"

So, this song is what is on repeat as of late around here.

Apparently, I need the reminder! 
I think we all do, really!

Because we DO strive... 

We fall for the lie that whisper-yells that
what we really need is MORE... 
What is really missing is (fill in the blank)...

And yet... we know the Truth.
(It's just that sometimes we forget!)
I am the one stuck on repeat... 
always talking of Rest and Sabbath
and of how LESS is More!

Somehow we can know a thing...
and not always remember it is true, right?

Because Life, Man!

It can be loud and fast and what it screams at us is how we are missing out or falling behind... how what we need is MORE and what we lack is time.

But it was Ann with no fanciful 'e' who taught us years ago that in order to slow down time we must be fully present in it!

And this song? This song... when I am forcing myself to slow and to sit... this song breathes life and reminds me of the truth that the only More that I need is more of Him... 

"You have given everything my heart could ever need

And all You ask is I believe

And I am resting safe inside Your promise to provide

And nothing could ever change Your love

Your love for me, Your love for me..."

It reminds me that the MORE of Him that we need?
Yeah... well,
He's already given it!

He gave everything... 
and all He asks of us is to believe!

He never asks us to strive for more... 
He simply asks us to receive all that He has given (already!)

He never asks that we EARN... no... there is no working for a gift that is (read: has already been!) freely given!

"You never ask that I earn Your affection

I could never earn something that's free

I never have to fight for Your attention

Because Your eyes are ever upon me

There is no striving

There is no striving in Your love

Freely You have given

Freely You have given to us

You have made us Yours

You have called us daughters and sons

This is who You are

This is what Your love has done..."

Did you catch that? 
Again: "This is what Your love has done..."

It's a done deal... we don't need MORE of anything.

Everything we need, He has already given... 
His love has already done it all!

{STOP}


Susan tagged me earlier this week, sending me back to reread a chapter in Rhythms of Rest by Shelly Miller. 

Heck.. I wrote a book on Sabbath Rest myself... but we all need reminders, from time to time!

I am reading Soul Keeping by John Ortberg right now and oh my goodness... all the Yes and Amens for the truth and wisdom in this book!

This (among many other chunks of text) is highlighted and underlined:

"But when your soul is at rest, it occupies the throne of your life. Your will is undivided and obeys God with joy. Your mind has thoughts of truth and beauty. You desire what is wholesome and good. Your body is filled with appetites that serve the good and with habits that lead you into excellent living.

Your soul is at rest.

Whether with an entire day, or periods of time set aside every day, your soul needs rest. Not a change or scenery or a spiritual retreat --those are fine and may contribute to rest. But to remain healthy, our souls need solitude with no agenda, no distractions, no noise.  If someone asks you what you did in your 'time apart,' the correct response should be, 'Nothing.'  

Doing nothing does wonders for the soul." ~Soul Keeping by John Ortberg

See? 
  Less is More... 

And for those of you who have not heard this song by Rita Springer... well, it's shorter on the CD, but here is the glorious (longer) Live from Bethel version! Enjoy! 

Turn it up and breathe it in!

"I don't have to bring anything but me..."

Linking up with Kate Motaung and the #fmfparty Community today.  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: "MORE"

The FMF lowdown: The gathering happens on Twitter on Thursday nights & then we write our hearts out & hit publish all over the interwebs on Thursday & Friday (& sometimes on Tuesdays!) It's where we encourage & uplift... where we share prayer requests & praise reports... where we talk food & friends & we find support & kindred hearts. It's where we are reminded that life is good & God is good & we're not alone... & then we all write for five minutes flat, a flash mob of wordsmiths letting our hearts & our fingers do the talking tapping & we hit publish before we can second guess it all away. We'd love to have you join us!

I'm also linking up with the lovely writer communities linked below:

#FreshMarketFriday...

Debbie Kitterman for #TuneInThursday

Kelly Balarie for #RaRaLinkUp

LORI SCHUMAKER FOR #MOMENTSOFHOPE

Barbie Swihart for #Glimpsesofhisbeauty

Jennifer Dukes Lee for #TellHisStory

Holly Barrett for #TestimonyTuesday

A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THE LORD SPOKE TO ME AND THROUGH ME REGARDING SABBATH REST AND I TURNED MY 31 DAYS SERIES INTO AN EBOOK ON AMAZON.  IF YOU ARE FINDING YOURSELF IN NEED OF REST (WHICH --WHO ISN'T, REALLY?) CHECK OUT THIS SHORT, DAILY DEVOTIONAL  31 DAYS OF RESTING IN GOD ...IT'S EASIER/HARDER THAN YOU THINK!  

YOU CAN PURCHASE IT BY CLICKING HERE OR GRABBING IT FROM THE SIDE BAR TO THE RIGHT IF REST IS SOMETHING YOU KNOW YOU NEED, BUT JUST KEEP PUTTING OFF!