***
It's been two weeks now that I have somehow managed to forget what Thursday nights are made for: Twitter parties, of course! But I had a date for dinner out with some girlfriends who I haven't seen in awhile so since I tend to preach to myself as much or more than I preach to you, I choose face to face connections, over the screen kind. (Which are still so fantastic and real, but obviously... not as good!)
Our One Word prompt: ADAPT ! This is Five Minute Friday!
{GO}
My first thought is of how it is good to adapt.
I mean... it is pretty much required for survival! And it's not a bad thing, necessarily! We all adapt in one way or another (or fifty thousand.)
There is such a strong pull to adapt to our surroundings... to adapt to the culture around us or the expectations put on us... to follow the rules and follow the crowd.
Then my mind switches and the slightly rebellious me speaks up a little louder and I began to think of all the ways the pull to adapt should be battled and how we should fight against it! At least sometimes!
The pull to adapt to life around us oftentimes requires us to give up the life within us... to adjust, to blend in, to conform and be quiet. (And the rebellious me says, "No thanks, man.")
I don't know about you... but in this world where we all SAY we value individuals... how we say we all have our own identities... we say that we are created with a purpose, for a purpose... (insert broken record emoji)
We want to mean it --but given the invitation to adapt and be like everyone else, we tend to at least feel the pull to jump at the chance!
My Honey is who he is, everywhere he goes.
He is the most consistent man I know and I am blessed because of that!
I have grown up and grown into being comfortable with who I am, everywhere I go, too! (Or at least, most of the places, for most of the time!)
In fact, a friend mentioned this to me a few weeks ago... that this is something she has noticed about me. I only share that because this didn't used to be true!
I used to conform to whatever crowd I was with. Not completely. I had the rare gift of almost always liking who I was and that helped tremendously as I made my way through those teenage years and into young adulthood. However, my desire to fit in and to be a part of something was strong and if I felt that adaptation was needed, well then --I was up for the challenge!
I decided long ago, however, that I no longer wanted to be a game player and I best served myself, my family and friends, and my God, in learning myself and standing firm and staying true to who I am!
Turns out, I really like that girl!
My Honey and I took a vacation --just a short weekend trip to our favorite little spot on the ocean-- about a month or so ago. We've been through a long hard season full of changes and shifts. Some of them we saw coming and some of them we did not.
But many of the changes were because we remembered that while God does ask us to embrace change and to convert -He doesn't ask us to conform or adapt... --not in a way that piles on stress and makes us lose sight of who we are, anyway!
No, He loves it when we hold on to who He made us to be... when we fully step into who we are and allow ourselves to stand up tall... to stand out and not blend in, because that is how He made us to be!
At the end of that three-day trip, I took a selfie in the bathroom (as one does...) When I looked at it, I caught my breath.
What I saw was just So. Much. Peace!
I saw myself and the calm confidence... the assurance that I hear Him and that I am heard and known by Him...
I saw Love and Rest and Joy again and my first thought was,
"Man, I've missed this girl!"
{STOP}
So adapt and change and adjust when needed... yes! Of course!
We preach the necessity of Change --even when/if we don't love it! It is what shows that there is growth, right?
But only do it if it is God asking it of you and if it will help you to grow and if it will help you to, as Bob Goff says, become love!
Don't do it to keep the peace, or blend in, or try to earn grace or value or position.
The pull for all of those things is strong, I know!
So, how do we fight against the pull?
We LEAN IN to God...
We ask Him how He wants us to adapt...
What areas of our heart and life need attention...
--need little adjustments here or there... little tweaks?
We ask... and wait and listen,
and then we partner with Him in
Becoming!
We ask Him how He wants our Garden to grow... and we allow HIM to do the weeding... the adapting... because when we let Him do it --we know it will be done in a way that makes us MORE... never less! He does it in a way that Unveils and Reveals, never hides or covers up!
What about you? Do you prefer to stand out or to blend in? And whatever your reason, why do you think that is? It's worth your time to ponder over and ask Him why He thinks that is, too!
Our One Word prompt: ADAPT ! This is Five Minute Friday!
{GO}
My first thought is of how it is good to adapt.
I mean... it is pretty much required for survival! And it's not a bad thing, necessarily! We all adapt in one way or another (or fifty thousand.)
There is such a strong pull to adapt to our surroundings... to adapt to the culture around us or the expectations put on us... to follow the rules and follow the crowd.
Then my mind switches and the slightly rebellious me speaks up a little louder and I began to think of all the ways the pull to adapt should be battled and how we should fight against it! At least sometimes!
The pull to adapt to life around us oftentimes requires us to give up the life within us... to adjust, to blend in, to conform and be quiet. (And the rebellious me says, "No thanks, man.")
I don't know about you... but in this world where we all SAY we value individuals... how we say we all have our own identities... we say that we are created with a purpose, for a purpose... (insert broken record emoji)
We want to mean it --but given the invitation to adapt and be like everyone else, we tend to at least feel the pull to jump at the chance!
My Honey is who he is, everywhere he goes.
He is the most consistent man I know and I am blessed because of that!
I have grown up and grown into being comfortable with who I am, everywhere I go, too! (Or at least, most of the places, for most of the time!)
In fact, a friend mentioned this to me a few weeks ago... that this is something she has noticed about me. I only share that because this didn't used to be true!
I used to conform to whatever crowd I was with. Not completely. I had the rare gift of almost always liking who I was and that helped tremendously as I made my way through those teenage years and into young adulthood. However, my desire to fit in and to be a part of something was strong and if I felt that adaptation was needed, well then --I was up for the challenge!
I decided long ago, however, that I no longer wanted to be a game player and I best served myself, my family and friends, and my God, in learning myself and standing firm and staying true to who I am!
Turns out, I really like that girl!
My Honey and I took a vacation --just a short weekend trip to our favorite little spot on the ocean-- about a month or so ago. We've been through a long hard season full of changes and shifts. Some of them we saw coming and some of them we did not.
But many of the changes were because we remembered that while God does ask us to embrace change and to convert -He doesn't ask us to conform or adapt... --not in a way that piles on stress and makes us lose sight of who we are, anyway!
No, He loves it when we hold on to who He made us to be... when we fully step into who we are and allow ourselves to stand up tall... to stand out and not blend in, because that is how He made us to be!
At the end of that three-day trip, I took a selfie in the bathroom (as one does...) When I looked at it, I caught my breath.
What I saw was just So. Much. Peace!
I saw myself and the calm confidence... the assurance that I hear Him and that I am heard and known by Him...
I saw Love and Rest and Joy again and my first thought was,
"Man, I've missed this girl!"
{STOP}
So adapt and change and adjust when needed... yes! Of course!
We preach the necessity of Change --even when/if we don't love it! It is what shows that there is growth, right?
But only do it if it is God asking it of you and if it will help you to grow and if it will help you to, as Bob Goff says, become love!
Don't do it to keep the peace, or blend in, or try to earn grace or value or position.
The pull for all of those things is strong, I know!
So, how do we fight against the pull?
We LEAN IN to God...
We ask Him how He wants us to adapt...
What areas of our heart and life need attention...
--need little adjustments here or there... little tweaks?
We ask... and wait and listen,
and then we partner with Him in
Becoming!
We ask Him how He wants our Garden to grow... and we allow HIM to do the weeding... the adapting... because when we let Him do it --we know it will be done in a way that makes us MORE... never less! He does it in a way that Unveils and Reveals, never hides or covers up!
What about you? Do you prefer to stand out or to blend in? And whatever your reason, why do you think that is? It's worth your time to ponder over and ask Him why He thinks that is, too!
The Five Minute Friday community is the best gathering of Flashmob writers around! We wait for the one-word prompt and we throw caution and hesitation and editing to the wind, and we let our fingers fly and our feelings feel and we just wait and see what flows out in five minutes (or so! Because, grace!) and we hit Publish without second-guessing or backspacing!
Linking up with Kate Motaung and the #fmfparty Community today. Five Minute Fridays give 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 "ADAPT"
Linking up with Kate Motaung and the #fmfparty Community today. Five Minute Fridays give 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 "ADAPT"
I'm also linking up with the lovely writer communities linked below:
Crystal Twaddell for #FreshMarketFriday
Kelly Balarie for #RaRaLinkUp
You know Karrilee, I have never been with you IRL but I find you refreshingly consistent. Always lining up with The Word. I remember years ago (20?) I sat in the HR dept of the big mfg company I worked (I was asst to pres/ceo) and I told HR person Tommy that I believed in my spirit such and such. What he said to me will stay with me as long as I breathe, "Susan, you hear the voice of God, you hear The Shepherd - never doubt that. It is because I know this to be true, I receive what you are saying as God-ordained." I DO hear from the Lord and rarely do I say "thus says the Lord." Because people don't get it. YOU GET IT. I GET YOU. I love you and Dave and one sweet day we will sit in the warm sunshine of a coffee bistro patio and share Jesus stories. Until then, we will meet here. xo
ReplyDeleteYou get it... you get me... and I can't tell you what a gift that is to me! And all the Yes and Amen's and Let It Be So's to the patio sitting in real life one day! xoxo
DeleteOH YES WE WILL!!!
DeleteGuess what I'm singing? This is me!! I loved this post friend! Xoxo
ReplyDeleteLOL! Because, of course --right? #Thisisme! Yes and Amen! xoxo
DeleteSelf acceptance in who God has created us to be, especially in His perfecting as we walk with Him each day! Is All a part of adaption isn't it...
ReplyDeleteI am me, so in some situations I will blend in & in others I will stand out! I am just happy to be who God is molding me into for His glory & be Jennifer for Him in the situation!
You're most welcome to drop by for a cup of inspiration!
Jennifer