***
Hello, friends! My, how I am missing the #fmfparty community over on Twitter on Thursday nights. However that is the evening of our small group meetings now and as much as I miss Y'all --you know how I value some eye to eye, face to face, kind of connections! Still... I haven't given up hope to somehow make them both work (--at least once in a while!) Until then... This is a Five Minute Friday post... which simply means I set a timer and free write for five minutes flat on the one-word prompt: OPPORTUNITY
{GO!}
Oh, Opportunity!
I see the word and realize this can go in so many different directions!
We've been in a strange, long season of waiting in the In-Between... keeping our hearts in His hands and allowing our eyes to scan the horizon for any new opportunities coming our way! We've been patient (mostly!) and willing to wait for whatever is next --while still pursuing HIM more than we pursue anything or anyone else!
To be honest, we've been saturated with His goodness and graced with an abundance of peace -but, Y'all!- we are growing a little weary...
This is real life and we are trusting Him still
and yet --we really didn't think this season
would last quite so long!
So while I could talk about opportunities
for change or jobs or dreams coming true,
we are still waiting on those opportunities!
But what the Lord has been saying to our souls
through this long, dry wilderness is this:
Rejoice...
Stay in Joy...
Stay in Peace...
Stay covered in Trust...
Stay draped & wrapped up
in His Love...
Watch and See...
Oh... and this too:
Look at the trials and battles
not merely as attacks,
but also --ultimately--
as opportunities for growth!
I know?
Who wants to do that?
I mean --we're honest around here
and who looks at a circumstance
or a challenge and thinks,
"Yay! Another opportunity to grow!"
Jesus... that's who.
Jesus looks at what is coming at us
--whether it is directly from Him
(read: every good and perfect gift!)
or from someone or something else
(read: anything that hasn't yet been
worked together for our good!)
and He sees the richness
of the lessons we can learn!
He sees the fruit of the Spirit
that can grow and flourish
in the midst of the learning!
Remember --the fruit of the Spirit is HIS fruit...
It's HIS Spirit --not yours!
HE does the Planting and the Pruning...
the Weeding and the Watering...
and we stay Grafted In and Grateful...
We partner with Him and allow Him
to do the Gardening,
as we do the Growing!
The thing that keeps coming back to us
over and over is that even though we think
we want to skip all the hard times
and difficult situations,
it's going THROUGH those things
when we grow the most...
it's walking THROUGH the valley
of the shadow of death where we
find opportunities to grow
--in our faith, in our identity,
and in our ability to trust!
And it's there that we tend to find
Life and Life, Abundantly!
{STOP!}
Something about how when all is stripped away
and all that is left is you and Jesus
--that is when you (re)discover that truly,
He is more than enough!
Something about Count it All Joy, right?
"My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can! For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up power within you to endure all things. And then as your endurance grows even stronger it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking." ~ James 1:2-4 TPT
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 "OPPORTUNITY"
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 about 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!
Photos courtesy of Unsplash
I'm also linking up with the lovely writer community linked below:
Crystal Twaddell for #FreshMarketFriday
{GO!}
Oh, Opportunity!
I see the word and realize this can go in so many different directions!
We've been in a strange, long season of waiting in the In-Between... keeping our hearts in His hands and allowing our eyes to scan the horizon for any new opportunities coming our way! We've been patient (mostly!) and willing to wait for whatever is next --while still pursuing HIM more than we pursue anything or anyone else!
This is real life and we are trusting Him still
and yet --we really didn't think this season
would last quite so long!
So while I could talk about opportunities
for change or jobs or dreams coming true,
we are still waiting on those opportunities!
But what the Lord has been saying to our souls
through this long, dry wilderness is this:
Rejoice...
Stay in Joy...
Stay in Peace...
Stay covered in Trust...
Stay draped & wrapped up
in His Love...
Watch and See...
Oh... and this too:
Look at the trials and battles
not merely as attacks,
but also --ultimately--
as opportunities for growth!
I know?
Who wants to do that?
I mean --we're honest around here
and who looks at a circumstance
or a challenge and thinks,
"Yay! Another opportunity to grow!"
Jesus... that's who.
Jesus looks at what is coming at us
--whether it is directly from Him
(read: every good and perfect gift!)
or from someone or something else
(read: anything that hasn't yet been
worked together for our good!)
and He sees the richness
of the lessons we can learn!
He sees the fruit of the Spirit
that can grow and flourish
in the midst of the learning!
Remember --the fruit of the Spirit is HIS fruit...
It's HIS Spirit --not yours!
HE does the Planting and the Pruning...
the Weeding and the Watering...
and we stay Grafted In and Grateful...
We partner with Him and allow Him
to do the Gardening,
as we do the Growing!
The thing that keeps coming back to us
over and over is that even though we think
we want to skip all the hard times
and difficult situations,
it's going THROUGH those things
when we grow the most...
it's walking THROUGH the valley
of the shadow of death where we
find opportunities to grow
--in our faith, in our identity,
and in our ability to trust!
And it's there that we tend to find
Life and Life, Abundantly!
Who wants to do that?
I mean --we're honest around here
and who looks at a circumstance
or a challenge and thinks,
"Yay! Another opportunity to grow!"
Jesus... that's who.
Jesus looks at what is coming at us
--whether it is directly from Him
(read: every good and perfect gift!)
or from someone or something else
(read: anything that hasn't yet been
worked together for our good!)
and He sees the richness
of the lessons we can learn!
He sees the fruit of the Spirit
that can grow and flourish
in the midst of the learning!
Remember --the fruit of the Spirit is HIS fruit...
It's HIS Spirit --not yours!
HE does the Planting and the Pruning...
the Weeding and the Watering...
and we stay Grafted In and Grateful...
We partner with Him and allow Him
to do the Gardening,
as we do the Growing!
The thing that keeps coming back to us
over and over is that even though we think
we want to skip all the hard times
and difficult situations,
it's going THROUGH those things
when we grow the most...
it's walking THROUGH the valley
of the shadow of death where we
find opportunities to grow
--in our faith, in our identity,
and in our ability to trust!
And it's there that we tend to find
Life and Life, Abundantly!
{STOP!}
Something about how when all is stripped away
and all that is left is you and Jesus
--that is when you (re)discover that truly,
He is more than enough!
Something about Count it All Joy, right?
and all that is left is you and Jesus
--that is when you (re)discover that truly,
He is more than enough!
Something about Count it All Joy, right?
"My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can! For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up power within you to endure all things. And then as your endurance grows even stronger it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking." ~ James 1:2-4 TPT
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 about 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!
Photos courtesy of Unsplash
I'm also linking up with the lovely writer community linked below:
Crystal Twaddell for #FreshMarketFriday
So true! For how else does God grow our spiritual muscles except by putting us in situations where they have to go to work? Hard times are our spiritual gym sessions!
ReplyDeleteYour FMF Neighbour #47
It's very true... I'm pretty sure I'm a rockstar in the spirit by now! ;) Or at least a cross fit star!
DeleteOh my goodness! So much truth.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mandy!
Delete“Sometimes He calms the storm, and other times he calms His Child.” I find that many times He calms me instead of changing my circumstances. Even when I really wish He would take away the uncertainty. Thank you for the encouragement, Karrilee. -Jolene
ReplyDeleteIt's so true, Jo! Thanks for stopping by, friend!
DeleteI hear you, friend! Those dark valleys aren’t any fun when we’re walking through them, but they’re like the Keto Diet for the soul!
ReplyDeleteWell --that explains some things! ;)
DeleteSo good. So encouraging. ❤ Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by and reading, Anna! xoxo
DeleteSorry it took me so long to get here. Love this friend! It can be so weary. But God is indeed there and gives us rest,
ReplyDeleteIndeed! Lots of 'growing' going on over here lately! ;) Thanks so much for stopping by, friend!
Delete