Do you Feel Distracted? A Guest Post by Kelly Balarie

I know it's been a LONG drought of silence around here on the blog.  

It was sporadic at best through a long hard season and then --well, crickets really since going back to work!

I do write my monthly newsletter (she says, realizing it was due today and it's still waiting for me to finish and hit send!) However today, in this space, I wanted to invite a friend to share her heart with y'all! Many of you know and love Kelly already, but for those of you who may not have had the pleasure, let me just say --her new book, Rest Now, is just what we need! You're gonna want to get it so you can let the message work its' way into your heart and your actual life!

Without further ado: Kelly Balarie!

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I had no idea what was above me. I was focused on the stop sign to the right of me, or the people crossing the street, or changing the radio station in the car that day...I was not caught up in what was above me. But, suddenly - and I can't say why -- I looked up.

There I saw a brilliant display of nature. The sky was gorgeous. It was radiant, blue, red and purple hues strewn all over the sky. It seemed to convey the brilliance, the majesty and the beauty of God all at once. 

I would have missed it if I had kept my eyes on the million little things happening in front of me. 

A Collective Rebirth... a Five Minute Friday post.

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My, oh My! It's been another long, quiet absence! Who knew throwing in a job or two would so disrupt my writing routine? (The working women! That's who! They knew! )

I have been silent in many ways, processing all that our World is battling right now. If you've been around here much or know me at all, you know my bent is toward the positive... the Promises... the Yes and Amen's... the sunshine and laughter and joy! All this Heavy and Hard leaves me feeling --well, heavy and hard. It's so not my favorite! Still... I'm here, sitting in the chair, ready to see what pours out with our Word prompt...

This is a Five Minute Friday post... which, as you should know by now, simply means I set a timer and free-write for five minutes flat on the one-word prompt: BORN

{GO!} 

Born...

I see the prompt and my heavy heart goes immediately to the thought of how we need a Change. We need more than a restoration in our country. We need something brand new... We need a nation collectively being reborn!

My next thought goes to a quote I just read on Emily P. Freeman's blog.  She stated this: "Starting again doesn’t have to mean starting over." and I can't get over the relief of the truth of it!

Somehow, these two thoughts merge together in my mind and sink down deep and fast into my heart, and suddenly, I feel Hope arising!

His Ways are Higher... Perspective - a Five Minute Friday post.

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My, Oh My!  It's been a long pause, hasn't it? I'm hoping that at least Y'all are signed up for the monthly Newsyletter --but even that, as of late, hasn't quite exactly been monthly, per se!  I had a sweet reader reach out to me last week, taking notice of my absence! (Thank you, Connie, for your kind email!)

It has felt as if the enemy has, yet again, been after my Voice! In quite literal terms, I've been battling some sort of something for too long but I have turned the corner and am feeling much better! (Let me tell you, having allergies or any sort of cough or little bug is SO uncool right now! No one loves it!)  Anyway --here I sit, in this old familiar place, completely out of the habit of writing... but that hasn't stopped me from jumping right back in before... so Let's go!

This is a Five Minute Friday post... which, as you should know by now, simply means I set a timer and free-write for five minutes flat on the one-word prompt: PERSPECTIVE.

{GO!}

I see the word and my first thoughts go to, "Yes, please!"  

Oh My --how we need a bigger perspective than what we are often limited to-- especially lately!  As the Word so clearly states, His ways are not our ways... His thoughts are not our thoughts! 

We need to take a breath... back up... hold our tongue (and our opinions) for one hot minute and remember that no amount of experience, theories, data, or even experts are going to give us what He offers us for free... 
all day, every day!

Experience the Becoming of Who You Are - A Five Minute Friday post.

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My fingertips and my heart have been gently urging me back into this chair!  

It seems the last several times I have come to sit here, I end up frustrated in trying to format and edit a few projects instead of pouring out new words in this space! So today --I'm starting here and (depending on how this goes!) I will tackle the other things next! But first: This is a Five Minute Friday post... which, as you should know by now, simply means I set a timer and free-write for five minutes flat on the one-word prompt: EXPERIENCE... Let's go!

{GO!}

Experience... I see the word and immediately feel my age. I think of all the different areas in my life I have gained experience.  And I think of all the areas I am lacking experience still.

We're all in Process... 
    We are all Becoming...

We are all experts in some ways and inexperienced in other ways!

In a season where I am feeling my inexperience, learning a new job in a new field, relearning how to care for a toddler and teach her in the way she should go, and remembering how to worship without building walls around my heart... --I feel the pull to dwell on the things I do not know... --on the things I'm failing or flailing at and not doing so well...

When a Sacrifice of Trust is the Big Ask - A Five Minute Friday post.

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I know, you guys! I had high hopes that I would be so much more consistent, sitting here in this chair, in the New Year. 

The truth is, I've been battling some sort of something horrible (--a virus or attack on my sinuses, causing extreme pressure and pain... in other words --probably just a head cold with a lot of Extra!)  I recently just managed to write our monthly Newsyletter for January... yeah --in the middle of the month! (This is not a great sign, right? Still... my plan is to be here and to rebuild this Community this year!)

This is a Five Minute Friday post... which, as you should know by now, simply means I set a timer and free-write for five minutes flat on the one-word prompt: SACRIFICE... so this should be fun! Let's go!

{GO!}

Sacrifice... 

In the Western church, this word isn't really highlighted, preached, or encouraged too much!  It's not hip or lit or fresh or whatever it is the cool kids are saying nowadays! (I know... I'm old now!) Basically, the reality is, it's just not sexy enough... besides --who wants to sacrifice anything anyway, right?

But here's the deal: 

Sacrifice is a big part of the Kingdom...
It's a big part of what we are called to do

and how we are called to live!

If Jesus was our example of how to live

(and He was/is! He definitely was/is!)

then Sacrifice should be a big part

of how we live our lives, too!

I know... but stick with me here. 

I'm not thrilled about it either!

When Your OneWord365 Refuses to Let You Ignore It! 2020

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It's a little late to be posting about my OneWord365 maybe... I mean --I know normally I would have written this out in December along with other end-of-the-year posts! Well - 2019 was far from 'normal' and many of those posts didn't get written at all! I did write about all the books I managed to read. You can find that post HERE... and I did write the Annual Prophetic Post for the New Year! You can find that one HERE!

I have been doing this OneWord365 project for many years now and --again-- 'normally' I know my word by the beginning of December. Not this year... He snuck it in the last minute, probably hoping I wouldn't fight Him on it. (But, come on... Y'all know me better than that, right?) 

Listen,  here's the deal:
This is how I opened LAST YEARS' OneWord post:
"2018 has been so full of Heavy and Hard (even more so than 2017... which was pretty terrible, if you recall!) and somehow I completely forgot about my OneWord... 

Well, it seems it forgot about me, too! Or at least that is how I felt when I went back to look it up!"

It just--
Whatever, man! 
2019, 2018, 2017: All wretched.

BUT GOD... 
Seriously --even in the midst of all of these Heavy and Hard, Sad and Terrible-No-Good years...

Happy New Year!!! Our Annual Prophetic Post for 2020

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HAPPY NEW YEAR, Sweet Readers!

As has become our custom around here, today not only brings blank calendars to fill in and new Day Planners to let start bossing us around, but it is also time for our Annual Prophetic Post for the New Year!

I hope 2019 was kinder to you than it appeared to be to us, but either way --Here's to a shiny, bright, happy new year -- full of promise and possibilities!

New Years Day unfolded slowly, with gusts of wind and rain pounding the windows --of both my heart and my home! 

As much as I love to reflect over the last year before leaning into what God has to say about what's next... well --2019 was full of heartbreak and hard. Still, in looking back, I always see how even in the dark times, He was close and present. (Do you remember the discovery of last year, of where His Glory hides? Yeah... it's in the Darkness.)  

As a storm brewed around us, I settled my heart and curled up with a cup of coffee, a journal and pen, and an expectant hope... to tune and hear from God... --not only for me but for all of us who are willing to lean in a bit closer to God in 2020!

I always ask the Lord for a word or phrase that will speak prophetically over the coming year.  I also ask Him to lead me to a book in the Bible that He wants to be highlighted throughout the year.  

I'm consistently amazed at how much He wants to communicate with us!