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!