Ah Friday,
You found me quick and fast in this cycle of seven.
Abba's goodness finds me faster. He is the theme of my thoughts, my life's rhythms and heart song.
Filled with possibility, you greet us, Friday.
Will you hold unfolding, answer, provision, or more waiting; stretching on out of our sight?
I know this.
I know that you hold His faithfulness in rich supply.
I know the One who holds your season, this one serving up of 24 sixty-minute packages of fleeting time.
I know Who holds my hopes and dreams, my waiting and longing, my hoping and reflecting.
So I greet you, Friday, with your extra possibility, your tenuous hope, and your sure anchoring.
Together you and I, Friday, can count up, take inventory, lay out and catalog rich treasures of grace, lavish amounts of steadfast love, and delightful beauty.
Remembering:
~The startling joy beaming from my girlie's face as she slowly, so delicately, made her way down a Bridal isle.
She was small - almost too small to be seen if you weren't seated just right, with her sparkling purple shoes, shimmery gray dress, and a sweet braid tucking back her fine golden hair.
What grabbed this momma's heart was the sheer joy that never left her face, the intention with which she let fly each petal, and the way her tiney 4yr old heart grasped the significance of her role enough to beam.....
a bride was coming. the groom was waiting. She got it and she delighted in it.
"All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with roves interwoven with gold...
Hear O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear...
the King will desire your beauty. Since He is your LORD, bow to Him," Ps45
~Moments of absolute craziness that paired me with two days of painful thigh muscles; still gets me giggling, though I'll never regret embracing risk and pushing back predictable in order to lean in tight to the spiritual white space He gave me.
The full story; your favorite on the blog this week.
~A dark caramel-colored table for two at a favorite Lunch spot.
The dear grace-Sister that met with me there shared real time and real heart with me. as. is. Our souls rested in the connection we shared there.
~A call that came after 7 months of silence.
Reminder of His power and presence over our waiting.
Kept, Held, Known, Received, Heard
~"Please say yes."
The text ended with this. He asked me to dinner. alone. just us.
Relational white space weaves itself seamlessly into the fabric of our marriage, punctuated by laughter and dreaming together.
He pursues relentlessly. I respond. We are both met and filled.
~Two grace-Sisters on my couch. A fresh book to lead our study. In-the-moment prayer for one another. The joy of new and deepening friendships that truly feed one another.
Reading:
~Psalm 45 has drawn me in for a lingering, celebrating the love of my heart's Bridegroom.
With it's fairy tale rhythms of Victorious Rescue {vs1-5}, Courtly Wooing {vs6-12}, and the culmination of a Royal Wedding {vs13-17}, these lines of inspired prose have won my joy time and again, and with greater promise each morning this week.
In the first half of "When a Woman Finds Her Voice;
Overcoming Life's Hurt & Using Your Story to Make a Difference" by Jo Ann Fore.
The forward begins, "Eons ago, before you were born, God designed you with a unique purpose to discover and fulfill on earth. He's always intended to use every part of your life - no matter how broken - in his kingdom-building plan."
I have taken Fore's challenge and recommendation to interact with each chapter completely, journaling through the application sections and allowing her questions to mentor my heart in line with scripture.
I am taking my time and gleaning much from each chapter.
Favorite benefits so far include, clarity to understand where and how I have chosen to hide the "voice" of God's work in my life behind the masks of "The Approval Addict" or "The Performer".
Also exhortation to chose intentional sharing of my pain in appropriate fellowship in a way that transforms doubt and insecurity into hope shared because of Christ.
I must make brief note, because I know some of you dear readers in this place, that you may have a reflexive reaction to some of Fore's lingo as being "humanistic".
{ I know this because I, myself, have been there and am navigating my own trained reactions to lingo use, seeking and discerning by use of scripture what is Spirit-led, and what is of pre-wired, fear-based methodology.}
This book must be read as it is written - to those in Christ. Therefore when the author speaks of "deserving" or "being worthy", these truths are to be read and rightly walked in as the identity imputed to us through Christ, rather than humanistic terms to be shied away from.
With that notified, I do recommend it to any who may feel drawn to this topic.
Savoring:
~These first very cool and Autumn-like days!
~Coffee. I never stop savoring this common grace of roasted and steamy brew!
~Hope. Possibility. Motivation to be ready. It's always there, but some days He ordains we feel it strong.
~A very clean house. {one of the perks to the waiting we're in.}
~A sweet new connection with a long-time friend. She catches hearts and hears their voice.
~Steve. Steve. Steve. Nothing makes me smile and laugh until my eyes swell shut like that man with ~his fun and ever-constant loving well.
~A 4th week of complete release from a besetting diet laziness. {gettin' real here} Completely gone with the exception of some short mental battles which were quickly won. I've been hesitant to talk of this new freedom here in this place, for fear that it wouldn't be real or lasting, but away with that mask.
I'm simply walking in God's goodness and savoring it.
Listening:
~A new SGM single.
The forward begins, "Eons ago, before you were born, God designed you with a unique purpose to discover and fulfill on earth. He's always intended to use every part of your life - no matter how broken - in his kingdom-building plan."
I have taken Fore's challenge and recommendation to interact with each chapter completely, journaling through the application sections and allowing her questions to mentor my heart in line with scripture.
I am taking my time and gleaning much from each chapter.
Favorite benefits so far include, clarity to understand where and how I have chosen to hide the "voice" of God's work in my life behind the masks of "The Approval Addict" or "The Performer".
Also exhortation to chose intentional sharing of my pain in appropriate fellowship in a way that transforms doubt and insecurity into hope shared because of Christ.
I must make brief note, because I know some of you dear readers in this place, that you may have a reflexive reaction to some of Fore's lingo as being "humanistic".
{ I know this because I, myself, have been there and am navigating my own trained reactions to lingo use, seeking and discerning by use of scripture what is Spirit-led, and what is of pre-wired, fear-based methodology.}
This book must be read as it is written - to those in Christ. Therefore when the author speaks of "deserving" or "being worthy", these truths are to be read and rightly walked in as the identity imputed to us through Christ, rather than humanistic terms to be shied away from.
With that notified, I do recommend it to any who may feel drawn to this topic.
Savoring:
~These first very cool and Autumn-like days!
~Coffee. I never stop savoring this common grace of roasted and steamy brew!
~Hope. Possibility. Motivation to be ready. It's always there, but some days He ordains we feel it strong.
~A very clean house. {one of the perks to the waiting we're in.}
~A sweet new connection with a long-time friend. She catches hearts and hears their voice.
~Steve. Steve. Steve. Nothing makes me smile and laugh until my eyes swell shut like that man with ~his fun and ever-constant loving well.
~A 4th week of complete release from a besetting diet laziness. {gettin' real here} Completely gone with the exception of some short mental battles which were quickly won. I've been hesitant to talk of this new freedom here in this place, for fear that it wouldn't be real or lasting, but away with that mask.
I'm simply walking in God's goodness and savoring it.
Listening:
~A new SGM single.
Watch for it in the Sunday Link-Up.
~Most of Jason Gray's album, "a way to see in the DARK"
These:
"A Way To See"
~ Fun, laughter, some sweets shared and memories made with the four smallers who will make camp in our guest space this evening. Their mommy and Dad are running off together for 24. The joy my people will get from shared time with these people is fun to behold.
Thinking:
On this..... still.....
And this:
And posting this in front of my eyes.
Dear Reader in this place,
as you meet with Friday's intermixing finish lines and restful beginnings, may your count up, take inventory and relish the grace all around you.
Share something here if you wish:
Something remembered, read, listened to, savored, planned....
I would so welcome knowing about your grace stewarded.
"Take My Hand" by Lindsay McCaul
~ Fun, laughter, some sweets shared and memories made with the four smallers who will make camp in our guest space this evening. Their mommy and Dad are running off together for 24. The joy my people will get from shared time with these people is fun to behold.
Thinking:
On this..... still.....
And this:
And posting this in front of my eyes.
Dear Reader in this place,
as you meet with Friday's intermixing finish lines and restful beginnings, may your count up, take inventory and relish the grace all around you.
Share something here if you wish:
Something remembered, read, listened to, savored, planned....
I would so welcome knowing about your grace stewarded.
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