Dear Friday.
You come rushing in like a steam engine with your beacon-light streaming through the fog of this rushing-full week.
We have pressed on and leaned in on grace full-weight this week.
There have been extra demands at the office, head cold symptoms to interrupt our sleeps, the rolling waves of excitement and fear that slow-looming possibilities can ignite.
There has been the expectations and needs of loved ones to meet or entrust to Another,
{and the courage to discern that difference.}
There is the ministry-joy before us this weekend, placing required preparation upon our hands.
We have leaned in hard, praying often, planting His promises before our eyes, talking and listening, helping and hugging, looking and considering His ways,
His pefection on the horizon in perfect time.
So I meet you, Friday, a midst all of the messy beautiful that you culminate;
I meet you held, and sustained, and always-welcomed, and pefectly approved,
and steadfastly loved by Abba.
I meet you from the arms of grace, eager for what you bring, and the chance to count it all up:
Remembering:
~ The gray-gold of Monday morning spent in sweet spiritual white space at an old farm-house-turned-cafe.
Meandering with Abba through the truths of Habakkuk that He delighted to share with me. Cultivating my unbroken companionship with Him through rich unstructured lingering. Receiving His truth, marking it plainly upon my heart, taking it with me for the road of the week that was to follow...
~ The delight of grace-sisters circling once again after Summer's long break.
The Bread of Life before us, the Spirit within us enabling speaking and listening and linking of hearts in the glory of His grace.
~ My little sister {by birth}.
Her gentle eyes framed behind long strands of gold pale with beauty.
Her genuine and unhindered love flowing out.
Her wisdom beyond years listening to my heart 16 years ahead of her's and receiving me unconditionally.
Her humbling trust given in me as she returned a sharing from the soul. Hearts were refreshed and filled.
"There is an undeniable healing power in telling the truth to someone who validates you by simply listening - honor obliterates shame's power."
~Jo Ann Fore in "When a Woman Finds Her Voice"
~ The day possibility loomed big but then disappeared only to reappear in stronger force days later.
The silence that has followed.
The way our hearts have been exposed bare under the roller coaster's climbs and plunges. The way this bare has been so very cleansing and good.
The call to wait in the slow, to keep our eyes to His work, for His timing is perfect;
His ways past finding out.
~ The Pastor when he said, "There is no part of me that God does not claim for Himself, else I would keep an area of death, for He is Life and Light." The prayer He challenged from Ps86:11.
"Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I might fear your name."
The way I prayed in response and can clearly see God's hand of answer all over the past 5 days.
Reading:
~Haggai where Abba is teaching me the priority and practice of His Presence.
Before all of the busy doing, the homemaking and mothering, the hospitality and ministry.
Before the serving, the accomplishing, the going, the giving and pouring-out...
There is the being, the simple communion in resting of my soul upon His Word.
The sure-footing through His Spirit in His steadfast love and grace;
His constant presence with me.
~ "Proof - finding freedom through the intoxicating joy of irresistible grace"
by Daniel Montgomery and Timothy Paul Jones.
This book is rich with the gospel teaching that we all need on repeat;
a lavishing of grace that frees us from the tyranny of performance
and enables our pursuit of holiness in power.
I am loving the acronym Montgomery and Jones use:
P. Planned Grace
R. Resurrecting Grace
O. Outrageous Grace
O. Overcoming Grace
F. Forever Grace
Definitely put this title on your reading list:
~ Reviewing the "I Choose" list that I compiled earlier this week in response to a challenge issued by one of my favorite bloggers.
The call to wait in the slow, to keep our eyes to His work, for His timing is perfect;
His ways past finding out.
~ The Pastor when he said, "There is no part of me that God does not claim for Himself, else I would keep an area of death, for He is Life and Light." The prayer He challenged from Ps86:11.
"Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I might fear your name."
The way I prayed in response and can clearly see God's hand of answer all over the past 5 days.
Reading:
~Haggai where Abba is teaching me the priority and practice of His Presence.
Before all of the busy doing, the homemaking and mothering, the hospitality and ministry.
Before the serving, the accomplishing, the going, the giving and pouring-out...
There is the being, the simple communion in resting of my soul upon His Word.
The sure-footing through His Spirit in His steadfast love and grace;
His constant presence with me.
~ "Proof - finding freedom through the intoxicating joy of irresistible grace"
by Daniel Montgomery and Timothy Paul Jones.
This book is rich with the gospel teaching that we all need on repeat;
a lavishing of grace that frees us from the tyranny of performance
and enables our pursuit of holiness in power.
I am loving the acronym Montgomery and Jones use:
P. Planned Grace
R. Resurrecting Grace
O. Outrageous Grace
O. Overcoming Grace
F. Forever Grace
Definitely put this title on your reading list:
~ Reviewing the "I Choose" list that I compiled earlier this week in response to a challenge issued by one of my favorite bloggers.
{I will include her full post in my upcoming Sunday Link-Up post.}
The exercise was valuable and has proven a great place for frequent review in the anchoring of my hope.
Savoring:
~ Beautiful new candle.
"Woodside Library" by Glade. The name alone grabbed my book loving self, and the musky scents of leather and oak have been wafting around this kitchen since.
~ And This: A sweet grace-sister's dreams unfolding. God's pleasure over this beginning. ~ Beautiful sunsets.
Full story here on the blog yesterday....
~ The fun creativity I get to expend in baking this for the 13 who will make their way here this evening. As the sun sets, we will fill our mugs with coffee and circle up to study and discussion about gospel-community, of which the learning and being will happen in one grace-empowered motion. We love our sweet little group!
Listening:
{Choosing the soundtrack for this week has been important,
often the lyrics rescuing and reminding towards the holding of my soul's rest.}
"You Are Greater" by Brad and Rebekah
"Jesus, I Am Resting" by Tricia Brock
"Psalm 23" by Holly Starr
"You Are My Shepherd" by Tricia Brock
Planning:
~ At my Favorite's suggestion, I've had fun gathering inspiration towards a future room that we're calling "Our Studio"....
A place for reading, writing, study, painting, and through other forms of creativity,
simply becoming who He is making us to be.
~ A long sleep in with my loves this Saturday. Blueberry French Toast with all the trimmings.
Letting and watching the family day unfold together...
Thinking:
On this:
And this:
And holding tight to this still:
What about you, dear reader in this place?
Where does Friday find you counting and stewarding and chasing down
the joy richly provided even in the wake of a hard week?
Take a moment to share even one thing remembered, savored, planned, read or heard?
I promise joy follows big in the tracks of a counting-up even the smallest graces!
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