Oh Boy. Am I Ever Jumping. [Five Minute Friday]

WELL!

This has never happened.  I'm up at midnight and Five Minute Friday over at Lisa Jo's place is up and running.

I was on my way to bed... but... what's 5 less minutes of sleep, right?

Here I go.  

The word?  JUMP.

Oh. boy. 

Am I ever jumping.  How insanely appropriate, this word.

Out of all the false humility and fear of man that have held me back.  Out of the fear... well, just fear in general.  Taking some huge leaps forward these days.

I wrote an eBook.  Never, EVER thought I'd do that.  For some reason, the thought of writing one of those was always even more intimidating than writing a regular ol' read-it-on-paper book.  Guess that would be due mostly to my technologically-challenged-ness.

Anyway.  Said eBook will be releasing THIS Saturday night.  And I've overcome my animosity toward technology in this process enough to say this: I AM SO EXCITED TO SHARE THIS.

The title?  Stillness Manifesto:  A Call to NON-Action (Complete with NON-Instructions.)  

Yup.  Jumping.  Still a little afraid.

But going for it.  Pursuing what I feel is a huge piece of my calling.  Trusting the Lord with the details.

Off a stinkin' cliff.

Thankful He's waiting at the bottom!

STOP. :)

No editing, no over-thinking.  Just write your guts.  

Check it out - happens weekly over here at Lisa-Jo's.

Resting: For When Your Dreams Fall To The Ground and Die

Linking up today with Lisa-Jo's community.  Join us?

5 Minutes of writing on one word.  No backtracking.  No editing.  Just whatever comes out of your heart.  It's super fun to see how just one word can draw out the things that you're already processing inside.  Give it a try if you haven't before.

Today's prompt: 

REST

Ready to roll in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...

I'm so thankful today that God is good.  That He's faithful.  That His plans for my life are perfect, so much better than my own.

If I had my way, my life would look so very different than it does.  In particular, let me just say that I did NOT expect to be 32 and be a mom of just one.  One awesome, wild, sweet ALL-BOY kiddo who I dearly love and for whom I am incredibly thankful. 

If you'd asked me 5 years ago, I'd have guessed we'd have 3 or so by now... maybe even 4.  I'd have told you we planned to have 8-10 kids, between biological and adopted.

I'd have told you how we were passionate about parenting and adoption, how we believed they were a huge part of our calling. 

We still believe that.

And yet my life has not played out how I planned. 

And I'm just thankful today that His ways are higher, His thoughts aren't mine, that His heart toward me is GOOD, is LOVE, and that He KNOWS the plans He has for me.  Jeremiah 29:11.... "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord.  Plans to prosper you and not to harm you.  Plans to give you hope and a future."

Knowing His heart like this... TRUSTing His heart like this... is what allows me to rest in Him... even on the days when my dreams must fall into the ground and die.  John 12:24

So I choose that today... I choose to rest.  To trust.  Because He's worthy of it.

STOP.

Five Minute Friday: No Such Thing As Ordinary

Hola my friends!  Linking up again today with Lisa-Jo's community for yet another FUN 5-Minute Friday!  I love these - it's so interesting to see what comes out given very little time to THINK about what to write on a given topic.  No editing either.  You can join in the fun by clicking here. Do it!

And the word for today is....

ORDINARY

GO.

Ordinary...  I was thinking earlier this morning about how today felt so very ordinary.  I think I actually, in my thoughts, used the word "mundane."  But "ordinary" is even more accurate, I think.  I showed, prepped for the day, got my 2-and-a-half-year-old lil' guy ready, and out the door we went on errands.  Not fun, exciting errands, either.  "Boring" ones.  Bought Isaac a new little toy car at Target and by the time we were walking out of the store he had gone from being excited about his new toy to bawling because he couldn't have a huge toy jeep that he, unfortunately, happened to see on our way out.  Urgh.  Plan to keep overtired child happy and occupied? BACKFIRED.

So on the drive home this familiar Holy Spirit whisper knocked on the door of my heart... again.  I hear this from Him SO often because I SO often need to be reminded!  "Dana, when you tune your heart in to my nearness, the mundane is no longer mundane.  I'm inviting you to experience Me NOW."

I said yes to Him.  Gone is the ordinary.  Enter: extraordinary.  Exciting.  Anticipation-filled wonder.  HE IS HERE.  His heart is to make Himself known to me.

Viewing life through these lenses, there is no such thing as ordinary.

Not any more.

STOP.

No editing, Dana.  No.  Don't do it!  Don't.... do...... it!!

;)

Five Minute Friday: Beloved [Let this word hold me firm]

Linking up today with Lisa-Jo's community here

The Prompt:    Beloved

It's what He whispers to me, into the depths of my heart, in those moments when my identity is shaken and I need to be reminded who I am.

He shouts it over me, over the raging storm, loud enough that it drowns out the sounds of the wind and waves.

He sings it over me in my sleep....sings songs of desire for me... of delight in the disposition of my heart before Him.

Beloved.
His dearly loved daughter.
Delight of His heart.

Father, this word, spoken over me straight out of your heart, let it define me.  Root and ground me.  Secure me.  Cover me.  Speak truth to my heart even when life's circumstances try to shake me to the core.  This word, Beloved... Let it hold me firm... unshakable in You.