Learning the Pieces of a Peaceful Life (Theme Chosen by my daughter Leila)

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I think about why my daughter chose A Peaceful Life for this post.  She sat by me as I wrote about a week ago.  For the first time, she asked me what I was writing about.  It turned into a short chat about what she thought I should write about and out this title came.  It is no surprise to me that it is now, this season, that she begins to ask me thought-full questions.  I can see in the way she prays, in the way that she thinks, cares and changes that she is becoming a young woman.  I can’t be more warmed by this changing young woman to choose a theme called Peace.

Questions I am learning to ask myself:  What do I really need?  Is there more?  What makes me cry?  How do I measure success?   What do I love to do that I miss?  Is my idea of the right way keeping me from the best way?

Questions from Jeff Goins, Lynn Donovan, Emily P. Freeman and my journal.

Verse: Meditate within your heart on your bed and be still.  Psalm 4:4

Deep Thought: When I gather questions to ask myself, I start to remember things about myself that I have forgotten.  I remember that I like butterflies and owls and that I like to bake.  I remember that God has given me space to be and do the things that get quietly pushed aside by the needs of the day.  I remember that He made us to live and work and do our roles, but also to dream, imagine and believe in the unique way He made each of us.  When I remember these things, I am inspired to live an intentional, full, beautiful life.

Quote: I think what we all are aching for is the perfect unity of Heaven.  Until then, we are messy people longing to be seen and known, living under the banner of grace, laboring together for God’s dreams until He makes all things new.  By Ashley Abramson, June 9, 2015, Relevant Magazine

Book(s)/Blog(s)/People that Shape Me:  I really like the regular change of authors in the Daily Devos of Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale.  All of the authors ask really good questions like Am I looking backwards from the cross or looking forward from His resurrection?

My Prayer to You:  I pray that we would take time to know ourselves.  God, help us see the beauty in the details and intricacies that You placed within our souls.  Help us remember that life is not complete without the expression of what You have placed within our souls.  Help us to meditate and be still so that we can hear You share Your heart with us.  God, we know that we will ache for You until You bring us home or make all things new.  Even so, help us live and breathe among community so that our  ache leans on side of Hope.  And, finally, God, help us to keep seeking You and the very perfect design You have made in and for all of us.  Amen.

Simply Tuesday Moments

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After having gone through hell with my mom a few weeks ago, we started a new conversation about faith.  We’ve been talking about how one can look rather faithful on the outside, but lack authentic faith on the inside.  With the right amount of legalism combined with the proper measurement of hypocrisy, one can walk and talk and move through daily life with the costume of Christ buttoned and zipped up over the true condition of self.  It’s not that the costume is satisfying the inner self.  It’s not that the costume is fully believable by those doing life nearby.  It’s that the costume wards off just enough human connection to let the costume do its job of masking the person.

Having gone through the hell of seeing my mom hurt, I was moved, in a deep way, by a theme in Emily’s new book Simply Tuesday. She talks about our soul’s need for acceptance and, when we don’t have it, our tendency to build upon ourselves rather than giving God the sacred parts and letting Him build.  Emily goes on to write that building upon ourselves lends itself to distraction and satisfaction, but cannot hold together when disaster strikes.  And, in my experience, disaster always strikes.

Disaster makes it impossible to hide the condition of fake, or anything else ugly on the inside.  Emily uses words like panic, small and hurt to describe the inside when tragedy and trauma enter into your season.  I see the person who has hurt my mom and I wonder in my heart, mind and soul if the one who has hurt will pass the human tools being used to a God who builds with the invisible power of the Spirit.

I think about how easy it is to buy into impressions and portrayals while letting your inside stay dormant, or even rot.  I think about how hard it is to be authentic, to let yourself be transparent.  To let others see you being built instead of letting others see what you want them to see. I’m hoping that in our Tuesday Moments, we’ll continually give away to Him just enough to keep up our souls under construction.  Just enough permission and just enough space to grow in us what is worthy, righteous, beautiful and true.

Give Me Mercy

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What I learned as a human:  We are intensely in need of mercy.  Our lives are half finished, mistake-filled with broken pieces waiting to made into art.  But we are not met by the Artist with conditional love, ashes and stones.  Instead we are met with Love.  So that we can keep walking in the path of Direction.  Holding the hand of Mercy.

Verse:  Deep calls unto deep in the roar of Your waterfalls.  All your waves and breakers have swept over me.  By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me  —  a prayer to the God of my life.  Psalm 42:7-8

Deep Thought: Hear the volume of the roar of His waterfalls.  He is speaking and you are hearing.  Until you sense that there is no space between hearing and speaking.  You are in the deep place.  It may be in your prayer closet.  It may be in conversation with a friend.  Or in birth or death.  Caught up in Love, there is no space between you and the roar that draws you to this deep place.

Quote: I am desperate for a life filled with twinkling eyes, for 30 gallon water pots, for believing in things I can’t see, for cups filled with secret miracles.  a million little ways, by Emily P. Freeman

Book(s)/Blog(s)/People that Shape Me:  Christina V. lives the kind of life in which she shows up as exactly who God made her to be.  She continues on this path even when those lacking their own authenticity throw spears at her.  While who she is causes a few to resort to darkness, the great many who know her find her to be a sparkling light and an inspiration — which is what she is to me.

My Prayer to You: My prayer is that we would live every day with deep understanding of our need for Mercy.  That we would walk humbly in such a way that we would hear Him speak in whispers that enter into our heart and permeate our mind.  I pray that we would see Him work miracles in our everyday lives.  And that we would be moved and shaped by the Christ we see shining in the lives of those around us.  Amen.

Oh, To Be Chosen . . . for Simply Tuesday

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This past January, I enthusiastically applied to be part of the 2015-16 Leadership Fellowship for the Florida Bar.  Yes, I wrote up a resume (after 11 years of being self-employed).  Pulled together two written recommendations.  And, had my dear friend read and edit my essays on why the powers-that-be should pick me.  I patiently waited four months to find out that the powers-that-be did not pick me.

But this is not a boohoo story.  Just a few weeks ago, I filled out a short questionnaire to be part of Emily P. Freeman’s Launch Team for her new book Simply Tuesday.  I did get a pick me.  Woohoo!

For the next several Tuesdays, I will be sharing with you my Simply Tuesday moments in my life and comments and quotes from Emily’s new book debuting in August called Simply Tuesday.  You can follow Emily on instagram and chime in with your own #‎itssimplytuesday‬ moments.  Looking forward to this sharing and reading, reading and sharing in a Femmefuel sort of way.  Happy Tuesday!

Getting Built by Encouragement

On By sashakatzIn FemmeFuel by Sasha Katz2 Comments

There is so much to learn.  It comes from deep.  It comes from wide.  Learning comes from choosing compassion, connection and sometimes pain.  It comes from being humble, bold and brave.  I am constantly encouraged and inspired by great men and women around me.  I hope to become more of who I am by God’s truth and by the path others are walking.  I am getting built by Encouragement.

What I Learned as a Friend: It feels like the stars have come out when you share with your closest friend what God puts on your heart for this season of her life.

What I Learned as a Parent: It is essential to treat your kids equally and to teach them the value of equality.  That way, they will know that nothing is impossible by their own experience and by definition.  Inspired by my own mother and Nobel Peace Prize Recipient Malala Yousafzai.

Verse:   Therefore encourage one another and build each other up just as in fact you are doing.  1 Thessalonians 5:11 

Deep Thought: Driving on the expressway a few weeks ago, I pushed back on making a phone call.  I finally made a deal with myself that I would make the call when I got to my exit.  The call stretched me and caused a certain amount of relational tension.  Later, I see that change does not happen without connecting.  Without bringing about a certain amount of tension with the eyes of compassion. Change does not happen without being bold and brave.  Thanks in part to Seth Godin’s keynote message at Leadercast 2015.

Quote: You don’t have to be an extrovert or fearless to be a bold leader.  You don’t have to have a specific gift or talent.  You don’t have to be ultra smart or resourced.  You need clarity around an unreasonable commitment to what should be.  Paraphrase from Andy Stanley’s keynote message at Leadercast 2015.

Book(s)/Blog(s)/People that Shape Me: Roarke Denver, US Navy Seal Commander, I love the way he speaks about his family with gentleness, shares his combat experiences with humanity and the way he defines the path to bravery.

My Prayer to You: I pray that we would trust the way God speaks to us and that we would share His insight when He calls us to.  I pray that there would be no sweeter moment than putting words into God’s Book of Remembrance.  I pray that we would remember that all of us are conduits of bravery and capable shaking fear.  I pray that we would remember the call on humanity to equality.  And, that there is no greater cause than laying down your life for your friend.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

epiphany

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Epiphany is a moment of sudden revelation or insight.  Epiphanies, for the most part, can’t happen without a relationship or a foundation with Jesus.  He’s the one who works with us and in us and brings us to place where insight takes place.  Where revelation comes.  I am so grateful that He speaks. That He breathes life into us.  That His knowledge, understanding, wisdom and love is never-ending.  That He cares deeply, desires to know us and shares His very heart with us.  Epiphanies . . .

What I Learned as a Parent: Sometimes I just don’t know how to bring down a mountain, but He does.

What I Learned as a Partner: I can remember what love does.

Verse:   If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, Then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, In which you trusted, they wearied you, Then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan? Jeremiah 12:5

Deep Thought: God has big plans for us to run with Him.  Into the battles He has already won.  I embrace the idea of fighting the good fight in floods where waters rise even though I sometimes gasp for air.  In earthquakes where I sometimes loose the ground I am used to walking on.  In lightning storms where I sometimes loose my sight.  For in these battles, we can learn that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.

Quote: Horses are faster than people, but eagles are faster than horses.  Pastor Levi Lusko’s Message Running with Horses, Jeremiah 12:5

 Book(s)/Blog(s) that Shape Me: Lynn Donovan’s Blog and Site Spiritually Unequal Marriage

My Prayer to You: God, give us your epiphanies.  Lead us to mountains so we can witness your power.  Help us remember to love one another, especially those that are closest to us.  Give us the passion to run with you into battle.  Help us fight our tendency to be weary and lead us to find our strength in You.  Help us to count our losses as opportunities to gain in your Kingdom.  Help us to run hard with horses in battle, but call on the Eagle to bring us to victory.  In Your Holy Name, Amen.

What I Have Learned Lately

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Emily P Freeman’s Blog Chatting at the Sky inspired me to collect my thoughts, quotes and other good things in one secure place.  As well as to share them.  I cannot think of a better way to become a more authentic self.  I cannot think of better way build on the great work of all of the exceptional women and men around me. I cannot think of a better way to encourage and inspire one another.

What I Learned as a Friend: I can serve others when I am under attack myself.

What I Learned as a Parent: Those who are in the decision-making position are not always right, even when they are a believer.

Verse: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom. Let not the mighty man glory and his might. Nor the rich man glory in his riches. Let him who glories, glory in this, that he understands and knows Me. Jeremiah 9:23

Deep thought: I’m learning that the invisible God is working far more mightily and miraculously than I will ever see in the visible world. I’m learning to deeply trust what I cannot see. This is changing the core of my human perspective and my understanding of the very air I breathe.

Quote: The miracle, upside down work of God is that our failure isn’t an obstacle, it’s an opportunity to remember to sink into God. Not having what it takes is not a liability, it’s a prerequisite. Maybe there is hope for us after all.  A Million Little Ways by Emily P. Freeman (Chapter 5)

Book(s) that shape me: A Million Little Ways by Emily P. Freeman

My Prayer to You: May you breathe in the power of God; and breathe out His great plans.  May you be your authentic self.  May you serve others with your heart and soul despite your own storms.  I pray that you would trust a God that you cannot see and fine tune your sight to His invisible power.  I pray that you take in what He has for you, in part, through the good work of others.  And, at the end of every day, you never lose hope for the breakthroughs, miracles and every good thing He has planned for you.