Today's prompt: Afraid
GO:
GO:
"Perhaps what God calls us to give up is really ourselves..." ~ Kris Camealy, Holey Wholley Holy
There is fear in the letting go. In stopping ourselves to let God take over. It's like standing at the edge of a cliff and knowing the only way down is.....over.
The cliff comes without warning and the tumble over the side is humbling and terrifying and never something you would choose.
And yet in the end, God redeems. He sifts and sorts and shakes free the pieces of me that no longer bring glory to His name and He doesn't stop until my very soul has been shaped into His.
The journey over the cliff is a refiner's fire. Heart replaced, mind changed, words kinder, heart more humble. It hurts. It's scary to give up who I am - who I've created myself to be - and to become His.
There are friends who have travelled this road before me, friends who write sweet books about Lent and pour their hearts fearlessly onto the page so someone like me - in this season - can stop feeling afraid and start feeling hope.
STOP
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Or go here: http://amzn.to/14BCHPf & buy it from Amazon :)
Want to join or just want to know what Five Minute Friday is all about? Head over to Lisa Jo's blog and find out :) And while you're there, be sure to visit & leave some comment love (no lurking!) for the other bloggers who linked up!
Or go here: http://amzn.to/14BCHPf & buy it from Amazon :)
Want to join or just want to know what Five Minute Friday is all about? Head over to Lisa Jo's blog and find out :) And while you're there, be sure to visit & leave some comment love (no lurking!) for the other bloggers who linked up!
(a little something for the #FMFParty girls!)
Crystal this is great! I can imagine myself at the edge of that cliff. Knowing I need to fall and let God catch me but it is so scary to take that first step! (And I love the cookie picture! Ha! Ha!) Blessings!
ReplyDeleteOh, dear one, I am standing alongside you.... hope, love... hope, love... hope, love.
ReplyDeleteYour courage is shining, even before you know it is there.
I will sign up for kris's newsletter. I also have a free ebook at http://www.workfromhomeonpc.com , good luck and god bless
ReplyDeleteOh, I love every bit of this. Your words. Kris's picture. The quote. Your heart. The cookies. I. Am. So. Blessed. to know you, to be in community with you! Love you!
ReplyDeleteOh yes ... so much sifting and refinning isn't there? But we shall come out shining like gold for Him! :)
ReplyDeletehttp://writingcanvas.wordpress.com/2013/02/01/five-minute-friday-afraid-christians-have-panic-attacks/
Oh mylanta, I'm all kinds of blessed here! Kris' book....cookies...your words adding the caramel sauce.:) {HUGS}
ReplyDeleteSo this is where the party moved to after twitter. Like Nikki and Michele-Lyn said, you've got all the good stuff. So blessed by you and everything you do to constantly encourage women towards God. You are awesome! Even if I do have that song stuck in my head...still.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful words. A beautiful heart. I feel God leading me to that cliff. I fear the jump, but I trust He will catch me.
ReplyDeleteI loved this post. The reminder that on the other end of a scary step of faith is a better me, is so encouraging. It's all a part of this journey toward wholeness, becoming the woman God wants us to be. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts of "afraid"
http://osheta.blogspot.com/2013/02/five-minute-friday-crazy-jesus-werent.html
Friends who travel ahead of us in the journey are such a gift!
ReplyDelete"And yet in the end, God redeems." Amen! So thankful He redeems, heals the broken, restores the uninspired soul. What a precious Father:)
ReplyDeleteLove this... I am so glad that Afraid was the word for this week... I'm reading such beautiful words this morning. Heading right over the cliff with you friend! PS thanks for the cookie!!
ReplyDeleteletting go of "who i created myself to be" is hard. He truly wants us to break through that fear and just let it go because He has so much more for us! I love the reminder...thanks
ReplyDeleteI was all deep and reminded of C.S. Lewis. I had the scene of Lucy needing to just go down the deep ravine instead of finding a way around, and then I saw your photo. ;) Friends can make us less fearful, can't they! (Little Debbie forever!)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE THIS! He sifts and sorts and shakes free the pieces of me that no longer bring glory to His name and He doesn't stop until my very soul has been shaped into His.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Visiting from FMF. Hope you'll visit mine @ordinary inspirations http://www.ordinaryinspirations.blogspot.com
Crystal this is wonderful!! Kris's words wrecked me! So thankful she did not let being "afraid" keep her from sharing with the world!
ReplyDeleteCrystal, my word! This part here just lit my fearful heart right up with hope for the mess and the fear that life can bring - " He sifts and sorts and shakes free the pieces of me that no longer
ReplyDeletebring glory to His name and He doesn't stop until my very soul has been
shaped into His. ". Oh, yes to this!
ah yes, i fear this too... my fmf post here: http://neyhart.blogspot.com/2013/02/afraid-five-minute-friday.html
ReplyDeleteI love the picture you create with your words of standing at the edge of that cliff, and then going over. It truly is remarkable how God uses that to humble us, transform us, grow us, and love us. Stopped in from the FMF link up. ^_^
ReplyDeleteI could feel my breath becoming more shallow as you described standing on that cliff! Beautiful imagery! And I love the snacks at the end, FMFParty style ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Crystal
ReplyDeleteWe all get to a place in our lives where we know, truly know that now is the time to jump. And like the eagle our Pappa scoops us up on His wings and teaches us to fly!!! Happy FMF and a blessed weekend, dear one! Much love
Mia