Friday, March 16, 2012

Five Minute Friday: Brave!




BRAVE...

...how utterly appropriate.  My reason for not blogging lately...is that I'm feeling chicken.
There's vulnerable and then...there's vulnerable.

Deep Breath...be BRAVE!  I went to a woman's retreat...and it was wonderful.  AND, it was AWFUL.  There were some things in me that needed to be crushed.  I bawled through a couple of sessions...me the NONE public crier.  I don't even like admitting that I cried here online!  HA!  Generally, if I'm crying in public you can bet I'm TICKED OFF...but as the speaker said, "God had a hold of my gizzard and was squeezing me!"  In the best possible way...of course.

The theme was "Be grounded..."  Eph. 3:14-15.  Some points that hit me...Grace...a godly plant doesn't plant itself...the planting and placement of my life is in accord with His purpose.  No looking at the other plants.  Any growth that I have...is SUPERnatural.  I need to make good choices.  To dig...and enrich the soil around me.  She talked about signs of misplaced TRUST...phrases like, "I think....I feel..."  OUCH!  It shows a misdirected allegiance. 

Then I picked two seminars that about undid me...One on Ann Judson...which again, I cried my way through! Her life is amazing...and her attitude was such a challenge.  I left feeling about 2 inches tall.  Humbled.

The other seminar was called Characteristically Speaking...and I couldn't see the speaker cuz it was so packed.  That's a good thing...cuz I probably would have turned pale and passed out if she'd looked right at me while speaking.  Why?  Cuz, she was talking about ME!  She talked about the power of each woman's influence in the spirit of the church.  She said, "You will only grow as much as you're willing to change."  She talked about our words...how when it says that certain words are an abomination...it means it makes God sick.  She talked about SO many things...better for another post.  BUT...I left there with things I needed to fix...and get right with other people.  UGH!

Now that I'm home I gained some spiritual courage....was BRAVE...and dealt with stuff.  God is happy...and so am I!

I could go on...but my five minutes is up.  Maybe, now that I've been BRAVE...I'll share more later.

5 comments:

Nancy said...

It sounds like courage has gripped you. It takes an awful lot of it to face things that we'd rather not face. I'm chicken, too. I've done brave things, but I'm not really brave. All this blogging is making me face things though. And I guess, in the end, that's how we grow. Great post!

Sarah said...

Love your vulnerability here. Never easy to share where God is working in our lives, but brave nevertheless.

Maureen said...

Comparison is an ugly monster, isn't it? But so hard to avoid when you read all the other incredible blogs. But, keep writing, keep living, keep thinking and loving those little ones of yours. Thanks for visitng my blog, too.

Eva Trillian said...

You left a comment on my post that what heartwarming and kind. Thank you!
And than you for bringing me here, to your post. I recognize myself in your words. Change isn't easy!
Sending a big hug across oceans :-)

Shanda said...

I love that the seminars gave your courage to spiritually grow and tackle that ahead of you.