I'd planned on blogging about being silent today. I had it all shaped out in my mind, with pithy quotes and deep truisms about the value of shutting our mouths and focusing on God. Then my friend Pascha called and reminded me that what I need isn't always what I've got planned.Here's the thing: My attempts at silence had not worked so well for me today. My mind woke up churning through this, that, and the other thing: fears, worries, to-do lists...not to mention Facebook, Twitter, and the pile of emails I haven't responded to yet because I'm waiting for that elusive moment where I have both endless time AND brilliant responsive words. UGH. I tried silence. I failed. Then I felt bad about myself and thought, "Who am I to tell anyone how to relate to God???" It was quite gross, the little mud pile I'd dug myself into.
Then Pascha called. "How are you?" she asked, and we were off to the races... Talking to her reminded me of the value of having a few people in our lives we can blurt to. People who understand that when you do this sort of gut-spill, only about 15% of it is real stuff to be addresssed, the rest is just mud that needs to be hosed off. I blurted, she blurted...then we talked and prayed about what was really going on. Fifty seven minutes later, we both felt like new, happier, more hopeful girls, equipped to handle the little patches of life God has given us to look after. Now, I feel like I can do the silence thing, focusing on God. I'm out of the puddle.
Yay for the buddy system :)
Based on this, I thought I'd throw out a challenge: Do you have a buddy? Someone you can be candid with about how you're doing, where you're struggling, and what God is talking to you about?
If yes, CALL THEM today. If no, PRAY and ask God to put someone who fits this description into your life, then keep your eyes open. Leave a comment below, saying either "Calling!" or "Praying!" so we can cheer each other on.
Luke 10 is all about the buddy system...be sure to check it out.
And here's a video of SOMETHING MORE that fits the theme perfectly, especially the intro conversation. (It's not on the album but it's so fantastic.)
Happy Wednesday :)
12 comments:
Praying!
I love those friendships and long phone calls!
I love the song, "something more" too! It is one of those songs that can make me emotional every time I hear it. It has the lyrics and music to motivate me to truly want to be something more, which can only happen if I allow God to "come before".
Yesterday evening I spent time reading Luke 9 and praying and I thought I'd share a couple of things that came to mind. Verse 25 of that chapter reads, "What good is it for man to gain the whole world and yet lose or forfeit his very self?" I like this verse. I'm not sure if I am able to fully wrap my whole being around it, but I can say that I can "start to get it". Nothing this world offers compares to what we have in Jesus. With this thought, I started making a list of things: -I'm okay if the career path we are now doesn't make it. -I'm okay if we lose our house and all of our belongings. -I'm okay if our friends and family reject us. -I'm okay if we become homeless. -as long as I have Jesus, I'm okay (or "alright", in keeping with yesterday's song). I have to be honest and say that I'm not sure that I'm totally there and truly "okay" with these things on a day to day level...but I'd like to be! Pride, comfort, and control all seem to get in the way. After making this list and spending some time praying, I started singing under my breath "Lord you are more precious than silver, Lord you are more costly than Gold, and nothing I desire compares to you." This was a song we sang at camp as a child (I might not have the lyrics totally right), but I realized after singing the full thing through that I felt like God put this song on my lips to let the above thoughts further sink in.
Okay, this has become a long post...that's it for now. Thanks for sharing and listening...I'm really enjoying this 40 days of faith journey/experiment!
I'd prayed ...
God answered by bringing a Christian friend back into my life several weeks ago. She's WAY more mature in the Lord than I am--YAY!. Thank you Jesus!
So, I guess that makes me ... CALLING!
BTW, what do you call a "girlfriend" who answers your new guy friend's cell phone with "You weren't expecting to hear my voice, were you?!" and proceeds to tell you what a WONDERFUL time they've had?
Can you guess what I'd like to call her?
Can you guess what I'd like to call him?
Face-down figuring that one out.
Mine is actually talking and calling. My co-worker, who really helps me with my walk with the Lord is the person I talk to the most about my walk. I also have a friend I've known for years that I talk to about my faith. So I'll talk with my co-worker today at work and call my friend when I get home tonight.
Praying! In fact that is the third request on my "40 Days..." prayer list!
I guess for me I'm praying and calling. I have a hard time letting people completely in, because the devil always uses them to get at me in some kind of way. But I have recently developed a new friendship with a mutual friend and I have found out that we are equally yoked spiritually and that's really refreshing.
It's funny because yesterday I tried twice to be silent and listen. The first time my friend called and we talked over an hour. The second time I fell asleep.
I'm SO grateful for my buddy, Rachael. I can let it all spill with her, and do. Yo Rachael, I'm so grateful for you. :)
I also like moderately spilling with all of you.
Usually it is calling. My best friend is always there especially in the situation I am believing God for a breakthrough. But she is under the weather today, so I can't talk to her (just pray she gets better). I tried to talk to someone else and they were more discouraging with "maybe you should move on." So i'm thinking the opposite applies to me today. No one to call on today who is most encouraging but the Lord.
On a separate note - has anyone else felt that once they made the decision to walk out these 40 days of faith, the attacks started to come? attacks from the devil? from people w/discouraging words? the situation looks worse before it gets better? Day #10 and I'm tired but am not giving up but asking God for extra strength today.
I actually just encountered this today, before I read this post. I do have friends (one in particular) that I can call and she will dig me out of the mud puddle. There is another girl, one whom I see on an almost daily basis, with whom I am forming a stronger relationship. We have committed to getting together weekly to pray and encourage each other. So at this point, I am calling (the friend I can already talk with), talking (the newer relationship), and praying (also the newer relationship) that I would have the courage to be honest and trust her with the stuff that doesn't look so nice and can get pretty messy.
God bless my friends!
I'm praying..I have someone in mind, but I haven't reached the "I'm comfortable with spilling my guts to you about my walk" point. For some reason I feel guilty saying that. It's so easy to talk to her about everything and we have had some "God talks" but it's not to the deep level I'm hoping for.
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