His large hand settles softly on my shoulder, and He gently shakes me out of my on-again, off-again, walking, waking slumber.
His voice, soft and deep, rumbles right through to my core.
Kim, it’s time to be vibrantly, intentionally awake, all the time.
To grab hold of those precious talents I gave you and put them to use more often, differently than you have so far.
To function fearlessly with awareness and joy, to remember that each time you fall it’s about learning, not about failure.
To live a truly amazingly fulfilling life that sparkles with energy and love.
Kim, it’s time for you to follow, all in, all the time, with all your heart.
No half measures, no going it on your own, no independent toddler petulantly crying, “Self! Self!”
No two steps forward in faith and twenty steps off the path into the tangled thicket, whacking away at the undergrowth with your little pink jackknife, wondering where and when you will discover the next treasure.
*Gulp*
Follow.
I knew that was the word I heard last week, the one I thought about tracking down when I read about OneWord365. I figured I would spend some time thinking about it, praying on it, looking for it, and then-whoosh!-it would wing quietly and powerfully into my life, with all the presence and majesty of a Great White Owl.
Instead, an ordinary, overall-clad Mr. Follow just wandered almost immediately and casually into my kitchen, stuck out his hand, and said, “I’m here because you called. I may not be what you were expecting, but I am what you need.”
Oh, great. He’s right about that.
Follow was not what I was expecting for my OneWord. Something grander, bigger, flashier.
Something easier.
Having had the week to think the situation over, and being given a surprise opportunity to do a real time test drive-which by the way, felt like I was having to hold back a galloping team of Clydesdales-I think Mr. Follow is just what I need with his common-sense approach, down home attitude and his easy and caring manner of reminding me-again- to let go and let God lead.
And by the way: I passed my test drive. I did have to lock my screaming independent self-Wait! I know best! No, don’t put me in here! You’ll be lost without me to lead!- into the back shed so I could follow with at least a modicum of peace and dignity.
Whew. I can do this, a baby step at a time.
Challenge of the day: Have you thought about discovering your One Word for 2012 and seeing how it helps you stretch and grow this year?
Every Friday I join Lisa-Jo over at The Gypsy Mama for her Five Minute Friday prompts. It’s an opportunity for each of us to stop, drop, and write.
We write bold and beautiful and free. Unscripted and unedited. We just write without worrying if it’s just right or not.
Won’t you join us? Follow the link above to read and be encouraged by what others have to share. We’d love to hear from you as well, so feel free to leave a comment today. Thanks for coming by!
Just FYI: today I spent way more than five minutes and edited at length.
Sharing at No Ordinary Blog Hop
fellow control freak here. sheepish grin. following can be just as scary as leading. i love the sentence, “Follow was not what I was expecting. Something grander, bigger, flashier.”
i have felt that way lately. like i should be doing something grander, bigger, flashier. yet god is showing me the grandness of quietly serving and following in all the small and seemingly insignificant ways.
Hello, Sarah. Glad to meet a fellow gal who just likes to maintain control.
I never thought I liked control until I had kids. I’m happy that you stopped by, and glad you enjoyed the post!
LOL… I loved your post, but I was definitely thinking, “There’s no way she wrote that in FIVE minutes!!” Then I read your “FYI”… thanks for your honesty!
But seriously, thank you for sharing this post!
Ashly, you made me laugh, and thanks for coming by!
Oh MY! What a post! I;m so glad I stopped by! There is SO much in that block up there! Intentionally awake, Precious talents, Function fearlessly, Amazingly fulfilling life, Follow. So much of my heart cry right there! Thank you for sharing. I’ve never had a “word for the year” but this year I am considering it…
Lori,
Your words touch my heart-thanks so much.
I had never heard of the word for the year, but I am really enjoying it. Let me know if one finds you!
I’ve always considered myself to be a leader so it’s humbling to stop and follow for a while… That is, to give up control. It’s something I need to do more often though.
I’ve been working on my one word for the year, but haven’t narrowed it down yet. Lots of options!
Matt,
I look forward to hearing what you settle upon as your word for the year. Thanks for leaving your two cents!
Wow! Just wow. That is all :0) Going to figure out what my One Word is. Just wondering how many bazillion times it will pop into my mind in the coming months!
Michelle, You have a way of making me smile! I am curious to hear how you learn about your word. Will you search it out through prayer, or will it creep up on you one day and surprise you? I look forward to hearing about it!
One word. What an extraordinary/perfect idea! Thank you for bringing it to my attention! And ‘follow’ would be painfully hard for me as well. I’ll have to give this some thought . . . Thank you for connecting on NOBH!
Diane, I am finding the one word to be really interesting. I am in a Bible study, and the week happens to be on obedience. Hmmmmm. Do you suppose there was a message there in case I missed the first one?
Thanks so much for coming on over from NOBH-it’s a great gathering place over there!
Twitter: JenniferCamp1
says:
Oh, I love this, your transparency about your prayers, what your heart yearns for, and your expectations, your thoughts about how you thought God might show up. My words this year (the first time I’ve asked for a word) are humility and relationship. I can definitely relate to how God comes, asking if I am all in, if I really want to trust Him. Blessings to you as you lean in to all the wild goodness He has!
Jennifer, Thanks for coming by and sharing your words for the year. I had never been aware of choosing “my word”, so I am looking forward not only to seeing how mine plays out but also how others are impacted by the words they chose. I look forward as well to leaning into His wild goodness, as you note. Well said!
Wow, love the one word concept….what a way to be lead throughout the year…concentrating on one word! Hmmm, now, what will mine be? So glad we have until Feb 1 to figure it out!
Thanks Kim!
Lisa, Keep me posted on your one word for the year. I am intrigued to see how this plays out for each of us this coming year!
Your word “follow” reminded me of these verses I read earlier today…
“And she said, ‘See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.’ But Ruth said ‘Entreat me not to leave you or to return from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God…'” – (Ruth 1:15-16)