Five Minute Friday: Here

Five Minute Friday. I think I like checking in on Thursday night for the prompt. And oh wow – I joined up in the #FMFParty on Twitter tonight. My oh my. That’s all I can say. You won’t know unless you go. And you should definitely go. Many thanks to the welcoming voices of these amazing women who I’ve been reading for weeks. You just opened your arms wide and said, “come on in – we want you!” Kind of blew me away. Blessed my socks right off. So here it is.

This Week: Here

Go
I can hear it like the distant thunder of waves pounding on the shore. An echo of a lifetime ago. His voice. Whispering, echoing from star to star to planet to me.

Here

Do you see that this is just the beginning? That through all your desert wanderings – everything you’ve been learning, this is where I’ve been leading you? Here. A new place to begin. Eyes – a bit more open. Heart – a bit more softened. Hands – learning just a little more to let go. This place of peace and rest. Here.

After three years of desert living where each parched breath forced me to turn ever back into His loving arms; continually seeking His will; His support; His grace for daily bread … now, I am here. At another turning page, another beginning. Things I thought I would not see? They are here.

A new house of worship – where we flourish as a family. My husband – growing in God’s grace and truth – calling me in the middle of the day, just to share something from morning devotions. My child – learning to lean on God in the hard times. Me – coming to an understanding that God is large enough to contain anything I give Him – that He can hold anything – even the hard parts of me. Even my anger. Learning that even my devastating anger will not overwhelm God, and that He can turn it into something better – into compassion, into surrender, into joy. A new job that doesn’t denigrate me or push me into a place of mental and physical anguish, but instead challenges me with new ideas, new things to learn, a boss that is honest and real, and coworkers that are hilariously quirky in all the right ways. New outlets for my creativity – no longer stifled by corporate demands, but freed now to follow in the Lord’s lead. New friends in real life and online that share my passion and my faith and encourage me by the day and by the hour. The discovery of counting thanks and the miracle of eucharisteo - thanks comes before the miracle. Old friends that have steadied me and carried me throughout the desert times – reveling in the renewal of those connections.

Lessons from the desert that spill into real life living and make it all the more sweeter.
This is the here and now.
This is the promise I was waiting for.
And there is more to come.

Stop

How to Join:
Want to know how Five Minute Friday got started and how to participate? All the details are here. No editing or second guessing. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community.