Tag Archives: New

Jan5

Ready, set, SLOW

Posted on January 5, 2017 by layeredhearts

As I sit here to write, honestly I feel incredibly rusty. Life has been….busy…that’s a nice word to sum it up. So many good things, some hard, and a lot of new has been unfolding. Sometimes new takes up a lot of emotion, time, space and energy. Funny, come to think of it, having to small children takes a lot of that as well. Oh, and then there’s the whole keeping a marriage alive part. Whoops, let’s not forget about homeschooling. Whew, I just got plain worn out. Somewhere in the bustle, I forgot about myself, my needs, and taking care of me, and you know what? I ended up sick for a month!

As this new year turned, I watched so many receive incredible words for their year filled with purpose, achievement, and accomplishment. Yet me, I’m over here with a different flavor altogether. What I got for my year was, SLOW DOWN, this is not a race. I felt an encouragement to rest in all things, to stop pushing so hard. To relax into the beauty of these moments I get to live.

How in the world do you do that without growing lazy, weary, or complacent? Do I even know how to live life from rest? I like to work and I like to make things happen, would I still be able to do that if I first choose to slow down? I’m really not sure yet, but I believe God always has my best in mind, so I am taking steps to find out.

Here is what I’ve tried so far:

I’m getting outside more. Starting slow by committing to 3x/week walk with a friend.
I’m writing again. Ta da…..this is the first fruit of it.
I’m playing with my children more. (This is my favorite so far!)

I will share more about this next time, but lastly I wanted to encourage you with an acronym I received. Perhaps this will be helpful if you are stepping in a new direction too.

S-tart

T-o

E-ncounter

P-rogress

S-lowly

Let’s step slowly in the direction of our dreams together beginning now. Happy New Year to you. Looking forward to slowly unraveling the gifts this year has to bring!

Aug1

Prune out gravity

Posted on August 1, 2013 by layeredhearts

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John 15

New Living Translation (NLT)

Jesus, the True Vine

15 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. ²He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. ³You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. ⁴Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

Recently, the Lord began to speak to me about what needed pruning out of my life. The list included a few things I had no idea were hindering me, and one thing that I had no idea what it meant, however eight week later I am beginning to have a revelation.

He spoke, ” Prune out gravity. You can SOAR. Prune out any idea of anything you feel is keeping you grounded, rooted, secure other than Me.”

Gravity? Isn’t that something I have in my life everyday, a constant, that I never think about but influences everything about my whole entire world?

My response, “Lord, what am I using as gravity? What is influencing my whole world that is keeping me from freely soaring with You?’

Oh my goodness- I strongly want to encourage you to journal this out with the Lord. Ask Him to show you the answer to that question in your own life, and then be quiet, be still, wait….when you start having some thoughts out of a deeper place inside of you begin to write those thoughts down. Do not worry about if it’s you or if it’s Him, just go with it. Later, spend time in His Word with Him and ask Him to clarify what was from Him. This is so powerful.

You and I were created to soar with Jesus, like eagles. So funny thing about eagles, they use the currents from storms to fly higher. They rise above the storm and go higher than ever before. They also were equipped with eyes to see and while flying to new heights can still clearly see what they are after. God will give you Eagle eyes, He wants you to soar.

What is gravity in your own life? Will you seek Him and journey with Him to prune it out of your life?

Jesus, I want to soar with you to whatever height I was created to. Lord, please help me partner with you, take courage, and be able to journey through pruning out anything I do not even realize is holding me down, keeping me from all that You created me for. Make it evident Lord. Show me Your ways. I am all Yours. I love you Lord! In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Jan3

My Anthem for 2013

Posted on January 3, 2013 by layeredhearts

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This year my resolve is, ” God is ALWAYS good, and I am ALWAYS loved.” I will choose to give thanks in ALL things which will allow me see God and to move FORWARD and experience growth out of destructive cycles by replacing them with constructive cycles. I am choosing to start replying, ” I can do ALL things through Christ who give me strength,” whenever He asks me to go, to do, to serve. At the end of this year, my goal is to have moved forward in my spiritual, physical, emotional, business, and financial facets of my life by seeking first the Kingdom of God. I do not plan to arrive but I do expect to make FORWARD progress. By the strength and power of the Lord, I am becoming the NEXT ME! Thank You Jesus! I commit this all to You and to Your perfect will!!!

I believe this song is my anthem for this year of my life! If you have never heard it, I strongly encourage you to YouTube it, and worship your King!

Desert Song by Hillsong

This is my prayer in the desert
When all that’s within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides

This is my prayer in the fire
And weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved of more worth than gold
So refine me lord through the flames

I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain

I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and he is here

This is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on its way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on his promise I’ll stand

I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain

I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and he is here

All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain

I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and he is here

And this is my prayer in the harvest
And favor and providence flow
I know I’m filled to be emptied again
The seed I received I will sow

Do you have a new resolve for this new year of life? I would love for you to share it with me!