Tag: be willing

Now and Next

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I’m taking steps this year, toward where I want to be this time next year. It takes some planning, but I keep an open mind. One of my most used prayers is, “God, if this is not your will, stop me now!”

I jotted down this note from 7/26 in the Jesus Calling book. “RELAX AND LET ME LEAD YOU through this day. I have everything under control.” The first sentence wasn’t capitalized by me, it’s in the book like that. They say using all caps is like yelling, so I can see the irony in this. Then there’s the whole giving up control thing and being willing to be lead.

If you haven’t read Stephen King’s, “On Writing”, it’s an inspiring read and one of the best books I’ve read this year. If you want to be inspired, read something inspiring. It’s that simple.

What you do now plays an integral part in what will happen next, but the most important part is to start. If there’s something you’ve been putting off starting, look at where you are now, start and watch for what’s next. That’s the funny thing about purpose. We were designed to be so much more than we currently are, if only we’d let go of our preconceived outcome and start.

I believe each and every one of us has a calling on our life, but we get scared. Then we start running our ideas by others and it’s hard for them to be supportive because they have a dream in their heart that scares them too. You can be scared together and encourage one another through the scary start. You will know if it feeds your heart, but you will never know until you start.

It’s okay to be scared, but I always tell my daughter, “What do you have to lose?” There’s usually nothing to lose, but oh so much to gain. Another line in the devotional says, “As you look to me, I show you what do do now and next.” Our roadmap for where this life will lead, if we’re willing, is in the now and next.

Permission To Move

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Did you enjoy playing Simon Says as a kid? Or red light green light? I did. It wasn’t so much as someone telling me what to do, as it was the anticipation of what that may be. The anticipation of the move was exciting. We have lost that somewhere along the way. Now people dread moving and make it sound horrendous. Well, I got news for ya.

Get good at moving.

Ten years ago, when we lost our home to foreclosure, I thought I would die. It was the hardest thing for me to accept and I got mad at God for allowing it to happen. I couldn’t blame God, I knew we were living above our means. That was the beginning of trusting God for every move.

I told myself right then, I would not own a house again. I couldn’t go through the pain of having something that substantial that could be lost overnight. Every two years, since the foreclosure, I have rented houses. You can rent a home with a year lease almost anywhere nowadays.

When I left my marriage, it didn’t matter to me where I lived. It had to be close enough for my ex to see our daughter, but other than that, I was open. God led us to a small home on 40 acres in McDade, Texas.

I had never heard of it, but was willing to go check it out. Fell in love with it, loaded up a U-Haul and made it our home. We knew no one and it was literally a fresh start. I remember friends asking me why we moved to McDade. There was no reason. It’s just where God led us and we trust Him.

December of last year, my daughter and I sat down and talked about wanting a little bit larger home. We had been going to the Laundromat for over a year and a washer and dryer would be like heaven for us. The house we were in didn’t have room for a washer and dryer, so we kept a grateful heart for the Laundromat and got it down to a science.

Three months later, the house we are in now appeared.

We went to go look at it and saw a clothesline in the backyard. It was in another small town on 5 acres of fenced in property. The house had everything on our list, including a new washer and dryer. God knew our hearts and then came the willingness. People ask why we moved to this town and I have no clue. God was blessing us for our faithfulness and He wanted to see how fast I could move.

Do you love your life? God wants us to.

Whatever is holding you back from living the life of your dreams, you need to look at that and see which is more important. It doesn’t take money. I was a single Mom with no credit and a part time job the first time we moved. God will place the right people in your path to rent from. People believe it takes so much to move, when really it takes less. Simplify your belongings. Keep what you love and be willing to make a move.