And so – we write for five minutes, our words tumbling out – no editing, no polishing – just flat out on a one word prompt! We gather all our beautiful thoughts here in our Five Minute Friday community and then love on each other as only we can do! Click here to learn all about it.
Home is where the Five Minute Friday community gathers so please join us at Kate Motaung’s for our Friday fun!
Journey…
GO
I write often about the journey I am on and know it is only by the grace of God that I am where I am today. I could write for days about journey, but that might lead us on a wild goose chase- never reaching our destination. Instead, I will focus on a journey that has led me to where I am at this moment.
This past year my life has not looked anything like I imagined. After retiring a year ago, I began dreaming and big ideas floated in and out of my thoughts. But my path, which is always God’s path, turned out to be one of His choosing and not the one of my dreams.
As IÂ pushed back against God’s plan, He pushed even harder to remind me that He knows best. When I lay in a puddle of frustration asking the question “why”, He gently whispered “because I love you”.
My year has been one of sitting with God, leaning in and listening. In the tension of not fully understanding His way, I learned that God had me exactly where I needed to be. You see I spent these last eight months caring for my dad. When I thought I was not doing what God really had planned for me, He always answered “This is where I need you to be.”
I received the most beautiful gift this past year. My dad leaned in just as my Heavenly Father was doing the same and loved me and learned everything about me. He always had a posture of listening to my words as if no one else or nothing else mattered. The time spent with my dad was one of a beautiful awakening as we each got to know each other in a deeper way. It was our chance to journey through the eight months as dad and daughter because that is all that mattered.
My dad’s earthly journey ended on August 24, but His heavenly journey also began that day. My dad left me with the lesson of how to live bravely, love well and listen as if no one else is in the room. I am forever grateful that our journeys joined together. The heart lessons are memories I will treasure always.
[Tweet “Lean in, listen well and let God lead you in the journey of life. #fmfparty”]
STOP
May these words remind you that our journey is God’s journey!
The promise of “arrival” and “rest” is still there for God’s people. God himself is at rest. And at the end of the journey we’ll surely rest with God. So let’s keep at it and eventually arrive at the place of rest, not drop out through some sort of disobedience. Hebrews 4:9-11Â
Joining God in the journey!
Part of my journey this year has led me to completing my first book. I know now that it would not be ready until I had journeyed with my dad and learned what it meant to say “yes” to God and then move out of the way for Him to do what He does best.
Mary, I thought I commented here earlier. Can I just say, this is a beautiful post? There is always value in leaning in and listening well. You had such a gift in your father!
Whenever you stop by is a beautiful treat for me. I did have a beautiful gift in my dad and the last year as hard as it was also taught me what it means to wait on the Lord. Thank you for encouraging me and taking the time to pop over here.
Oh sweet friend a few tears are rolling down my cheeks. I, too retired a year before I lost my Mom and I spent so much time with her and learned so much. What I would give to have one more day to ask a bit more. HUGS!! Beautiful truths.
I also wish for one more day but I can rest in the beautiful gift that I was left with when my dad passed. We have some parallel parts to our stories, don’t we Debbie? Thank you for sharing your heart and for being here with me.
What a beautiful gift to have shared the months of joining your journey with your dad’s, in order to be drawn closer to each other and to God. It’s also a great reminder of the importance of being obedient to God’s nudging. I’m working on that. 🙂
Peace.
Patricia (FMF#42)
Obedience is a lifelong lesson for me. I know God has the patience when I choose wrongly and He never gives up on me. My journey with my dad was a beautiful time of learning and I see it more clearly now that I have looked back and reflected on all God did. Thank you for being here Patricia.
Nice to see you at FMF! I’m glad that God knows where the path is going even when we don’t and that he is with us on the journey! It’s so important to learn to lean in and listen to his whispers. I love that you can see God’s timing as you look back at the special time you got to spend with your dad.
So much came together for me last weekend. It was if God chose this past week to reveal to me some of the “why” and lead me to some beautiful conclusions. Thank you for being here. It was a treat to join FMF again.
I’m so grateful you got to make meaningful memories with your dad during those months you cared for him, Mary. I pray God will ease the burden of your missing him with His faithful love and strength. I’m working on intentionally leaning in and listening to God’s whispers and to allow Him to take my hand and lead me in His way, not mine. Thank you for this encouragement today. Have a blessed weekend! Hugs!
Love when you join me here in this space, Trudy. I do have beautiful memories of my dad and as much as I miss Him, God is showing me that life is meant to be lived fully while here on earth. You are a blessing to me!
Oh, Mary. This is beautiful. What a sign of God’s goodness, to be able to hold on to those sweet memories in the midst of mourning. May you sense the overwhelming love and goodness of God today!
Your sweet words fill my heart in all the right places. God has done so much to show and teach me that life is always lovely when we invite Him to walk it out with us.
‘ a puddle of frustration’
Yeah. This week’s had a few of those. Thankfully, my feet didn’t get too wet in the process. I’ve learned a few lessons and won’t stay stuck in those miry, soggy ruts …
Praying for you …
As hard as it is to admit that I can end up in that place of frustration, God loved me enough to sit there with me. I pray this week has been better for you and that life is landing in a smoother place. Blessings!
I love Hebrews 4.
And from my perspective, your journey lately looks like a roller coaster ride – especially with your new book out for the world to see!
Your pod cast with Holly showed up in my inbox today, so I’m really looking forward to listening!
Life has been a roller coaster but one of the things Holly asked me on the podcast is if I would be glad to see 2016 end. You will have to listen to hear my answer. It’s a great question for me considering what my year has been like. Hebrews 4 really spoke to me in this context of journey and I’m glad to know that you love it.
I understand that first frustration Mary! But what a journey He has led you on. I hadn’t thought of God at ‘rest’. But, see how that is, and as made in the image of Him, it is how He lovingly designed us.
There is a sense of frustration when God calls us especially if it is not what we imagined doing. God doesn’t leave us in that place of frustration but patiently teaches us over and over why His plans are best. When you honor God He blesses you with more than you imagine. Blessings!
Oh Mary, this is just so beautiful. Oh the precious lessons we all would learn if we would but lean in and listen well. I am grateful you are sharing your journey.
Thank you Joanne! There is something about leaning in and listening well that my dad modeled for me especially in this past year. It is a posture I pray to have with my Heavenly Father too. Blessed you stopped by and joined me in the journey.
I need to listen more. 🙂
I get that. There are some lessons that I need to have on repeat because I am not a very good learner the first time. Blessings!
beautifully expressed, mary, and my prayers are with you. Too ill to say much more.
http://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2016/11/your-dying-spouse-228-strength-for.html
It is enough that you stopped by and let me know you were here. Praying for you too.
I’m so glad that you got to spend the time with your dead. I love that Hebrews verse. I’m in the 8 spot this week.
God has a beautiful way of teaching us and reminding us that His plan is always best. I did fight it but the gift of time with my dad showed me that God knew best all along. Thanks for stopping by!
So sweet and enduring. It is a testimant that God really has us right where he wants us to be even though it may not always feel like it. Beautiful.
What a treat to see a new face here, Bonnie! Your words are a blessing to me. Thank you for stopping by.
You are so very brave. I really admire you. That journey is a hard one to take. My prayers are with you as you continue the next steps.
Hugs,
Melinda
You are dear Melinda! Thank you for speaking truth into me with your words. You understand the journey of losing parents and we are able to move forward because we invite God to sit in our brokenness with us. Hugs back at you!