Apr 15, 2017 |
Frankly, On Faith: I almost forgot Easter.
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
Frankly, On Faith.
I have a confession to make. A terrible, dark, sinful confession. Can I trust you?
I almost forgot it was Easter.
It’s true. I have been running ninety miles an hour and breaking through that end-race tape only to find it was really just the beginning of another race. Ever feel that way? Yeah. Glad I got my Skechers on.
At some point I ran to the water cart and saw the calendar. That can’t be right. But it is. Easter is upon us, and I’ve done very little to prep for it.
What’s that? You’re in the same race? Sweet. Let me share some refreshment with you.
God doesn’t care about the prep work.
He cares that you showed up.
You know why? Because that’s what He did. He was, is, and will always be here. He showed up. In the beginning. Before there was a beginning. He was the Beginning. And He will be the end. He overcame what we thought was the end. In Him, there is no end.
Wait, you say. How can you have a beginning without an end? Good question. I don’t have a good answer, except to point to Him. Because He is what I know, and He’s way smarter than you or I can ever be.
Some things require only faith. Some things we will never understand, but that’s okay. Not knowing why or how doesn’t make anything less real. I don’t know how my shoes are manufactured, but they still protect my feet on the pavement.
From the beginning, before the beginning, in the beginning, God and the Word were united, the same. They came together even though they already were. It’s like a wind picking up more wind; they’re the same but separate and stronger and together and unique and a whole . . . You can’t separate a breeze from a wisp.
In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.
~John 1:1, NLT
God showed up. In the beginning. Now. Later. He was, is, and always will be, here.
And here you are, showing up. Now. In this moment. And you’ve been here. For a second, a minute, an hour, a day . . . It doesn’t matter. Time is no element to God. You are here. He is here. We are here together so He is here, now, with us.
Time cannot hold Him. The Grave cannot hold Him. He is too big and great and powerful and mighty to be held.
Except by your hand.
Hey. Do you see that? He’s smiling and reaching. He wants to run the rest of the race with you. Will you let Him join your journey?
CLICK TO TWEET: Frankly, On Faith: I almost forgot Easter.
With running shoes and a hand to hold,
~Molly Jo
Frankly, On Faith: I Almost Forgot Easter.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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Mar 12, 2017 |
Frankly, On Faith: Do All Things
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
Frankly, On Faith.
So, just how busy are you?
Are you overwhelmed at times? In need of some “down” time? Is coffee more necessary than enjoyable? If your people had just three words to describe you, would “multi-tasker” be one of them?
Do you feel exhausted more often than not?
Yeah. I hear ya. Sometimes just breathing takes more effort than I want it to. This pesky life with its pesky chores at its pesky pace of lightning speed . . . Sometimes I just wanna scream.
You, too? Phew. Good. Thought I was alone for a minute.
Oh, not good that you’re going through it. Not even good that you understand. Because, really. Wouldn’t it be great if fewer people understood the chaos of a demand-it-now mentality? But still. I’m glad you’re in it with me.
So. Here we are. Holding on to the ropes as the sea churns a little more than it used to. Trying to keep our heads above the water more often than not.
And the storm comes and drops something else on us. Right? Another wave. Another hit. Another emergency.
It’s enough to make This Girl want to jump overboard.
But alas, I know all too well that even though the ride is rough, there’s better safety in the boat than out in the sea itself. So I stay. You stay. And we look at each other and say, “What are we even doing here?”
The high waves come and rock the boat, but then the seas calm, the sun comes out, and we’re happy to be warm and dry again.
And we can think clearly again.
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
~Mark 4:39, NIV
And it’s with a deep breath and clearer vision that we realize the Captain has been here all along. He’s the one who tethered us to the boat in the first place!
So we feel good about what we’ve overcome and we decide to take on more.
STOP. DOING. THAT.
Stop taking on more. Stop ignoring the peace He has gifted you. Stop being addicted to busyness.
Just be still.
In this moment, we can give ourselves permission to sit back and let Him navigate. All we have to do is row. All we have to do is let go our grip and let Him take over.
All we have to do is have faith that He will get us to our destination. And when the Son is out, it’s okay to relax and enjoy the view.
CLICK TO TWEET: Frankly, On Faith: Are You Addicted to Busyness?
With fair winds and following seas,
~Molly Jo
Frankly, On Faith: Are You Addicted to Busyness?
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Feb 26, 2017 |
Frankly, on Faith: Five Minutes
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
Frankly, On Faith.
God is extravagant. He is Almighty. Eternal. Ultimate. Substantial. He is everything.
He is also personal. Intimate. Up close.
I often shy away from time with God because I can’t give him an hour of focus. Those are precious sixty minutes in which my mind will, after the first few, begin to wander. Plot. Plan. Apologize.
Dear God. I can’t focus. I’m sorry. Let me start over.
And it begins again.
How much time can you spend with God without looking at the clock?
I failed. I’m obviously not a good person because I can’t keep the world from coming in and interfering. You say it takes practice, discipline. But I know I’ll never get there. I’d best not waste our time by even trying.
When my daughter calls, I answer. If she can only speak for a minute, I welcome it. Because she thought enough to check in, say hi, let me know she loves me.
When my cat climbs onto my chair, I let her warm my feet or side for however long she stays. She’s not a failure when she leaves.
So why don’t I believe that God, in His much greater capacity for love and care, would accept whatever time offering I can give Him?
Would He rather I pretend to pray for thirty minutes or more, just counting ticks on the clock while being distracted? Or does He want all of my attention in whatever increments I can give?
“But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the LORD, and a thousand years is like a day.”
~2 Peter 3:8, NLT
My soul longs to be authentic to, for, and with God. I will give Him what I truly can, and trust He is by my side when the world beckons me to responsibility.
As I spend time with Him, the more opportunities I find to do so. He is a beautiful, never-ending circle. And we are smack dab in the middle of His grip.
CLICK TO TWEET: Frankly, on Faith: Can you give God just five minutes of your time?
With a stopwatch and Heavenly circumference,
~Molly Jo
Frankly, On Faith: Can you give God five minutes?
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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Feb 19, 2017 |
Frankly, On Faith: This is the LORD’s Battle
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
Frankly, On Faith.
Ever feel like you’re just not properly equipped to get through life? If only there was more money. If only I had someone to share the load. If only that person was nicer, or this person understood. If only we had more to give, we could give.
“If only.” Two of the most hurtful words in our vocabulary. They take away our incentive and our power. They limit us, hold us back from our potential.
I read the story of David and Goliath recently, and was touched by several key points:
- Don’t let how others see you dictate your life.
David was young and small, a gentler person. The soldiers thought he couldn’t do anything. But David was the one who slayed the giant.
- Their coping skills are not your own.
Saul dressed David in fine armor, but it didn’t work for David. He chose what he knew: His sling and a few stones.
- Keep going in the face of adversity.
His brothers, Saul, and the soldiers told him to stop. But David knew he was on the right path. He kept moving forward. Even when the giant came out to fight him.
- Let your faith be your light.
David knew God was with him. When the others tried to stop him, even through misguided protection and concern, David knew what he was doing was his calling. He didn’t doubt it for a second, and he didn’t let others take that from him.
- Give God room to work!
David only had his sling. He knew God would throw the stones. And it only took one.
“This is the LORD’s battle, and he will give you to us!”
~1 Samuel 17:47
It’s okay to pick up the weapons God has given you, and take those small steps toward making things better. God is bigger than your giant, and He’ll always guide your stones.
“How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”
CLICK TO TWEET: Frankly, On Faith: Give God room to work. David only had a slingshot.
With a slingshot and some peanuts,
~Molly Jo
Frankly, On Faith: Give God room to work.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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