Jan 29, 2017 |
Frankly, On Faith: Do All Things
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
Frankly, On Faith.
So here’s something to prove my point: I’ve tried three times to write this post. The first two took a turn, so will be upcoming posts. But this one. I can’t seem to get it quite right.
Ridiculous, when you consider the topic.
All I’m trying to say is, God gives us what we need, when we need it.
Because we’re not God. We can’t do it all.
But He is. And He can.
And we’re in Him.
So, really, we can.
“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”
~Philippians 4:13, NLT
Just open the door, let Him in, take a deep breath, and let Him work.
Simple? Sometimes it’s not. Sometimes we want to hold on, or change the method, or the outcome. We’re control freaks like that. Am I right? We’re such control freaks that we wear ourselves out trying to not show weakness. And sometimes we wear ourselves out to the point that all anyone sees is a pile of I-don’t-care-anymore mush. A puddle of perkless blechiness.
We’re trying so hard to do it all that we end up not being able to do anything.
We live in a multi-tasking, SuperHero environment. We forget it’s okay to step back, say “no” or “not now,” and rest.
So letting Him be the project manager of our life is sometimes kinda hard to deal with. We don’t want another someone telling us what to do, even if we know we can’t do it alone. You with me?
The thing is, He’s been there. He can see on the other side of the wall, and He knows the best way to get us over it.
So for today, I’m taking that deep breath and letting Him lead. Because I don’t want to be that overwhelmed, coffee-addict, multi-tasker that barks at everyone when things don’t get done. I’d rather be the calm, sweet tea-drinking, enjoy-the-moment kinda girl.
Besides. He’s really the one who does it all, anyway.
Sometimes, doing everything through Christ doesn’t mean He helps us do it all. It means we filter everything we do through Him. And that sometimes means tossing out the pieces that no longer fit.
See? He’s already pruning away the weeds and all you did was take a breath.
Sometimes, doing everything means starting by doing nothing.
CLICK TO TWEET: Frankly, On Faith: Sometimes, doing everything means starting by doing nothing.
With a blank page and a peaceful heart,
~Molly Jo
Frankly, On Faith: Do It All
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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Apr 21, 2012 |
A few years ago I wrote a little prose called “He loves me. He loves me not.” Ever since then, I’ve had the idea to compile some of my writings, poems and prose, into a collection that explains my relationship with God and Christ.
It’s not meant to be preachy. Not meant to be One Size Fits All. Just my story, and the story of my Walk with God. The peaks and valleys, the sunlight and the shadows. It’s going to be full of emotion, honesty, and even denial.
One of my brothers has graciously given me permission to use photos he’s taken of desert wildlife to enhance the book, add visual drama to the pages. For this, I am incredibly grateful. So imagine, just imagine my giggly joy when I woke up this morning to find an email link to those photos.
I. Am. So. Happy!
Here are just a few of the great photos that he took, that I’ll be featuring in the book:
So far, the one I love the most is the one I call Desert Beauty:
Aren’t they great? I’m thankful to have these visual cues to help me format what I’ve already written. It makes my prose so much better, don’t you think?
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Oct 3, 2011 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
I’m not terribly concerned with being “Politically Correct”. If something is wrong, it’s wrong.
People are entitled to their opinions, and there are more than one way to skin a cat (although, [a], why would you want to, and [b], whoever thought up that phrase?! I mean… seriously!!!!).
My way of making a bed or boiling an egg or handwriting a letter are different from yours. That doesn’t make it wrong. And I respect your ability to fold sheets and heat water. In fact, I may even learn a thing or two by paying attention.
I don’t force my lifestyle on anyone. But I also don’t let people tread on me, or get away with excuses. One of my top pet peeves (again with the animal reference! I see how this is going…!) is people who whine and don’t do anything. Another is people who say one thing and consistently do another.
I’m guilty of both actions. I know I am. But as a habit, I try not to be. As a habit, I try hard to set a good example for my family, be there for my friends, and keep my word. There are times when I’m flakey, irresponsible, negligent, and even rude and spiteful. I pray those times are few and far between.
I don’t know what’s gotten into me lately, but I found myself keeping quiet when it comes to my faith. Maybe I feel like I’m not a public speaker so I don’t have to scream it. Or I’m not a Pastor so I don’t have to preach it, and honestly, who would I preach it to? Maybe I’m afraid of being viewed as being a hypocrite. I’m afraid that if I share too much faith, the world won’t want me. And I do so want the world to want me, to treasure my words in any manner: poetry, blog, stories, screenwriting… heck, I’d be happy writing greeting cards the rest of my life as long as I could get paid enough to support my family and retire nicely, all due to my writing.
All of those are excuses. Reasons to run me into a silent wall, to feel inadequate. To stifle not only the creativity in me, but the Creator working through me. So here it is. At the risk of alienating people and losing “friends” and possibly ruining future options for worldly success…
I believe in God. I pray every day. I try to read my Bible, but I have never read the entire book and I am not good at memorizing most of it. I am a failure, but He is my success. I have made mistakes, I have done wrong, I have hurt people and been hurt through the consequences of my own actions. That doesn’t matter.
Because I also believe in Jesus Christ. I believe He once walked on earth in physical form. I believe He was born of Mary and Joseph. I believe He went into Heaven, and is preparing to unite Heaven and Earth when God’s time is right.
I believe His timing stinks by my clock but is spot on by His. I believe I am forgiven, and therefore am able to forgive others and must forgive myself, or else I pretend He is a liar and I am smarter. Neither of those options are true, or healthy.
I believe in this life I will continue to sin, continue to fail, continue to hurt and be hurt. I believe most of this will be unintentional because I believe in saying/doing/living in God’s love and showing that love to others.
I don’t believe in political correctness when it disagrees with the Goodness in the world. I believe Christ died to save everyone, but I believe not everyone will accept that, and that makes me sad.
I believe it’s my job, my calling, my purpose, to write about God. In anyway I can. To share Him and His grace and mercy and love and unconditional forgiveness and everlasting presence with anyone who will read my words and understand they come from Him through me, and not from me alone. I believe this can be done boldly and directly, but also subtly and indirectly.
I believe I won’t be fully happy if writing means not being faithful to Him. I believe that by being faithful to Him, He will open doors for my writing. I believe I need to not stifle glorifying Him, but I also believe that doesn’t mean I can’t write crime dramas because mine will have a redeeming quality. Not all endings are happy. Not all characters are main. Not all emotions are healthy.
But my God is.
And this is my Apology for keeping Him in a box this long.
It’s time to let Him out, let Him work, and let Him love in ways I can’t. It’s time to live the life I keep thinking about; and step out in faith instead of hiding back in fear. No more shadows of intimidation.
This is me. Loving, and being loved by, God.
He’s pretty awesome, isn’t He?
*** *** *** *** ***
“God is Offensive” [written March 4, 2009]
To those who don’t want to follow His lead, His commands,
and go their own way, in their own way.
To those who choose to not show love but be selfish and take it instead,
breaking hearts and hurting people in many different ways.
To those who don’t give to others but make others work for them
without any form of recognition or encouragement.
To those who live for today, without caring for their future
and give no thought to the future of their life, their family, their world.
To those who do as they please,
instead of doing what pleases Him.
God is offensive.
Except to me.
He is the wonderful fragrance of Eternal Life, and I drink Him in, endlessly.
He is the beauty in my picture, and I paint as He guides the brush.
He is the Word already spoken, unspoken. The Only Word that matters.
He is the everything that gives meaning to my nothingness.
And I love Him.
