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A couple weeks ago I was feeling a little, well… blah.  I was feeling drained from jobs with children pulling on me.  I was feeling uncertain about the future.

I spent time with the Lord one morning at Starbucks and He began to speak into all these areas.

So I packed up my stuff and headed to the elementary school where I work with fresh perspective.  As I walked in I just thanked God for my job and it’s consistent hours.  The next morning I went in consciously thinking of how the Prince of Peace dwells in me.  I was making myself aware once again of that fact that He is greater than anything in this world.

I started to laugh more with the kids and really enjoy what I was doing.  Then midway through the week, my teacher told me that she had bragged to the principal to me.  She went on about what I good job I had been doing. (I had no idea she felt this way.)

At my other job, I began to ask for grace where I felt weak.  He says His power is made great in my weakness.  And the grace has begun to flow.

Today I am working on my homework, an assignment on influencing styles.  Turns out my highest influencing style is family/pastoring.  All this time my jobs with the kids have felt so draining to me.  But as I look through my gifts and style I am realizing how much practice I am getting at my jobs.

Everyday I walk kids through conflict resolution.  I am constantly teaching them how to communicate their feelings to one another on the playground in a healthy way.  They are learning how to let another person know how they were affected by their actions, rather than to just say “you did…”

They are learning math and reading, but they are also learning boundaries from Ms. Anna.  They are learning how to prefer one another.  They are learning honor.  They are learning how they will sow what they reap.  They are learning communication.  They are learning how to control themselves.  They are learning that they are powerful.  They are learning how to make good choices.

I guess I just mention all this for those who feel the tension of lack of purpose.  For those who feel they are just waiting for dreams to come true.  For those who feel they are waiting for life to happen…

To you I say, IT IS!

Jesus came for us to live an abundant life.  TODAY.

It doesn’t say that’s for when everything falls into place.  It is not just for when there’s money to pay every bill.  It’s not just for when you land the dream job.  It’s not just for when your relationships all feel perfect.  It is for the now, in the midst of the mess.

Where is your abundance for today?

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

-Jesus (John 10:10)

Allow the thief to steal no longer, let’s make sure we redeem what Jesus purchased for us.

this has been an incredible week.  God is doing so much in my heart that i don’t even have words to explain it.  He has apprehended me by his love without limits or conditions.  He has wrapped me in the warm blanket of his grace.  He is schooling me in the basics the kingdom.  i got saved at four, but somehow the words grace and love sound like words of distant tongue as He unravels them before me. 

as a result of His touch and fresh revelation, i’ve been painting again. 

so i thought i’d share them with you…

Last night, as I sat on my bed with journal in hand, I begin to ask my Savior for some help.  He whispered to me that the solution to this problem was about “being still.”  For some this might be a sigh of relief, but I must confess I was hoping for an action plan more than be still.  We recently took the strengths finder’s test in school. 

My number 2 strength- Achiever. 

It was no surprise to me.  I am a Flory and we get things done.  I guess the proof lies in the fact that my 85 year old grandma is still mowing her lawn.  That combined with growing up in a home where mom’s physical abilities were limited created 4 very productive children.  I love to-do lists and even accomplising the simplest of house chores brings me joy.

So I got up this Saturday morning and started the washing machine, threw my sheets and towels in, cleaned out my purse, and started to get ready, when I heard that familiar voice again, “be still.” 

I stopped and committed to lay on the floor at the feet of my Redeemer for 3 songs.  Yes, this is how I think. 

I have to confess more things do happen when I choose to be still.  I began to let Him into the breaker of my heart.  With his warm love, He began to flip the switches that had been josseled out of place in the past week.  Memories flooded my head of how His faithfulness has never left me. 

He is extravagantly good.  He has undoubtedly led me from glory to glory.  He has made my paths straight.  He has filled me with joy in His glorious presence.  He has surrounded me with real relationships.  He is really good at His job.

One moment with him can do more than my hours of accomplishing.

The NASB puts it this way, “cease striving and know that I am God…” -Psalm 46:10

Psalms 4:4 says, “commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still.”

“He caused the storm to be still, so that the waves of the sea were hushed.” -Psalm 107:29

He is brilliant and fabulous at His job, so today I choose Him.  I choose once again to trust Him with the things I cannot see.  I choose to trust Him that He is leading me.  I choose to trust his promise to take me from glory to glory.  I choose to place my affections on the One who loves me more than all the rest.

I love December and can’t wait to pull out the Christmas decor.  In fact this year my roommates and I actually decorated before Thanksgiving.  Shh, don’t tell my mother for this is a total faux pas to the family I grew up in!  But we just couldn’t wait.  So naturally I encouraged my roommates to put on hats and we ventured to the dollar stores in our area in order to do it up big on Landmark Court.

With that said, I must admit this December hasn’t exactly been the month I expected. 

Mid-month I found out that I have to have surgery on my neck to remove a lymph node.  I don’t think the thought of surgery gets too many of us non-surgeons excited.  My surgeon made a valient effort in trying to convince me that this could be fun.  But his effort was unsuccessful.

My sweet older brother helped me get a ticket home for the holidays.  What a gracious gift, because I can’t imagine spending Christmas anywhere but with my family.  Seven adorable nieces and nephews, I mean really, no explanation needed right?

I arrived in Texas 24 hours after my flight was scheduled to leave Sacramento.  This really wasn’t too big of a deal.  The airline got me a hotel room and gave me some vouchers for food.  I guess my heavenly Father saw that I might need a little more time with Him before arriving in the Lone Star State.

When I got here my sister filled me in on everything and told me that my mom wasn’t doing too well. 

I found this unfortunately true on Christmas when she only made one comment at Christmas dinner.  This is not my mother.  She is a strong woman with plently to say.  She attempted to smile a couple times and it seemed that half her face refused to go up with her grin.

Today as we made the hour and an half drive to the doctor, I found myself surprisingly grateful.  I found myself thinking in my head I am abundantly, richly, ridiculously blessed.  Honestly, it was such a unexpected moment. 

It had to be the Holy Spirit dropping a little of heaven’s perspective into my heart.

Tonight I had my emotional moment.  The silent tears started coming.  The pain and reality of not having my dream home situation to visit.  There is no doting mother in our kitchen.  Although friends often speak of doting as an annoying trait, I have to confess sometimes it sounds nice.

As I began to journal the Lord sweetly led me back to the place of blessing.  He is leading me to comfort in His Word through scriptures like these…

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”   James 1:2-4

“The righteous person may have many troubles,
   but the LORD delivers him from them all;”
Psalm 34:19

Emotional moments?  There will undoubtedly be more.  I am human.  I am a girl. 🙂 Tears are healthy.  And after those tears, I will eventually find my way back to counting my blessings.  

We are still waiting for test results for mom and there are still unknowns, but what I do know is-

I may have troubles, but my Dad, He’ll deliver me from ALL of them!  He wants me to be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Wishing you and yours joy, peace, and love this Christmas day!!

In 2 Kings 4 Elisha finds sweet hospitality from widow. When he asks what he can do to return the favor, she tells him of a friend who longs for a son. He boldly prophesies, she will have a son next year. Sure enough, it happened. But sometime after the boy passed away. When the news reached Elisha he sent his assistant. Yet the boy didn’t budge. So Elisha returned to the house and this is what he did…

“When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. 33 He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the LORD. 34 Then he got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out on him, the boy’s body grew warm. 35 Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out on him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.” 2 Kings 4:32-35

Awesome you think. Anna where are you going with this bazarre story?

Well this week I was faced with some unknowns, some potential anxiety you could say. I was writing in my journal and then I just felt like I should put my journal on the floor and lay on it.

“If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking these things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” Colossians 3:1

Laying on my journal may seem like some weird intercessor thing to do. Maybe it is. The point is that all these “unknowns” are underneath us. It was a physical act to remind me of my spiritual status.

I don’t know about you but I don’t wanna sit in economy if I have a first class ticket.

May I remind you today that the unknowns that seem above are heads are actually underneath our feet.

By the way, one by one the “unknowns” have unfolded, and I know see how worthless worry really would have been.

this morning i met a young mom with 3 little ones. i said well your life must be busy. she said i like to say, i’m engaged. she went on to explain that she didn’t like the bad connotations of busyness and preferred the happier thought that came with being engaged.

fair enough.

i would describe my life right now as full. i am abundantly blessed with two jobs and ministry training/opportunities.

i have somewhere to be by or before 8:30 AM, 7 days a week. with this schedule i try to carve out saturday afternoons as “Jesus time.”

today this led me to an elisabeth elliot devotional on stillness.

she quoted her late husband jim elliot-

“Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God.”

so today i feel challenged to “be still” and wait upon the only One who truly holds the authority to define and fill me. the One who knew me before the foundations of the earth. the One who poured out His own precious blood that i may experience freedom and forgiveness. the One who can see hope in any circumstances.

whether your life is full, engaged, busy, whatever, i pray that you soon would take the time to rest in the stillness of the Almighty.

blessings!

made this-
with this-

🙂

today i got a free drink at starbucks.

this makes me really happy.

life is made up of the little things.

little things like friendly conversations. smiles from a stranger. a helping hand at the door. free coffee.

today i’ve decided to take note of the little things. it makes me really grateful!

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”
Colossians 3:15-16

I’ve been in a season that I’m pretty sure is called, “waiting.” I feel like each day, I am waiting for something. Waiting on an email. Waiting on a phone call. Waiting for the next thing. Waiting for a yes. Waiting for a no. Waiting for something. Waiting for anything!

A few year back I felt the Lord speak this phrase to me, “waiting speaks of worth.” Let that sink in… He’s really brilliant.

We are (or should be) willing to wait for the things that are really valuable. Growing up in this microwave generation, the concept can be excruciating.

Recently I somehow got in a conversation about microwaves. It was really interesting the way that microwaving literally changes the molecular structure of a substance. Hmm… very interesting.

Now hang with me, this is not a science or even health lesson. I am not on an anti- microwave, throw it out to the curb rant. But I do want to challenge our thinking for a minute. Microwaving changes the nutritional value in food, and I think this could quite possibly teach us a great life lesson.

When we skip the waiting process, could we possibly settle for less than the best that our Heavenly Father has for us?

Waiting requires such a deep place of trust. It requires of me to wrestle through my fears, in order to find the place of rest. It somehow finds out of shape muscles in my heart, and gives them a run for their money. The quiet place can be so demanding and revealing. Suddenly my insecurities lay bare. The interesting thing is, I have found that usually once I find that place of peace and rest, the breakthrough comes quickly.

Challenge- Is there an area where you might be avoiding the waiting process? I encourage you to face the process head on, and allow the process to take you to green pastures and still water.

but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:31

Happy “waiting!” In the end, it will be worth the wait.