After a bit of a hiatus I am very happy to be back and attempting to join in the freedom of Five Minute Friday! And this week I am hitting the Friday spot! Yay! What’s it all about? Writing freely from a one-word prompt for five minutes unedited. Then enjoy some time reading other’s posts. It is a pretty amazing thing! Learn more and join in here. Today’s prompt is Why.
Let’s do this…
Have you ever experienced a fear of failure? Has there been a feeling inside like there is absolutely no way you can do “this” and so rather than face the inevitable failure, you simply do not try? I’ve been there. There was a time in my life of not necessarily fully avoiding but keeping myself so busy that the time to try was simply not there. What was there was time. After the to dos were done, I could consider trying. IF I could block out the failure.
Time gets away with you though. One moment you are avoiding and the next
you are simply looking back and wishing.
This is where I feel today. Like I am looking back and wishing.
This is NOT where I am staying. I have realized that my fear is pointless because it isn’t as important as the why.
Why share the ups and downs of our lives? Because there is someone out there who is in the down side and needs to know that there is a up side.
Why take a chance that could lead to no one ever really hearing your voice, your passion, because you may grow in the very process of the search and struggle.
Would you join me?
Your life is not too messy to be used by God. Trust me. My life is MESSY (I wish I could write it out I hear it). My past even more so, but I’m not alone in it. So maybe now out of it I can touch the heart of someone else who is in it. After all, flowers have to push through some dirt in order for their beauty to shine in the sun, but even in that dirt, they are complex and magical.
We are God’s handiwork and you were created for good works. In fact those works were already planned
for
you
for
me.
Why? Because maybe we can introduce someone to the Only One. He is our why. They are out why. Maybe we can show someone there is a better way to live (ps have you read A Better Way to Live by Og Mandino? You should–sorry for the side track)
I echo and pray this prayer for you from Paul in Ephesians 3:14-21
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Stop
So would you join us? Again you can learn all about Five Minute Friday and try it yourself by following this link!
Thank for your prayer and honest sharing, Kelly. Ephesians 3:14-21 is one of my favorite prayers and it is wonderful that you prayed it for us. You may never know this side of eternity how many lives you touched with this post. Blessings.
Thank you Esther. You never cease to bless my heart. Have a wonderful weekend.
What encouraging truths you share here! Thank you!
Thanks for visiting Rebekah!
Thanks for this encouragement, Kelly! It is easy to get caught up in our fears of failure instead of focusing on the reasons why we should step out and how God could use us if we do.
Thanks so much for visiting Lesley. I love how God has used everyone at FMF to encourage and also draw me closer to Him. Have a great weekend!
Kelly, oh yes I’ve been there too. Thank You for your honest post. Glad to have you back at FMF. I’m in the 50 spot this week.
Hi Tara! Thanks for visiting today! I am so glad I got a chance to join everyone this week! Looking forward to reading your post!
It is great to read your words again, Kelly! I’m glad you shared those words from Ephesians 3, too – they’re such an encouragement. And I know just what you mean about the why’s: sometimes I wonder what is even the point of taking a risk, sharing, being truthful. But there is a point. We never know what it may mean to someone else when we do that, or how it may strengthen our own heart and faith in the process.
Jeannie (#65 in today’s linkup)
Thank you so much Jeannie! I literally just left your post. As always you have given me so much for thought.
Have a great weekend!
Why share the ups and downs of our lives? Because there is someone out there who is in the down side and needs to know that there is a up side.
The main reason I am so invested in helping women learn – 1) they have a voice and 2) their story matters!
Thank you, Kelly, for your encouraging and life-giving message today!
Visiting you from #70 at the FMF linkup
Thank you for visiting, Lisa and for sharing my post too. I look forward to reading your encouragement!
Have a blessed week.
Such timely encouragement. Thank you, Kelly. This is one of my biggest struggles, but God is helping me to press through the overwhelm and walk forward one step at a time. Just tonight I sat to edit a guest post to submit, after I had first turned away thinking: “Who in their right mind would publish something you’ve written, Anna. Why bother. All that work just for a rejection.” But then I felt God encourage me that what HE has given me is not to be hidden and SO worth sharing. Oh my, how fear and shame have been my safe for so long. It hurts to let go of my pride and kneel in humility. So, your post is such an encouragement to me. To know I’m not alone.
I would so love to read your guest post. ” Oh my, how fear and shame have been my safe for so long.” I love your words.
Thank you so much for visiting. I am honored by your words and so blessed and encouraged.
Kelly, love your post! I am so thankful for people who share their downs as well as their ups! It’s exactly what I try to do! My 80 year old mom gets upset with me sometimes when she reads my blog because she thinks I’m too hard on myself and need to be more positive. Haha! I have explained that the Christian walk is not easy and you can feel alone so I want to share with others what I’m learning. I’m not sure she understands yet. Thank you for being open and honest! It means a lot! Cindy #fmf
Hi Cindy! Thank you so much for visiting! I am grateful for all the people who got past the need to show the perfect picture all the time. It really helps you grow and also not think you are all alone.
Thank you again for coming by from FMF. Have a wonderful week!
Kelly, I love where you took this word. Remember the WHY we do a thing can be instrumental in helping us overcome fear. Remembering that if God has given us something, it’s so we can use it for His glory and to point people to Him.
Such a good post, friend.
We’ve been going through the book of Ephesians at church, and our pastor taught on Ephesians 3:14-21 on Sunday. I’ve begun praying this passage for our children. How fun that God put it on your heart to share here. 🙂
Hi Jeanne! So happy that you came by today! You always help me think deeper. I’ve been praying Ephesians 3:14-21 over my son too! How cool is God? I love how He works in our lives!
Thank you Jeanne. Getting back to the why and definitely to God is so freeing. Thank you so much for coming to visit.
Amen! I love the analogy that flowers are complex and beautiful–even when they are pushing up through the dirt.
Awww thank you so very much Anita! So lovely to have a visit from you!