FMF: Crave

Winding down. Winding down. February is winding down.



GO

Crave. It is what we were made to do. What cravings are we really built for? Relationship. Primarily a relationship with Him.

So often we search to satisfy our cravings in many other ways. For some of us, it's food. For others, it's through sex. Others still, being needed. And the list could go on and on.

Think of that one thing, that one thing that you turn to to "satisfy" you in a moment of stress, sadness, or pain. I'll bet that for each of those scenarios it's the same thing.

Let me ask this. If we were made for more than this world, why then do we seek to fill our cravings with things of this world rather than turning to the thing bigger than we are?

Could it be that we are scared of what happened if we actually turned to Him instead of things of this world? Or is it perhaps, and honest mistake? We automatically go elsewhere to fulfill it because that is what we know. What we learned.

Now is the time to retrain our brains, emotions, bodies to go to Him instead of our particular something. I can assure you, breaking those habits to satisfy our cravings will hurt at first, but it will so be worth it.

I'm willing. I'm striving. Are you?

STOP

FMF: Hope

February is winding down. Two more days after this post. I hope you've enjoyed the ride so far.



GO

Hope. The ability to say "it is well" deep in the depths of our souls. This is the point that I am praying to get to.

To live a life of hope is to look at the optimistic side of every situation.

Many would say to hope in things would be setting oneself up for disappointment. I don't feel this way. The angle I come from, when we hope in God's best for us, then we will never be disappointed.

Hoping in His plans over our own is the safest place to be.

STOP

On this note. I want to play a song that I like to cling to in hard times.

FMF: Faith

Day 26 here. Let's see where it takes us.



GO

Faith. It was what was talked about in service today. The faith it takes to say "yes, God" to whatever he calls us.

I stop and ponder to myself, would I have what it takes to drop everything and just go to what He calls. As much as I want to be able to say I would, I cannot say that honestly.

Faith. It's the step we take after He draws us to Himself. Without faith our futures look bleak. They look hopeless. Uninteresting.

With faith, however, our lives look vibrant. They look hopeful. Meaning-filled.

Faith adds color to an otherwise dull world. Faith is what it takes to walk onto the next step. Especially when we're unsure if it's there or where it will take us.

We are called to walk by faith. To walk in utter dependence on Him and trusting His plans in every move we make.

It takes guts to walk in faith. Because walking in faith can lead us anywhere, we must be willing to drop everything and go. Open ourselves up to His plans for us, even if they look different than our own. More than likely, they will.

Faith. What step of faith is He calling you to take next?

STOP

FMF: Grace

Well, friends February is starting to wind down. I'm so enjoying these five minutes of writing each day. I hope you've enjoyed them too.



and....WRITE

Grace is a gift that has lovingly been bestowed upon me. Why? Because He loves me so much that He could not imagine heaven without me. 

Grace was meant to be a gift. Yet, I always forget that. I find myself trying to earn grace.

How ridiculous would it look for us to receive a birthday gift and then feel the need to act "good enough" to deserve the gift.

Why then do we feel the need to do this with grace? Could it be because we forget that it is a gift given out of love? Perhaps, this world has ingrained into us that we must do in order to deserve and once again we reflect that earthly mentality onto our relationship with God?

Friends, grace is a beautiful thing that all we are required to do is receive it. My hope is to go about each day remembering that nothing I do will make me good enough for grace. The only thing that does is His love for me.

STOP

FMF: Security

Today's post marks 5 days left in the month. Which means 5 days left in....



You can go here, to find a list of all the posts. Today I'm linking up with Lisa-Jo. Their word is grit. My word today is Security.

GO

Security. Such a fickle thing in today's world. It, for sure, is one of my biggest struggles. Finding security in my identity as a child of the Most High God has always been hard for me. While I'm making progress, the battle is still hard most days.

My search for security started at a very young age. I shared some of the reasons why the other day. Growing up in an unstable environment, it is hard for a person like me to have had security from a young age.

Insecurity runs rampant in my mind most days. If I'm not careful it can consume and control me. When I am diligent, on the defense looking for it, the falls aren't as hard.

Being the 4th kid in a family of 5 kids makes me a middle child. Middlee children are notorious for struggling with their identity and security. I also have the mentality of an oldest child as well. Which just makes this search for identity and security that much harder. While I have the mind of an oldest some days, I have the heart of a middle child, a very emotional middle child at that.

It wasn't until I turned to God and what He has to say about me that I found the roots of my insecurities. Until I was able to start to overcome them.

STOP

FMF: Doubt

My five minutes starts...



NOW

Doubt causes us a lot of pain. On this journey to getting healthy, doubt loves to creep in and get nice and cozy, convincing us that we can never do what we've set out to do. Doubt helps us to realize our inadequacies and our need for His intervention to help us get better.

Only by overcoming our doubts, will we be able to succeed in our endeavors.  Doubts reveal our humanness and it is our choice how we react to it. Will we run and hide (forcing ourselves deeper into doubt) or will we run to Him and allow Him to expose our doubt for what it really is? Our enemy trying to defeat us and drive us away from what is Good and Beneficial.

The journey to overcoming doubts is almost always a difficult one. It is bound to be painful. Whether mentally or emotionally, the pain we feel can drive us in one of two directions as well. We can either go further into doubt, or we can run to Him and allow Him to heal our doubts.

So my friend, which way will you run when doubt creeps in? Will you run to the Healer? Or will you run to your go to "fix it"?

STOP

In keeping with the spirit of Count Me Accountable and since I didn't last week, I thought I'd "weigh-in" today. So, I stepped onto the scale and found myself pleasantly surprised. The number I saw wasn't just under 180, it was closer to 170! That number being 172. :)

Linking up today with:

FMF: Loss

Hey friends! Back again with another Five Minute February. Day 22 of 29. Only a week left! Hard to believe that February is almost over already! Granted it is the shortest month of the year.



My goal for this month is to write for five minutes a day, each day. (I've made it pretty close. Only missed one day so far.) I write for five minutes flat. Writing without worrying about if it's just right or not. In these five minutes this month, my heart has shown more often than not. To see the whole list of posts you can go here.

My time starts....

NOW

Flashbacks. To a time when everything was thrown upside down. My oldest sister moved out. Shortly after, Dad moved out (temporarily). My whole family was in chaos.

Both relationships were changed. The loss of connection so real. For one, it was a different type of connection. One loss meant only seeing him once a week and talking on the phone two or three nights a week. The other, the loss of a relationship, almost completely. A relationship that has never been as close since. The loss of a sisterly bond. One that hasn't been reconnected, not for lack of trying.

A few years later, Dad moves out again. This time for good. Due to divorce. The loss of having the privilege to say "my parents are still together." Again, a loss in the everyday bonding time with daddy. Probably the hardest loss for a daddy's girl like me. A few years later, we moved in with him and that loss of daily contact comes back.

STOP

Not as much today friends, but a tough one to write.

Will you consider joining me by writing for five minutes on loss?

FMF: Pain

Back again friends. Late post today. Forgot to do it before I took off for the day and haven't been home since I left at 9:30a.



Here it goes

Pain, something that we all are familiar with. For some it starts right at birth. Others, in their childhood. Fortunate few it holds off until adolescence.

Pain looks different for every one. As does the way they deal with pain.

Growing up, I dealt with pain through eating. When I was sad, I ate. When I was stressed, I ate. When I was hurting, I ate. Eating became the way I dealt with everything.

The way I deal with pain now, is different. Not easy, but different. Each day, I am choosing to use a different method of healing. I am running to the Ultimate Healer to ease my pain.

Pain from the past still arises. Pain from the current while it still oozes. Pain from the recent past, still stings when thought through.

This pain, no matter how hard it may be right now, is only temporary. The pain that I know now is nothing compared to the joy I will know in the end. After all, seeking the Healer of all pain instead of something else is the point of the life after-all, isn't it?

STOP

FMF: Submission

Friends! I feel so sad. I was sick with the stomach flu, so I didn't get on the computer yesterday to do my Five Minute February. So sorry about that! I still have lingering fever today, but am feeling much better.



With that being said I'm back today with Five Minute February.

GO

Submission...an oh so un-liked word in today's world.

Submission is the act of willfully yielding to another. In other words, willfully setting aside ourselves to better serve another.

Submission can be to a human, a job, or God. Why is it so hard for us to grasp the concept of submission? Perhaps because human aren't always able to be trusted. Trust is a base condition for submitting to someone.

If we take that view of it, why is it so hard for us to submit ourselves to God and His will? Could it be that we often reflect the qualities we see in others onto Him? I know I've been guilty of doing so.

I often have trouble remembering that even though, we, His creation, are imperfect, He is perfect. Why is it so hard for my finite mind to grasp that He is perfect, and that He is the only one who can be trusted.

Since God can be trusted, that means we should be willing to submit ourselves to Him and His will.

STOP

FMF: Sacrifice

Today's post for five minute February starts...



NOW

Sacrifice-to give something up for someone else.

Sacrifice-Something God's been teaching me a lot about. Through fasting, He has taught me to sacrifice what I called "good" food to show me better food.

Sacrifice. To give up my desires for His. This is the true meaning of living a sacrificial life, isn't it? This is the issue I'm having the most struggle with at this point, right?

Why is sacrifice so hard? Why does our selfish, fleshly mind and heart make sacrificing to Him, for Him so hard?

I want to live a sacrificial life. I do. I pray for my life desires to subside to that His desires can flourish with in me, but then it's not long after that my desires start creeping back in.

Sacrifice. May I learn how to do so better. May I learn that sacrificing isn't about me. It's always about the other person. Be it God, or someone else. Sacrifice isn't for me.

Living a sacrificial life. A goal that is hard to attain in this world. Living a sacrificial life. Something that will bring more good then one can comprehend. Sacrifice, laying down my pride, so that He can be shown glorious.

STOP

Sacrifice. What are your thoughts?

FMF Commitment

For those of you stopping by from Five minute Friday. Welcome. My word is different because I'm on a journey to do something called five minute February. Where I write as we do on Fridays every day through February.

Today is day 17 of 29 of writing unedited for 5 minutes flat...5 minutes straight. This is the time when we just write what's on our hearts. We write without worrying if it's just right.



GO

Commitment, one of the things we have such a hard time with into today's society. In a place where everything is disposable and nothing lasts, most feel that there's no reason to commit to anything.

On the contrary, we were made to commit. To commit ourselves to the God of this universe. We see this in almost every way. We are created male and female. We were created to compliment each other. To support each other. To complete each other when in complete unity with God.

Commitment can be scary, but if it's the right person, it's the natural step. Commitment done right, focused in the right place is fulfilling.

When we take delight in committing to something we will find so much satisfaction. Commitment is what our hearts long for. We want to know that someone is committed to us and only us.

Commitment takes time. It takes a positive attitude. Commitment takes dedication. It takes heart. Commitment takes all of a person. It can not be a "somtimes" battle. Commitment must be a promise of your complete person.

That's what God commits to us...all of Him.

STOP

No One Else Knows

So one of my favorite songs right now is "Where I Belong" by Building 429. Today, the song that made me fall in love with this band's music started to play on my music player. It hit me right where I needed it to.

This song reminds me that although I may feel alone, like no one else knows how I feel or what I'm going through (even though I know many of you really do 'get it' and I thank and love you for that), this song never fails to remind me that I am not forgotten, that He does understand how I feel. He knows the pain, the hurt, the sadness, and any other emotion that I experience.

Without any further hesitation here's the song:



At this point in time, all I can do is trust that He's got me in the palms of His hands and that He knows, cares and will soothe anything that may come my way.

These lyrics are probably the part that are hitting me the hardest tonight in this song. That is because I identify with them 100% right now:

I need no explanation of why me
I just need confirmation
Only You could understand the
emptiness inside my head
I am falling
I am falling
I’m falling down upon my knees
To find the one who gives me peace
I am flying
Lord I am flying

FMF: Health

Day sixteen here of Five Minute February! It is also, our weekly Count Me Accountable day over at Must Love God as well! But first. I must write my five minutes on the word health. So I will start that...



NOW

For me, health is becoming more important in my life. I have decided to change the way I eat, the way I live, the way I seek. While the first two are challenging and normal ways that we all try to get to better health, the last way is probably the hardest.

To discover health in the way we seek means that we are to leave our hearts, minds and souls open to the new ways God wants to teach us. It means that we are willing to allow Him to reach into our filth, work in and on us to get us to a better state of health.

Health encompasses a lot of areas in our lives. From mental, to emotional, to physical and even still to spiritual health. I have found in my life that if one of these is off (or not being worked on) then at least one, if not all, the others suffer as well.

Being conscious of our health is so much more than eating right and exercising. It is about becoming healthier in the way we think, the things we desire, the things we chase after. If our perspective is off of the one who created us to be healthy, then it will be extremely difficult to stay on a healthy course of life.

The mantra many of us in my circle are using is simple. It's from a wonderful gal who has struggled with food addiction as well. The mantra is: Eat Clean, Move More, and Refresh Daily.



Are you willing to commit to those three things?

STOP

FMF: Family

We’re officially half way through February! This, of course, means we’re half way through Five Minute February as well. If you’ve missed any of the other days, you can check them out here.



Today’s time starts…

NOW

Family. This looks different in almost every household. For some, family is only the people who are contained in the same house as they are. For others, family is everyone of blood relation. Still some, family isn’t just their bloodline, it is their friends. Yet, even still, some treat everyone as though they are family.

For me, my family is those who have the same parents/blood line as myself, my husband’s family (immediate and beyond), but more so, my family is my church, my blogging community, and my friends. Anyone who is in my support group is considered family in my life.

I am grateful for being included in the family of God. For any who acknowledges that He is their Father and Christ came to save them has the privilege of being called a child of God. So in Him, I have an entire family. A family FILLED with sisters and brothers.

Family can be a sticky subject for some, I know. Some don’t have a close family connection with the ones they were born to – if a connection at all. Some may know of the ones that brought them into the world, but have a completely different set of people they call family, and that’s okay. For others, like me, their family (immediate and beyond) has been very disconnected.

For any of these scenarios, this is where friends and family come in to help become that support system. I know that made all the difference in my life. To those of you who are in that support system for me now, I say thank you. To those of you who were, but may not be as close now, I want to say thank you. For those who were and still are, I also want to thank you. You have no idea how much you all have meant (and mean!) in my life.

STOP

Wow…that was a lot in five minutes. Will you consider spending 5 minutes writing on family? If so, and you do, please let me know and I promise I will stop by your place and leave some love. : )

FMF: Marriage

So this was totally not planned...I swear. Who woulda thunk, marriage would land on Valentines day. With that being said....let's just get started.



GO

Marriage. What can I say about marriage in just 5 short minutes...well lets see. Marriage is a representation of God's relationship with the church. Looking at it from that perspective, it's no wonder most marriages do not do very well. We're modeled after what was originally supposed to be a perfect union.

After the fall, marriage has become increasingly harder. Flawed people coming together in a holy union will not work unless both people have God as the focus.

As Christian's we are called to set a different precedence compared to the one we see in today's society. Just because our society says that marriage is not forever, God says that it is forever. The only reason He gave an "out" was because we begged him for another way, an option out. It was because of our selfish and sinful mindset that divorce was even mentioned in the Bible.

God has said that He HATES divorce. Shouldn't we too? Not that we should condemn those who have been through one, I'm not saying that. We are to love them despite the choices they make, but we are to encourage those around us and remind them of His words and heart towards marriage and divorce.

STOP

FMF Friendship

A fresh week. A fresh challenge. A fresh start. A fresh subject for my Five Minute February post.

Challenge reminder. Last month I wrote a word for each day this month (all 29). One word to write about. This is my time for me to just write without worrying about if it's just right or not. You can see all the posts in the link above, I'm listing them all there, so if you've missed one or two, I'd love to have you read them. :)



My time starts...

NOW

Friendship. In my life that has pain laced all the way through it. From the time I was young, I have had issues making true friends. I've had more then enough people say they were my friend, only to turn around and misuse that title.

It has only be as of late that I have any semblance of what friendship means.

To be a friend means to be someone who is reliable. A friend is there in all circumstances, not just when it's convenient for you. A true friend is someone who, even though you might not completely agree, will be supportive. A true friend expresses their opinions once, and then lovingly accepts each ones choices and encourages them to follow through on such decisions.

Friendship can be so many things in so many ways. Through the community of women at Must Love God. I have found some of the deepest, most rewarding friendships. Although we've only known each other a short period of time, it feels as though we've been friends since we were children. Better still, we'd love to have you join in that community.

Through my church, I have found my best friend. She is amazing and I could not be more grateful for her.

STOP

Now it's your turn. What does friendship mean in your life?

Lukewarm?

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth. Revelation 3:15-16

Every time I hear this verse I have a flashback. I see myself a mere freshman in high school, listening to a speaker at a retreat talking about this very passage. I was the only one from my entire youth group (20 or so kids) to go on this retreat. The visualization that was given was that the spitting action is actually more like a vomiting.

With that being said, I am applying this to my eating habits (yes, I know it isn't Thursday, but it will make more sense why I posted it to day in a second). Talking with a few friends, I've used the phrase, with me, if I don't do it all the way it won't happen when it comes to cutting back on eating certain things.

So, tomorrow (Monday) I am starting a 21 day (or however long He impresses on me to do it) fast from everything except: Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts, Water and Tea (with Honey occasionally). I am doing this as the first step to getting my eating habits under control. I have known for a while that food has had too big of a place in my life but never knew what to do about it until I learned about fasting and how changing my perspective from food to God can effect this area of my life. You can read more about that here..



I don't say this for the "good for yous", the "you go girls" or the "way to gos". I bring this to you humbly asking that you would pray for me with me over the next 3 weeks that my focus would be on Him and the things that surround Him rather than on the things I can and cannot eat. I have done this once this year only a tad bit more strict. (no nuts or tea).

The course of this journey will include a lot of things.

The first is that my best friend/accountability partner is leaving on Thursday for a Discipleship Walk. While I cannot be more exited for her, I am also slightly sad because on this walk she won't have her phone, internet or any form of contact. She's usually the one I go to for encouragement through these sorts of things...and Thursday will probably be right about the time the severe cravings for the old way of eating come about.

Then I'm sure there will be the infinite attacks that Satan tries to use to defeat my journey of eating better to glorify God through better caring for the temple He has entrusted to me.

This is what the upcoming few weeks are going to consist of. My goals are to become closer to Him by relearning that He is primary provider--of everything. To learn how to seek Him first to satisfy, before going to food of any sorts, or any other place.

I'll be back with my Five Minute February post in the morning.

Blessings.

FMF Books

Ready to jump in again? I know I am...So let's just do this...



GO

Books...a great way to pass the time. There are all sorts of books out there self-help books, Christian Self-help books, financial books, fiction (both alternative and Christian), Non-fiction, biographies, auto-biographies, and then there's the greatest book of all, the Bible.

The greatest, best selling book comes in so many versions and translations that it would probably take forever just to list them. Whichever form of language reaches to the middle of your soul and speaks, you can find a Bible to fit that particular style.

My favorite genre of books has to be Christian fiction. Most of the time, at least with the writers I read, the stories are so relatable. They are situations that are very likely for one to encounter on any given day. The non-Chistian (or regular) fiction I don't find as fascinating. 

I read a lot of "Christian" self-help books as well. Mainly on subjects that I'm seeking to learn more about. Like marriage, I know there are many older, well-known Christian couples who have successfully completed this life while living a Christian, God-serving marriage. I look to there for inspiration and tips or tricks that might help.

What is your favorite book?

STOP

I hope you'll join me in this journey to write for five minutes flat every day for the rest of the month. We'll write without worrying if it is just right or not.

Thanks for stopping in and allowing me to share my heart.

FMF: Safety

If you've been around here this month, you know the drill. If you haven't been around...welcome or welcome back (whichever fits better). To see what I've got going on this month you can go here and get the info.



The ride starts...

NOW

Safety. Something that I believe every human sets out to search for at one point in life or another.

For some, they find the safety early on in life at the place they call home. For others, school is their safety net. While others, still, find their safety at the Church they attend.

Safety was something I found at both school and church. When the home life is chaotic, it's hard to feel safe. For me, school was my daily time of knowing that I was in a place that was (relatively) safe and I didn't have to be (as) afraid of being hurt. Sure there was rejection and isolation there, but it wasn't anything like the emotional/mental abuse that was experienced in the situation at my house at the time.

However, my most consistent place of safety was my home church. We had gone there since I was eight, and until my middle school years the leadership remained the same. Even then after the leadership changed the accountability, the encouragement, the message, the love all stayed the same.

Safety within my church helped me to understand the safety I have in Christ. While I do struggle with trusting Him completely with some things, I know and believe that I can always go to my Church and be safe.

For that is where He meets me more than anywhere. When I need comforting, I typically find it during worship. When I need encouragement, I can find it in my Church family. When I need safety in Him, I can go to His (physical) house and rest in the safety of His arms.

STOP

Once again, a small piece of my heart, laid bare before you. Where has your safety been residing? In yourself? In someone else? In Him? If it's not the latter, I would encourage you to do some digging and find out why it isn't. The reasons are different for all of us. I'd love to chat with you all about this, whether by commenting on here, or connecting here, or following me here, or even e-mailing me. Whatever you would be most comfortable with, I am open too. Love to you.

FMF: Acceptance

Off we

GO....

Acceptance, something I've searched for my entire life. When I didn't find it? I cowered and became an introvert because all I knew was pain and suffering from those around me. All the people that seemed to have accepted me for me, in the end turned around to become my biggest areas of hurt.

While I know where my true acceptance lies, I still find myself clinging, hoping for those around me to accept me. If they don't seem to be, I would find myself molding into the person that I thought they wanted me to be.

That was until I read this verse in Galatians:

"For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ."

When I found this verse, it was like a two by four had just struck me between my eyes. It was at that point that I realized what I'd been doing my entire life. Not only because it's what I knew, but it's what I learned from watching those around me.

I've always been called a "people person". I think that's because of my habit to become the door mat, the one that goes with the flow, the one that doens't cause waves.

So over the past year when I realized that when I'm accepted by God and it doesn't matter so much who accepts me here, it was a culture shock for those surrounding me.

Did they all like it? not in the least. Do I now have less friends because of it? Yes.

As soon as I found myself saying no and standing up for my self and what I believe, I had friends flaking out left and right. But I'm okay with that because my acceptance resides in Christ.

STOP

Count Me Accountable {Hesitant Today}

Today, I woke up, I did my normal routine before my weekly Thursday weigh-in. I looked at the number and saw 182, a 2 pound gain from last week. I was bummed, but not surprised.



My week was all right. My goals as always are Eat Clean(er), Move more, Refresh daily.

Eat Clean(er)--After having no bread since January 10th (the first 21 days were through fasting and after that I decided to keep it out because of how much better I was feeling). This past weekend, I thought, once won't hurt. Man was I wrong, once I let one in, another followed, and another, and so on.

Next Steps: I am on a journey again to cut out bread. I have kept to my fast of no pop. However, on Monday I'm going to switch up my fast. I will be doing a  21 day of eating only fruit, vegetables, and nuts. I will only be drinking water and tea (with honey, no sugar, no cream). The main reason that I'm not starting this today is because my husband and I are planning on doing our Valentine's outing this weekend, so I'd really like to be able to go out and do something without having to limit our choices too much. However, I won't have any bread or pop while we're out.

Move More: I've tried to keep myself up and moving at work lately. That has helped my energy stay up where it needed to be throughout work.

Next Steps: If you read Meredith's post today, she has started the Couch to 5K running plan. My sister has mentioned that she's got an old Iphone I can use to do this challenge. I will be working on this journey starting ASAP.

Refresh Daily: Almost all of my studies are getting done consistently each day. The only one that has seemed to fall through the cracks is the Paul study that I'm doing with two of my friends.

Next Steps: Find a way to work the Paul study into my daily routine. Get up earlier and do my own version of Hello Mornings.

Here's looking to a better week next week!

How was your week? Are you going to link up to the Count Me Accountable post from today?

FMF Accountable

Today is the day. My first Count Me Accountable post written for Must Love God. I'd love for you to join me over there today. Once you read that, pop back over here and finish my reading with my 5 Minute February post (day 9!)



Here...we...

GO

Accountability has been a great life changing experience in my life. For those of you who have had a good/reliable accountability partner, you know what I'm talking about. It such a great way to connect on deeper levels then a typical friendship, especially when you're looking to strengthen your walk with Christ.

My accountability partner and I are almost all the way done with the One Year Bible. We started in March of last year, so we're continuing through through this march. We're almost done and couldn't be more stoked.

Accountability can also be with your spouse, or even with God. My weightloss accountability through humans comes in at Must Love God (where I am today). Although my ultimate accountability comes with God. He knows me better then I know myself and His spirit will encourage me to stay the course.

Do you have an accountability partner? Or have you given thought to one? If so, how has it helped you? If not, I would encourage you to pray that He would bring someone to "spur you on to love and good deeds" as it says in His word.

My friends, I hope you find the perfect accountability that you need at just the right time, for the exact reason you need it. Seek Him and He will lead you in this area. I promise you that.

STOP

FMF: Fruit

Here we are...day 8 of 29 (yeah it is a leap year...)



The goal? To write for five minutes flat. No editing. Writing without the worry of it having to be just right. So...off we go...

GO

Fruit. Such a delicious treat. 

Fruit. Starts off as such a beautiful blossom.

Fruit. That is how they'll know us.

We are told that we will be known by the fruit that we produce. Is the fruit hanging off your tree ripe and good for eating, like the trees in the Garden of Eden--perfectly ripe? Are the bruised from damaging circumstances? Are they beginning to rot due to improper care? Or have they already fallen off the tree due to neglect?

When we proclaim Christ as our leader, there should be no reason for people to wonder whether or not we are followers. After all, if we truly, wholeheartedly follow Him, our fruit will prove it. We won't have to feel the need to convince anyone because our actions will do the job.

Fruit, such a forsaken delicacy. So often we'll look over them to something we think is better, or tastes better. We fail to realize that fruit are super-foods. There's a reason that He compares our actions to fruit. If they're good, they're super-food, of their bad, they're horrible.

Our fruit rubs off on those around us. My question for us today is this: What type of fruit juice are you leaving behind?

STOP

Psst...I have a secret...Well sort of. My best friend and accountability partner that you've heard about so often on here? Well...she has a blog and is looking to connect! Check her out here. She's got a great heart and I think you guys will love her to pieces.

FMF: Serve

Feel free to check out the concept for February here.



My five minutes are to begin...

NOW

To serve, to exalt another person's needs above your own. Some of us are born servants, others are not, and still some become servants to gain acceptance by those around us. Unfortunately, I have a habit of falling into that last category.

People would tell me that I have a servants heart, I would gracefully thank them. Yet I would know that the only reason I helped out the way I did was to have a place to "fit". A way to gain acceptance from those people.

Serving should come from the heart. Serving shouldn't be about what we can get out of it. Serving with a heart like God's is the goal. It's the way we should live.

The question is why don't we? Why don't we serve like Christ served. Wholeheartedly and with no expectation? Because Satan has taught us (and taught us well) that everything we do needs to have some sort of reward in it for us.

Yet we fail to realize that by serving others with a clear conscious, we will find ourselves fulfilled. We will reap the benefits of a servants hearts. It's all about storing up our treasures in heaven, not her on earth. Why do we continually forget this? Oh that's right because the here and now feels good, over the there and later.

My goal is to live a more serving life. Especially when it comes to serving my husband and family.

STOP

 

FMF Impossible

Here we go! For an explanation of what you'll see going on around here this month, look here.



Get Ready...

Get Set...

GO

Sometimes it's our expectations that are impossible to live up to. As I said yesterday, I was given a glimpse into something wonderful, magical, convicting, but so freeing. I was shown that I try to put people into a certain box, a certain mold, or expect a facet of their life to look a certain way. Like what I would think to be ideal for our situation.

God showed me yesterday that as long as I keep thinking like that, everything I expected would be impossible. Instead, He called me to rely upon His Spirit of discernment to lead me into a freeing experience of watching His work in those around me.

Impossible...with God, all things are possible. Meaning? With me and my thoughts--not gonna happen, not possible. Once I give it to Him and start looking for and allowing Him to move in certain situations? Then I will see. Then my desires will align with His desires.

Only when His desires become ours will we actually see that progress isn't impossible. No, it is entirely possible by God's grace.

STOP

On a different note...one of my favorite friends is writing over here today. Jump over and find out what our hearts and vacuums have in common.

Oh and I would LOVE to have some of you join me in this journey to write for five minutes. Even if it's not every day, feel free to join up on a day that you have some free time. :)

FMF: "Wait"

My five minutes start...

NOW

This morning, I was sitting in church. I prayed for one of my deepest desires at this point in my life. While I wait, resting in His presence, He gently gave me a glimpse into His plan. It was so freeing. It is making it a lot easier to wait on certain aspects of it, but as I wait I can be confident that God will show me bits and pieces of His work. 

To wait, to be patient. Usually I am pretty good at it, but sometimes I have a hard time waiting. Waiting on kids is one of my areas of impatience right now. We've always said that it would be in His time, but sometimes, His timing seems like it's forever away. I know, I know, we're still young and have plenty of time, but it's still weighs on my heart from time to time.

There's a song out there that helps in the time of waiting. It's called "while I'm waiting" by John Waller. I hope you enjoy it:



STOP

All This Time

Lately I've been hearing this song a lot lately on the radio. It brings me to tears almost every time hear it. I get flashbacks to my childhood and it reminds me just how faithful He's been throughout my life. Take a listen...



I can remember the nights I spent laying on my bed, clinging to the promises that He was with me and that He would make it all work out for my good, and He has.

What songs have been jumping out to you lately? Why?

FMF "No"

Back again with another 5 minute of writing. The joys that come along with just writing for five minutes flat without having to worry about if it is just right or not! It definitely challenges me to be authentic and not worry so much about my wording and whether anyone will get offended.



GO

Does any one else hate hearing the answer no? I know I do. Whenever it comes to something I really want, the last thing that my ears like to hear is no.

I find myself battling with the toddler within. Sometimes I feel like pouting. Other times I feel like throwing a temper tantrum. anything to prove exactly how I am feeling.

Sure there are times when I know that no is the right answer, but that rarely makes it easy to hear. Nor does it make it a desired answer.

No also can me without. As in no one knows how I feel about _______. Or no one seems to care. Again, no one would be willing to help me with this. These are thoughts that the enemy likes to put into my head. Especially when it comes to my temptations, trials, and failures. He wants me to believe that no one is willing or able to over look these obstacles and that I'm on my own.

On the other hand, I know that God says: "No, my child, you can't do this on your own, let Me help." Often He'll say no to protect me from something--primarily my selfish ways. Other times, He'll use no to redirect my attention. When the thoughts above start creeping in I can hear His spirit saying "no, no my child, that is the wrong path to go down." if I am obedient and will listen, I'd avoid a lot of heart ache.

STOP

Just that simple. I hope you'll join me on the rest of this journey! 

FMF: Challenge

Check out the details of my theme for this month here. If you're new reader, welcome, I hope you enjoy your stay! If you're a returning friend, welcome back, grab you're comfy seat and enjoy the ride. :)

Today's day 3. Today's word: Challenge. Small admission before I get started...today's word was supposed to be yes...but I flipped the words when I looked at them yesterday...haha. So I'm going to do challenge, which was supposed to be done yesterday. :)

Are you ready?

Because...

here...

we...

GO

This week I have been challenged in many ways. First, on Wednesday I switched posts over at Must Love God. She needed more time, little did I realize that it was going live...today. Ha. Which meant I had like 12-18 hours to come up with a post for it. You can check out how God met me when I approached this challenge by going here...

On top of that, as you'll read in my post from yesterday, I have been challenging myself all year (so far) to lose some weight. I have been having success...it may be only a couple of pounds at a time, but after reading this when I woke up this morning, I have no reason to feel anything but gladness for the pace I'm going at.

I have some wonderful friends who are challenging me to dig into and stay in the word on a regular basis and I couldn't be more thankful for those challenges. To each one of you keeping me challenged, I say thank you.

Challenges are usually faced with fear, but as we learn to rely on God to help us with those challenges, we become wiser on which one to tackle and how to do so. A challenge without His divine blessing is more than likely going to fail.

I have taken on challenges in the past that I have failed at in my own will power...like weight issues. But relying upon Him and community I am making progress. I have learned that spirit directed challenges are the only way for me to go.

STOP

I'm going to link up over with the Gypsy Mama. They're doing a different word...the word real. Even though I'm not doing the same word, my goal in each of my posts is to be real...I think it counts. :) I hope you'll join us.

FMF "YES" and CMA

Time for day two of Five Minute February. Today's subject is yes. If you've never participated before, I'd love to have you join me. Just leave a comment below with your post linked in to it in the URL section, or simply do your 5 minute writing in the comment box.



Take just 5 minutes out of your day to imply write. Simply write without worrying about it being just right. No editing, no perfecting.

My five minutes starts...

NOW

Yes, probably my favorite answer to hear. Well, and that is because I am naturally a selfish human being. I love to hear yes to a question I ask because it means I'm getting what I think I want.

However, I've learned that yes, isn't always the best answer for me. So when I hear the opposite I think to myself "yes, He's protecting me from my own selfishness."

Yes, one little word, so many uses. It can be used to let someone know that you heard their call for you, to answer a question, or to express gratefulness to another.

Yes is my favorite word to hear because of it's many uses. This one little word can make a person feel so good, so fulfilled. I love to hear it from my husband, especially when it comes to spending time together. I love to hear it from God because I can trust if He's telling me yes, then it is going to be in my best interest, even if it might not seem like it right away.

STOP

Okay, now for my CMA challenge...



I weighed in at 180 today. Which means another 2 pounds is gone. I'm becoming content with 2 pounds a week...after all this isn't The Biggest Loser. And in the real world, weight doesn't typically shed off more than 2-5 pounds a week.

I'm still going forward with the Eat Clean, Move More, Refresh Daily.

I did well in most of these areas today. I'm going to stick with the no bread and no pop. This week I am completely cutting out candies as well. As one of my friends recommended I'm going to take it day by day, one step at a time.

How was your week?

 

FMF "Go"

Today begins our walk through February. If you missed the explanation, feel free to follow the link that the button will take you to.



My five minutes begin:

NOW

Ready. Set. Go. This common analogy reminds us all of the start of a race, or a test, or anything else that we're waiting for someone to give us the "go ahead" to begin.

For me, the "go" that I wait most often for is the one that my Father tells me through my Spirit. There's many things I'm waiting for His "go". While I wait I decide to focus on the things that He's already told me to "go" with.

The biggest one is my role as a wife. I've been one for almost three years and it's still a daily battle to figure out the type of wife God has called me to be. Part of that is my own stubbornness while another side of it is simply learning my husband better. Which happens every.single.day.

Another place I have heard go in my life is when it comes to schooling. I didn't do so well in my first semester several years ago, so I quit. I have started back again, but needed to be sure that it was going to be covered because we don't have the money to pay out of pocket. Thankfully almost all of it was covered by financial aid.

I hear Him saying Go in my dreams to reach other women in the areas that I struggle. He's given me a platform to do so over at MustLoveGod. I love the group of ladies I have met through this marvelous website.

STOP

There it is. that simple. Five minutes and I'm done.

What does "go" look like in your life?