Listening Feet

I sat making my list this morning, like I do often every morning as the sun is rising and the house is quiet.  I sensed God nudging me differently this morning; almost as if he had a hold of my pen. 

I think now, looking back that He was just reminding me that He was near and that He knew all that I needed.  He didn’t want to take a hold of my pen or write for me; but I sensed He wanted to allow me to list what was on my heart, with an awareness of His presence.

The truth that is echoing in my head after spending some time with Him this morning is that…streams of living water flow from me because I believe and walk with Him.  (John 7:38)  This verse seemed to spout off the page with emphasis, like the sprinkler I had just seen yesterday spouting off extra water; both demonstrating their need of attention. Isn't it cool how God nudged me to take the picture yesterday to highlight in my mind as I write?

I feel the need of a refreshing spring of water for my heart as I feel the need of a pedicure before I break out these feet to walk in the spring weather.  There are so many cares on my heart that I am tempted to carry alone and God was reminding me to rest in Him and give Him my cares, my worries—even ask Him to help me with each task for today. 

The pressures of life can just seem so daunting sometimes, can’t they?  Sometimes I feel like I have 10 plates spinning constantly; a plate for my husband, a plate for each one of my boys, a plate for my own health, a plate for my loved ones dealing with life threatening illnesses, a plate for my ministry and work, a plate for every relationship, care and concern.

As I think about the day and write out my list, I recognize that each breath gets deeper and deeper.  Then, as I felt His peace, I faced the temptation to label myself ADD as my mind jumped to what I heard on Girlfriendit Radio last week.  Did you listen?  Oh, it was good—encouraging stuff about preparing our feet to leave footprints in our world. You can download free from iTunes here to catch the skinny on what I am talking about and join others here on the Girlfriendit Facebook Page.

Thankful for something to look forward to for my own feet as I anticipated some girl time and a pedicure, I continued to make my list and pray—pampering and taking care of myself is part of living as a princess after all!

Me and my girlfriend's happy feet.

When my heart is full of Him and my feet are happy—I am able to walk with and in His love and others are also able to experience His love and light—that’s the idea, right? 

Well, as I was writing out my list and thinking about my feet, God reminded me of the stories in the gospel about feet…He washed His disciples feet, a sinful woman washed His feet and a woman who chose what was better…at His feet.

Rather than be distracted by my list or the spinning plates I envision sometimes over my head, I want to choose to place my feet by His feet and stay there. 

Have you chosen to take your feet by His feet?

And it doesn’t matter whether we’ve had a pedicure or not, we can take our feet to the feet of the One who makes streams of living water flow from us.

Remember that spouting water…as I passed by the same patch of grass on my walk back, I also felt nudged to take a picture of these ducks waddling in the sprinklers.  God reminded me of this picture as I write and think about bringing my feet to His feet to be filled with His living water.  I couldn’t help but smile and my prayer is that you smile too…for my heart was delighted to see two ducks waddling around in the spring of water—basking in the coolness…the wetness…

Again it doesn’t matter the feet—just bring them to the Lord’s feet and listen. (Luke 10:39) 

Making The Switch!

YOWSA! I made the switch!

No, I’m not talking about the switch from ground beef to turkey (we did that a while ago)…nor am I talking about my brand of deodorant or

But, I bought a Mac. 

I can almost hear your mix of yays and nays in my head right now.  

I can’t help but crack a smile and I hate to admit there is a side of me that wants to just proclaim this good news.  I can’t deny it, I am EXCITED.

Just last night I had to do something on our PC at home and I went for the left hand side to close the window.  My husband proclaimed, “You are Macenized!”

My current work station.

I decided to make the switch, honestly, with the cost being pretty comparable and I frankly was getting tired of battling viruses with my system.

This past year, I have been writing, for my own enjoyment and calling on this Princess Path and also for the Girlfriendit Ministry and in addition to this writing for FUN, I began getting paid to work from home, writing and doing various other tasks for a marketing company.  Posting pictures, videos and visiting various sites daily…the virus-proof—efficient Mac was calling my name.

It’s interesting the responses that I have gotten since making the switch:

“Yay! Alright…you will love it!”

“Huh?  Why did you do that?”

~No words…just really don’t seem to care either way.

Interesting that making this switch reminds me of making the ‘spiritual switch,’ nearly 20 years ago…then too, I had people saying similarly:

“Yay! Alright…you will love it!”

“Huh?  Why did you do that?”

~No words…just really don’t seem to care.

And as I have ventured down into Mac world, figuring my way around, I have come to just esteem the Apple Store’s “Genius Bar.”  I’ve only been there once so far, but am planning another visit soon to get my questions answered. 

The “Genius Bar,” is interesting and humbling though, I recognize something inside of me being a bit intimidated.  I am one who likes to figure things out on my own, and questions—well I fear looking dumb when I ask questions sometimes. 

I have to say, I think I am going through a growth spurt and the genius who helped me—encouraged me with her own personality being welcome and inviting my questions.  I remember being nervous taking the plunge to switch both to my Mac and also with my faith and I'm thankful for the humble geniuses along the way on my journey.

Almost 20 years ago, I made the switch from walking alone to realizing that I don’t have it all together, I am imperfect and make mistakes and I need a Savior to rescue me and teach me and guide me through this life and SAVE me from my ultimate death in hell.  Hallelujah!  There were people around me that loved me and invited my questions.  I embraced this switch to lean on Christ, much like I am embracing this switch to my Mac.

Sometimes you just need to let go of what is entrenched and comfortable in our ways; and take a leap into a newfound faith—change is good sometimes. 

Have you made the switch recently?  Either towards God and accepting Christ as your Savior or to the Mac—? 

I know it’s weird to compare the two—but is it really? 

Just thinking…and writing….

What do you think?   What helped you make the switch?  Are you stirred to walk differently along someone else, remembering the scene of your own switch?

Goofy Girl!

“Ajkdlfjdkjdkljfdkjfeiejfkdjfkdjei!” I couldn’t tell you what I was saying to myself, but I knew the tone and attitude were not good.  I wasn’t even really aware that I was speaking so harshly to myself until I was interrupted by a LOUD screeching noise. *insert my boy's scream here*

I had 5 errands to run that day and in order to fit it all in I had to push my cart just a little faster through the supermarket that day.  There weren’t any casualties; just one run-in and a couple of other really close calls.     

With the groceries in the back of my van, I drove away replaying the run-in and near misses of my shopping cart running into this person and that display; when my baby let out a screech of frustration that brought awareness to my own feelings of frustration.

At that moment I sensed God nudging my heart to look at my boy AND the volume of his scream could definitely not be ignored!  I looked back at him and couldn’t resist laughing…literally laughing out loud!

As I laughed, a series of memories from previous weeks played in my head. These past weeks my mind has been ever aware of laughter and its necessity in my life.  I even told God I wanted to make people laugh more in my own circle.  Especially in the midst of tough situations and emotions, God has shown me His gift of laughter.  I remembered:

*I attended a funeral and then was blessed by the funny stories told by a friend of the family.  My cheeks and belly hurt after having dinner with her.

*Our pastor shared a bit of her story about living with joy amidst pain.

*My boy made us laugh when he was sharing a tough situation going on for him at school.

*My husband made me laugh while enduring a long walk; when I needed to get home to get some things done.

*A Facebook friend’s post made me laugh and gave my heart a fresh perspective.

*Bible study girls made me laugh when talking and praying about some deep emotional struggles.

*Girlfriendit Radio shared about humor—go listen here.

*My girlfriend who is in the process of publishing her first book with a collaboration of hilarious stories of her journey growing up with a prosthetic leg-made me laugh as she shared some of her struggles this past week.  Check out her Facebook page here and look for her to share some of her writing here with us soon.    

And then like old family tapes playing, I saw flashes of girlfriend’s victories and stories making me smile:

*A girlfriend choosing to let go and be goofy after healing from some dark stuff, strikes a pose and claims she’s a ROCKSTAR! (I have called her a rockstar now for almost 3 years)

*A girlfriend choosing to keep the conversation focused on Christ brings her wittiness to the table time and time again.

*A girlfriend willing to be vulnerable and courageous enough to share her mishaps makes me smile and laugh often.

*A girlfriend reminded me that even though I cannot remember the punch line to a joke—that this action in itself is funny!

*A girlfriend makes me laugh when in an email she shared her story and reminded me to: Stand for something. If you are too open minded, all your brains will fall out! 

I want to be one willing to go there and talk about the hard stuff, but I want to bring comic relief too—don’t you?

Well, back to my boy screaming in the back seat!  He was sitting there trying to get his shirt off while strapped in his car seat.  This newfound interest of his has made me smile all week because of the oddity of it.  This week I have found him in his crib with his arms either wiggled out of his jammies or completely shirtless if the wardrobe was right.      

At that moment I sensed God smiling BIG!  “Do you see how you look at him and smile and laugh and think his silly behavior is both cute and funny—Julie, goofy girl, I think the same about you!  Keep going, just be yourself…you are my beloved goofy-girl!”

That’s it!  I am a goofy girl, and sometimes my husband lovingly tells me just that when I do something odd or silly or weird.  (Hmmm… the words we speak have later impact on another, realizing that God used my husband’s kind response to speak to me months-years later…)

God affectionately was telling me relax-chill out, talk nicer to yourself when you mess up!  And the thing is, I know God doesn’t just say this about me.  He says it about you too—yes, you are a goofy girl too!

I love chatting with other girlfriends and talking about how God has been stirring in their hearts and moving them to new places.  Just this weekend I chatted with girlfriends and heard about their busy week and what God was doing in and through them even though life was busy.  

I do believe, that by sharing our experiences,  we inspire others and we just might make someone else giggle with our stories.

This week when I mess up, rather than get into a funk of emotions, I am going to remember these affectionate words about me, “goofy girl,”and then move on! 

What about you?

Don’t you just want to wiggle yourself out of that bad attitude like my son wiggled himself out of his shirt—let’s make each other giggle, share our experiences and just talk nicer to ourselves! 

So, how can you relate, goofy girl?

Please share your thoughts below and connect with other goofy girls on my blog, Girlfriendit, and my FB page. BRING ON THE GIGGLES!

LEAPIN'

I just realized it is February 29th--this day won't be around for another 4 years!!

Today is actually a day to celebrate some great LEAPS in the Lane Family...that's all it takes sometimes, just a LEAP to start something new!  We were created for new things...

1.   On February 29th, 16 years ago, I was asked to be a bride-AND not just anyone's bride, but Justin Lane's bride!  Yep it was leap year and Justin got down on one knee...awww!  It was a precious day--that marked God beginning something new...our family.

2.    On February 29th, just today, I leaped into something new and figured out how to get the Girlfriendit Tab the team emailed me and attached it to my blog--yay!  *Notice the lovely logo to the right of  my blog*  This logo marks God sending me a gift  of something new--in the form of remarkable women rallying my heart, to love and yes-LEAP!

3.    On February 29th, I learned and watched video-proof of my boy WALKING!  Yep, he has taken the next leap...(please pray for me).  He is doing something NEW!

HAPPY LEAP DAY! It's February 29th, and after reading with some fabulous women last night the parable of the 10 brides--we talked about preparing to meet our King...Have you made that leap? What are you leaping toward today, this year?

Just as this day only comes around every four years--sometimes an opportunity only comes around that often--what are you going to do this year that is a LEAP for you?

Please share a way you want to LEAP into tomorrow?  A leap outside of the box?  A leap into something new, perhaps?

Are you prepared to leap princess?  

Will you leap on down to the comment box and share with us?

If you are not sure, take a leap and post and ask for prayer, I would love to connect with you and pray for God's plan for you princess!

Off to go chase some little feet but I will be checking back in...HAPPY LEAPING PRINCESS!

A New Filling!

My heart is turned to newness this morning.  It’s a new day, a new week, and almost a new month!  For one of my boys it’s a ‘new nine’ after he had his birthday this weekend.  And 2 Cor 5:17 says that if we are in Christ, we are a new creation. 

Since I lasted posted I left you with my desire to keep walking; and while doing just that this past weekend with my youngest boy, I heard the Lord speak to my heart.  

As my little guy turned around in his seat he beckoned with the tone of his cry and the handing me of his cup to fill it up!  He did not understand that I had nothing to fill it with at the moment and I was struck at his persistence.  He continually kept turning around to hand me his cup so I was able to capture this moment. 

I caught on that he was trusting me to fill his cup and expecting me to do it—right then and there.  As I realized this, I heard from the recesses of my own heart,”Give me your empty cup—each time and I will fill it!” 

Is there something that is empty that needs filling in your life, in your heart? Maybe you need to be filled with a fresh perspective, or filled with a fresh word of encouragement.

Let’s encourage one another to seek Him and ask Him to fill us! 

How do you seek Him and be filled?

“For it was I, the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things.”  Psalm 81:10

So how do you seek God?  What does that look like for you? 

Have you experienced God’s rescuing…maybe you’ve been healed, removed from a situation or simply free from emotional pain from your past circumstances?

Have you experienced God filling you with good things? 

I would love for you to share your experiences—I know—I can almost hear the groans! Why is it so uncomfortable for us to share our experiences?  Do we fear sounding foolish or inadequate or even boastful or prideful?  Let’s BREAK FREE!   I would love to hear how God has filled you recently!

We were meant to learn from one another’s experiences and rather than just share with you this little picture of my boy and how His actions reminded my heart to seek Him to fill me, I also see purpose in my asking you to share your own experience!

I did not grow up walking with God and until I started asking people how they walked and recognized their emptiness and sought our God to fill them; I never knew what exactly to look for— 

Your heart and your experiences encourage me—YES yours!  And I know that your courage will bless another heart too! 

Maybe we can just do something NEW today.  Looking forward to hearing from you and rejoicing in how God has filled you!

Beloved Walking

Sin!  How do you define it?  Can we go a day without it?  These questions arose amongst a circle of fabulous women this week—

What do you think?  Can we go a day without sin?  I have my own thoughts, but I’m curious what yours might be….I’m not one to stir things up, but I’m curious what your thoughts might be…

Hmmmm…a sinless day….maybe on a REALLY GOOD day when I get to sleep in and take lots of naps-ha! 

While meditating on this thought of a sinless day, a scripture is ringing in my head.  Jeremiah 6:16 states, “Stand at the crossroad and look, ask for the ancient paths,; ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.”  

I remembered a former life coach reminding me that sometimes, standing and asking are the easy part; but walking—well, walking can be difficult, especially in a world where we are bound to face pain and be wounded in some way. 

When we are tired or injured, surely walking takes more energy out of us.  Earlier this week I heard a pastor talk about doing justice, loving mercy and walking humbly…and the fact that we can’t do or love without first walking humbly. 

I don’t know the answers—but I’m rejoicing in being right here in this place to absorb God’s love and learn to walk.

I wasn’t walking—but driving and God showered me with a message and maybe you need to hear it too. 

I heard on the radio, artist Jason Gray sharing the story behind his song Remind Me Who I am. Gray talked about sin and being entangled in it and realizing that in the midst of sin he had forgotten that He was God’s beloved.  (My heart skips a beat saying I am God’s beloved).

Could this be at the core of our sinful acts?  Do we NOT know or believe how treasured we are and thus attempt to demonstrate just how worthy we are, only to find ourselves knee deep, and entangled in sin.  Sometimes sin we are not even aware of…those unconscious acts that we may think are right and loving—but really our selfishness is marked all over the loving act. 

Do we really grasp just how loved we are?  I read these words found on Jason Gray’s blog,  and listened to his video Remind Me Who I am…they sent my heart blazing—

“There is that parable where Jesus speaks of the Kingdom of God being like a man who, having found a treasure in a field, sold everything he had in order to buy the field and gain the treasure. I was always taught that I was the man in the story who needed to give up everything in order to “gain” the Kingdom of God.

Andrew Peterson pointed out to me years ago that in the other parables surrounding this one, the “man” in the story was always God.

What if God cast himself as the man in this parable, too?

Is he the one who gave everything he had in Jesus in order to recover us?

Could it be that we are God’s treasure?

When I’m tempted by sin these days, I can feel beneath it a desire to feel worthy and loved.

This desire tells me that I’ve forgotten who I am and need reminding.

I’m learning to run to the only one who can tell me, the One who carved my name in the palm of His hand and gave everything he had so I could be His.

It is heady and humbling at the same time to be so highly regarded by One so worthy. It makes a difference.”

So , what do you think?  Do you allow yourself to ask questions, do you allow others around you to ask questions?  Does His love make a difference?  Do you think we can go a day without sinning?

Do you believe that you are God’s treasure?

I wrestle with thoughts like these and embrace questions that send us running after Jesus.  I want to know more about Him and His love for me….I do!

I sense God bringing my heart to grasp afresh His mercy, His grace, His love....I’m learning….

Do you know you are His beloved?  Are you walking as His beloved? 

What truths, scriptures, stories, people, relationships encourage your walking? 

I look forward to hearing your thoughts…but until then—I’m going walking.