Stirring with a Flute

"You can use a flute to stir soup, but that is not what it was made for. What we can do and what we were made for are not always the same." - Shane Hipps

I read this quote in the fall. It made something inside of me shake.

For months I had started becoming more and more discontent with what seemed like just about everything in my life, but I couldn't really point out specifics as to why I was feeling that way. Then I read this and everything inside of me started rattling. This was it. I was spending all of my time doing things that I was very capable of doing, but not what I was made for. It started me on a journey of readjusting that I am still in the middle of.

To be honest, not a whole lot has changed in the natural and I don't have a grand plan to execute doing things that I was made for. I'm still doing most of what I was doing six months ago. My outlook has completely changed though. I felt stuck and out of control then. I now look at things with excitement, anticipation and hope for what is coming.

I could have very easily made drastic changes in those moments out of my own abilities, but that's not what I was supposed to do. I knew I was supposed to wait and that's what I've done. I waited and did nothing on my own, trusting that God would work it all out for me (Romans 8:28). And guess what? He is doing it! He has removed obstacles, renewed strength, stretched my faith, released me from obligations and is birthing dreams inside of me. I know it's where I am supposed to be.

You may not see me playing my flute center stage for some time, but I am no longer stirring soup. I am beginning to hear the melody of what is it come and I like what I am hearing.

Powerful & Free

I posted a picture on Instagram about 6 weeks ago of the cover of the book Powerful & Free by Danny Silk, marked with the caption, “Starting to read this tonight. I have a feeling it’s going to change my entire life.” Sure enough…

I finished the book today.

The weekend before I posted that picture Danny was at our church for a family conference. He also spent some extra time with our church staff before and after the conference. Those five days were truly an incredible time of teaching. I had over 25 pages of notes and even missed two of his sessions.

My caption was so true. The book itself is a great read, so challenging, but it has been the journey since that time that I have truly seen so much change in myself. It has been a long time coming and I’m still in the middle of experiencing a lot of it. It’s crazy to me that things that people started telling me 6 months ago that I completely thought were crazy are starting to more and more get confirmed and come to pass.  I wish I could share some of them, but they are still too fresh and too personal to share on a public forum. I’m sure I will share all that this season has been at some point down the road though.

The forward of the book is by Heidi Baker and she makes this statement, “Regardless of what people may think, it is important to carry what God has placed inside of us to full term.” For those of you who are close to me, you will immediately notice significance there. (Before anyone asks, no, I’m not having a baby!) There is something of great value and worth that has been growing inside of me though, and it’s such an encouragement to allow it to stay there until it has reached an age of maturity that it can live in existence in a place that is close to me but not necessarily private to me. In this season of gestation though, I’m thankful for the way it has stretched my faith and trust in God, and I'm looking forward with great excitement of all that is yet to come.

 

PS I know it seems like I’ve been absent, but I’ve actually been writing, just not posting. The blogs are way too long, too personal, or just not the right time to post! Thanks for keeping up with me though J