five minute friday Archives - Page 2 of 3 - LeeAnn G Taylor

Be Still And Listen for the Whispers

September 5, 2014 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

At times it’s been through a whisper.

The Holy Spirit quietly prompting, reminding, rebuking, or refreshing my soul.

Growing up in a faith tradition where the concept of the Holy Spirit was often brushed past in Sunday School on even the best day, I’ve struggled as an adult to really listen to God’s voice in my life in the day-to-day.

Reading His word and gaining insight?

That’s where all those Sunday school lessons memorizing books of the Bible, learning how to use a Bible concordance, and studying for endless Bible Bowl questions comes in handy.

But listening, really listening for the voice of God in my life? Oh, that’s been a struggle.

Sometimes we need a reminder to be still and listen for God’s whispers in our lives.

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And so I post this verse on my computer screen at work, in my car on a colored index card, on the mirror in the bathroom, and anywhere else I need a reminder.

Be still.

Know.

Remember His promises.

Remember I’m His child, his masterpiece.

Trust His provision for my life.

Trust His protection for my children.

Surrender control.

And listen for the whispers.

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

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This post is part of Five Minute Friday {Whisper} where we’re given a writing prompt and encouraged to write for five minutes of free writing. It’s a beautiful community of women sharing their words and wisdom each week! Also sharing with Faith & Fellowship and Essential Fridays.

What about you? How do you listen for the Holy Spirit’s whispers in your life?

Change Is All About Perspective

August 22, 2014 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

She takes my hand, walks me up the stairs, and leads me through the halls of the elementary school that will become her daily educational home in just a few short days.

It’s Open House night and although to most kindergarteners, everything is new, she walks confidently after spending four weeks in a summer program housed within these walls.

All the sudden I am grateful for those four weeks and for how comfortable she is in a new place with new people all around.

We arrive at the kindergarten hall and find her classroom. Her teacher is new. Not new to teaching or to kindergarten, thankfully, but new to the school. A swarm of last minute kindergarten enrollments sent the classroom size soaring over 23+ and the school scrambled to hire another teacher to add another classroom of kids.

We’re right on time and Ms. Nettles greets us warmly.

She is short in stature but big in personality and I can tell already it’s going to be a good year. She’s attentive and kind and, while a bit overwhelmed at the whirlwind she’s been placed in, she seems completely capable of jumping right in and readying the classroom for the kids to arrive next week.

I do my parent-ly duty, sitting in the tiny blue chair at the tiny table, filling out form upon form upon form, picking up car rider tags, talking to cafeteria ladies about nut allergies and the nut-free table, meeting with the nurse about medications, and sending my husband to collect information about the PTA and various school clubs.

After the whirlwind of papers subsides and we make it back to the minivan, I take a breath.

This is really happening. My little one is really a big girl and is going to school. It’s year one of many years of education with other adults who I pray care about her development just a fraction as much as I do.

And I realize. Change, well it’s not only coming…it’s here!

And just as I’ve been learning in other areas of my life, it’s my PERSPECTIVE that makes the difference as to how we handle the changes that come into our lives.

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” -Wayne W. Dyer

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What things in your life do you need to look at differently?

Maybe you need to be reminded of God’s promises in your life. Or maybe you just need a friend to talk to to gain some perspective on your situation. Whatever it is, I challenge you today to take some time to change the way you looks at things.

You never know, the things you look at…well, they might just CHANGE!

This post is part of Five Minute Friday. Today’s writing prompt was Change. Also sharing with Beauty Observed, Faith & Fellowship Friday, and Essential Fridays.

God Uses Small Beginnings

August 2, 2014 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

Questions of doubt swirl in my mind. Maybe in yours too.

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Who am I to make a difference with my small town life?

We live in a tiny town of 1,000 people.

How can God use me to change the world?

I’m just an introverted office-working mom with dreamer husband and a couple of crazy kiddos (and now one more on the way) living in a simple no-frills house, financially just making it month by month.

Does my offering of encouraging words really matter?

I write because I felt God’s prompting, but does my writing really change women’s perspectives and turn their hearts & lives toward the Lord?

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And then I hear His voice.

Child, I specialize in small beginnings. Just look at my creation.

Acorns grow into stalwart oak trees.

Fuzzy ugly caterpillars grow into exquisite butterflies.

Tiny seeds grow into magnificent flowers.

He speaks again:

It’s your job to be available.

To put yourself into situations to foster growth.

To seek living water and bright sunlight.

And to watch me bless your small beginning.

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Small beginnings are the launching pad to great endings. – Joyce Meyer

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I hear his voice quietly in my spirit and then again through His word. It’s more truth sinking down deep and reminding me of His faithfulness in my life.

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin. Zechariah 4:10

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God is pleased when we’re available to be used and we submit our small beginnings to His purposes. He has designed each of us uniquely and He equips us to make a difference, rejoicing with us as we begin our journey.

Today, I’m excited to introduce you to three of my in-real-life friends who have each made themselves available to God to be used. All three have started blogs in the last couple of weeks, sharing their hearts, their stories, and their lives as they seek to make God known in their own unique ways.

Take a minute to visit and encourage these brave ladies!

Brittany writes at Momolgie, sharing her story of faithfulness through the challenges currently presenting themselves as her husband is treated for stage IV metastatic colon cancer. She also has a heart for encouraging moms, especially pregnant moms and those nursing and caring for a new little one.

Mollie writes at Faith in Plain Sight, sharing her story of how God is helping her move through years of hurt and pain to a life of freedom in Christ, one step of faith at a time. As a single mom, she can identify with Christian women in similar situations learning to navigate the waters of parenting young children.

Amy writes at A Beautiful Mess, sharing her story of freedom from a diagnosis of bi-polar/manic depressive disorder at a very young age.

What small beginning is God birthing in your life? Let’s encourage one another as we each seek and discover God’s best for our lives.

Sharing today with Five Minute Friday, Essential Fridays, The Weekend Brew, God’s Girl, Faith & Fellowship, Beauty Observed, Recommendation Saturday, Scripture and a Snapshot, Sunday Stillness, and Give Me Grace.

How To Embrace Life Like a Child

July 18, 2014 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

She stoops, intent on finding just the right treasure to share with me. Her tiny frame all but disappears against the green grass.

She is my oldest, my first born, my precious child.

She’s my snuggle-bug, my sweet girl, the one who insists on living life right next to me.

Even in her youth, she sees beauty in the everyday and determines to share it.

Her offering today? A bunch of tiny purple blooms.

They’re not Pinterest perfect and this bouquet won’t ever show up in a Southern Living magazine, but it’s what she has to offer and she does it with such enthusiasm.

Her purpose is to make me feel special, to show love with what she has, today, in the moment.

What if we did that as adults?

What if we looked around, embraced the gifts we were given and shared our lives, just where we are?

What if we took the opportunities presented and made the best of them? What if we did it now with what we have instead of waiting for the illusive perfect moment or situation?

Today’s challenge? Live life like a child.

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. In other words, bloom where you’re planted.

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. Bloom where you’re planted.

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How will you embrace the challenge today? Share in the comments and let’s encourage one another!

*This post is part of Lisa-Jo Baker’s 5 Minute Friday series, where she empowers bloggers to write for 5 minutes each Friday on a specific topic. Free writing. Writing just for the sheer joy of it. Today’s topic was “Bloom“. Also sharing with Essential Fridays, Faith Filled Friday, Fellowship Friday, Family Fun Fridays, The Missional Weekend, The Weekend Brew, and Taste and See.

Saying “YES” to God in the Middle of Our Mess {And a Giveaway}

May 2, 2014 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

The weather was beautiful, warm with the perfect spring breeze, and I muscled the Sit N Stand stroller to the front door to go pick up Salem from preschool. I noticed something unusual with our door and called my husband to inquire.

{Important side note: Our house is for sale and has been for many months. It’s only been shown once.}

It was only then he decided to tell me about the realtor who had called the day before at 3:05 wanting to show our house at 3:30 the same day. Both of us were at work.

Now you tell me…do you normally leave your house in “okay to be shown to a potential buyer” condition when you leave for work on a Wednesday morning? Ok, me neither.

I cringed to think about the laundry piled in baskets on the floor, our unmade bed, the towels on the bathroom counter, Salem’s bedroom littered with an array of random “treasures” and the pallet on the floor she’s been sleeping on for the last few nights to “campout”. It occurred to me there might have even been a wet diaper on my son’s changing table. {cringe}

“You have got to be kidding me!” went through my head, along with a variety of other comments I wanted to make to my husband, but refrained for the health of our marriage.

Some stranger just entered our house and viewed our mess in all of its imperfect glory. Not okay in my book.

Sure, we had friends over on Sunday night and the house was far from perfect – piles of winter clothes graced the hallway waiting to be stashed in the attic for next year. The kitchen floor would have seriously benefited from a broom in the capable hands of my husband, the resident sweeper, but who were we kidding? Between the two of our families, we have 3 kids under the age of 5 who were going to dump half of their food on the floor before we were finished with dinner anyway.

When my friend Brittany called our house a “judgement free zone,” I knew I was on the right track. Sure, I like to tidy up before people come over, but even if there’s not time for that, our friends are welcome.

I’m learning to relax in the company of my closest friends and let them into my “mess”.

Ya’ll. This is new for me! I’ve spent years, years, making sure our house was just so before inviting people over. If it wasn’t for some reason, my stress level would go through the roof. But I’ve declared war on perfectionism, so not anymore!

I’ve learned that it’s building relationships that counts, not what my house looks like!

Lately I’ve embraced The Nester’s motto about our home: It doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful. And it’s true. I’m a recovering perfectionist and this is a struggle for me. My soul just feels more at peace when the dishes are done, the floor is swept, the counters are clear, and my bed is made. But what if I waited for everything to be just perfect to let people into our home, into our lives? Yep, it would never happen!

Yes, our mess drives me crazy sometimes but I have to be careful not to allow it to keep me from fostering and nurturing one of the most important things in our lives – loving people and sharing our lives with them.

But what if I waited until all the stars were aligned and everything in my life seemed perfectly ready for me to do what God is calling me to do?

I’d never make a difference. And my life would never shine His glory. And friends, Matthew 5:16 tells us that’s what it’s all about!

Oh, what a tragedy to miss out on something as extraordinary as the ministry of Mercy House, a maternity home in Kenya providing alternative options for pregnant girls living in the streets of Kenya. Mercy House aids them in education, nutrition, housing, prenatal care, Bible study, counseling and job skills for sustainable living. Incredible!

No, that’s not what God is calling ME to say “YES” to, but it IS God’s dream for Kristen Welch and her family.

A self-described “ordinary” person with struggles, brokenness, fears, anxiety – the whole bit – Kristen did one thing differently than many of us. God asked her to use her ordinary life – mess and all – and turned her obedience – her “YES” – into something “extra”ordinary.

One step at a time, one prayer at a time, one “yes” at a time, God used Kristen’s life to change the world. She tells the story in her new book Rhinestone Jesus: Saying Yes to God When Sparkly Safe Faith is Not Enough.

Rhinestone Jesus is a peak into Kristen’s heart as she shares candidly how God turned her from a “good girl,” a teenager on fire for God but content to live a “safe” Christian life, into a woman broken through life’s challenges and unexpected experiences, now willing to say “yes” to God and trust Him in each moment, regardless of the outcome.

The book is a call to authenticity in the Christian walk. She challenges us to push through the fears of “what if” and instead to ask “what next God?” as we move forward one step at a time in faith.

Kristen shares her personal struggles in ministry, motherhood, and marriage and paints a picture of God’s incredible redemption through it all.

Not just a memoir, the book will walk you through your own journey of learning to say “yes” to God’s call by providing thought provoking questions at the end of each chapter that beg for reflection and action.

And for this recovering perfectionist momma, I love this quote from the book:

Saying yes isn’t really about doing it all, it’s about saying yes right where you are.”

That’s it. That’s the answer. I don’t have to get everything right, the stars don’t have to align, and my house doesn’t have to be spotless. I just have to say “yes” in the middle of my mess to whatever God puts in front of me today. One foot in front of the other. One step at a time, saying “yes” to living out my faith authentically.

I am thrilled to have been part of Kristen’s launch team for her book and her publisher Tyndale House has given me a copy to review and a copy to give away to one of you! The giveaway will be open until May 8th and there are several ways to enter below.

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*This post is part of Lisa-Jo Baker’s 5 Minute Friday series, where she empowers bloggers to write for 5 minutes each Friday on a specific topic. Free writing. Writing just for the sheer joy of it. Today’s topic was “Mess“. And NO, this definitely didn’t take me the prescribed 5 minutes…but my fellow Five Minute Friday gals encouraged me that there is grace in the mess and to post it anyway! This post also contains affiliate links {full disclosure}. Also sharing with Women of Worship, Fellowship Friday, Beauty Observed, and Sunday Stillness.

Beauty in the Mess

April 11, 2014 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

Her little brother is visiting his Mimi for the week and my 4 year old jumps at the opportunity for a rare uninterrupted moment to paint.

Hunched over the 1970s era leaf table with a wide swath of drawing paper taped down, her paint brushes littered among the homemade sticky paints, she diligently creates her work of art.

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To me, it looks like a big sticky jumbled mess. Colors are everywhere; paint is on her hands, the table, the floor, her hair…and a bit on the paper.

I know better than to ask “What is it?” and instead say, “Tell me about it, doodle.” {Doodle has been her nickname since the beginning. My little artist.}

“It’s a rainbow mommy. You know, like God’s promises.”

Indeed it is.

Her sweet voice and messy art reminds this weary soul of the truth of God’s work in our lives.

Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NLT)

Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11

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He is the promise maker and the promise keeper. He takes our broken pieces, our messy, and turns it into a masterpiece used for His glory.

Although we may not see the rainbow in the messy art, it’s not our job to see the full picture. The Bible tells us we can’t see the scope of God’s work, its fullness.

Instead, it’s our job to trust the artist and walk with Him one day at a time. And He will reveal the rainbow, the beauty in our mess, as we say “yes” to Him.

*This post is part of Lisa-Jo Baker’s 5 Minute Friday series, where she empowers bloggers to write for 5 minutes each Friday on a specific topic. Free writing. Writing just for the sheer joy of it. Today’s topic was “Paint.” Also sharing with Essential Fridays, Fridays Unfolded, The Weekend Brew, Recommendation Saturday, Sacred Speco, Beauty Observed, and Sunday Stillness.

Also…while we’re on the topic of saying “yes”…

I just started reading the new book by Kristen Welch, Rhinestone Jesus: Saying Yes to God When Sparkly, Safe Faith is No Longer Enough. It’s a pre-release review copy and the book launches May 1 (although you might can find it in stores sooner & pre-order on Amazon). I started crying in the Introduction ya’ll, so I know this one’s a good one that will challenge me in ways I need it. Can’t wait to share more about it with you once I finish! In the meantime, a whole tribe of people are sharing how they’re saying “yes” to God in the middle of their mess – check it out on Twitter.

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