Isaiah 55:11-
“So is my Word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
I heard something once and I never forgot it…
“If the Lord has to repeat Himself more than once, then it must be important and therefore I should listen.”
I had the pleasure of meeting my dear friend Bonnie for lunch. We always treasure the moments we spend with each other because they are few and far between. She lives on the other side of the world (in case you did not know, Hempstead, TX is right past Africa- Ha!). She had downsized her home living from 4,500 square feet to 1,000 square feet and she expressed to me how she made this possible. She showed me her craker-box closet and, as a woman, I was highly impressed with her enthusiasm.
She exclaimed… “ It was simple, I just got rid of everything, Holly, and I gave it to our maid.”
With the look of shock on my face I tried to digest the fact that she used the word “easy” in a sentence with getting rid of her well-kept clothing.
She continued… “Holly, now how many outfits do you wear in your closet? About 15 to 20? And how many outfits just sit there month in and month out?”
She was absolutely right! Although I felt the conviction in my heart to go and purge my closet, do you think that was the first thing I did when I got home? Keep dreaming!
Fast forward two nights later when my daughter and I were in her bed enjoying our nightly prayers. I was finished with my conversation with God and prompted Lexi that it was her turn. She got quiet and said…. “Hold on Mommy, the Lord has something he wants to say to you.” I gently giggled and she began to pretend like she was in a whispering match with Jesus. After she was done, she gazed up into my eyes and out of the mouth of a babe, she said…. “Mommy, the Lord wants you to give your clothes to the poor.” Quite honestly, nothing connected at the time, so I told her what I assumed she would want to hear by agreeing that I thought her and God were right. I had way too much in my closet. Yet, there was no motivation to actually go and face that giant.
After I put Lexi to bed, I went to kiss my husband good night as he was tucked away on the couch watching his movie. I fell effortlessly onto our freshly-washed bed sheets and relaxed into a comfortable position. As I tried to close my eyes and prepare for a good night's sleep, I heard this loud “boom” in my master bathroom. I screamed for Jason and he came running. The testosterone in my man is what had him go look and check everything out. Every article of clothing that I had stuffed on the rail in my closet had split in two and everything came crashing down. There was a sea of clothing piled on the floor just begging to be let off this poor, frail, rod. (See picture at bottom of blog).
Believe it or not I immediately prayed for God’s guidance in this situation. Typically I would be so stressed out at the sight of something like this, my blood would boil and I would somehow make this Jason’s fault (poor guy). You ladies know what I am talking about. Instead, I curled back in bed and fell right to sleep. In the middle of the night the Holy Spirit awakened me, to give me the low down. Every scene between Bonnie, Lexi’s prayer, and the closet falling, flashed in front of my eyes and I experienced an “ah ha” moment. I got it...loud and clear! Literally!
God was asking me to do a specific thing and I was missing it each time. It had to get to the point where He had to scream it to me…but this old gal finally heard the Word that sprung forth out of my Maker's mouth that He refused to have it return void!
What has the Lord been whispering to you? Are you listening or does he have to scream it for you to hear? Let's
be a body of believers who hears, and then listens, the FIRST time He speaks!
Write from my heart,
Holly
“So is my Word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
I heard something once and I never forgot it…
“If the Lord has to repeat Himself more than once, then it must be important and therefore I should listen.”
I had the pleasure of meeting my dear friend Bonnie for lunch. We always treasure the moments we spend with each other because they are few and far between. She lives on the other side of the world (in case you did not know, Hempstead, TX is right past Africa- Ha!). She had downsized her home living from 4,500 square feet to 1,000 square feet and she expressed to me how she made this possible. She showed me her craker-box closet and, as a woman, I was highly impressed with her enthusiasm.
She exclaimed… “ It was simple, I just got rid of everything, Holly, and I gave it to our maid.”
With the look of shock on my face I tried to digest the fact that she used the word “easy” in a sentence with getting rid of her well-kept clothing.
She continued… “Holly, now how many outfits do you wear in your closet? About 15 to 20? And how many outfits just sit there month in and month out?”
She was absolutely right! Although I felt the conviction in my heart to go and purge my closet, do you think that was the first thing I did when I got home? Keep dreaming!
Fast forward two nights later when my daughter and I were in her bed enjoying our nightly prayers. I was finished with my conversation with God and prompted Lexi that it was her turn. She got quiet and said…. “Hold on Mommy, the Lord has something he wants to say to you.” I gently giggled and she began to pretend like she was in a whispering match with Jesus. After she was done, she gazed up into my eyes and out of the mouth of a babe, she said…. “Mommy, the Lord wants you to give your clothes to the poor.” Quite honestly, nothing connected at the time, so I told her what I assumed she would want to hear by agreeing that I thought her and God were right. I had way too much in my closet. Yet, there was no motivation to actually go and face that giant.
After I put Lexi to bed, I went to kiss my husband good night as he was tucked away on the couch watching his movie. I fell effortlessly onto our freshly-washed bed sheets and relaxed into a comfortable position. As I tried to close my eyes and prepare for a good night's sleep, I heard this loud “boom” in my master bathroom. I screamed for Jason and he came running. The testosterone in my man is what had him go look and check everything out. Every article of clothing that I had stuffed on the rail in my closet had split in two and everything came crashing down. There was a sea of clothing piled on the floor just begging to be let off this poor, frail, rod. (See picture at bottom of blog).
Believe it or not I immediately prayed for God’s guidance in this situation. Typically I would be so stressed out at the sight of something like this, my blood would boil and I would somehow make this Jason’s fault (poor guy). You ladies know what I am talking about. Instead, I curled back in bed and fell right to sleep. In the middle of the night the Holy Spirit awakened me, to give me the low down. Every scene between Bonnie, Lexi’s prayer, and the closet falling, flashed in front of my eyes and I experienced an “ah ha” moment. I got it...loud and clear! Literally!
God was asking me to do a specific thing and I was missing it each time. It had to get to the point where He had to scream it to me…but this old gal finally heard the Word that sprung forth out of my Maker's mouth that He refused to have it return void!
What has the Lord been whispering to you? Are you listening or does he have to scream it for you to hear? Let's
be a body of believers who hears, and then listens, the FIRST time He speaks!
Write from my heart,
Holly
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