This fall a new word started to pop up around the edges of my soul.
There are times when God gives us freedom to make choices. And there are times when He stalks us like a lion at a watering hole coming upon a tasty gazelle.
If I had my druthers, as it came to picking a word to pray and live out in 2014 I’d like something like
Laughter
Travel
Adventure
Risk
Direction
Organize
Don’t they sound fun? And active and like they are going somewhere? And words an interesting person would live out?
But not one of them would require much of a stretch for me because it’s what I already do; it’s who I already am. So is it any surprise I’m drawn to them? No.
Instead, over and over this fall I heard … Trust.
Well, of course I want to trust. But I also want to “trust + adventure” or “trust + organize.” I’m not so keen on “trust, just trust.”
This fall as I wrote to people who financially support me, I had the sensation of doing the largest trust fall of my life. And I hate that sensation.
Dear folks who have known me long and walked faithfully with me, you know how I worked hard to have a plan and then things fell through (in the best sense?)? Well, as my time with Company ABC is coming to an end, will you consider switching your support of me to Organization LMNOP while I interview with Outfit XYZ and hopefully will start with them in the fall of 2014? I know that’s a lot of steps to take, but will you, in faith, take them with me?
*****
Trust, Amy, Trust. You can’t organize everything, but you can take the next step. As wonderful as it is to be caught and not dropped in a trust fall, there is a chance that I’ll be splattered all over the ground.
Another image that comes to mind were those awkward trust walks. Remember being blindfolded and asked to trust your guide.
Take three steps to your right. OH MY WORD! I’m sorry, did I forget to mention the coffee table that just slammed into your thigh. Man, that’s going to hurt. My bad. OK, keep going forward. What in the world?! I’m the worst direction giver ever. So sorry I didn’t tell you about the hole. So, so sorry.
Leaving you wondering where in the world has thigh high coffee tables and holes?! And you already feel that bruise rising.
But God isn’t playing a cosmic game with us. When he asks us to trust, it’s not for raw sport. It’s for our growth and maturing.
And when I hear “trust,” I tend to hear “sit there and wait.” I’m not the best waiter. Or sitter. I’m a mover and a shaker. I forget trust can be an active verb too. Trust and keep moving. Trust and keep relying.
As much as I am weary of trusting for doors to open with my writing (it’s been like a room full of crickets), health for family members, a clear career path, a Broncos Super Bowl victory when I’m in the U.S., and all that comes with relocating, tis the path before me.
T-pluck petal- He loves me
R-pluck – He loves me not
U- pluck – He loves me
S- pluck – He loves me not
T – pluck – He loves me
I trust. Oh God, help my lack of trust in 2014.
What is one aspect of life you are trusting God for in 2014?
P.S. There is one specific writing project I want to finish by the end of January. Will you help carry my trust and hope that it will get done?
Linking up with Velvet Ashes’ The Grove and Oneword365
Oh, Amy, I asked a question like the title of this post this summer when I read Ender’s Game and Job at the same time. It sure seemed to me like there were a lot of similarities between God’s work in our lives and the work of the battle trainers in the lives of the little boys to toughen them up for battle. I have to admit I was pretty disturbed.
I guess the main difference is that God stalks us, and prunes us, and cuts us up for our own good rather than His need. He is a loving God. But sometimes its hard to feel the difference.
I am trusting for the Lord to use me in 2014. I can’t use myself, but He can use me. I love your line, “I trust. Oh God, help my lack of trust for 2014!
Ender’s Game and JOB!!!! Two of my favorite books … maybe I should reread them in 2014 :). (Side note: have you seen the movie? I haven’t because I heard disappointing things about it, but if you think I should see it, I’d listen to you!)
I haven’t seen it so I don’t have any thoughts to offer either way. p.s. I am so glad you chose “Trust” as your word! I can’t wait to read about it. :) Trust was a serious contender for me until Raw grabbed my heart.
Trust has been a “key word” in this season for me too. I havent chosen a word for 2014, or even decided if i want to choose a word (um, it seems like a lot of commitment?), but *maybe* i should keep with the whole trust thing.
Thanks for sharing, im glad to know im not the only one struggling with it (sometimes i feel like i should have it more together by now, ya know?)
Oh MB, I just love you. At nearly twice your age and half your fashion sense, I wish I could tell you this trust thing is all going to just take care of it’s self. But alas, I think it’s part of the journey :). Thanks for journeying with me and with others here in the messy middle!
i think your right, it is part of the journey.
ps. i miss your triple prettiness in CQ!
I’m in a good position now but don’t always see that. I need to trust that He will change my heart to see the good I’ve been given and also either change my heart’s desire or provide for me using my heart’s desire that He’s given me the past five years. I don’t see how that will happen now, especially since *opportunities* keep falling through. I get optimistic and then BAM!, a smack in the face, so to speak.
But, and I don’t believe this is a coincidence:
On 1 January as I was reading a flip-page devotional that I received ten years ago from a friend (as I was transitioning back to Colorado after living in Austin, TX then), and this is what I read:
“Trust: A conscious act of placing each child in his hands. With that act comes a beautiful awareness that through each experience – social, emotional, physical, and intellectual – he is at work in their lives. He is molding them into what he would have them become. He is turning their failures – and ours – into footsteps…footsteps toward himself.” – Diane Noble
“He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does not wrong, upright and just is he.”
Deuteronomy 32:4
The visual here is a mother placing a child in the trust of Jesus’ plans, but I think it applies to us, too. The gifts and talents we have been given are also our ‘children’ in a sense and we must keep putting them out for him to hold.
Wow, this is really cool! Glad I read this.
And though I miss Amy Y., too, I TRUST that I will see her again sometime soon! ^_^
Oh I hope so too! When will you visit your dad next?
Amy, this is beautiful! When you wrote about feeling the door slam in your face … I’ve felt that too. Sigh. Not fun, but then I get a comment like yours and am encouraged by the sojourners we have :)
“Trust and obey, for there’s no other way…”
You know I couldn’t leave that unsung, Amy, not with a post like this! :-)
Sorry, but I don’t have a “word” for 2014, but I do have a phrase, and He just gave it to me yesterday in the midst of a pretty intense HOPE – “Sing to the Lord a new song!”
There’s a long story behind how I got that phrase yesterday, and there’s going to be a LOT of trust happening as I walk it out this year!
MIKE!! You never disappoint! I want to hear more about your phrase … I’m just saying :)
I needed to read this. Trust is still an issue for me with God – I’m still stumbling blindfolded and I don’t like it.
I love you lots – standing with you as you step out this year, and praying that you finish that writing project.
Xx
P.S. we MUST Skype soon!!! Would love to be a cheerleader for you in your writing.
Amy – the ‘he loves me’ ‘he loves me not’ really convicted me just now. So much of my life I’ve subconsciously lived that way – afraid the Author of Love distributes it with conditions and based on merits. So wrong – but so easy to do. Thanks for this post. I tend to run the other way when I see mass linkups or followings (one of the reasons why I have left the Evangelical church and am becoming Orthodox because I feel like the EC has become this church of pop culture and social media – but that’s another conversation :)) but this one word thing? i think I may need to try it :)
Love this post! I like where you say that trust can be an active verb- trust and KEEP MOVING – forward! True, true!
We share a lot of similar thoughts in our posts- God definitely wants to do something in our hearts as we trust Him.
Beth, I look forward to getting to know you a bit better this year :)
Beth, thanks for popping over and commenting :). I think we’ll have more areas we resonate this year and I look forward to it!
Amy,
it seems that God is calling many to follow Him. (a great book to read on your list is “Not a fan”) Since we don’t have the ability to navigate the unseen future, He is offering to be our guide. Is He trustworthy? Does He have our best interest in mind?
Sometimes as we’re mucking through a swamp and our boots are full of swamp water we mutter about our guide not leading us well, not knowing that the path we would have taken that appeared easier ended in a giant spider-infested forest. (Sorry, just watched Hobbit sequel)
:) Trusting that God is NOT human and will not fail us, perhaps that is the hardest part?
-Tammy
p.s. thanks for your link. Loved it!
Tammy! So glad you came and posted here :). And hobbit references are always welcome! I look forward to getting to know you a bit more this year :)
Amy, I am trusting with you for all He has planted in you to come into full bloom this year!
I am convinced the bottom line question in all of life is “Will you trust Me in THIS?” And once we learn to trust Him in that thing, He asks us to stretch our trust muscles in another area. Thanks for the reminder trust is not for the faint of heart!
Trust…some days I really think it is a 4 letter word…just sayin’
Anyhow, did I ever tell you that I was a cheerleader? Well, I was. One day we were doing a stunt and they dropped me. Yep – they dropped me. The coach then told the other cheerleaders to form a circle around me and make a trust circle. I was then supposed to fold my arms over my chest and fall in any direction, trusting that they would catch me.
Well, I did…and they didn’t catch me.
You see, the basketball team chose that exact moment to walk into the gym and the girls became distracted. Needless to say, I was on the ground for the 2nd time that day.
Trust hasn’t come easy. But I rest in the knowledge that I have a Father who is 100% trustworthy. People may fail me, but He never does. Thank heavens…He never does.
Twice? Seriously? I shake my fist at them!
In my head I know that God doesn’t fail … but my heart sometimes says, “oh yeah?”
Oh Amy, I so get this. I am a planning that wants to know outcomes so I can prepare for them. I love your trust flower. We are on the same row at One Word 365 in the link up. I was so glad to see you there, like an old friend you walk across a crowded room to embrace. Let’s do this together, shall we?
I know! When I saw your face at the other end of the row … it just made me happy! To have a traveling companion like you, I feel honored :)
“Trust and keep moving. Trust and keep relying.” TRUTH! I love it! Trust is a scary word for me. Glad to have people like you along for the journey! Looking forward to reading more and connecting through this year of learning to trust more in all areas of life!
great word choice!!! This year I’m trusting that God will continue to direct my steps and provide the way for me as I work toward following Him to the mission field! Be praying that God will give me an opportunity to serve in Asia this summer!
My word this year is also trust. I love that there is a cross at the beginning and the end and in the middle is us.
I also have a blog and am a Christian learning to trust in Him every moment. It isn’t always an easy or remarkable journey, yet it is mine and God’s. Thanks for sharing. I’d be into a trust tuesday chat.