Grasp...

I want to grasp the will of God,
His good, acceptable, and perfect will.

Not just "fly" by in this life doing what I think, what others "think" I should do,
but be so in-tune with Him that I hear His voice leading me, guiding me.

Oh, the sweet joy of seeking Him.

Being transformed by the renewing of my mind.

Trusting in His unfailing love,

rejoicing in His salvation.

 

Singing to the Lord,

for He has been good to me.

 

I don't know how the story will end.

But what I do know is that He is here.

 

Leading me. Guiding me.

 

Into His...

Good, Acceptable, and Perfect will.

 

By His Grace,

Nicole Marie

Spilling words out onto the page.

No editing, no worrying if I have it just right or not.

Writing for five minutes with friends.
Kindred friends who are a sweet blessing. 

 

Letting the words flow across the screen, seeing the story that will unfold...

Sharing thoughts on the word Grasp, tonight.

Joining Lisa-Jo  and friends here:

Wide and full of Grace...

¹² Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. ¹³ Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12-14 NIV 

...That is the verse she gave me tonight...
A verse aptly spoken, wide and full of the grace of God.
Grace that covered and flowed over my heart and soul.

Wide with promise and hope of what is to come.
Even when I can't see it, nor know what it will be, it is wide with promise.

To forget what is behind me,
reach forward to what lies ahead,
press on towards the goal.

The goal of Christ Jesus.

But, I must step.
I must act.
I must make a choice.

He's there right beside me.
And, He's there beside you too.

...with arms open wide.

I will keep on the journey.
I will trust He is there, working behind the scenes even when I can't "see" Him.

 Wide with Grace.
Wide with Promise.
Wide with Hope.

By His Grace and Hope,

Nicole Marie

Spilling words out onto the page.

No editing, no worrying if I have it just right or not.

Writing for five minutes with friends. 
Kindred friends who are a sweet blessing. 

 

Letting the words flow across the screen, seeing the story that will unfold...

Sharing thoughts on the word Wide, tonight.

Joining Lisa-Jo  and friends here:

Lesson from a watermelon...

There it sits...
green, football like, sitting on my front porch,
and I smile.

Just a few minutes before, that smile wasn't there but tears.
Tears that flow when stress hits, prayers go unanswered,
in the middle of trials and waiting on change.

She had a whim,
a thought,
and she acted on it.

Something so small,
an act so kind,
to change my focus...

To focus on the blessing of the moment.
To focus on the provision of the moment.
To focus on the truth that God has not forgotten me in this time.

A moment to take the focus off of all that has been weighing me down.
To open my eyes and see the small gifts HE would bring after that...

A card.
An email.
Friends reaching out.
An opportunity to create again.

When my thoughts go to the weight of the waiting and trials.
The reality that is now.

I just focus...

Focus on that green, football like watermelon,
now sitting on my counter.

And, I smile.

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5 NIV

What small, little gifts has He left you lately?


By His Grace and Hope,

Nicole Marie

Spilling words out onto the page.

No editing, no worrying if I have it just right or not.

Writing for five minutes with friends.

 

Letting the words flow across the screen, seeing the story that will unfold...

Sharing thoughts on the word Focus, tonight.

Joining Lisa-Jo  and friends here:

Change...

Spilling words out onto the page.

No editing, no worrying if I have it just right or not.

Writing for five minutes with friends.

And, go...

Change...

I am in the midst of change.
Smack-dab in the middle of the ocean, change.
The kind of change that requires "getting out of the boat."

I was here once before.
Frozen.
Scared.
Afraid to move.

But since that time,
God has placed circumstances,
people,
and learning into my life in such a way that...

Causes growth.

Growth to see that God is always with me.
He will never leave nor forsake.
That through this change,
He is there.

What's it going to take?

Getting out of the boat.
Walking with my eyes and heart focused on Christ.
Because,
you see...

I'm done with looking at the waves.
I'm done with sitting in the boat, looking out over the ocean...

It's time for a change and I'm stepping out.

Let's go God.
Things are happening, and they are good!

I know you got this.
I know you got me!

I can't wait to see what you have in store for me!

---Stop---

By His Grace and Hope,

Nicole Marie

Letting the words flow across the screen, seeing the story that will unfold...

Sharing thoughts on the word Stretch, tonight.

Joining Lisa-Jo  and friends here:

Stretch...{Five Minute Friday}

I breathe deep, look into the reflection of my mothers eyes, as tears fall.

And I just know...

this moment is good.

BUT,

there is something more.

Something that I will have to wait for.

This place, this now, is going to stretch me.

Stretch me in ways I don't even know yet.

Stretch me in the hard...

Stretch me in the good...

Stretch me in the waiting and the living...

And I'm both scared and excited.

I stretch...

 ...for the dreams that lie in my heart.

...in this place that God has me.

...and still yearn for that something more.

Something that I know is there...

But as those tears fall,

going to have to wait for a little while longer.

STOP

By His Grace and Hope,

Nicole Marie

Letting the words flow across the screen, seeing the story that will unfold...

Sharing thoughts on the word Stretch, tonight.

Joining Lisa-Jo  and friends here:

The Intersection of Opportunity

I am standing at the intersection of opportunity and I am frozen.

Is it fear? Yes, I'll be honest and swallow that one.

My heart is pounding out beats along this road and I am searching.

Prayers are going up,

I have what I need.

The rest is up to me.

I desire this opportunity, 

want it completely.

But, I don't know which road to take.

I am frozen in the blessing of opportunities and fear is threatening to steal it.

I know God is with me wherever I go, 

then why is this choice so hard?

There is much I want to do.

To see.

All are the right choice.

Which do I take beats loud my heart.

Fear can no longer be a companion on this road, 

no longer a back seat driver on this journey to opportunity.

No, it must go!

The lights I know will soon turn and flash green to go.

I know when it does,

HE will be there with me.

Can't HE just paint the answer in the sky?

No, not this time.

It must be a leap.

A leaf of faith.

So I find myself standing at the intersection of opportunity.

What intersections are you standing at right now?

Joining at The Gypsy Mama and friends for Five Minute Friday.
Writing for 5 minutes without edits.

By His Grace,

Cole