Sometimes I feel as if I am standing on the edge of something great, something awesome, something absolutely terrifying. Teetering between taking one step back toward the safety of the familiar or one step into the unwritten future, I am calculating the cost of both. History can be comforting and confining. I struggle to move away from what I know, yet I silently yearn for the unvoiced melodies to be discovered by taking a step into what is uncomfortably new. The choice watches me as a wake, sighs when I sleep, whispers as I venture about my day. Don't be afraid if the door is opening. Walk on.
It's amazing to me how much our daily choices reflect what we are afraid of. If it is unknown, different, or frightening we automatically choose the safest route away from what we are silently afraid of. Oftentimes we don't even recognize it. Maybe we blame our safe choices on our "personalities"... you know, I just don't like "change" or "the unknown". Well -- newsflash -- no one really likes change. It's uncomfortable. It feels weird. It makes us change when sometimes we really don't want to. So perhaps technically we could all use that excuse. It's in all of our personalities to make the safe choice, to do what is comfortable, to try our best to keep things just the way they are.
But sometimes God is calling to us over the cliff. It's part of growing. We must take a deep breath. We must take the jump. We must change. In our hearts we know this is the truth and we know it's very good. But yet that queasy stab of fear grouts our feet to the floor. Maybe if we don't move at all He will stop pushing. Nope. Because of the cure of fear: love.
What we are afraid of will dictate -- unless we trust something greater than fear. "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." (1 John 4:18) Perfect love talks louder than fear. How? Through inserting a foundation firm enough to walk on, deep enough to trust, loud enough to hear, and constant enough to follow. If someone is waiting on the other side of your fears with a grip on your heart stronger than you first assumed, well that just might change everything. In fact, it does.
Wow, Kaysie that was great!
ReplyDeleteI've felt that tug from the Lord. And...the grief of the Holy Spirit when I fail to take that step. Oh, Lord give us the courage needed to please You in all things.
You keep silent for so long and then when you speak you have much to say. Missed hearing from you and I am glad you are back if even for a fleeting moment.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing those thoughts with us. I enjoy reading your posts. You write like I wish I could. You express yourself well.
I am amazed at your heart, you do inspire me when write with a pen of your soul.
ReplyDeleteKaysie, you are an amazing young woman of much wisdom, continue to seek your God and He will lead you into any changes He desires for you to follow...
Hi Kaysie,what you are writing,what you have written, reaches out to me as deep calls to deep,I am witing by the grace of God a book which is part
ReplyDeleteautobiographical unveiling of the inner life of a boy coming slowly to manhood through tragedy,to the beginning of faith, to losing his faith, to the hippie lifestyle and rebellion from God etc etc to words to men about men to words to men about women, to words to women about themselves and their own voice, their own perceptions, what it means to be half of what we call mankind for the lack of a better term and a general critique of culture throughout and eventually to faith.I am still in the process of writing it and eventually of course it will take better shape.The reason for writing to you is not only to thank you for what you have written already but to ask permission to use quotes from you throughout the book and to acknowledge my sources.If you can find a way for me to do that without invading your privacy and a way of acknowledging my indebtedness to you and other women like Rebecca Merrill Groothuis,my friend, who has and does revolutionize my thinking I would be humbly gratefull.In our beloved Jesus.David
Ps my blog contains something that needs to be radically transformed re women, please bear with me.I am trying to find my way in a new land without many good guideposts.
Beautiful~ Kaysie!
ReplyDeleteBless you dearest sister in the Lord.
I have been thinking about you as
I celebrate a year of blogging....
please do stop by 'Blessed Femina'
and enter in a special giveaway!
*hugs*
Love Always ~ Miss Jen
This is a beautiful post with a beautiful message. What have we to fear when the greater One is with us?
ReplyDeleteAmen, God relentlessly pursues us. He is calling us up a little higher every time.Would we listen.would we follow ?
ReplyDeleteRevelation 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
Wow Kaysie!
ReplyDeleteThat was incredible! I know that I've told you this before, but what you write and say are exactly what the Lord needs to be telling me right now! Thank you so much for allowing the Lord to speak through you!
Love you, girl!
--Caroline
Excellent post! It's so easy to slip into the comfort of what we're used to, yet ignoring the call to something new is like telling God He's not big enough to overcome our fears... and He is!
ReplyDeleteBeautifully articulated! I feel blessed to have found this blog, thank you!
ReplyDeleteGrace & Peace,
Derrick
Hello, I'm new to your blog i think it is very interesting. I will start to read your blog now.
ReplyDeleteKenli
I love where you said, "It's absolutely amazing to me where our daily choices show what we are afraid of." Very profound and so true.
ReplyDeleteI am in awe of the beauty of your heart. These thoughts are so inspiring. I thank you from my own heart.
ReplyDeleteHi Kaysie,
ReplyDeleteI just happened to remember that you had a blog and that I hadn’t visited it in quite a while! :-( Reading this post, it sounds like you may be facing some big, life-changing decisions right now. This is both scary and exciting, as I know all too well from my own experience! Sometimes I, too, have felt as though I were standing on the edge of a cliff, unsure of what my heavenly Father wanted me to do. Jumping off a cliff is only safe if you happen to be strapped into a hang glider! That one essential piece of equipment makes the difference between thrilling, soaring flight, or terrifying, crushing death. God’s perfect will is our glider. The key, of course, is to know with absolute certainty what God’s will is for you, and then walk confidently forward (or sometimes stay confidently right where you are!) in that knowledge.
Of course, you already know this, but for the sake of your younger readers there is something else to be said as well: There are two ways God helps us find His will. One is through personal prayer. Most small matters can be settled in this way. But for big, life-changing “cliff-style” decisions there is no substitute for good, godly counsel. The Bible says: “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” (Proverbs 11:14)
No matter how old you are, your parents should always be your first and most trusted counselors. King Solomon gave this advice to his son: “Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many. I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.” (Proverbs 4:10-13) If King Solomon’s son Rehoboam had heeded his father’s counsel and the counsel of the older, trusted advisors his father had relied on, instead of turning to others his own age for advice, he would not have lost most of his kingdom. (1 Kings 12) Queen Esther set a different example for us: “But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai's instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.” (Esther 2:20) Esther was an adult... married... a queen! But she still trusted in her adopted father Mordecai’s counsel, and because of this God was able to use her to save her people from annihilation.
So, trust your parents, trust the Lord, and go forward (or wait!) confidently into the future He has prepared for you!
Love from your sister in Christ,
Ja-lene
P.S. Would you like to get together for lunch sometime after the Christmas rush is over?