Slow: Five Minute Friday

Five Minute Friday is a one-word writing prompt that happens weekly. It's hosted by the elegant Kate Motaung at this link: www.katemotaung.com
I hope you'll consider joining us!!

Tonight's Five Minute Friday post prompt is
Slow.

The minute I heard the prompt, I knew I'd be pondering James 1:19.
"Be quick to listen, SLOW to speak, and SLOW to become angry."

God is refining me further. He is wanting to get really deep into my heart and soul and make me more like himself.

So, I need to be more SLOW in my speaking. I need to be more SLOW in my anger/reaction to things in life. I need to be a better listener.
The key to resolved conflict is effective communication.
This is as true for my kids and myself as it is for all external relationships we have.

Tonight I type this in my pajamas. It is 8:00pm and I am already ready for bed.
It was a really good day! I ended the day with a chance to be a good/better listener. And I do feel like I tried really hard to listen. When I spoke, I tried to be SLOW to speak.

Still, I was not able to completely communicate what I meant or was thinking and was not able to completely understand what I was hearing.

This means frustration. We want to understand and when we don't? It can be so so very frustrating.

God has a plan in all this, though. He wants us to keep trying. To tear down walls.
I am so very grateful that I heard that phrase in my communication received. I was able to say multiple times, "I agree." "That is what I want."

So I would say that even though I am still frustrated that I don't understand but want to, that steps forward were made. And that is how God is working in my life. He has brought me very far this year.
And He is really speaking to me in my desk calendar from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. If you're looking for a quick devotional for your day, it has been timely for me this month.
No, I don't get anything for promoting it. It has just really helped me.

And, that's five minutes.
-Tammy

This song was what I was singing this morning. It's called "You are my Hiding Place".
It was on the Corrie Ten Boom movie of a similar name.

p.s. if you comment, please tell me your linkup # or your url so I can find your post as well! :)
P.S.S. I am so excited to be attending FMF Retreat! Hope you can too.

Interceding for those who hate you

Whoa. Heavy title, no?

I've been in a Bible study on James since September. Francis Chan's study is refreshing and in depth and last night, the Holy Spirit brought conviction and clarity to my heart.

Have you ever had people who you just cannot seem to please? The more you try to make things right, the more they find wrong?? It will happen at least once in your life. Some professions will give you more opportunities than others.
(Insert IRS joke here)

When people don't know you well, they don't understand where you are coming from and perceive you through a different lens. What you say as a joke to a stranger may come across as an unkind criticism with a grin.

More than once, when in a situation I just couldn't fix, I have gone to God with my hurts and received healing from Him, but last night He gave me more insight.

Sometimes, perhaps, that person is in your life because you ARE faithful. Because you DO pray. And because THEY NEED YOU.

I'll give you a minute to get up off the floor.






It is said bless those who curse you. I have been praying blessing on people who hurt me, but last night God took it further. What if I am not just to pray blessing and hope that they'll give me a peaceful day, but what if I'm to intentionally make war on their behalf?

What if the God of Heaven is asking me to unleash His armies on their enemies? And that it is BECAUSE of my faith in Him that He trusts me to be in prayer for them and to ask Him to forgive them for what they don't know they're doing???

What if God is going to work through me to bring them closer to Him?

I have asked God "why" before, but it was the wrong "why".

Don't ask, "Why God? What did I do to deserve this?"
Instead, ask, "Why God? What are You doing? What mission do you have for me in the midst of this? My humanity is totally blind to Your Hand in this situation. Please give me Your eyes. I am willing to be used."
                                               (Overcomer-Mandisa)

I tell you, this just changed my life and rocked my world last night. And at first? It stung.

Conviction rolled me over as I realized how selfishly I had been approaching this. And now? It's not overwhelming me. I've got my guns aimed at the REAL target instead of in a defensive position, trying to brace for another attack. I'm full-blaze aiming at the enemy that I share with all humans. The one who hates all that God has made. Yep. I see him now, cowering behind the smoke and mirrors.

Thank you, Lord. You are SO Good.
And, here's some of my music for the day. Enjoy! (What a Beautiful Name-Hillsong)

Love,

Tammy

Refine: Five Minute Friday

This week's Five Minute Friday linkup is like every week. We write with a timer and publish our rough draft as a final offering. We then link up and comment on the person before us. Every time, I am blessed and encouraged by what others write on the same word. Sometimes it's a rhyme, sometimes it's free-form poetry, sometimes it's a beautiful anecdote, and sometimes it's a raw, vulnerable snapshot of life in its fullest.
The community is faith-based and we bond over one word a week. Join us, won't you? Here's Kate's link.

This week's word?

Refine.

Go!

For many of us, the thought of refining does not conjure up comfort. And in seasons of refining, it's dually unpleasant. Not only are you being held in fire hotter than you can physically stand, (You are a molten puddle instead of a solid object) but you are also seeing impurities float to the surface before they're removed.

Not many things are uglier than your own sins that you'd just as rather not face. Yet, God has bigger dreams for us than we can fathom. The sign of full refining is that the silver is so clean and clear that the refiner can see His own reflection in the metal. That analogy, or metaphor? Not wasted on us word-lovers.

Can people see Jesus reflected in me? What needs to be refined and removed so that it's not about Tammy anymore?

Today is January 21. I have been through a MONTH of refining and recovering and more refining and more recovering. My heart has been broken twice and my blood pressure has been from Mount Everest to the Dead Sea and back, I think.

And yet, I am being allowed to see that it's not about me and it never has been.

We miss so often the point of refining. It's so that GOD can be GLORIFIED. What credit is it to God if we're perfect humans preaching the gospel to imperfect sinners? None.
But, if He saves imperfect humans and they spread that hope and good news to other imperfect humans? And we're redeemed but not fully perfected and we constantly need Him and mistakes are proof we are trying? And He's all about that grace, that grace...
(sorry. I abhor that pop song but my mind wandered for a second)

And, time's up.

And the end of the story? I am in a job that refines you constantly and challenges you, and I was sent an encourager who reassured me "You're doing great!" And another encourager that said she had the same experience in a challenge that I'd had and she was just as surprised. God is allowing me to be edified in the midst of this. He brought me to this to bring me through this, and it is for His credit and glory that I should pray even harder and embrace the fact that I'm enough of a threat to the enemy that he's sending attacks my way.

God is Good.
Amen.

-Tammy
(p.s. please include your linkup number or URL in your comment so I can be sure to find your post as well!)