OVERCOME OR OVERCOMER?

Fall has morphed into Christmas here. I do so love it.. but I was not so ready for it.

I thank God for my wonderful friends who are keeping me accountable and at my request have said, "IF YOU DO NOT WRITE AND POST TODAY, Catherine, we are gonna give you some butt kicking". This is what is keeping me focussed and writing right now. We ALL need people to keep us accountable from time to time to stay the course and use our gifts. That's why I am called to coaching. I want to help others run well too!! BUT truth be told.. we ALL need some coaching from time to time. So here I am plugging away at 10 pm on a Friday night because my friends gave me the much needed accountability!

So.. despite my post being a whirlwind seasonal tour I've got a word that is in season and out of season for both me AND you and it's time to share!!  

I want to start by saying this: OH.. how I love my sword sistas. They are the most encouraging and Jesus chasing people I have the privilege to journey with. We share, laugh, cry, pray, dig in and celebrate together. And if needed we give each other these little gentle butt kicks to keep on track in the calling God's placed in our lives.

We all need friends like that. God made us for that.  And if you need someone I am here to be that!

You see.. it's what helps us keep the roaring lion at bay... if you haven't read that post click below for more about that, but come back here after your do.

THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT

So if you want someone to connect with please reach out on the contact page. I'd love to journey with you.  I want to see YOU stay the course and finish what you've been called to do as well.  Don't flicker alone .

We all have moments where something is hard to walk into. Switching gears into writing is like that for me.

 I truly can't seem to figure out the rhythm of writing and put that rhythm into my life. Like... I REALLY can NOT.

Or maybe if I sit and look more closely about what is limiting me it isn't about the rhythm at all. You see, if I back way up I can see there is a lot of thought in the back of my head. I seem to have some hidden beliefs I need to pull out and look at. If I look at what is going on I can see: writing doesn't seem like a "real job"  and so a million things come up and take precedence. Don't get me wrong. I know all the right things to do and can coach myself to do it. I know I have to schedule. I know I have to block time. I know it takes time.

 I am finding it hard over here to switch gears into a new space and place. If I take a look I can see I am wrestling where there is not a lot of feedback, head nodding, laughter and connection like when you are talking directly to someone.  I miss what I've experienced in other seasons. I miss knowing and seeing that something tangible occurred like I've seen in other jobs or situations.

So I keep putting it off. What is that called again? AVOIDANCE? PROCRASTINATION?

And I declare this is not so good. Not so good at all. And that I can not keep doing this.

So here I am going to switch gears and speak some life into my heart. What is true?

I'm living as if the calling God placed on my heart was less important than the other things in life going on. And I think that might just sit in a level of unbelief I need a holy fire under my heart to get me going and burn out the stuff holding me back before one season morphs to the next and I've missed out.

Because as you can see from just my post alone...seasons are short lived. 
Right now we are shifting to twinkly lights and stockings and prep for Christmas carolling and Christmas dinners.

And oh my goodness, friend, how I love all those things so much.  I treasure them in my heart.

​I love the homes open wide and the warmth and beauty and fellowship of being TOGETHER. And celebrating HIS LIGHT and HIS LOVE come down in our midst.

But for today.. going back for a moment is a must.

And not just because my sisters are holding me to it.

It's because I am quite convinced there is learning to be had from the fire on my heart that's burning out the place where I have sat ugly in unbelief. 

Timely learning.

And this learning is in season and out of season... because God's words stand still to be heard by us even when time moves on. 

​So sometimes we have to look back to move ahead. 

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Just a few short weeks ago we were all still thinking fall and pumpkin pies and pumpkin lattes. But in the blink of an eye, with leaves on the trees, pumpkins still out and fall decor still up, there suddenly came  a blanket of white covering it all.

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We hadn't even gotten the leaves off the ground. We were completely unprepared for the change to come.

​And to be honest-- I bemoaned it.

Characteristic of my (and I think a lot of OUR) INNER nature and unreadiness for unplanned season changes in life, I was NOT ready for the cold and the stark new world of white. 

As you can see below, just a few short days before this, the beautiful firework of God's colour was on display. It was gorgeous. I would wish it back if I could but that's just wishful thinking. The leaves are actually pretty much all down  here now.  Regardless, even in looking back at these pictures, it's breathtaking.

And I was enjoying it.  I was OVERCOME by the beauty of it. Here's the start of my post below:

 "Wow. I can't believe the beauty of it. It's like the leaves are raising up their hands. They shout to me: You don't know my God! Somebody praise him.

I can NOT stop grinning and taking pictures. I keep reminding myself not to blink or I will miss it.

Things explode to life and then as quick as it happens the beautiful color will start to fall away.

And so, I keep reminding myself: stay wide-eyed, wide-awake, wide-in-wonder and take it all in.

Each leaf takes more definition, each individual tree stands out more crisply, and each branch contrasts more boldly as I stop to look. Upon a closer look the leaves draw me in to their fire.

I keep hearing them, the leaves dancing in passionate delight:

Do you know my God? Raise your eyes up, dance with me and praise him!

I can still picture it.. my husband laughing loudly at me on our bike hike as I snapped photos and exclaimed my delight. He thinks I act  like it's the first time I've EVER seen fall each fall. It's true...the tourists probably think we are tourists but I don't care. I am OVERCOME by it!

You see each fall I really DO try to focus in enough to enjoy it and it does seem like it is the first time I've ever seen it. REALLY SEEN IT.

I don't know about you.. but I know how I can be- preoccupied and overcome by other things. Can't you? .

It is easy to keep on pedalling hard and fast, spinning our wheels and going about life. 

​And so I forget to hop OFF that crazy ride and just pause and reflect."

Do you forget to stop some seasons too? 

Stop and look up? Stand still a moment and take it in, make the most of the moment before it's gone?

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And so today as I ready myself to rethink this starting post God began in me in earlier in the fall I hear it loud and clear. God spoke it out to me now what this whole missing out while the seasons change was all about:

"The leaves don't forget to be still and remember what they are supposed to do in each season. But you have."

It's true. I know it. I am missing this season of life, this season set apart for writing the book He put on my heart. I am filling it with important things, even doing kingdom important things.

But what about this BIG call to write and speak? I am putting it off. Because it is big and scary and hard. Because I can NOT see it all unfolding very clearly at all. And in my fear I am forgetting what to do in faith this season. Because it's not like ANY season I have faced before. It's the biggest test of faith I have had yet. It's a God sized vision without any clear and immediate reward.

And while I pause and sit transfixed I hear the leaves reminding me through the creator. "Make the most of this season by remembering what you are supposed to do."

I used to pray this daily: "Teach me to number my days a right, oh Lord, that I can attain a heart of wisdom."

I don't know about you, but I need to pray it again friends. Earnestly and fervently till I lay hold of it and have met the trust He's deposited in me.

I don't want regrets. I have tried to live my life to the fullest in every moment.. till now. But these steps? These moments? This writing call? It's all uncertain, unplanned, unfixed. There's no person on the other side, no smile, no laugh, no eyes wide open and no great amount of feedback from anyone to know and be assured God used the time I sat with him to write.  All is pretty quiet and cold for me but God's voice and his alone. This season is different.

And in it.. I AM OVERCOME.  Transfixed.  Frozen.

Not by His voice. Not by the beauty of our creator in asking me to dance and declare his glory in writing for Him, but IN MY FEAR. 

And in this difficult crux of believing God for WHAT I CAN NOT SEE, I forget to do what I was told and am supposed to do.

I want his destiny in my life to unfold.  I want to get to heaven and have laid hold of each and every opportunity He gave.

I TRULY DON'T WANT TO MISS OUT ON WHAT I AM SUPPOSED TO DO IN THIS SEASON.
So at this moment I pause to take a look on what will happen if I DON'T DO what I am called to do.  I need to make my why for writing bigger than my fear.

To be real and be honest..to believe God could really ask me to write a book and speak.. to believe enough to MAKE the time in this season to put faith into action has been HARD.  VERY HARD.

So I am looking back to press on, see what's the hold up in me and take hold of what is to come.

Because one thing is clear. Each season will pass by fast.
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I don't know what season of believing you are in but I hope and pray the words God's giving me in this season resonate and encourage you too for what He is calling you to do, too.

First and foremost I hear a fresh new encouraging word falling down for all of us: In each season of life we can be OVERCOME or an OVERCOMER.

And because HE'S already won and declared us overcomers, it really means that just like the leaves we have to remember what we are supposed to do in our season.

So I'm committing fresh to doing what I am supposed to do:
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1) I'm yielding. 

I'm letting go of what I have to let go of.

I'm not comparing other seasons and bemoaning the season change. I am letting go of certainty, routines, visible and concrete reminders I loved and enjoyed that made me know God is using me in the moment and made me know I had a tangible job to do. I'm listening to His voice over any other and I'm reminding myself that HE knows the plan and I can trust Him.

I'm saying yes to God's time frame, I'm saying yes in obedience to Him. I am saying use me  and let the words you give me dance and explode into a firework of color that shout and declare your love and glory.

I'm saying I am sorry and I repent for my unbelief and for letting that unbelief keep me stuck from falling fresh in faith so you can flow in me like that mighty waterfall while I write.

I'm saying I am sorry for thinking it-- I don't know better than you do God, about what you should lead me to do with my life.  Only one thing is sure and solid and it's you, God. And I gave you my whole life and that includes my call..

I'm saying ok to what you have for me right now because I want to let this season produce fruit for you and not just wither away.

And so:
2) I'm asking for my faith to grow.

I am saying I don't have the belief I need.

Increase my belief.

Help me to see the miracles you are doing right now, in every feeble step I take to listen to what you want to speak and share through me.

Help me to not see how BIG this vision seems but how big you are, God. Help me to embrace this God sized vision and humbly ADMIT that I do NOT have what it takes to do. This isn't about Catherine's ability. It is all yours, God, and I am staying in your word-- your living, active word,

I don't want my faith to shrink and I fully admit and repent that I have let it shrink.  In fear for what you are asking and in focussing on my smallness, I forgot how you were so big and denied you the ability to be BIG IN ME.

And as I do:
3)I'm believing.

I'm believing.

Not for what I see, but what You said, God.

I'm believing bigger because I'm believing in a God who is BIG and who I want to be seen BIG in me.

I'm believing you are a miracle working God who wants to share your word and could use a little vessel submitted to you in a new and unknown way for YOUR glory.

I am believing that you are who you say you are, God, that you can do what you say you can do, that I am who you say I am and that I can do all things through Christ. And I am believing that your WORD is alive and active IN ME and can be declared forth.

I'm believing for right timing, right wording, right topics and the right people at the right time who need His fresh words to fall on them.

Will you step out with me in a new season of fresh belief, too?

Together let's choose to not to be overcome by the changing seasons of life but be who he said we are: overcomers who point out the power of the one who overcame it all. Because the same power the conquered the grave lives in me.

​His perfect love is at work.

Just like this beautiful reminder I found on a hike with my family... GOD'S NOT DEAD.

​He is very much alive and evidenced in our surrendered lives. I KNOW He longs to show His power and  be seen through us.

 Let's do it together. Let's fully step into whatever call He's given. I'm a message away if you want to connect.

As I have found out...figuring it out to see whether it makes earthly sense will end up making no sense at all. It only keeps us missing out on seasons where we could turn and be the beauty that fully display the fireworks of HIS glory.

So let's do this thing, friend. Let's go all in, whatever he asks. For me, 2020 is the year of the book. Pester me, pray for me, and hold me accountable to do what He's called. Share with me your vision stories and your faith walks and where He took you you could never go with your little mustard seed of faith.

I'm pressing on and claiming HIS words for the work. Because WE are loved and have a call to fulfill. 
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Oh let's not be overcome by the world and the worries of it all and miss out. Instead let's be the ones who OVERCOME EVIL BY DOING GOOD!

Let's shout it with our lives in whatever opportunity He gives with as much passion as the changing leaves.

​Let's let our lives evidence it loud for others : "LOOK UP! LOOK HERE!! DO YOU KNOW MY GOD?! RAISE YOUR EYES UP! LET'S DANCE AND SING AND PRAISE HIM!"

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Merry Christmas, friends!!
​You are loved, you matter and His plans for you are good!!