Anyone need a worn pair of socks?

Ever think about what you are good at, but then fail to see and believe that it is a gift?  About three years ago with a workshop offered by my church, God showed me that writing was one of my spiritual gifts.  

I remember that weekend like yesterday, something snapped inside my heart. 

God was there to smile on the recovery my dream and gave me a sneak peak into how to have a written voice.  Plus He showed me a little of my own creativity by crafting my own mission statement!

Since then God has been at work and watered the seeds of faith and brought alongside some early believers in this dream.  Germination of a mighty dream began that weekend but God didn't leave it there..He sealed the promise with His truth.  

Habakkuk 2:2-4  "Then the Lord replied:  'Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald my run with it.  For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false.  Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.  ....but the righteous will live by his faith'"( faithfulness as it says in the footnotes of my Bible.)

By telling you the start of my dream from three years ago, I see this verse as being HUGE now.

Don't you just love it when God connects your dreams?  Ever have those "aha" moments with God to say..."So back then you were leading up to this day?"  Those moments when your heart is filled with a little more understanding, and then you are caught wondering if God is showing you a little more than one little inch of a step ...oooh it's a little exciting over here in this little corner of the world...where's my notebook!

The important thing is not how I got here to this new day full of new things, new goals, and a new direction... but why I'm here.

I am at this point because back then, because I allowed my heart to be submissive to God's authority in my life.  I prayed a full surrender, trusting with my whole heart prayer that if God gives, then I had to trust Him with the results of the gift.  Also I have to trust Him for the opportunities to use the gift given.  

It's my love response back to the Giver.  Full trust in this.  

I know this about God that if I obey to "write it down" then, God will make my someday happen. 

But it's not without a lot of work, trust, and even more belief that God will.  God believes in your dreams if they are God-given dreams.  God keeps His promises to you. 

I have to tell you, from my little corner of the world, there were so many hurdles regarding my personal place, value, self-esteem and confidence to overcome before getting to a right place where God was calling me.  

I started as a journalist.  I started to believe God in this dream and in His faithfulness.   

The good news is that God is walking me through my issues.  This incredible journey honestly began back then on that Chazown weekend.  My heart couldn't wait for someday, so I gathered up all the gumption I could with just enough faith to start towards today.

When you show up before a Holy God with your heart surrendered, packed full of dreams, and lay it all down before Him then you have to trust God to show you what to do.  

Ever think about how we pursue His gifts more than the Giver himself?  

Even though it's hard, and this sounds big and deep, you know what?  I do it all over again, only the second time around I would have not delayed my obedience.  I would have come around sooner, to see God's truth.  When you invite God to your dreams, He will see your dreams through to His end for His glory.  (tweet this and link to this post!)

Just hold on to your socks, because He's gonna show you deep and unsearchable things. Even immeasurable and amazing details, and then for a little fun, He will mix it all up and show you some real truth to your heart.

Chasing dreams involves trusting God's process.     (tweet this! #janellekeithquotes)

When you trust God with your dream, He will speak life those unspoken places in your heart.  He'll dust out some of the cobwebs first, but will be all of up the middle of your dreams if you allow Him to do His tidy work first.  

My next step is to keep close to Him, keep believing in the Giver, and keep trusting in His process. Keep to what He has faithfully shown me back then, as I look forward to my new now. 

Anyone need my worn out pair of socks? 

My 23 seconds of insane courage

If you have been a listener to The House FM for a while, you might have noticed that I am not on your morning show anymore.  If you haven't heard that news, then read this.

I hope I haven't disappointed you with moving on.  Please know that I still have a voice and God still wants to use it.  The truth is God is not calling me away, He's calling me out.  The enemy can't steal this voice that God is growing.

God has promised to use my voice still and has reassured me that this voice, the words spoken and written, are what's in my hands, so to speak, and He wants to take them to many places.    

At least this is what I understand for now.  

His voice came not in a burning bush or like a neon sign, but in the intimate conversations God and I have about voices.  This new faith journey all started and continues in faith conversations with God.  

"God lead me to where my trust is without borders."  ~ me
"How about you let me make a big splash with your written voice." ~ God
Blink....blink...says my heart as I absorb those words.  
Few and simple words.  
"How about letting Me take your words where your trust hasn't been before."  ~ God
"Yes, God please do..." ~ me, speechless.

Those few words from God where enough to
...kick start my passion,  
...fan the flame of faith, 
...gave me 23 seconds of insane courage.  

What's in my hands?  Only words that God has given and really that is all I have to start with. So with a heart full of trust, I have put them on His altar of praise and said with a trembling voice, "Let Your heart lead mine." 

So how can I be sure this is my new now?  Because... 

This is my faith.  This is my trust.  I must trust and obey.  I'm not that gifted of a writer.  But God is the Giver of all words, so I seek Him in all words and more.

Now?  It's time to see where my 23 seconds of insane courage leads my heart as I wander through His.   

Book of Dreams

I call myself a dreamer.  I like to wonder about the impossible and wander down the aisles of my imagination.  I wishfully think of the possibilities and get carried away with hope of the future when reality tells me it may never happen.  It's the right brained part of me that tends to float and create.  I can't hold it in.  

Places to put my random thoughts 

I like to journal.  There are many new creations born on those worn tear-stained pages.  Many projects, to-do lists, wish-lists, prayer circles are born.  It's a launch pad of my emotional sink hole.  It's a safe and secure place to trust my words back to God.  It's a battleground of my transforming heart.  

It's a spiritual discipline. Habakkuk did it and encouraged others to write things down and then wait on the Lord.  It's visionary and the ways of the planners.  It tucks my feelings into God's heart.  It's a way to captivate my thoughts back to God, and as He captures my prayers, I tuck Him back into mine.  It's a glimpse into my faith.  It's faith words written.  

I have never really considered my thoughts being valuable.  I still struggle with it actually.  Some days, I feel good about what I have written.  Others not so much.  But as I pour into God's word I read the words that are recorded about our Creator.  I realize someone had to value those words to write them.  They were God inspired.  They are God-breathed. Those words are brought to life by God in our hearts and minds.    

There was the willing to lend some paper and a pen.  There those that scribbled the happenings of the day.  There were the historians of faith that were so moved by what they had seen that they knew they had to share it with others.....so great and so moving...they knew in their heart it would help someone.  At the back of the bus, there was one writing in a field journal to record on a blog later.    

If nothing else, I'm able to share with you how God has worked in my life in hopes that could help someone.  I don't know about the helping part, that's for God to take care of.  All I know right now is that I need to share with you here how He has helped me.  I dream that is good with you.  That you will come back and read often.   

For me, it's a necessity to write it down my thoughts.  If I don't I will lose it like vapor.  It doesn't matter if they ever grow into their own post.  I need to write to reason.  I need perspective with focus.  I need more growth into a deeper realm of faith.   That matters to me.  So I dream, I capture, I take hostage my thoughts.  I journal.  

You should try it too...just journal..."the shortest pencil is longer than the longest memory!"  And see what thoughts you capture.