God is efficient
Our prayers, His Will
For a while, one of my best friends, Erica, has wanted to move. While visiting her in San Diego, I toured an apartment complex with her (a very dangerous activity for me, since I love the beach). But it wasn’t the right fit, so we left.
As we drove out of the development, a prompting pushed her to pull into a nearby neighborhood. I whipped out my Zillow and saw many more cute little apartments and townhomes available in the same area as her dream apartment complex. She applied to those, then went back this weekend and applied to some more nearby spots. In one day, she toured an absolute dream of an apartment, submitted an application, and was accepted that same evening. When I heard the story, I thought, “Wow, God moves fast.”
And He does! Sometimes I feel like I get a prompting or inspiration, and it’s like stepping into a rushing river that sends me to a new place as soon as I open my mouth or offer up a prayer. There are countless experiences in my life where I thought, “Hmm, I would love to do this or have that or enjoy this experience,” and literal hours later, an opportunity to do just that falls out of the sky.
I'm reading The Artist’s Way right now, and the third chapter is all about the idea of synchronicity, which is exactly what Erica experienced above. I can think of so many moments in my life when I just barely began to ask or pray for something, or have taken a baby step towards a goal or a dream, and God showed up almost immediately. In those moments, I almost want to laugh at myself and all the times that I fight so hard to make things work or push my plans uphill, and all the agitation that comes along with it. I'm reminded that if God wants something to happen, He will do it. God is efficient!
That doesn’t mean good things don’t take work, or we should give up when things get hard, but I’m trying to be more aware of all the ways God shows up.
For example…
Today is my birthday (yay!), and I knew I wanted to pray a Holy Hour on my birthday eve. I had the idea this weekend, and barely an hour later, I received an email that the church around the corner from me just happened to be hosting a Monday night Holy Hour! I have been thinking of getting into tennis for a full year, and last weekend my friend invited me to come and play with her, and we had a BALL. I told God I wanted to spend more time with kids, and I was able to hang out with my friend and her girls the next day. I can’t begin to share all the random times someone has just shown up or sent me something or said exactly what I needed to hear, when I needed it. On and on.
The pattern here is that I asked God for those things. I felt a pull, and I said: “Lord, this could be fun!” And then He did it. Of course, there are many things He has said “No” and “Not yet” to, but the wild, abundant, consistent pattern of His “Yes!” means that I can trust Him totally, completely.
Is there something you want to ask for, but you’re afraid to hear the answer? Sometimes it’s even scary if the answer is yes. This week, let’s practice asking God for what we want — He delights in giving us good, abundant, generous things!! And He is honored when we trust Him to provide.
In Christ,
Jane
What I’m loving lately
The Count of Monte Cristo
My “big book” of the year is The Count of Monte Cristo, and I’m so into it. I love the story — it’s funny, fast, and action-packed. It’s also 1200 pages, so something I learned in my last few “big book” adventures is to make it super accessible — I have it in hardcover, on my Kindle, and on Audible. That way, I can chip away at it whenever inspiration strikes, whether I’m on the move, cleaning, running, etc! Also, many classic books are $0.99 since they’re now public domain, so it won’t break the bank! A great way to keep momentum, and stay in the story :)
What makes a great team player/employee?
I thought this was an awesome episode on what to look for in others (and in yourself) to be a better team player. Are you hungry, humble, and smart? Which one is your strength, which one needs a little more work? A great reflection for me on how I show up on my teams!
Field day
My friend Shanna hosted a “field day” for her birthday, and it was so dang fun. There’s something wonderful about getting outside and playing a bunch of field games (e.g., dodgeball, relay races, scavenger hunts) as an adult. I know it was so much work for her, but it totally paid off. A good reminder that going the extra mile and doing something different is a gift to everyone who gets to be part of it!
Transitions
It's been a total joy to be back in DC this week, the first time I've been here all week in maybe 10 months! I filled up every night because I was so excited to be back, and it was a bit exhausting. A friend of mine reminded me that transitions are always hard (even if they're good ones), and it was a good reminder to give myself some grace (and space to rest!)
God’s AC
My AC went out last week (during a major heat wave) and it was very stressful. But then, out of nowhere, the temperatures in DC dropped to the 50s (with a freeze warning last night!). Every time someone complains about how cold it just got, I smile and say, “It’s because my AC went out and God loves me, so we all get free AC!” It’s all about perspective ;)
Wonder of the week
The Dupont Circle fountain has been filled with water again, so I paused on my way to work to sit on a bench and enjoy it. The weather last week was PERFECT — ideal to enjoy the sun and take a little pause in my morning.
Prayer intentions
Today is my birthday! Please pray for me and the year ahead :)
My friend Mary’s injured knee! For a speedy recovery
For April’s birthday on Friday
For a special intention
Happy birthday Jane! Needed this today and the reminder that God is working in my life, even in the background.
Happy birthday!