The first Friday of the new year.
Let’s do it. Let’s just write without worrying if it’s just right or not.
For only five short, bold, beautiful minutes. Let your mind and your words and your heart fly free; wild – no editing, no over thinking.
Won’t you join me?
1. Write for 5 minutes flat – don’t edit; don’t second-guess.2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Must: leave a comment for the person who linked up before you – encouraging them in their writing!
OK, are you ready? Give me your best five minutes on:
Roar…
GO
“There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds…he chased a lion down into a pit. Then, despite the snow and slippery ground, he caught the lion and killed it.” 2 Samuel 23:20-21.
I am from the land of scorched earth and unforgiving sun. No snow in southern Africa. But lions we have. And fear and hard earned freedom. I bring them both with me when I unpack my life and my luggage Stateside.
I have had seasons of brave and seasons of scared. But I have never had a calling I hear roaring in my ears as loud as this year. Out into the heat at high noon I will walk toward it. I will chase it down pits and leap wide unknowns to keep hold of that tale. I will roar back at it.
I will roar and beat my chest and then whisper at midnight while the house sleeps, “thank you for using me Jesus.” I am so grateful to be useful. These thirty seven years of life not all eaten up yet by jobs that left me hungry. I have this work and I hold it now in both hands because I love it enough to wrestle it to the ground on the hard days.
I will roar toward April. Here in my chest where the Holy Spirit resides – I will do battle on snowy days that still smell like Africa if you close your eyes and let the heat of your passion burn up your fear.
STOP
If you’re chasing lions this year, I can’t recommend Mark Batterson’s book on the subject highly enough – mine’s all marked up already.
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K I’ll say it again. Your way with words tickles me!!!!!
I miss you tonight. It’s like I can hear your beautiful SA-American accent speaking these words with grace and love and passion and heart. So glad that I got to meet you at Relevant….makes your words hear ALL the more real!
Your words are beautiful – hard, too, in their way, hard like the African ground you talk about here, because they are fierce in their determination. My favorite line: “Here in my chest where the Holy Spirit resides – I will do battle on snowy days that still smell like Africa if you close your eyes and let the heat of your passion burn up your fear.”
Love that book too! And everything Mark writes. He just sent my husband his new book. Its been laying on our bedroom dresser for a couple of weeks and I can’t wait to dig in. Been to Africa many times, yet to see a lion though. Love your heart, your fierceness, the way you encourage women. Will have to sit with that word though before I link up!
Please delete my first entry. I had the wrong link. Yikes. So sorry!
Just ordered the book. All marked up is what my 1000Gifts by Ann looks like. I love books that one needs to mark in because there is a connection.
Your roar is beautiful. I love what you speak of doing with it, the strength it gives. Awesome.
The thing about writing prompts is they take you to places unexpected; at least in my case. I’m not even sure my post today sounds like me! Which I kinda like.
I can hear your roar, Lisa Jo :). Your past shaping who you are in the present, all of it a Kingdom work.
Oh…and this must be the book I saw referenced on one of @InspiredBryant’s FB posts; I wondered. And given our upcoming adventure…I think I’m gonna buy it TODAY.
(thanks!)
Reading now as e-book, Mark’s new book on prayer, “The Circle Maker.” Loving it! Publishing on paper soon. :)
Roar, Lisa Jo, roar!
Roar for those of us who are in a resting season, a purr period. :)
Thank you for sharing your heart with us. You have such wisdom that inspires me.
I pray God will bless you as you chase down those lions.
It has been a few weeks, but I am glad to be joining you here again!
Lovely words here. I’m just not feeling the roar myself these days, but I can still appreciate the roars around me!
Lisa-Jo, that is one of our family’s all-time favorite books. We got ahold of it several years ago, and it was our family summer reading in 2009. It is one of a handful of books that has helped shape our decisions to radically follow Christ, regardless of ‘popular belief.’
If you haven’t already read them, you’ll probably be equally impacted by:
Henry and The Great Society – H.L. Roush
A Million Miles in a Thousand Years – Donald Miller
Radical – David Platt
Oh, and of course, our family summer reading this past year:
A Thousand Gifts – Ann Voskamp
Thanks for always being another voice of impact and conviction in our family!
Thanks for the sharing this opportunity and the CHALLENGE!
Looks like the Linky was doubled. Opps! Feel free to delete one.
Looking forward to Fridays!
My roar is lost by the drone of our TV and the ringing of tinnitus in my ears. My nature is “not to rock the boat” in any endeavor I undertake. Now I sense your challenge to be attuned to the Holy Spirit…to draw closer to the Lord…to roar my joy at all He has accomplished in my life.
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