Five Minute Friday | Faith In Plain Sight

Journey {Five Minute Friday}

November 8, 2016 By mollieh02 Leave a Comment

There is joy in the journey. Life is made up of many little journeys. You can find joy in each and every one of them. Sometimes the joy is evident and comes in like a flood. Other times, other journeys are made up of pain and misery. Even still sometimes an unexplainable joy creeps in. Unspeakable joy I call it. It’s in those moments that God whispers to a weary heart. It’s in those moments that He banishes the weight of the world for just a little while. There is joy in the journey. Sometimes it is easy to find. Other times it is only in looking back that you can clearly see it. Sometimes you have to reach the end of a journey before you can take a look back and see the

Joy can take on many different forms. A moment that creates deep belly laughter. Discovering just a little more of God’s purpose for your life, or behind a situation you didn’t understand. There is even joy in lessons learned. So, when you face trials of many kinds count it all joy (James 1:2) my friend. There is joy in EVERY JOURNEY.

Godspeed,

Mollie <3

This post is part of the Five Minute Friday link-up. FMF is where bloggers gather together to form a writing flash mob where we all write on a one word prompt for 5 minutes with no editing! Sound like fun? You can learn more by clicking on the button below and/or join this week’s link-up here!

Listen {Five Minute Friday}

September 15, 2016 By mollieh02 12 Comments

For about the last 3 1/2 months I have been on an emotional roller coaster. There are highs where I feel a little bit stronger and there are lows where I could fill an ocean with all the tears I’ve cried. And every emotion there is in between. I feel fractured. Like there is literally a part of my heart missing. Who knows that you shouldn’t let your emotions rule you? I will be the first to admit that I am awful at that particular discipline. I am an open book when it comes to my emotions. I wear them on my sleeve and you can read them all over my face. But, when I feel the need to change my current emotional state or even when I just want to feed into what I’m feeling at the moment I listen to music. I love music. Below is my current playlist.

What I listen too when…

I am missing him.

“Just A Fool” –Christina Aguilera & Blake Shelton

“Can’t Shake You” –Gloriana

I need to feel stronger.

“A Little Bit Stronger” –Sara Evans

“Tell Your Heart To Beat Again” –Danny Gokey

I want assurance that God is in control.

“Trust In You” –Lauren Daigle

“This I Believe” –Hillsong Worship

I need to know who God says I am so that I can drown out what everyone else says I am.

“Good Good Father” –Chris Tomlin

I sit back and I listen and I let the melodies set me free. What songs do you listen to when you need to feel something?

Godspeed,

Mollie <3

Heal {Five Minute Friday}

September 12, 2016 By mollieh02 2 Comments

When the body is broken and in need of healing we don’t question that. We don’t say it’s taking too long to heal. We can see physical signs of brokenness. We can read the medical reports. But when it’s the heart, the emotions, that are broken and in need of healing that’s a different story. Emotional pain, unlike physical pain, is mostly invisible to the naked eye. You have to really be looking for the signs of an unrest heart. The thing about pain you can’t see is that sometimes you don’t know they’re suffering. Let me assure you that the pain of a broken heart is worse than any physical pain that I’ve ever felt. It lingers. It takes hold and doesn’t easily let go. Even when there are physical signs, tears, not being able to eat or sleep, eating or sleeping too much, people still question the validity of emotional pain. Tell you that you’re being dramatic. Tell you to just get over it already. Just because my pain isn’t visible to you doesn’t mean it isn’t real. And everyone heals at different rates.

But when the heart heals it feels like a weight has been lifted. That you can see the signs of. I can’t wait for that day when the weight of heartache lifts and my world feels a little lighter!

If you’re hurting today I urge to find rest in the arms of God. He is the only one who can heal a broken heart, but you have to give it to Him first. If you need prayer for this, or anything, leave me a comment below. I would be honored to be pray for you.

Godspeed,

Mollie <3

Path {Five Minute Friday}

September 1, 2016 By mollieh02 12 Comments

Over the years I have learned one sure fire way to know that I am on the path God has set me on. It’s hard. It usually gives new meaning to the phrase “no pain no gain”. Nothing makes the devil madder than when we are coming into the things God has for us. You’ve heard the phrase “anything worth having is worth fighting for”? You will definitely fight a battle of the spiritual variety when you are walking the path with God.

This week I started a book study on biblical parenting. I know that I am absolutely supposed to be doing this study. This week has been full of nightmares and my emotions have been all over the place. Those tiny humans I am supposed to be learning to parent more gently? It’s been more like a scene from World War 3 around here this week. The only way to make it through these right path war times is to lean hard into God. So on the menu for this weekend while my kids are away is lots of prayer and reading my Bible. I need time to just be still and wait for Him to direct me and give me the rest my weary soul needs this week.

If you’re going through a time when it seems that you walking the path of most resistance. Be comforted that you are most likely exactly where God wants you to be.

Godspeed,

Mollie <3

Loyal {Five Minute Friday}

August 25, 2016 By mollieh02 23 Comments

I’ve never been one to toot my own horn, so to say. Actually if you were to ask me what my best qualities are you would likely get a blank stare as I frantically tried to think up just one. I am absolutely my own worst critic. Plus, I tend to internalize anything critical that is said to me.

I’d say about six months ago God started talking to me about who I am. Not who my Mom says I am, or who my sister says I am, or even who the friend who knows me best says I am, but who He says I am. He is teaching me to think differently. Starting with the way I think of myself. One of the things that has come to light in recent weeks is that I’m loyal.

To a fault. I will stick with you through thick and thin. I am a tried and true friend. Long after loyalty has stopped being deserved, still my loyalty continues. I haven’t always been this way. I’ve let people fall through the cracks and walked away from others. But, it is who I am right now. I’ve thought a lot about this new found quality of mine these last couple weeks. The thing about being loyal is that we take it for granted that loyalty repays loyalty, but that truly is not always the case. And I know I said something about people not deserving my loyalty earlier, but really what makes someone deserving of loyalty? I say be loyal any way. Let me tell you something. I can’t think of a single one of us who deserves God’s loyalty. I can think of five things I did today that makes me undeserving of His loyalty. Man, am I glad that I share this quality with Him. Because God is loyal to His children, and He will never leave us.

If you are one of these loyal to a fault people too and you come across someone who doesn’t deserve your loyalty, just look up and be reminded that you don’t deserve loyalty either. Then go help that friend anyway.

Godspeed,

Mollie <3

Lift {Five Minute Friday}

August 11, 2016 By mollieh02 7 Comments

Sometimes people baffle me. I don’t understand why our first instinct isn’t to help. There are so many hurting people in the world around us. People who just need someone to come along and care enough to lend a hand. To lift them up out of where circumstance has taken them. I feel like it should be second nature. When someone is hungry you feed them. When someone is thirsty you give them something to drink. When someone is homeless you give them shelter. When someone is hurting you do whatever it takes to lift them up out of their pain. And when there is nothing you can physically do to help them we should be lifting them up in prayer. Not as a last resort but as a first line of attack.

This week I challenge you to take a good look at the people around you. When you see someone who is in pain. Who is hurting in some sort of way. Think first, “How can I help.” If you don’t know what to do or say to help, let me give you some words of wisdom a dear friend gave me. Sometimes words aren’t needed. Sometimes all someone needs is for you to listen. We can all do at least that.

Godspeed,

Mollie <3

Rest {Five Minute Friday}

June 24, 2016 By mollieh02 3 Comments

Today a friend of mine wrote on Facebook, “Sleep doesn’t help when it’s your soul that needs rest”.

I have been plagued with sleepless nights and a restless and burdened heart for weeks now. I know that when I need rest, not the kind sleep can heal, but the kind that needs a little something else. When I need rest I can climb into the pages of my Bible and find everything I need.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28

Father,

I thank you for a heart that has the capacity to love.

But when my heart is burdened and the thoughts won’t stop coming.

When I can’t see the words written on the page through the tears.

Help me to find Your Word that is written on the tablet of my heart.

Help me to climb into Your open arms and draw comfort, rest, and strength from Your Word.

Give me that rest that the world doesn’t understand.

The rest that is afforded only to those who love you.

Give me the strength to walk through the storm.

And give me the comfort of knowing that healing is on it’s way.

I thank you for this heart that has the capacity to love.

And even for the pain that reminds me that I loved somebody well.

In the precious name of Jesus I pray,

Amen

That is my prayer for myself tonight and for any of you who need some help finding rest. Feel free to change it to fit your needs.

Godspeed,

Mollie <3

Want {Five Minute Friday}

June 13, 2016 By mollieh02 7 Comments

It’s a funny thing about wants, they can consume you. I think we often put our wants in the place that our needs should really go. I can personally attest to this. My engagement ended a little over a week ago. His choice not mine. I could fill this page with the things my broken heart wants. And those wants, well they feel like needs right now. It feels like if the universe doesn’t bend to my will in this one area I won’t survive it. But that’s the thing about wants, they are wants not needs. This time next year I won’t remember the urgency of these feelings. Wants evolve grow and change. They fade away and something new takes their place. Wants are based on the place we are in life and the circumstances that surround us. What I want today won’t be what I want next year, next month, next week or maybe even tomorrow. Wants are fluid and ever changing. Don’t confuse your wants, no matter how urgent they feel, with your needs. Remember, God always provides us with everything we need.

Godspeed,

Mollie <3

Grow {Five Minute Friday}

May 12, 2016 By mollieh02 9 Comments

Mary, Mary, quite contrary,

How does your garden grow?

With silver bells, and cockle shells,

And pretty maids all in a row.

Most of us can sing along with at least the first two lines of that familiar nursery rhyme. It is the first thing that came to mind when I heard the word grow. Now, I have a question for you; “How does your garden grow?” Seeds have been planted your whole life. Whether they be through chance encounters, purposeful seeking, or whispered prayers spoken on your behalf. The waters of God’s Word have rained down upon them. Do you see the growth?

The second thing that came to mind when I heard the word grow was the parable of the sower found in Matthew 13.

A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop– a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear.

Matthew 13: 3b-9

I’ll ask again, “How does your garden grow?” I will admit that lately I’ve let my fleshly situations make my heart that rocky place that seed is planted. I get really excited for a time, but it never lasts. I have a hard time following through with things, whether it be finishing a Bible study, cultivating a prayer habit, or even just reading my Bible every day. I long for my heart to be that good soil where God’s Word can settle in and take root.

If you find yourself in the same place I am in then let’s do it together. Don’t worry too much about tomorrow’s work. It will take care of it’s self. Just focus on today. Today I know you can read a few verses in your Bible. Today I know you can sit down and pray for one of the people on your prayer list. Before you know it you will have created that heart that is good soil for God’s Word to grow in!

Godspeed,

Mollie <3

Miss {Five Minute Friday}

May 12, 2016 By mollieh02 3 Comments

As babies we fight sleep with everything we’re worth because we’re afraid we’ll miss something. We are so enthralled with everything that we don’t want to miss a second of it.

As adults we miss things simply because we aren’t paying attention. It’s the loss of that child like sense of wonder for the world around us that causes us to stop paying attention. In the adult state of mind we are so busy that we miss out on things that our inner child never would have. We miss opportunities because we are busy looking for something better. We miss the blessing in the midst of a burden. We even miss the person sitting right beside us because we are too busy checking social media to see what the rest of the world is up to. I think our biggest miss is when we miss the voice of God whispering into our lives, directing our steps, because we let all of the other competing voices drown out His voice.

So, today I challenge you to slow down and regain some of that childlike sense of wonder. Turn on your listening ears for that still small voice and open your eyes to the world God created for us. He has left little love letters all around for you, if only you will slow down long enough to look for them!

Godspeed,

Mollie <3