That Woman: No Rules Attached

Hello!!!

My heart is bursting to chat it up with you! I hope your day is going well.  Virtual warm and genuine hug to you right now!

Womanhood calls my friends.  My heart yearns to learn what matters.  I yearn to be a woman that learns, that is both humble and bold, who nurtures life, who acts swiftly when the time comes, who sees people for who they really are, who is audacious, who is soft, who is strong, who is rooted in Him, who laughs without trying to hide my cackle, and who lives all that He has for me and through me.

One thing today: the relationship between rules and obedience.

When we talk of womanhood, I have no vision to write a guide for every woman everywhere.  I ardently want to dig into the well of womanhood as it relates to living though.  I want to LIVE the most alive and feeling life available to me....and that beckons me to draw so close to Him that I pause and hear the flutter of his wings covering me.  His covering - where both strength and weakness are stirred in me.

Rules and obedience.

I just turned 35.  YEAH!!!!!!!!!!  And 'oh my' all at once.  So far, I can say this of life: He is MOST certainly One of seasons.  He ushers me, and us, in and out.  Sometimes quickly and sometimes not nearly as quickly as we would like.  But seasons and change and revolving areas of focus are inescapable.

One thing that yields beauty and strength and life in womanhood? The ability to change.  To feel the wind change directions and turn to face its new rushing path.

One of the things that can make that turn difficult? Taking what was obedience in one season....turning it into a rule....and attempting to apply that rule in the now season. Stumble, trip, stumble, trip, stumble, trip.  I think I got that from We're Going on a Bear Hunt...smiles.

But can you relate?  It's so challenging to let go of something that was sacred and obedient and fought for in one season and see that become a clunky mess in the next season.  One big head scratching 'huh?!'  Frankly, it frustrates me to no end at times.  I love the things He teaches me.  I honor them.  I cherish the victories we've won together.  But I also love rules.  First born child to a T! And if left to my lonesome, I can create and adore a rule like few others.  Rules feel good to me.  They are like rail road tracks that my engine can fly on.

And to be sure, rules can be beautiful.  But the more I resist the desire to make a rule out of today's obedience, the more easily I can shift when He stirs.  And the more I let others embrace their obedience as obedience instead of a rule or a standard of how they will always be, the more I can freely allow them to shift with Him as well.

I'm in the book of Daniel right now.... This bit grabbed my heart this morning:

"Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him." Daniel 2:20-22

He is good and He is stable and He is a sure foundation...but He changes times and seasons and though that may feel unstable, it is the the nature of moving forward and further.

So, my friend, I honor the exact point He has you at

in womanhood.  Or manhood!  I want to say to you...don't give up.  He will meet you in your pursuit.  He is real.  He's not an idea. And He is with you on the road.  Though He changes our seasons, He will never leave us as the change occurs.

All my love on this Tuesday in October!
Abi

I saw this couple in Rome.  I just liked her so I'm leaving this shot with you.  Because I liked her...what do you think she's telling him?


P.S.  I wanted to give a shout out to Zion Spencer.  He lets me change and grow and it breathes life into the places inside of me that are scared to change.  Maybe I can be a little bit of Zion for you today...you can do this season change; you really can.