Has your world been thrown for a loop?

Just like the journey of writing out a "?", there's an almost a full loop before an extreme shift or curve in life! I have found myself over the last year at places of turning almost the opposite direction in which I thought I was going. So many questions, and just at the right time; a journal study called The Quest by Beth Moore came across my eyes. The person I thought I could trust the most I cannot, and more-so be hurtful too. Starting a business only to be led to lay it all down for a path of trust instead; talk about giving up selfish pride. Who wants to give up money, status, followers, significance, a sense of purpose? No one, unless you've had a personal nudge from the Only One who can make life so much more than any of that can give. I can confidently and boldly say...I'm heading home. I don't belong here, and I was never meant to belong here...only here to do assignments along the path to home. No wonder I can't seem to "fit in" or the ways of the worldly views connect in agreement with me. I'm ecstatic now when the clouds show up in life for the storms I no longer fear, only gazing in awe at His Presence to pick such choice colors for my day.

If I was going to talk loops, I'd prefer to discuss fruit loops...at least those are sweet & delightfully colorful. Nope, loops & curves within our paths of life instead. He really keeps me guessing, and I'm learning slowly to trust him for the strength in the next circumstance, step into curve knowing He will direct me to the point of His complete will. It's there that I long because truly going through the Valley of Baca (tears) happens more than I care to share. I have asked Him many times, didn't I just pass through here? Why must I go through again? As long as I ask, guess what? He answers. Just like the rich man in the Bible whom God asked to sell all he had then to follow Him, was sorrowful; I know that feeling. My peers have often said, that's just not realistic! Really, I ask?

The moment I laid the business aside, new refreshing things started happening in my life. A spark of authentic down right joy bubbled up in my spirit, but none of that happened without true life distractions that came along thru stealth tactics to get my mind off of the direction I was to be going. If I'm honest the distractions took me to the "hole of stuck", and when I did get out...I fell into the ditch of gossip, self pity, and selfish intentions. Ugh, who wants to admit that? Not me, but under obedience to be vulnerable for others; I must. Someone needs to be validated, inspired, and to know it's going to be ok when things like this happens. The rescue never comes without cost though...humbled hearts have to shed pride. I didn't even realize how prideful I had been much less all the other selfish ambitions I had developed. No wonder I needed to let go of all that distracted me...so I could get back on the path of Faith. All choices we make every single day are either Faith or Flesh choices. One leads to a blessed (that's a whole blog on it's own coming soon; the word doesn't mean what I've always thought at least; bless, blessing(s), blessed) life, and the other leads straight for betrayed in every sense of the word.

I've been quite the wanderer without my compass in hand. I was using social media news feeds, comments, followers, engagement or the lack there of, to judge my worth & comparison to being someone of significance. If no one commented, then I was confirming that I wasn't worth listening to. Good Grief!!!! What a LIE! So in ditching the dough $, I also was led to ditch all platforms of social media except this one to use as an avenue to pen down my pilgrimage. Social media was tools of  deviation for me. I signed out of Facebook, only to get notifications constantly that I was being sent messages thru Messenger; so I deleted the account altogether. I have seriously felt so bad for the group that I had started, but I didn't have a choice when my eye issues kept me from viewing the screen. I have laid down my smart phone pretty much completely except for a few texts & necessary phone calls. Speech to text & read aloud have been lifesavers for me during this time. I am assured I was allowed to experience this because I probably wouldn't have gotten off social media had it not. Sure great things happen on social media, but it's not for me at least not right now. I have no plans at this time of getting back on. I miss it, and the people with whom I was engaged with on there. It's been awesome at the same time being completely away from it. Do you have any idea how many hours you spend scrolling? For me...it was mindlessly throwing away precious time for hearing His voice to fulfill the next step of the assignment. I don't want to miss a thing He has for me. "I can't gain the world and lose my own soul, what would that profit?" Matthew 16:26 That's it...no profit.

So I wanted to update since it's been over two months since I've last written here...I'm working on a few projects. The Best behind the word Bless, Snail Mail Ministry, Ignorance of Intentions, and learning how to make homemade paper. The kiddo goes back to school next Tuesday, so hoping I can dive into these projects a little more, and get them finished so this pilgrim can put a pen to paper. Until next time...

Blessings from a Pilgrim's Pen!

XOXO!

~Yvonne

What shoes you wear matter...

where you get them, and what you believe in matters too. My experience says, we can't pick great shoes without trying them on.

I posted that I would be doing some reveals from my 150 days of silence & what had come from that time...so here's some of that. If you aren't a friend or follow me on FB/IG feel free to @releaseandbelieve, I've hyperlinked them so you can just click on either of those to do that. There's no way I can give the entire story in one post, nor will you be able to keep up with updates & understand without following along.

I posted this image on social media yesterday after being off the last 50 of the 150 days of silence. Warning, when I speak...I speak a lot from a spiritual aspect because I can't do life without that aspect; it's just who I am. If you are not a believer in Jesus', His death, resurrection, and our Creator & Heavenly Father Jehovah God then it's possible none of this makes sense to you. I will ask that if you are at all intrigued to find out where this is going, then hold on for the ride...because this may just be written just for you at just the perfect time. He loves you like that, I promise. Yep, you reading this!

When I started this 150 days of silence I really thought it was a time to get my business going in a different direction because of my word/phrase of the year "Mount Up" (read about Mount Up here), and I had asked 100 women to help me out by answering some questions. I thought it was going to be a time to work on those answers, but it ended up me praying for each and every one of those 100 women & their situations throughout that first 100 days (more to come about that). I started to get very intrigued with the number 150...and why that number. I go to the Bible every time I'm looking for answers. From that I found Noah & the Ark story with the earth flooded for 150 days, there is 150 Psalms, so I studied those while on this journey. I found it quite funny that while Noah was on the Ark, he only had his God, family & animals to speak to. He didn't have his friends, outside supports, Facebook, or Google etc. He was in silence to the rest of the world as well. Hmmm, God what are you up to in this...something tells me that I will not know until the end of this year, at least. I'm still in the process & going to journey on while taking you along. Mount up, get ready...


***REVEAL*** I wrote a book while I was away. For my friends who know me, can you believe it? I did it!! I don't know that it will ever be published for sale to the general public, but I did it! I have been led many times to write throughout my life but never completed anything that could go to an editor/printer.

So I want to give you an excerpt from my book & involves this image...

Ephesians 6:15 "and having your feet fitted with readiness that comes from the gospel of peace;"

"You've always had the power my dear, you just had to learn it for yourself" ~Wizard of Oz.

"I got to take a exhilarating journey down my own yellow brick road, and it went almost just as the story "The Wizard of Oz". I found through the storms in my life how I was missing an important part of successfully finding answers & having provisions for the endurance. I had wasted many moments of life being unprepared for what was to come. I'm sure you too have found yourself side swiped by situations that left you breathless, alone & without hope of what was to come.  Characters or new friends would come into my life at times of needed direction, but seemingly didn't have the qualities I thought would be helpful at the time. Boy, was I wrong...so wrong. They didn't seem to have the courage, heart, or sometimes brains to what I would chose for a friend typically. Confession, I have judged that some who seem to be insignificant to my life have been the most significant of all. I was on a journey for answers and they were my support to getting where I needed to get (at least where I thought I needed to get)...to the wizard."

Wait till you find out about the wizard, he is not as he seems...so, would you want to read such a book if it was published?

The book is called So happens...
covering topics in regards to the the stories and answers of the 100 women gave me earlier. Example topics include men, money, marriage, mothers, munchkins, and medical diagnosis'.

Crazy, huh? I have told God how CRAZY He is so much over the last 5 months with doing this. I'm glad He laughs right back at me, yep He's everything a daddy would be as I imagine because I didn't have my earthly one. Wait until you hear more of the stories, like why I shaved my hair all off. No, not to be my husbands twin. It and all of this has to do with obedience to Him, see I so lovingly fear Him. He is all powerful & always faithful...I don't want to miss all that is in store for me. So, you must get fitted with the right shoes for your journey & that only comes from one place...the gospel of peace. It's the only way to stand firm against all that could come your way. Storms are inevitable, and without being ready...you could find yourself not able to stand for a very long time. Why red? Dorothy had ruby red slippers, and mine come from the blood of Jesus whom died for you & I. See we're covered by the blood! Your sins are forgiven if you only release your fear, and ask with believing. So what would it hurt to try? Try on new shoes fit just for you so you can stand in & thru the storms that come. Peace is so comfortable!

Until next time Release it all & Believe in Him!

Until every knee bows,

XOXO

Yvonne