Tomorrows Freedom Is Todays Surrender

Last week I get a FB message from one of my FAVorite Holy Yoga instructors asking 'ME' to sub for her in five days! & my first response was ...I am NOT ready. Send.
& just like that I became Moses again. You know when HE's talking to GOD in a burning bush EX 3&4) & Moses tells GOD that He can't speak & I need Aaron to speak for me. Send someone else...AKA ...He's not ready.

Right after I sent the message I walked into church. I am apart of an amazing church & one of the many things that I love about my church is the 'thickness' of HIS presence during worship. You can't come into a space like that, seeking HIM & not see HIM. It's SO, so good. On that day I couldn't in all honesty lift my hands and sing 'my God is enough for me' b/c I had just sent a message that I wasn't ready...Meaning that my God isn't really enough for me...
By the end of worship God had really done a work on me & showed me that WE were ready. SO I was jumping in NO MATTER what! I'm done being Moses needing an Aaron to speak. HE has made me for this ...so I surrender. I'm doing it scared...no, terrified!!! 

I spent some really good time just me & Jesus ...you know the kind where you just know if you had heavenly eyes you could see Him sitting right next to me...
HE asked me why I was terrified? ...

What it came down to is that I didn't want to fail in front of everybody & I'm scared that YOU are not going to speak through me... But I'm mostly terrified that I will miss out on what HE is doing in & through Holy Yoga. 

As soon as I was able to surrender to ALL HE had for me ...good, bad & even maybe the ugly...I felt total & complete FREEDOM! To play. To have fun! knowing that I really can't make a mistake!

So on the day of the class I talked about Peter taking a step out of the boat... And how it was a step of surrender... & how I want to always be READY to get out of the boat when my Maker says 'Come'.

So Beloved, what's YOUR boat? & what is HE inviting you to surrender ...

Freedom

When I first moved to Arizona I was blown away to see the birds here not using their wings! I would be driving down the road & I would have to slam on my breaks when a quail would RUN out in front of me & they would sometimes wait till the last minute to fly away, if they flew at all. In Texas quails fly! They are in trees. They are not on the ground unless something is wrong. But here in Arizona there is this different breed of quail. They don't use their wings as much.

It says in Galatians 5:1-It is for freedom that He has set you free. Stand firm then, & do not let yourself be burdened by the yoke of slavery.

How many of us are truly FLYing in our freedom? Or should I say soaring? Are you using your wings? And why wouldn't we? 

I think sometimes we get comfortable in our captivity. You know that space of 'at least I know what to expect' or the space of 'complacency'. A place where we are ok with our own Mediocrity. 

But here's the thing. Jesus didn't crawl up on that cross to just save me but for me to walk in freedom! ...or even FLY!

So I'm no longer a slave to my pride or my stomach. I am free to choose to rely on the Holy Spirit to have victory & FLY. 

I read that Arizona quail take to the wings when they have to but they prefer to run because they can go up to 12mph & they can weave in & out under thick underbrush. 

Isn't that so like us. We find victory in one area & want to stay in that area instead of pressing into Him for victory in a new space. Let's not be complacent & strengthen already strong places but lets build new spaces of freedom. Let's jump with out knowing exactly how to fly. 

It is for freedom that He has set you free.

Is there a space where you feel like you are choosing comfortable captivity? If so, what can you do today to fly in freedom? 

Fly, Beloved. FLY!

Transitions

 

I've been practicing yoga for about four years now.  Originally my goal was to do the splits & I can say after many, many classes I have accomplished my goal & along the way I've learned my body can do allot more than I had ever imagined.  Yet in the midst of having victories in some of these poses I was missing the point.  When you watch a seasoned Yogi practice it's beautiful.  It is fluid & full of grace & peace.  The Poses that they can do are amazing but the TRANSISTIONS are what makes it a work of art.  You see transitions aren't nearly as rewarding to our ego as the glory of a full pose but here in lies the secret.  When your body is fully aligned & engaged in a pose there is a sense of arrival.  The bones adsorb much of the weight & your muscles support & stabilize you.  BUT during a transition your mind has to figure out where you are going & tell your body.  Most of us turn toward momentum & rely on muscles that are already strong.  Transitions are opportunities to build strength & integrity in new places.
I'm in a 'transitions' my life right now.  I have seen God be faithful & good in the past.  He has stretched me & grown me to places that I never thought possible.  AND I know that HE will remain faithful & good.  And HE will continue to do NEW things in & through me.  But right now, today I am in TRANSITION.
So in my yoga instructor training I'm learning the key to having good transitions.
1.Fully Engaged
2.Fully Aligned
3.Breath
So in my LIFE I'm learning the key to having good transitions.
1.Fully Engaged with the NOW. I am not wishing away this moment or using momentum to just 'get through' this day.  I practicing being present.  With the help of the Holy Spirit I am fully engaged w/HIM.
2.Fully Aligned with my Maker.  That means I spend some time in His word, aware of His presence & He adjust my thoughts to His Plum Line.
3.Breath.  I sit in this place of 'In Between' & I breath. 
So in my space of 'transition' I want to press into HIM & build strength & integrity into new places...How about you?  Won't you join me, Beloved?

Are you Striving?

I don't even remember a time that I wasn't 'Striving'.  I remember sucking-in while getting out of the pool in my brand new swim suit when I was little, little.  Or always wanting curly hair and after about 20 perms I gave up!  Or always running in races striving for that first place ribbon but always having to settle for that rainbow participation ribbon.  Today my striving looks a little different but it still feels as though I'm running in a race that I can not win!

What is this 'STRIVING' thing about? ..& is ALL bad?  Aren't I supposed to try my to be my best? And what's the difference between trying & striving?

To TRY- To make an attempt/effort to do something/experiment
To STRIVE-To make great efforts to achieve/obtain something/STRUGGLE/fight vigorously

The difference between trying & striving is the STRUGGLE.  There is no struggle in the trying because of the Holy Spirit.  When we allow the Holy Spirit to be what He was made for (Our Helper)there is no struggle/striving that needs to be done because it's already done.  (1John 1:9)

Last year I got to coach my Girls Volleyball team & I noticed something...  If you're not familiar with Volleyball, in order to win you need to win at least 2 sets out of 3.  What I started noticing is when our Girls had already won the first two sets they would play the third set much more relaxed, they would try new things like over-hand serves or spiking, they would not let a mistake go into the next play, & they smiled!  They were playing from a place of Victory.  They knew they already had a 'W' so it didn't matter if they 'made a mistake', they just played.  Don't get me wrong they still wanted to win that last set & never stopped trying but there wasn't that striving.

Psalms 46:10-Be still & know that I am God.  In the NASB it says ...'Cease from Striving' & know that I am God.

Today when I feel myself striving...& you know by the fragrance (another blog :)) If I just sit, be still, & cease from striving... it is in that place where I find victory even when I'm still running the race!



Lack to SaTiSFieD.

When I was a little girl my Momma use to say to me that 'I should named you Amy 'MORE'.  Because no matter what she had given me, I always wanted more. I was never satisfied.  So this year my Word is SATISFIED.  This word goes up against who I am naturally.  Over & over in my life the enemy has used this to his advantage to trip me up.  I would get a gift (that I had been waiting for) & not be completely happy with it.  Try & return it for something 'better'.  Or with food, at first I couldn't get full so I would stuff & stuff & never feel as though I was full.  As soon as I figured that the enemy flipped it on me & I began doing the exact opposite & obsessed over everything I put in my mouth & exercised like a maniac in order to feel satisfied with my body.  Another big area was my marriage.  I expect my hubby to meet my needs & fill my tank.

This GAP is called a place of LACK.  Any place of lack is opportunity for God to fill!  Even today there are spaces of lack in my life & this year I have been 'practicing' letting the Lord fill that gap.  So when I need/want more food I ask HIM to fill me up.  Or when I am unsatisfied w/my body, my marriage, my finances, etc.  ...it really is just an opportunity for the God to show up in a SUPER NATURAL way.  And when HE comes to fill it's perfect.  Don't hear me wrong here, it's not always the provision I wanted but it's always, always ultimately for my good & for HIS glory! 
I see the Holy Spirit as being excited when we allow Him in the game!  'He's saying, 'Put me in Coach! I got this!  I'm really good at this!  I know just what you need to do, know, be!'  I'm ready!  Just put me in.  Stop striving.  Just tag me in.'
So what are the places of 'lack' in your season of life?  What areas do you need God to fill?  He has designed this space so you would need Him & experience His perfect, MORE THAN enough provision & be SATISFIED.

Because HE first loved...
amy

Why Barefoot Beloved?

Hello, Blog-World!  I am new to this so be gentle.  I want to create a space that you can come to & sit down (with your big cup of coffee) & FEEL loved.  This place will be messy at times...I'm sure I misspell a word or say something wrong but it will be 'Imperfectly Perfect'.  As much of this is 'my' blog this is really for Y.O.U.  I am sharing my struggles, victories, battles, life ...in order to create an atmosphere of transparency & authenticity.  I know that the same comfort or grace that I have received is not just for me, it's for YOU!  So kick off your shoes & sit down & KNOW you are loved...

Because HE first love...
Beloved