I love books, but I just don’t make enough time for reading these days, so last month I made a little birthday resolution to read more books this year. How I’m trying to accomplish that is another post all on it’s own, but for today, I wanted to share with you my first beautiful book choice – “You Are Free: Be Who You Already Are“. Ben gave it to me for my birthday – I have a wish list of books on Amazon, and he chose two from my list as a surprise, which I loved.:)
It was the perfect choice for getting started on my little reading challenge, because Rebekah Lyons writes like she’s talking to a good friend, and she’s just telling her story, simply and beautifully, with powerful spiritual truths coming through again and again, in the way God spoke to her and worked in her life. That kind of writing appeals so much to me, because our stories are powerful, and they draw other people in very naturally. It’s a gentle way of sharing truth about God, because it’s simply saying, “This is what happened to me, and I’d like to share it with you.”
I’ve spent a couple of beautiful weekends at the lake, waking up early while the lake is like glass, quietly slipping down to the dock and reading Rebekah’s story. Here are some of my favourite quotes:
“I sensed God saying, ‘If I ask you to be light, I will make it feel light.'”
“Waiting is a critical part of your anointing. It prepares you, strengthens you, equips and trains you to step up when the moment comes.”
“Have you ever felt deep within your bones God has a plan ‘exceedingly abundantly above all you ask or think’? Do you ever ‘become weary in doing good’? Perhaps you have heard something specific from God. He’s awakened you to your passions and talents; he’s given you a vision for how you can run fast and free in your lane, but for whatever reason, it’s not happening. Doors are not opening, and so you grow impatient. The fires of passion and zeal burn quickly, but start to face when we don’t see evidence of God’s provision and blessing immediately. When things don’t happen as we expect – when God doesn’t work in the way we think he will – we begin to question and doubt everything. Did we hear correctly? Did we get it wrong? We expect immediate parting of the seas, removal of obstacles, and opening of doors, yet Scripture shows us that God often calls his children to periods of waiting.”
“As I listened to God, my heart began a gradual shift from wanting to accomplish big things for God to wanting to simply receive small things from God.”
That last one is sitting with me a lot these days. For so long, I’ve wanted to do more, and felt restless at times in this season of life, when I’m spending a lot of time at home with my kids. It’s what I’ve always wanted to do, but it can also feel very small and repetitive. If we continue homeschooling all three of our kids, all the way through high school, I’ll be in my 50s before we’re done! Will I get the chance to impact other people, have a meaningful job at some point, and use gifts I believe God’s given me that don’t get used much at home? And yet at the same time, I truly love where I am and believe that what we’re doing here is important, and what I’m called to right now. What if it’s not about accomplishing big things for God?
“What if your purpose is for [God] to love you?”
Rebekah writes about many of the different ways in which God wants us to experience true freedom, but the one pulling me in right now is the freedom to rest in God’s love, and receive small things, instead of feeling like I’m needing to do more but falling short.
It’s turning into a summer of learning how to rest, and finding freedom from the need to perform, and that is like a breath of fresh air. I admit, the setting for reading this book definitely increased my enjoyment, but I’m sure the message of “You Are Free” is life-giving wherever you might happen to read it!;)
Ordinary Days 