I’m so excited to join Lisa-Jo Baker and the brave, beautiful writers who write fearlessly & edit-free for five minutes each week. And this is the first official Five Minute Friday here on the new site! Such fun 🙂
She hands me baby Jesus from her nativity scene, wrapped in a huge Minnie Mouse blanket. “Baby sleeping, mama – rock-a my baby.” Well, when innocent toddler hands pass you a baby Jesus, what else can you do? I sat there with that little plastic figure on my lap and remembered. I remembered how this year took me on a roller-coaster of fear, doubt, joy, peace, anxiety, worry, and trust.
I thought of a few months ago, sitting around a table with a team of brainstorming friends as we decided to “go big or go home” – to risk losing face to dream big and trust God. This week? (in)Mercy not only achieved 100% funding but went two (or three?) phases over what had ever even been planned. All funded by a God with limitless resources and reach and love and we took shoes off to fall on holy ground.
I thought back to last Christmas, when doors started closing – doors to things I thought were good, but God knew better. He closed “good” to make room for “mind-blowing.” Everything I though I needed, everything I thought I deserved, and everything that defined me, God flipped upside down until all I had left was to hold on to Him with all I had and ask Him to fill in the spaces.
I thought back further – to a gathering of my sweetest in real life friends, when God first put on my heart and my lips what would turn into a God-sized dream that I never expected in a million years to see come true. But isn’t that the way with God-sized dreams? So big that we could never achieve them with our own abilities, making room for God to do the work and receive the glory.
And even further, to the first Christmases with my husband, just the two of us in a tiny little home and me with no plans to ever be a mama. Now here I am, surrounded by toys and mess and singing the “turtle song” over..and over…and over…in public…to make this little one happy.
What God has done in 10 years? 3 years? This week?
He has answered.
He has sifted.
He has redeemed.
Stop
This Advent I’m reading through Ann Voskamp’s beautiful “The Greatest Gift.” To keep myself accountable, I’m posting a photo each day on Instagram with a quote that stood out to me. If you’d like to follow along, you can follow my Instagram feed here!
This is a beautiful reminder. I needed to hear this: He closed “good” to make room for “mind-blowing.” Thank you.
Great reminder that God has a plan and will accomplish that even when…maybe especially when…we just can’t see where it’s going! Love this post, Crystal!
Such an encouraging reminder! I am thankful He made room for the “mind-blowing.” I feel like I’m at the pre-mind-blown phase so I needed to hear that today!
Crystal I really love the new look of the blog!
Thanks so much!
🙂 We have an amazing God! Still brings tears to my eyes to think of (in)mercy…and how He did so much MORE. Love to you and your sweet family. You are a gift. 🙂
Big hugs, Mel. Love you!
Can you get a witness? Yes, you can. I am here to give a hearty amen to all that I have seen with you, through you and for you!! Glory to God is all I’ve got left! 🙂
I just love when these comments become a place of worship!
I was just thinking that I haven’t seen you around FMF for a while. Now I know why! New site, new picture, I just wasn’t seeing you! So glad I found you and hopped over her for lovely contribution this week. Yes, it is mind-blowing what our Lord will do for us when we are willing to follow him!
So good to see you here Rachael! Glad you found me 😉
It’s truly remarkable to see the good things move to mind-blowing. Reflection is good for the soul. xoxox
Very healing!
Crystal, this post blew me away…. Amen, God! Thank You, Father God!
Thanks so much Kimberly 🙂
LOVE this! Oh how His plans for us are so much better than what we can ask or thing or imagine! LOVE what He is doing in and through you, sweet girlie!
**smooch**
I so enjoyed this, Crystal. Keep at it, girl. You’re doing this thing well.
Oh bless your heart, Sarah. Thank you for that encouragement 🙂
I love seeing all the doors “He closed “good” to make room for “mind-blowing.” It not only causes me to reflect on all the times He has done it for me, it also encourages me to continue believing that He has even more in store.
More than we could ever ask or imagine 🙂
Beautiful words today, friend! Love you so much and you are AMAZING!
Love you! Can’t wait to see you tomorrow 🙂
Five Minute Friday in the new digs!!! Looking good girlfriend. And you last lines… Made my breath catch this morning!! Beautiful my friend, simply beautiful. And, it was a certain joy to watch God unfold His plan for your life this year…
Oh girl…you don’t even know. On this side of heaven I’m not sure I’ll ever know all the behind-the-scenes, but the glimpses? They are glorious.
Beautiful post! ~~”He closed “good” to make room for “mind-blowing.”~~ And in all things does the excellent! Blessings!
Amen 🙂
I love the new site, Crystal. It’s so clean and refreshingly simple. Makes your words and you and Christ stand out! Blessings to you this Christmas…and thank you for being someone I know I can call on when I need encouragement for the God-sized dreams I’m pursuing…
Cheering you on as loudly as I can from this side of the screen, my friend 🙂 God has great plans for you!
Your words, your writing is always so…I don’t know…impressive seems to superficial of a word and lovely seems inadequate. The way you weave words in the loom of this blog makes me stop, think and be thankful. You go somewhere in my heart that I need to visit more often, Crystal. thank you.
And your year…amazing my friend, truly amazing!
Oh Mary, those words aren’t mind to craft or weave, just my fingers doing the typing. I struggled with this one, because the remembering is beautiful and hard all at the same time. But your comments are always so gracious & encouraging – thank you for them 🙂
Amazing Crystal. Your words and God’s answers. Wen He answers, he blows our minds, wherever in the world we may be! (Australia in my case btw) He sees so much more than we can, you walked in trust of that this week.
Oh Emma, so many welcomes to you today 🙂 I have friends who live in Perth!