Faith isn’t faith until Jesus is all you’re holding onto.
I didn’t think I had much left.
I was past my prime.
I’m not talking about my age.
I’m speaking in Marlon Brando-esque language. I’m talking about time and opportunity.
“I coulda been a contender.”
A contender for what? you ask.
I wasn’t exactly sure.
God created us for a purpose, of course I know.
But, was I living my life the way He intended?
Sometimes, when you’ve run the course as best you can, you may end up at a place that feels dry and bare of creativity or insight.
You may feel tired.
You may feel ordinary.
Don’t be alarmed. The truth is your faith in Jesus holds extraordinary value to Him.
A Series of Letters
Before Faith Barista blog began, I reached a point in my life when I wasn’t sure what it was God wanted me to do. I’m not talking about the everyday stuff, like putting gas in your car, buying just enough bananas for the week or even doing what it takes to pay the bills.
I’m talking about the what-is-God’s-purpose-for-my-life type enigmas.
As I entered into a weekend alone with God for spiritual whitespace, I decided to write Jesus a series of letters. It wasn’t planned. In fact, I signed myself up for a women’s retreat at a church I didn’t even belong to, held at a very attractive beach side location. I registered last minute for the purpose of desperately needed rest and sleep.
It turns out it wasn’t just physical rest that I needed. I was in deficit of spiritual rest.
I needed relief from —
Too many questions and not enough answers.
Feeling trapped by the pressure of inaction, yet at a loss with what to do next.
Doing too much and not enough.
Nestled in the sand, writing against the sound of waves creeping up on the shore, I made my case to my captive Audience of One.
At points along the way, I dropped my pen so that my tears — and then my silence — would carry the conversation.
All I Had Left
During those hidden moments of ordinary me, God spoke.
One thing was undeniable.
Faith in Jesus was all I had left.
Faith in Jesus was all that I needed.
If you feel faith is all you have left — among the plans that go off-script and dreams that grow out of reach — you have more than you may believe.
It doesn’t matter how small our faith is.
It doesn’t matter how little of it we have to give.
What matters is that we use whatever faith we have.
Use all of it —
To change what we can.
To let go of what we can’t.
To fall down.
To get back up.
To cry.
To laugh.
To love.
To leave.
To start again.
To believe God is faithful to finish the work He’s begun in you.
When you feel threatened that you may not live up to all God has for you, remind yourself of this:
Our faith is worth far more to Him than what we can do or what others may see.
I am reminded of this by Jesus in Mark 12:41-44. When wealthy people were dropping rolls of hundred dollar bills into the temple’s offering box, Jesus noticed a widow who just slipped in one cent.
Jesus said that she was the one who gave the most because she gave away all that she had.
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The life we are living right now holds extraordinary value to God, when all we are holding onto is our faith in Him.
As for those letters? God was faithful to answer them that weekend. His letters are all about faith and they are still being written. Here at Faith Barista is where I share them with you.
~~~~~
“And without faith it is impossible to please God,
because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists
and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
~ Hebrews 11:6
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How is God encouraging you in your faith?
Pull up a chair. Click to share a comment.
For more words of encouragement and soul rest, order a copy of my book Finding Spiritual Whitespace.
Beloved Brews Spotlights
Every week, I’ll spotlight a tagged #SpiritualWhitespace image from Instagram (like the beautiful one to the right) or blogger in our Beloved Brews Community. To be considered as a spotlight blogger, please kindly be sure to use the Beloved Brew badge or link back to Faith Barista in your post. Kindreds, I can’t wait to see your photos & read the stories you live. Thank you for sharing your voice.
Beloved Brews Link Up
Whole-hearted Writing. You & Jesus.
Welcome to our Beloved Brews weekly link-up! Pour out a little love with your words every Thursday (publish any day. link-up on Thursdays). Simply write a blog post about what God’s sharing with your heart this week and then share it here. Don’t have a blog? Just share a comment. Visit thebonniegray.com to read the comments & share your voice too.
Today’s writing prompt: (what is God sharing with your heart?)
Next week’s 7/9 writing prompt: (what is God sharing with your heart?) or (how are facing what you fear?)
Please use the Beloved Brews button in your blog post so we’ll know you’re in our community & others can join (use this html code here). When you link up your post, read & leave an encouraging comment on the post linked up just before yours. Thanks, kindreds!
Share photos that touch your heart with God’s beauty and rest using #spiritualwhitespace on Instagram. It’ll be fun to see your pics!
May the writing prompt bring you to a quiet place in your soul as you share your voice. Click here for details.
32 Comments
[…] How Ordinary You Holds Extraordinary Value […]
Wow – you, and these precious words, are just what I need today. God knew:) I moved to this community three years ago to accept a job in marketing and public relations. The only people I knew here – my parents – both died last year – my hospital filed for bankruptcy and I was laid off in January. I have been looking – and praying – for work for the past six months, and unemployment ends in two weeks. I ask everyone for prayer. Psalm 4:3 Know that the Lord has set apart His faithful servant for Himself; the Lord hears when I call to Him.
I’m so sorry to hear these things.. but whispering that verse with you today
My heart is full of questions. I want to know what Gods purpose for my life is. It feels like I’m not in the right place right now. I want to be strong, courageous and full of faith, but I’m weak…
[…] sharing at Thought-Provoking Thursday, Beloved Brews […]
Bonnie, I have found myself I the pages of your book Spiritual Whitespace as well as this post…having experienced the peeling away of layers I have found my purpose in knowing Christ…Phil. 3:10a Amplified
love meeting you in between the pages, beth!
“Too many questions and not enough answers.
Feeling trapped by the pressure of inaction, yet at a loss with what to do next.
Doing too much and not enough.”
THIS is EXACTLY how I feel! Bonnie, I know that your words and encouragement are from The Lord. I can’t believe how your journey, even though it’s very different from mine, has helped me truly feel and understand my heart and God’s heart toward me. I’ve always thought of the widow’s story completely from a tithe standpoint..it brought tears today to think of me trying to give the fumes I’m running on, the tiny bit of patience I have left, and my weary heart to The Lord and Him loving me still. The little bit I have left meaning something to him because it’s all I have. Thank you Bonnie for these posts and your book and your encouragement in this stage of my journey. Kindreds <3
Yes, yes and yes again. This is the heart of it. Because if we really recognize that this faith in Him is all we need, and we dare to live like we believe that, we find ourselves getting filled more and even able to “do” more. And we are happier, because we are with Him <3
Faith is all I have. I’ve given notice on my apartment and i just have a job thst ends today. With a one way ticket to where I believe God wants me and no job or place to stay,
lifting you up today, carlene. he is with you already!
Again, Bonnie, you are always encouraging! I swear sometimes we are thinking the same things, our hearts in the same place. I wrote this week about some days failing with God, feeling pretty bad about it, and here you are lifting me up. Thank you.
kindreds <3
Bonnie, this is so beautiful…and so relatable.
I was just reading in my Bible this morning where Jesus told Jairus (the father of the girl who Jesus brought back to life), “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.” How fitting to read this post of yours about faith this morning as well. I love where you say: “Our faith is worth far more to Him than what we can do or what others may see.” I don’t think that I’ve ever considered it in that context before.
Thank you for sharing.
~ Blessings ~
Beautiful words, Bonnie. It reminded me that it was faith that was counted to Abraham as righteousness. Just the fact that he loved God and was willing to walk in obedience to the things God asked of him was enough. I love the one undeniable truth that God brought to you on that beach, “Faith in Jesus was all I had left. Faith in Jesus was all that I needed.” You inspire me, sweet one!
Blessings and hugs,
Kamea
Oh wow, Bonnie. You sure do have a way with words and a very special way of expressing yourself. Two things came to mind for me…One being about the Parable of the Mustard seed. I told my mom once that I”d always wanted one of those clear glass pendants with a single mustard seed in it. She, with her adorable sense of humor, gave me a WHOLE JAR of mustard seeds for my birthday once. My brother said I should tie a string around the jar and wear it. ;0) The other thought was I can sure relate to your going off by yourself at the retreat to write in your journal. I once kept a “Crybaby Journal”…it had a teddy bear on the cover. I was going through a really rough time at work and all my conversations and prayers weren’t “doing it” for me…and so I wrote in this journal. I dished it ALL outs…everything. And by the end of the journal I realized God had answered my prayers and thoughts and anguish…with his almighty and amazing love. I’m not sure how I got rid of the journal…but I sure didn’t want anyone reading it. :0) And since my prayers were answered, I figured I didn’t need it either. The main thing I realized by writing it though was how true Ps. 139 is for me. And I realized that I am never, ever, ever alone. God is ALWAYS with me. I know that. I love that. I am grateful for that. He always has been, always is, and always will be with me….thanks be to God!
yes! i love that! journaling is beautiful whitespace.
I SO needed this post today, though right now I can’t really even put into words why. You expressed exactly how I was feeling as I read it. Actually, you gave me the words. Thank you so much!
I can certainly connect with your post. I felt my best days were behind me and wondered what was next in my life. I felt God tug on my heart to let go and trust him. I have gone through a lot of difficult things in my life and I didn’t always do what he asked me to do because I was afraid. So I took a chance at traveling for my work. Jesus has been there with me through some very unsure moments but he gave me a peace. I can only call astounding. He did more than I could imagine and shown me that faith in him will not leave me where trusting in people left me – broken, disgusted, and kicked. To the curb. Bonnie you often touch my heart with what you write. Today is no exception
This was beautiful and encouraging, Bonnie. Thank you. Your posts help me to remember Truths I need so desperately.
In Christ, Meghan Weyerbacher
kindreds <3
This came at the exact moment I needed it. The one sentence in your post says it all: “It turns out it wasn’t just physical rest that I needed. I was in deficit of spiritual rest.” I’m like WAY overdue. I feel like how Bilbo Baggins described himself in Lord of the Rings as “butter spread over too much bread.” I need a break and I have to force the issue or I’ll be burned out.
Thank you for these words. There is peace and rest in knowing that faith is enough. I’ve struggled a lot in my life to do more, be more. I’ve stood on tip-toe trying to catch a glimpse of what should be. But God has slowly been showing me that faith is putting one foot in front of the other, doing the thing He has set before me, and then leaning in to listen for the next. Thank you for reminding me that is enough. Blessings over you!
Thank you, Bonnie, for your strong affirmations about faith. This statement spoke to me especially: “The life we are living right now holds extraordinary value to God, when all we are holding onto is our faith in Him.” I’m thinking of the hours I spend babysitting our granddaughter. May God use our time together to provide extraordinary value in HER life–a legacy of love, integrity, and faith. Meanwhile, he encouraged me recently when I came across this statement: “Walk by faith in God’s promise for tomorrow.” Those words are like a gentle push on my back, urging me forward!
Thanks, Bonnie, for putting that so well. I really liked the line: “Our faith is worth far more to Him than what we can do or what others may see.” That is so encouraging. I thank God for the measure of faith He has given us and that He knows our hearts, even guards our hearts (and minds), with His peace, in Christ Jesus, Overseer. Thanks be to God Who hears our prayers in Jesus’ Precious Name.
This is what spoke to my heart this afternoon >> “Our faith is worth far more to Him than what we can do or what others may see.” So grateful our faith matters to Him. Grateful to be here today. Blessings!
yes!!
You had me at the title, Bonnie. Even when we feel we aren’t enough, we are more than enough because we are His. He sustains us through our faith in Him. Amen.
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Thank you, Bonnie – such good words. So very true!! And this is probably why God allows us to come to the place where we are at the end of our ropes … so we discover over and over again, that He is all we need!!
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Letter writing…that seems like a good starting point for my out-of-sorts mind and heart. Words on paper. And when I write, maybe I’ll know my thoughts better? ??