Whisper a little word….
It’s a new day
with a fresh batch of lines on another page
and I’m grateful for the beginnings we carve out in the long stretches of time
to mark and remember and celebrate.
Celebrate….my one little word for the last 365.
I called it a challenge from the start and it didn’t disappoint:)
I showed up to the spirit of the word most days
and gave myself a gentle pass when my heart just couldn’t dance,
knowing it would rise again soon to the rhythm of my joy still flowing.
And again and again I did.
Good enough, dear self. Good enough.
This year rolled in with a little word so clear that my belly jumped to a flop when I heard it.
Life whispered, “overcome” – with a twist.
And it’s the t w i s t that turned my heart to listen curious.
The way I’ve always heard it,
overcome feels like take the beach,
get over that wall, run at it again, and never accept defeat.
It feels hardbody and endurance and guts and glory and strength.
But it landed in me like a snowflake on my cheek.
Be overcome
be overtaken,
overwhelmed and in-too-deep.
Swept up by light and wonder and joy and truth,
unguarded
unmanaged,
unquenched.
Let my heart and hands fall
open
like a riverbank rushed over,
Let life flood over my defenses until I come again untamed.
I may shy to the new of coming loose from old moorings
but I want to show up to it all,
to raise my heart into the day
and wring out love like holy water
To say to the scared child of me
that you are not too small for this big world
….get on in, hands in the air, and grin into the windy turns.
Be overcome – this is how the best art is made.
Be brave enough to
let
go
more,
be overcome this year.
“Life shrinks or e-x-p-a-n-d-s
in proportion to one’s courage.”
– Anais Nin
I’ve been gone for two months!
Good reasons for the hush but ready to wrap some things in words
to come back here and share.
I love getting to share this journey with you.
Thanks for being here:)
How lovely to see your courageous self back in the blogosphere.
And yes, I do love your ‘overcome with a twist’. A healing way to face big issues and emotions. A way which leaves room for joy, for respite, for time out, and indeed for all the messiness of living to the full.
Huge hugs.
Yes…..exactly. Gosh I love your way:) You bring so much gift to the table
every single time and I appreciate your wisdom, friend. Thank you.
Wishing you a cup-runneth-over type situation this next jaunt around the sun
…..big joy to you, Sue:) -Jennifer
What a splendid word, Jennifer! We should all aspire to that! Overcoming and being overcome.
I’m so glad you are back on blog. I’ve missed you. Your warmth, your honest, up front appraisal and ability to look honestly at yourself, your life and move forward, no matter how difficult. To celebrate. Happy New Year, my friend. I hope it is lovely and you find yourself overcome by its joys.
I’ve missed you, too! Thanks for your kind balmy words…so encouraging to my heart.
You’re a human light bulb and it warms me:)
Your beautiful card brought such a rush of joy to me during the holidays.
Thanks for being wonderful you,
Jennifer
That is a wonderful word – love the two aspects of it! My word jumped at me this year, too. I’ll post about it soon. Happy New Year and I’m glad to see you back at your blog, sweet friend!
Looking forward to hearing your story and traveling alongside in the coming year, Barbara.
Thanks for sharing your life with us; we’re all the richer for it:)
Big muchness to you,
Jennifer
I like your word, it’s the same as surrender. When you surrender, everything goes smoother. It makes room for a gentle peace.
May you have a comfortable year in 2018.
Wishing you good health, love, Peace, joy, and contentment. Happy New Year.
Hugs, Julia❤️
So very like surrender, yes. Yes that’s it. Surrender with some teeth:) A fierce surrender.
Surrender on purpose. The strength of surrender…..you’ve got me going now;)
I love it – thanks Julia.
Wishing you the very most amazing bouquet of days ever,
Jennifer
Jennifer, you are an amazing person and I feel so fortunate to be able to read your luminous writing. This post, your words, your thoughts – brilliant and so deep. I love the way I come away from reading this, (3 times!) with a new understanding of allowing ourselves to be overcome, in a good way, by all that is good and beautiful in life.
So happy to see you back here. Wishing you many blessings in 2018! xo
A smile filled my face :
as I noticed this new post on my feed,
and filled my heart as I read.
Words to cherish.
Hey there Lisa:) So glad to hear from you.
Big new year love to you and yours…..may this be your finest so far:)
-Jennifer
You warm my heart so:) Thanks for your generous words and for
coming back around to be here again. Appreciate I do:)
Big joy to you in the coming days,
Jennifer
I’ve missed you my friend. Glad that you did what you truly needed to do in the Space Between. Sending hugs to my January girl!
I appreciate your balmy words, friend. The space between:) I like that.
January hugs back to you, too, almost birthday girl. This next jaunt around
the sun will be our sweetest so far, I just believe it:)
Happy new to you,
Jennifer
Beautiful. I love how you teach us from your own living of your life to the fullest. May you receive many blessings in 2018!! Happy New Year!! <3
Thanks, dear Suzanne; I love that we get to share this messy, beautiful journey:)
Wishing you all the joy your big warm heart can hold in these coming days.
It’s going to be a good one for you, I just believe:)
-Jennifer
I love your words and your dreamy photos, great blog!
Happy new year, stay inspired!
Hi Laura! So good to meet you.
Thanks for coming by and sharing your kind words.
Stay inspired – yes and thank you!
Sweet, fresh inspiration to you, too, as each day comes,
Jennifer
Thanks you so much for blogging something with depth and thought. No–I don’t tweet–or do Instagram–I read blogs with something to say in them. Thanks
Hi Janet, so good to meet you:)
Thanks for coming by and sharing your thoughts; I appreciate:)
-Jennifer
I’m going to join you in being overcome, I like the way you think, your gentle and strong way of being, always so much more than enough, and I like you in my world, never the same without your whispers and nudges.
Beautiful images amongst your heart words … thanks ,always.
thanks, Susan, for being such a companion:)
I appreciate your tender words:)
-jennifer
Hi Jennifer
It’s lucille. I had to read your word
Several times to shake the religious
Mindset of being an overcomer! Yet
When I added my word for this year
After the Lord blessed me in November
With the seventy as promised, something
Shifted in my spirit. Days are numbered
Now and as I sit here with a walker
Adjacent to me, I ponder my word —
Adventure !
It’s time that I am not robbed by grief
On any level yet have a responsive
Heart that is uniquely mind!
I’m excited as I don’t know what this is going to look like!
I hope you are included in one of my days
And also await to get a letter.
I believe in my soul that a bundle
Of letters tied with a ribbon are a thing
If the past should be revived !
Dearest Jennifer
I wish you from the bottom of my heart as you fly over — coming into a glorious happy and healthy new year full of wonder.
Love
Lucille
PS. Just wanted to clarify the the Lord
Has been dealing with my
Preconceptions of word meanings!
For example , breakthrough —
Always looking for it out there
And finding that it starts within !
I will journal my adventures with
No preconceived mindset
Come along with me
The best is yet to be
Lucille
Hi Lucille,
Adventure:) Oh I wish you so many! And with no pain, either.
May you enjoy this next year in a way that is healing to you body and soul.
I’ll have a letter in the mail to you shortly:)
Happy trails, friend,
Jennifer
Hi Jennifer, thanks from over here in Apex 😉 You inspired me to ask Jesus for a word or phrase for myself for the days ahead and He was( of course!) so kind to do so and I wrote a post about it on my FB wall with a pic of a sailboat on the water. Thought maybe you might enjoy reading it.
Can’t really say completely in words what your shared life on this blog gives to me. But I always come way feeling like I’ve just had a fresh bath or shower….a lil’ lighter and a refreshed to start the day again. My love and prayers to you and yours for the coming year, especially as you and Bryan have moved addresses. To me there’s something so exciting about packing up to move homesteads, switching out the old and tried and true places for something wrapped up brand new waiting just for you! Still, it’s usually mixed with alot of hard work and prep and I’m sure sadness to say goodbyes and farewells to good things and folks we’ve enjoyed. If you ever write a book of your complete life story, I’d love to read it. I think it’d be so interesting, small business, family, girlhood, children, church and all. I believe it could bless, encourage inspire alot of people. Thanks again!
So good to hear from you, Gwen:) I love that we get to touch base and wave at each other
in our travels these days; so good to get to hear still from your beautiful heart.
I appreciate the encouragement; something like that is rumbling long in my heart and waiting
for the time to get born:) I love your words and the heart they flow from:)
Much thanks,
Jennifer