Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Make Room

Make Room
This two word phrase has been so powerful in my life for the past few months, this year even. (I blogged a bit about the Kelly Minter study 'No More Gods'  that inspired this phrase here.) 2010 is the year I have emptied out the ghosts in my closets. Shaken the dust out of the rugs and truly given God over even the hidden corners of my figurative house. I kind of see the idol metaphor like this: At the beginning of the year I had a mantle. And on it were several trophies/idols that I loved. I put them up there so they would be safe. I could look at them, show them off to friends even, but there they stayed, exalted.  Then God said "Make Room.". And one by one I obeyed... removing the trophy, dusting the spot it had occupied and letting only Jesus remain.

The 2 sweet things shop is my last 'trophy'. The shop is my attempt to do it myself... my own way. And now I've taken the last ten days to reevaluate and recognize that God again is saying "Make Room". Inherently good, but taking time and space that he wants to fill with other things~ things that help me fulfill the calling on my life to love Him and love others. That is my singular purpose. So I do it willingly... wholeheartedly... joyfully. Knowing that I was made for more than this.

I'm not calling it quits entirely, but I do just need to step back. The perfectionist in me is constantly screaming that I should do more, make more, sell more, and that isn't the kind of 'more' I was made for. So while a lot of this 'Make Room' talk is figurative, I am literally making room as well, and many things in my shop are marked down~ get them while you can! I will continue to leave my etsy shop open, but I will only occasionally post new items... I'll let you know when that is! My Big Cartel site will only be open for about two more weeks (until my current subscription runs out), and then I will be transferring what is left there into the etsy shop. I will also continue taking your custom orders as my schedule allows, so feel free to send me an email with a request, and we'll see what we can work out!

God is calling me to live.  And I will still be living here on these 'pages', and I am excited to craft, write, pray, and dream with you still in this space every day. In fact, it probably won't look much different around here, the difference I anticipate will be mostly in my home & my head, which is terribly exciting! (As a boss, even my own, I am so demanding... so I'm quitting that job!) I hope you will continue to come here and live with me~ I do have so much fun here!

I said on Friday that I had been reading Joshua 3:5. "Joshua told the people, 'Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.'" Of this verse, Kelly Minter said 'My spirit is convinced that these are the things we have to look forward to when we, by faith, move from the idols of our hearts.' I believe this with everything in me~ we are on the brink, and I want it all! God has put amazing blessings in front of us!

6 comments:

  1. Such a great thing Mandy. We often clutter up our lives with good things. But God wants even those things, fully surrendered to Him, so that He can do a greater work in our lives. I am excited to see where He takes you from here!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is amazing -- so heartfelt and real. I can completely relate. God has been doing a lot of pruning in my life. I would love if you would come to Finding Heaven and link up this post with me today. It's a brand new community. Oh, and I know Barbie, too! Isn't she great!

    http://findingheaventoday.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow -- you're choosing to really LIVE. This is great! I've been there, in that room cluttered with good things that crowd out the Best.

    More power to you!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I loved that study. My Bible Babes did it in the spring. What an eye opener. I know after it I had to call my phone my idol and my friends my little "g" gods that I worshiped. There are many times that I struggle not to grab the phone and I'm still working on it. I love your metaphor about God telling you to make room. He's telling me to phone Him first.

    ReplyDelete
  5. This book sounds so good, and something I need to read soon. I can already think of all the little idols I hold close.

    Nice meeting you through Jen!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow. There is such LIFE in this post!! He is working on me in some of the same areas and your post encouraged me so much. Sounds like 2010 has been hard but so good!

    Blessings to you!

    (Stopping by from Jen's!)

    ReplyDelete

I love to hear what you have to say~ Thanks for leaving your mark!