Probably one of the most important posts I have written in a really, really, long time. Grab a cup of something hot and settle in. Hear my heart as I open up about something the Lord is doing in my life.
Sometimes the Lord speaks so clearly and profoundly
– – –
and our lives are never, ever, ever the same again..
Recently, that is exactly what happened.
I was up early one morning a couple of months ago having my Confiding Time{Psalms 25:14}. I was reading Mark, the first chapter. But this is the portion of scripture that hit me between the eyes.
“As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said,“and I will send you out to fish for people.”
At once they left their nets and followed him.
When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.”
Sweet friends, I have read this scripture probably hundreds of times. Maybe more. But never before did He speak to me like He did this particular morning.
I tend to think in pictures, so I was picturing myself being one of those disciples. And all of a sudden, I kind of laughed and thought, “Oh wait! I am one of those disciples!” Silly as it sounds, I had not been able to see myself as one, like I did that dark, early morning sipping my green tea sitting in my big ol’ bear chair next to our wood stove.
I was picturing myself standing with my fishing nets as Jesus called me.
I was picturing the boats beside me.
I was picturing myself working away on those boats
and all of a sudden there He came.
And I was struck with these words:
“At once they left their nets…”
Think about it:
At once.
At once.
At once.
It did not say, “They went home and prayed about it”
It did not say, “They went to talk to their families about it.”
It did not say, “They went and sold their nets so they could have some money for their future.”
It did not say, “They thought long and hard for a few weeks, and then fasted and prayed about it for a few more….”
At once.
I was dumbfounded.
At once.
How many times in my life have I been paralyzed about something I feel God wants me to do? My most usual response over my lifetime has been: “I need to pray about it. I need to think about it. I need to figure it all out. I need to strategize.”
And it was about then that His voice spoke so clearly:
“What nets have you not yet dropped Linny?”
Wow.
I have come to the conclusion that every single word is in God’s word for a purpose. Even the disciples livelihood prior to being called to serve with Christ.
Think about this: If they had been bakers…it would have read, “They dropped their spoon and followed Him.”
But they were fishermen.
The idea of a “net” has spoken greatly to me.
A net?
A net gathers. A net seizes. A net holds.
The disciples dropped the very thing that they had used to gather, to seize, to hold.
They dropped it at.once.
And so I began making a list of my nets that I have clung to for far too long. Nets that really have tangled me up and tied me down from doing what God has called me to do.
Like my net of insecurity.
You know that net?
Many of you struggle with it too.
It says, “You’re not capable.”
“You’re not qualified.”
“You can’t do it.”
“You can’t make a difference from your little corner of the world.”
Insecurity can paralyze.
But not anymore!!!!
Dw and I have a dream.
It’s a crazy, wild dream.
It involves the orphan.
And we are going for it!!
We are building the website and we are filing the 501c3 paperwork,
and we are about to unveil the dream that God has placed in our hearts.
and we are about to unveil the dream that God has placed in our hearts.
OR
My net of sentimentality.
I couldn’t get rid of my treasured “stuff” before because everything had such sentimental value to me. Really, speaking for myself, some of my “stuff” had become idols in my heart. Truly, nothing had much monetary value, but for me, “My grandma made this, so I could never get rid of it.”
OR
“My sweet friend gave this to me, so I could not give it away.” I mean, seriously, friends, I have been known to be ridiculous about sentimental value stuff. “My mother’s sister’s nieces, neighbor’s parole officers’ cousin gave me this….” {haha}…what a ridiculous thing – I had been so tangled up in stuff!!
Obviously the fire wiped the sentimental things out of my life BUT since losing everything, it has been easy to get caught up in the sentimental value of all the new stuff…..and so I began to wonder…
Was my attachment to things keeping my hands
tangled up in a net around me?
What if He asked me to give it away?
Better yet, shouldn’t I be looking for ways to just give it away
when I see a need??
And so I have {with the Lord’s help} tossed that smelly old net to the ground.
I don’t want to be held back by a dang thing.
I don’t want to be held back by a dang thing.
My sweet friend made it for me……But you need it?
You can have it!
Infact, please, please, please – take it!
And then there was this net:
Family time
The time where we are just a family, no one else.
It, too, had become a net to me/us.
But we began to realize that God was calling us to throw down that net. And He has been bringing {literally} tons of kids right around us without family. Some of them are truly “orphans” due to real life circumstances or even due to their parents checking out of the relationship.
Could it be that the Lord wanted us to give up
the selfishness of our family time to include others?
So they would see what a real family was supposed to look like?
It might sound trivial….but really, this family time thing is huge for us.
We have shared family night before, but not very often.
We have shared family night before, but not very often.
It has been revolutionary to think about everything that would stop us from doing something
for the Lord as a net…and ultimately deciding to truly
for the Lord as a net…and ultimately deciding to truly
“throw it down.”
And then the Lord brought to mind something else as I have been meditating on those four verses…
Here are some nets that can easily entangle:
Birth Order
Number of Children
Our age
Our age when they are grown
Retirement {or lack thereof}
Health
Really.
I am convinced that when scripture says
“At once they left their nets”
it is admonishing us to do likewise.
Stop trying to figure it out.
Stop thinking too hard.
For goodness sake – stop worrying about it!
Stop trying to take into account all the variables.
Stop wondering what others will think.
Throw it down.
Drop it.
Cast it aside.
Kick it to the ground.
At once.
I want my life to count.
At once.
I want to live with reckless abandon for the Christ who set me free.
At once.
I want to give my life away.
At once.
I’m not turning back.
At once.
I’ve been dropping that stinkin’ pile of nets and running with purpose.
At once.
It’s been freeing and crazy already.
At once.
And the words are echoing in my mind all day long:
“At once they left their nets.”
{Lord willing, I will share more soon.}
PS: Got any nets you need to chuck aside with me?
Do it!
At once!!!
I have the net of insecurity and being afraid all the time.
Fear,
Inadequate,
Too old,
Too late in life,
etc., etc., etc.
Dropping it down.
Can hardly wait to hear what God is callin you and DW to do for the orphan!
🙂
Janet and gang
You sound free(d), you sound excited, joyous…
You are inspiring Linny. You have a way with words, of explaining things – so easy to understand.
I must confess to you that I am not a religious person, but I am spiritual. Your words have struck a cord with me. Thank you.
Fears
Health issues
Insecurities
Habit of worry
Throwing down these cumbersome and constricting nets
Praying for you and yours Linny
too soon
too many
too far
not enough room
shall I go on?
It clicked though Linny. It clicked. Thank you. We will be pursuing the adoption of the beautiful little girl I mentioned in an email to you.
Christy
Beautifully written….there are a few in my life has well.
I can't wait to hear what God is calling you to do. Hugs and love
Oh my word, Linny! It was not three or four days ago (I can't remember exactly) that I read that same chapter in Mark and was struck by the same thing. Their immediate obedience had been pointed out to me before, but when reading it again I was reminded that is exactly how God wants me to obey, immediately! Thank you for sharing your heart and by doing so, God affirming to me some of the nets I need to drop! I love your heart and I really look forward to getting to know you better in Heaven (hopefully before then, but not likely since I live in Maryland.) Blessings! Can't wait to hear all of the wonderful things God has in store for you!
Good thought. Very challenging. I think I'll pray about it. :o)
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!!!!! I needed to hear this in a BIG way. We leave on Thursday for Baja to serve in an orphanage as a family. We are stepping out because the Lord has made it SO clear that this is what we are supposed to do. As we get closer I have begun to feel those nets swirling around my ankles (maybe the kids need a 'normal' Christmas, maybe our extended family needs us more than the orphanage, maybe there is nothing for us to do there blah, blah, blah)….but oh…you are so right on. It is not about what we are leaving or what we will do. It is about dropping everything and following and that is it.
I need to go spend some time asking God just what other nets I am about to pack in our car…
Thank you so much!!!!!
Shannon
so encouraging to hear these words! we are on our second " birth order disruption" 🙂 Thank you for this post!
a friend and I were disussing this same verse a month or so ago….. And your list of "nets" looks so much like mine. DH and I trust that we will know when…… and once again God will do it. (my aunt commented the other day that she couldnt believe that my father called himself a Christian but wasnt supportive. Then commented that wasnt a christian supposed to be christ-like.I was humbled that in our humble home she was seeing what being a Christian meant. What if there werent any christians willing to drop their nets and follow him?)I tremble at the responsibility……
Just yesterday I emailed this to my friend,
how are you doing? How was your day?
Mine was busy, been cleaning and getting rid of stuff that I've kept over the years, lots of things that I haven't used for years – clothes, books, sports equipment, things. Tryng to leave only a few important things to keep. There's still some more to go, lots of school/university related stuff that I'm wondering what to do with. It'll feel good to get rid of them all, but will I use them one day in the future? Will I go "oh I regret getting rid of that stuff?" But I know that in the end what's important to keep is my faith in Jesus and KJV bible 🙂 The rest I can't bring to heaven, right? 🙂
The timing of your post…
🙂
Many, many nets but one big one I am really trying to throw down.
I was honestly shocked when I read this because God has been teaching me about these same things lately. We just did a study in Sunday School about the disciples dropping everything and following Jesus. I was in tears every week.
I can't wait to see what your working on.
oh my gosh—birth order!
Being Qualified!
Capable!
Thinking about what nets I need to throw down.
Thanks!
Very good post! I am sharing this 🙂 Thank you!
I CAN'T WAIT to hear the dream!!!!
Hi Linny,
For awhile my husband and I's "nets" was WANTING to adopt, DREAMING of adopting, and TALKING about adopting. The unknowns (are we even ready for kids?)… the money (my husband is a pastor and I work at a domestic violence shelter so we're really raking it in :)… and the fear (we have no idea HOW to do this)… kept us from "leaving our nets at once." I am so thankful to say that by the grace of God, just a couple weeks ago we decided to go for it! We are adopting our first child from Uganda! And so far, just as you said, it has been crazy freeing and brought us an OVERFLOWING JOY!
Thanks for allowing us to celebrate with you as your family takes on this new journey!
Blessings,
Karly
My net… I actually threw it aside on Sunday… I realized it then… the desire to know where God is taking me and thinking I can or should be controlling this deal. This has required some behavioral changes for me. :-/
Thanks for asking.
Yippee! I love this post. I'm in the process of dropping (or maybe I should say letting Jesus untangle me from) the dozens of nets I've been trapped under.
Some of my nets are…
1. financial insecurity
2. worry
3. mommy guilt
4. the tendency to try to control everything
5. rationalizing everytihng
Now I'm trying to drop them all and just follow Him. Towards the orphans with empty pockets and an open heart!
I love your blog, girl! Keep encouraging us to follow with wreckless abandon. I need the daily reminders right now!
Thank you so much for this post. My husband and I just had a big talk last night concerning what we haven't given up. I want to surrender all. Completely give up my idea and the worlds idea of what our lives should look like and do what He has planned for us. The saying that has been going through my mind for months is "slow obedience is disobedience". My little dog reminds me of this every time I send her to her kennel. She moves along so slowly, but it is a perfect picture of how I often, (like you said) wait and think it over and "pray about it" and talk about it etc. etc etc.
Thanks and I am excited to see what you are working on.
I have the net of doubt about getting into medical school in a couple of years… i have the net of doubt that I can be an awesome mother when I will be a doctor, I have the net of doubt that I can still be close with God when I am a doctor…I am going to throw these out because afterall, God is the one who called me to be a doctor, so I shouldnt worry about the wonderful journey to my purpose 🙂
oh, linny. I LOVE YOU!!! seriously, you are a joy and a treasure and i'm so thankful to call you friend!
that wild, crazy dream of yours? well, i can't wait to hear and i just know that i will be cheerleading & supporting you all the way! i can't wait!!
i can tell you that i'm going off to pray tonight & many, many times to come for the Lord to reveal my nets & that i DROP THEM at ONCE!
thank you, friend. you are loved.
Linny, you are good!
Thank you so much for sharing your heart and encouraging all of us!
I am very much excited and looking forward to hearing what God is leading you to!
Blessings,
Donna
Ah….at once. You know who else I've been reflecting on is Abraham….he left and didn't know where he was going.
Thank you for being human to me…no really! There are times when we look in on someone else and think do they really struggle with the earthliness, the humanness I found myself wading through at times?
But the victory in throwing down those nets that awaits you, awaits me to just go AT ONCE!
I have the strangest idea Linny and I have no earthly idea if it involves you guys or not. But the Lord keeps bringing it to my mind. Maybe one of these days I'll email it to you. It involves ministry and the orphan. Maybe it's what you and Dw are working on. Can't wait to hear and see what the Lord is calling you to do AT ONCE! 🙂
Okay, I needed to hear that. I[m going to link to this post. It's one that…well, God is very much working through. Hugs and thank you for writing about this.
Fear
Inadequacy
Age
Lack of finances
But I have dropped a few of my nets as well and just enrolled in a Bible College. I am not sure where it is going to lead but I know that God knows and I am excited to be following where I believe he is leading.
Wow! That's huge. Thank you for sharing.
Drop the nets at once.
For me, right now, it's security. The net represents security, a 'safety net', if you will.
But it's tangling and confining. . .
birth order
not qualified
too old
too tired
too fearful
not enough room in the house
not enough money in the bank
not enough padding in the retirement
not enough patience in the heart
all our friends think we're crazy
my dear daddy thinks we're crazy
maybe my husband thinks we're crazy
maybe I really AM crazy!
and definitely not enough money in the bank
How do I drop them all -at once-?
Thank you for posting!
–SleepyKnitter, working on adoption #3, feeling crazy 🙂
House too small
Not ready
What will my parents think
Too soon after child #3 came home
Fear for "my own" children
etc. etc.
Dropping my nets. I will be taking foster care classes starting in January. Also I am homeschooling my children in a radical style that I believe God has called me to (much of Him, little academics, much free time.) Some would already consider my life radical for the Lord (as most would consider yours), but it really is very comfortable, but not for long! What if He really is calling me to adopt an older teen? Am I ready and willing to drop my nets? I hope so, but I am a little freaked out by that one.
Also it struck me how your nets were mostly "good" things, as were the disciples nets. They weren't sins. But they weren't what the Lord had for them right then.
Thank you, Linny!
I have been reading your blog for weeks but never commented and I felt like I needed to on this post.
My husband and I said in January that we were done adopting. We have two daughters and we're always broke and it's just too hard to adopt again.
In August we had a family member mention waiting kids in Lesotho. On Friday we'll find out if we've been approved to adopt and find out who they have chosen for us.
We didn't think about it really. We didn't spend a lot of time praying about it. We found out via email at 11 pm one night, we contacted the agency the next day and started paperwork immediately. When we got our daughters we had not even been attempting to adopt but a family member could not parent and asked us to meet her that night to take the kids. We went from no kids to two kids in the span of 14 hours. We didn't think too much. We only prayed as we were driving up to get the girls. The decision was instant.
God gives us gut instincts for a reason. When we follow them, we are blessed beyond measure. I'm so glad to see you broadcasting this message.
Reading this made me cry. My husband and I feel Gods calling but not sure what it is. But we are excited and I am so excited for you all. Cant wait to hear the rest.
Amen Linny! Love it.
Oh LINNY! I'm so excited to see what you're up to! I have to say…just minutes before I read your post my husband and I were talking about where the Lord might be leading us to adopt again…and I was weighing all the pros and cons of each one(one is more dangerous, more costly, more time consuming..more everything!)..pray that we can cast down the nets and just GO..!
Hi Linny,
Largely inspired by you, I just posted what I have been thinking about. After you've left those nets behind and you've gone on a crazy journey with Jesus, and then,
he dies,
and you are alone. You start to go back to the nets…
And then
GOD SHOWS UP!!
http://jamesandcammy.blogspot.com/2010/12/have-you-ever-thought.html
Thanks again for this!!
Cammy
Guess what. Because of what you shared, I've finally got rid of all my university notes, boxes and boxes of them. The funny thing was when I decided to do it, my mind became so much peaceful, there's a stillness. Praise YHWH! 🙂
You are so awesome. Can't wait to hear more of what you and DW are doing. I refered a friend to your blog and she spoke with DW about going with on the next mission trip… she is from Wisconsin…such an amazing girl, so funny too:) Praying for you all right now… you inspire me:)
Sara
Can't wait to hear about the details. 🙂 Alexis would be happy to help with the website. She's done several now. Joel could help with 5013c if needed. 🙂 I'm signing up my family…haha
I had to smile as I read this tonight, as the Father has been laying something very similar on my heart this past week! I wrote about it earlier today (http://katinchina.com/2010/12/a-rich-man-a-blind-man/). Thanks for sharing your heart!
I just wrote about your post in my blog. Hope you don't mind. Thanks for challenging the tangling of my feet. I'm laying down my nets.
Emily
Linny and fam,
Needed to read this and just shared it with my husband. We have been talking about a non profit for the orphan for a couple years…I feel like God has been placing big things on my heart and I just don't know how it is to happen, but maybe that is just because of my nets too!
Can't wait to hear the rest of your news!
Thank you for those beautifully written words. I sent it on to a friend that has a huge life-changing decision in front of her that GOd has lead her to, but she's too wrapped up in the how's and why's. I think this will be a blessing to her.
Love this Linny….There is so much I want to do..I am abooard with you!
Cannot wait too see what you 2 are up to..Opening a orphanage, a non profit business of some type. We wanted to open a non profit business here but the accountant told us to wait until the adoption is done because we didn't have the 8,000 to start it. I love how you keep me lifted high with faith girl. Thanks !
Lots of love and blessings!
Jill
I just started a Beth Moore study – 90 days with John the Beloved Disciple. They scripture for yesterday was this one. You have had me thinking and praying all night. This was definitely God-timing for me. I will let you know what the Holy Spirit reveals to me.
Awesome word Linny! Awesome! Thank you, it spoke to me! Oh and the website ….waiting…..excited…you know Justin and I are in, however we can be!
XOXO
so…i took the first step
♥
Beautifully written, Linny. Thanks for sharing that, it really struck a chord with me today. We keep letting go over and over again. The world by now thinks we are insane, I know. But the rewards of letting go can be so great. We let go again just a few months ago and now we are just 6 months from bringing home our 5th blessing. Then we start up again with the "our house is too small…. we need the money for other things" talk, but I have a feeling God expects us to keep letting go so that our family can continue to grow.
Dear Sweet Blog Friend, What a beautiful post! THANK YOU! Janet
WONDERFUL POST!!! Amen!!
AMEN, amen and amen! The Lord spoke this message to me a while back. The net is down…
Halelujah!
What I keep thinking is that nets take a lot of maintenance and it can appear to be really good work to be fixing holes in a net – but really it's just making it harder to get out of……
Thankyou Linny,
Anna Marie
Halelujah!
What I keep thinking is that nets take a lot of maintenance and it can appear to be really good work to be fixing holes in a net – but really it's just making it harder to get out of……
Thankyou Linny,
Anna Marie
Oh Linny I am in tears at the honesty of this post. It has convicted me to be sure. I hope you don't mind I would love to link this to my blog.
Just when I think I've let go of net, another one jumps into my hands. I've got nets to discard. Thanks for sharing this!!
I am so touched by this. I recently threw my nets down and I am going to India to be the hands and feet of Jesus to orphans for three weeks! I have to continue to throw down the nets and you just helped me decide when I'm going to India . . . I was holding on to a net that was keeping me from deciding when to go! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Dear one,
I didn't comment when I first read this, but want to say thank you for your honesty and for your words– straight from the Lord's heart. I spent today (Tuesday) pondering my nets. Oh me.
I'm currently caught in the net of "stuff" and tired of trying to battle my way out. Tonight I'm laying down the net, trusting the Lord to walk me through the release of said "stuff"–knowing He will. He is faithful. He is eternal. Stuff is, well, just stuff. I want my treasure to be in heaven. Goodbye net of "stuff" . . . Jesus now holds you–you are NOT my trap!
Ahhh. I feel lighter already.
Lord, please reveal my "nets" so that I might lay them all down. At once–and run after you, free at last from the nets that hold me back.
I love you Linny, thank you for ministering to our hearts.
Tina
Our church is still struggling with an orphan sunday presentation…even though it's already December. Our pastor said I could get up and SPEAK to everyone (kinda knew how Moses felt when God told him to speak to Pharaoh) and needless to say I felt unable and was waiting to DECIDE what to do, or to see if I could recruit someone else to take charge. Thanks for sharing what God has placed on your heart. It is not only beneficial to addressing the congregation, but also to give me courage in our current adoption pursuit.
Karen H.
Awesome awesome awesome, Linny. Thank you Lord for speaking through Linny.
My big net is worrying what others think about me and my family.
Another biggie is fear.
Linny,
What an amazingly awesome post. Wow is all I have to say. your words have inspired me to start our adoption and start raising fund for it, too! Thank you so much, this is exactly the puch that I needed. I have been hearing the Lord whisper to me what I need to do and I always answer ok but… so now I have dropped my net and followed His will for or lives. I am so excited!!!!!!
my etsy site is http://www.craftymamaboutique@gmail.com and my new blog is http://www.craftymamaboutique.com I haven't posted anything..but i will soon! thank you for being you.
blessings, Leigha
Wow! I can't wait to see what is in store. Even in the midst of turmoil and chaos that is life, your family has the amazing ability to inspire so many people. I want to be just like you when I grow up! 🙂
With over 50 comments already, this may get lost in the shuffle. But.
The Lord led me here today because I have nets. The funny thing is, I thought I'd thrown most of mine down already. But, clearly, I've not.
As we enter this new chapter of our life, seeking to serve the Lord in Africa with our 6 small children, the Lord is beckoning me to thrown down my nets of…
Safety.
Health.
Risk.
and fully rely on Him that He is taking us there and in His will we will be exactly where He desires us to be.
Thank you.
Well, I needed this tonight.
A reader of my blog told me about your blog today and I couldn't be happier about it! We have adopted 3 kiddos so far, with more on the horizon. We are in the midst of a major life-shift. We are throwing down all kinds of nets, but sometimes we go back and pick them back up, which is why I needed to read this tonight.
Can't wait to see more of your life.
-Shannan