a place for your soul to breathe
He didn’t want to be in the wedding at first, though nobody could figure out why. When it finally came out that he just didn’t want to wear a bear suit, we very quickly assured him that he was not expected to be a bear, just a bear-er. He predicted the future based on something that wasn’t even true. And then he made his decision based on an invisible future that would never happen. I get it. I do it all the time. Anxiety is powerful. But so is truth. And this time, truth won out.
There isn’t one great thing you were made to do. There's one great God you were made to glorify. When you embrace the unique shape of your soul and live as the person you most fully are, art comes out. (Coming Nov. 2013)
My first book encourages tired women to let go of the try-hard life. Instead of trying to grab on to grace, what would it mean to let grace grab on to you?
Written especially for teen girls encouraging them to give up on perfect and instead trust the One who is.
I wouldn’t want to wear a bear suit either! A sweet, sweet post!
Esther´s last [type] ..Stolen Moments
That is about the cutest thing ever.
How sweet. He’s a cute little bear-er.
Southern Gal´s last [type] ..Youve Come a Long Way- Baby
awwww, that is too cute! bless him! he is adorable! I loved this little post.
(I know, I say that every day)
cat moore´s last [type] ..Its Been A While
He’s so cute Emily. Glad truth won.
Amandadod´s last [type] ..sitting on the front row
Thank you, Amanda! I’m so glad, too.
emily freeman´s last [type] ..the future that never comes
I’ve been *seeing* this in my own child’s life…and how it applies to my own insecurities of the unknown, and of stuff that I make up out of the explosion of my own anxieties. Your picture of it all is so powerful in how it reached through to my heart today! “Cute” is also a way to birth courage in the trusting, and the waiting to *know more*.
Amy´s last [type] ..A Thin Place- Looking for A Manuel
Well written and so true.
I love a post that is short and sweet and hits the heart.
Oh, I love this!
That is adorable. Short, sweet and to the point. Love it. What a cutie.
Ohh the truths that we can learn from children! Sometimes it is through their fears and the struggle to confront them, that I come to realize my own. There are times when I envy their strength to face the great unknown.
Anne´s last [type] ..Fairytale Dreams
So true. They teach us so much!
emily freeman´s last [type] ..the future that never comes
So darling. Your photographs are stunning. And I love your simple blog design. It is such a cozy, comforting part of my day to grab a cup of coffee (and I’ll be honest, a few cookies) and see what is up at Chatting at the Sky. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us. They are ministering to me in powerful ways.
Thank you so much, Jenny. I had a half a cookie myself this morning.
emily freeman´s last [type] ..the future that never comes
oh, to have truth triumphing in my heart!
pretty adorable ring BEAR there too.
grace.to.be´s last [type] ..Thursday- April 07- 2011
Awesome.
And that boy? Darling!! What a doll he is!
Kristen-Chasing Blue Skies´s last [type] ..How Not to Turn into Cruella DeVille
Such a simple message, but so powerful, Emily. I am in the midst of such fear now. I worry about all the “what ifs” — what if my book gets published and I fall apart with all the promotion required? What if I have to travel and leave my family and the kids miss me and my husband has too much on his plate? What if I have to give speeches and I freak out? What if I have to write another book and I can’t think of anything to write about?
And all this, without even a publishing contract. Seriously. As my son often quotes to me, “Why worry about tomorrow?”
But yet I do.
Thanks for a dose of exactly what I needed to hear this morning!
Michelle DeRusha@Graceful´s last [type] ..The Patient
Um, I’m sorry. Did you just steal my brain? Because all of those fears have floated around my head like cartoon blue birds for the past few years.
But not as much any more. Because as a girl who has a book to promote, who has travelled some, who has given a few talks, who is having to write a 2nd book…I can tell you this: It comes one sweet step at a time, friend.
One sweet, dependent, daily step at a time.
emily freeman´s last [type] ..the future that never comes
Awww – what a handsome little guy!
What a precious post!
Barbie´s last [type] ..Welcome To The Party!
Anxiety – Something will be not *perfect* about this baby I’ll give birth to this month.
Truth – God has made this baby fearfully and wonderfully – exactly as He planned.
Yes, yes. Abbie, may you be wrapped up in the peace that comes with believing that truth today. Blessings to you and your little one.
emily freeman´s last [type] ..the future that never comes
I really wanted my nephew to wear a bear costume in our wedding, but we couldn’t find one his size. Not that my nephew would have wanted to wear it either, I’m sure.
But I do this constantly. This worry about things that will probably never happen. I write whole scripts in my head of conversations that never take place, work through scenarios just-in-case that never come to pass but that terrorize me nonetheless. The hardest part for me is bringing the fear out into the open – into the place where the truth can win. But if your boy can do it, so can I. 
p.s. Emily, those are your eyes staring out of that boy’s face! Wow.
Sharone´s last [type] ..if you met me
When my now 14 year old son was 3 he was a ring bearer in a wedding and had similar thoughts to your son. One day he asked me if he should be working on his growl! I asked him why; well of course if I’m a bear I should probably growl at the wedding was his reply. Then one day out of the blue he asked me if he would need to carry the bed down the aisle of the church too. I asked why a bed? Well if I’m carrying a pillow I guess they will need a bed to sleep on too? Finally the day we walked into the tux shop to order his tux, he walked right up to the salesperson and said,”I’m here to get my tux, I’m getting married next week to Julie O.”
Oh my goodness.
He had a great time at the wedding and monoplozied the bride at the recpetion but was most thrilled that as a gift he got a Thomas the Tank Engine Watch.
I love how God uses our children to hold up a mirror to our own lives. Just one of the many wonders of being a parent.
p.s. He looks soooo much like you!
shelley.´s last [type] ..she speaks
Bear suit! Aren’t you glad you caught this moment, as I know there are several of these that have been lost to the corners of my mind.
Too cute! And yes a great lesson for us all.
Dana
ADORABLE!!!
So very cute and such a wise analogy. We tend to jump to conclusions about situations before we have all the information.
Thanks Emily!
Bernice
Living the Balanced Life´s last [type] ..Letting go of the hard stuff so the real me can emerge
Such a perfect illustration of great truth Emily. He is just adorable. And I don’t blame him. Who wants to dress up in a bear suit in front of people and everything?
Linda´s last [type] ..Son of Man-Son of God
Emily. I am in love with your photography. For a while now, I have been at a place in my life where I have just put my camera down and set my passionate love for photography aside. But after coming across your blog, I am proud to say that I have picked up my camera again and my passion for photography is still burning as strong as ever. Do you have any tips for a young aspiring photographer?
Emily, I just found your blog through Muthering Heights, and I have to honestly say, wow! You are an amazing writer, and your words have spoken so much encouragement to me today. It’s been a rough morning over here with my two kids getting me up before 5:30, and I have been in such a grumpy place, but God has used your art to lift me out of the grumpies and set me in a better place to face the rest of my day. Thank you! I look forward to reading more…
So simple, so true. Thank you for sharing.
Emily´s last [type] ..Outside Plans and Spring Fever
Too, too precious…something to hold in your heart forever.
I love this.
That’s so me…worrying about something in the future that isn’t even actual.
Smile.
Kara at The Chuppies´s last [type] ..Death and Life
I loved that… such a cute story with a great lesson. Love, love, loved it. : )
Melissa May´s last [type] ..Friday!
beautiful.
i labor hard in the war against the lies paralyzing my nine-year-old…they are the same ones i heard.
this post was an encouragement.
thank you.
adornedlife´s last [type] ..dressed
Oh, you caught all of me with that one! My heart! My humor! My spirit! How many times do we not want to do something because we mis-interpret what is expected!
I remember an August day, ten years ago, when my son cried and cried when it was time for him to walk down the aisle for my best friend….after what seemed like an eternity of trying to decipher the reason for his hesitation, he said “what if I drop it and they can never get married”?
I love that little peek into what they are thinking.
That little guy is adorable!!
Melissa´s last [type] ..Does life make my butt look big
Oh my, that is so, SO cute. And great analogy!
Brittney´s last [type] ..Mommy Moments
We have a lot in common, me and that adorable little boy. Besides being adorable, I mean.
It’s a lesson so big in my life right now, taking a moment….doing the work, and finding THE TRUTH. Because how easy it is to fall into the worry?
summer´s last [type] ..a bra for lunchexactly!
I don’t know how I missed this post. Why do we allow those fears — sometimes ones we can’t even name — alter the path we would take? Fear is not of God. Rather, love, peace joy…. I must learn to follow those voices instead.
Laura´s last [type] ..Underneath the Transient Labels