Category: Leverage

Tethered in The Wilderness

On By mygodroomIn blessings, gratitude, Leverage, marriage, music, obedience, Power, UncategorizedLeave a comment

This morning started like so many others in this Jiu-Jitsu Wilderness season of mine—me stepping onto the scale. For many years, I enjoyed finding an accompanying Psalm to “weigh in” with whatever I may have flipped to in the Bible.

When I fell down the stairs in March 2022, I was 239 pounds. By October 2023, I was in the 180’s. Fresh eggs and “consider the source” led me to the 160 range.

When I got down to 150, I started reading the exact “Psalm of the Scale”. Letting the Psalms “weigh in” has taken an even deeper turn.

Oh, fair warning, today’s post will be a doozie.

This morning, I weighed in at 141.4.

I was tickled to check Facebook in the potty and see a sweet message from Elaine! In her honor, took a pic from my car this morning. She is 77 and widely known as “Jiu-Jitsu Grandma”. Beautiful soul.

Heck, I didn’t ever post the Jiu-Jitsu manicure and pedicure stories. Now my nails are just at the edge of my fingertips, the shortest they have been in decades! Seeing them in this photo just made me make a mental note. 💜

I digress. It is what I do, at least from time to time.

Most people would see a number at the scale of 141:4 and go elsewhere with it. This may very well be the best chance to explain to someone in the world how Jesus “speaks” to me. I firmly believe He speaks to his kids differently—-they are all unique relationships.

I can’t help that My Jesus led me to feel 13 again these past seven months. Seven complete months as of today. Oh, I see what He did there, too. #ISWYDT

I saw 14 / 14 / 14 / 14. Fourteen forward. Fourteen back. Blonde Polish Chick Brain or Jesus? I’m sticking with Jesus!

Just thinking of the three versions of Black Belt Wisdom makes my head spin. So sweet how Sandra wanted to buy my copy of it at the shop today! Seven weeks doubled” , forward and backward was the second version. This is why Version 2 had 49 quotes forward and 49 more backwards. Seven weeks each.

Bless all Veterans- especially Navy men in their 80’s 💜✝️💜

The Master Edit to offer PRECISELY 44 pieces of cardstock and 88 quotes to give Master Luiz and ONJJ confused me a pinch. Why not 40? These are questions I pray about and wrestle with Him over. I’m going to do what He says, regardless. I just seek to understand. The Boss said 44 and that’s what I gave.

What a perfect gem and different double blessing from Jesus! The number honors Mamaw Ruby’s 100th, my 44 years without her (May 8) our Oszczakiewicz Gracie and Rolls Gracie, as much as it honors ONJJ & Master Luiz!

Just like that, the childlike joy bubbled up and I felt the Holy Spirit nudging me, “Pay attention, sweet daughter of Yah. I’m speaking.”

And so I did what I always do.

I weighed with the Psalms. Literally.

I sent my husband the KJV “ dainties version” first. I know my Ginger Beard Man’s humor and knew he would dig the dainties. 🤣. I also know he needed to know I was focused on the verse prior- when sending the second version.

When waking and weighing, I never flip open my Bible for the verse. For whatever His reason, I am not to look at it or any notes He has had me write until AFTER I google the verse based on the scale.

I typed “Psalm 141:4” into Google to see what language heaven might choose to deliver through the internet today. It reminds me every day of typing in “ISA 63:7” and getting Psalm 63

And the first headline stopped me in my tracks:

God has kept Zahira Zachary singing this very track, “Stay”, over me for two plus weeks. I love, love, LOVE the grappling language. Mark has been leading our Prayer of Jabez since October! He just left me “my wilderness stone” on Saturday, before he got on the plane. Lots of repetition, so perhaps spiritual muscle instantly connected me to ZZ’s “Stay” and 1 Chronicles 4:10 in the same breath.

I accept it is a possible result of spiritual muscle. However, I think it’s far more about His leverage over my life. I take such tremendous joy in submitting to His Will and to Jesus, Himself. I personally do not believe it has anything to do with my strength or spiritual exercises. It’s all about Jesus.

I just really dig the way THE Alpha & Omega talks to The BPC-157 in Tennessee and how He continues to heal me. 💜✝️💜

No commentary connects this to Psalm 141:4💜✝️💜

In the song, Zahira sounds angelic singing:

“I will stay tethered to You, You close the space between us.

I wish I could explain exactly how it feels. The Lord has been stitching a message through every crack of my days, in every little detail. Good heavens, I just talked to my husband for longer on the phone than I can recall.

We talked about Jesus- Starr -First-Kings-Jiu-Jitsu and a bunch of Dad/Joe, ice cream, passports and TT. That is shorthand for the Godversation which will now be remembered as “ Silhouette: God Sent Moses”. 💜✝️💜

I can’t recall our last phone Godversation that lasted more than ten minutes. We talk a lot in person, not on the phone. Even when he is traveling, we typically keep it short. Whatever His Purpose, I just know I am to write it down—-it matters for reasons I don’t fully understand.

I am to note that “Elizabeth Street” in Florida is connected all God did through My Assisi Elizabeth. My husband doesn’t even know yet . He sent me those pics after we got off the phone! #ISWYDT! God rest her soul and may her girl be thriving in Japan. Here is a “quote-link” to the day I learned my Assisi Angel earned her wings:

Jesus is all about the childlike jubilant heart chasing Him. Never have I been called cutes for 33 days straight.

Praise God, obedience doesn’t require understanding. It just requires action. So, I am writing it all down in one blog, as directed.

Maybe, just maybe, I feel like a Gen X teenager because I talked to my boyfriend for 47 glorious minutes! The harsh truth is as much as I love my earthly husband, I will always love my heavenly husband more. But, I am giddy to have connected with my earthly love for such a long time.

Mark told me their cabin steward’s name is MOSES. He knew I would get a kick out of it, too. I said, “of course God would send you a Moses for your wilderness at sea!” We had good laughs on the call. Belly laughs!

I saw a full pattern this morning, or so I thought. We never see the full pattern; we are not the Master Designer. But, I saw far more of how the tapestry is stitched together. Then my husband was used to put another cherry on top of another Heavenly Sundae, with Moses . 💜✝️💜. #ISWYDT

Today— Monday, December 8, 2025, I weighed in at 141:4. It’s been tough to add a few pounds ; ideally building up muscle to 150 is the goal. I was nudged to search my ridiculously large photo library for photos of “scale”.

Divine Humor nearly made me piss in my britches! The last time I weighed 141:4, precisely, was the day we finished watching Episode 2358 of the Joe Rogan Experience. Three days later, I posted the link above which tells the Lamentations 3:58 story.

How perfect “Miss Ellie” came in today. 💜✝️💜

Here’s the thing—Psalm 141 isn’t just a prayer. It expresses the human tension of remaining tethered to the One who made me.

It’s the cry of someone who knows their heart is safest only when it’s bound to God. It is the joyous and the grieving tears which have formed two different streams of tears in my 57 years. It’s grief and gratitude intertwined like…grape vines. #ISWYDT2

“Set a guard over my mouth…Keep my heart from drifting…Don’t let me wander into wickedness…

Psalm 141 is the Prayer of Jabez in different clothing.

Not chapter and verse. Not theology. Not in “accepted commentaries”, yet absolutely the commentary Rabbi Jesus is whispering to my heart.

It’s the same Spirit in both. The posture, prayer and surrender are equally yoked between the two Scriptures.

It is a holy awareness that without His hand, we drift. Without His voice, we wander. Without His covering, the wilderness is too much.

It is no accident on Saturday—before any of this unfolded—my husband left town only after printing out the Prayer of Jabez onto green paper and cutting it the way he did.

A stone is always a marker in Scripture. A covenant—-a crossing place and physical reminder that God met you here. My husband “met me in the lab”—- that’s where he left me what the Spirit interpreted to me as a “wilderness stone”. Our marital covenant with each other and Him are all represented in that piece of paper. 💜✝️💜

It makes me smile because Mark probably thought he was just being thoughtful. But in the Spirit, he was participating in something far bigger—marking the very place where God was about to speak Psalm 141 over my 14:14:14:14 morning.

That’s the thing about walking with the Lord in these seasons. He hides messages in plain sight and leaves breadcrumbs in the wilderness.

He sings to me through worship leaders I’ve never met. He speaks through numbers I could never plan to see.

He threads Scripture through songs, stones, scales, and silence.

This has nothing to do with me and EVERYTHING to do with JESUS.

And all of it came down to one word today:

Tethered.

Stay tethered to Him in the wilderness…He will enlarge the path beneath your feet.

Stay tethered in obedience…He will bless you in ways that only make sense in hindsight.

Stay tethered in the stretching…He will double what needed doubling.

This morning wasn’t about weight. It wasn’t about numbers. It wasn’t even about Psalm 141 or Jabez.

It was about the Father closing the space between us, whispering through His Word, His People and His Creation…reaching His Right Hand down to guide my day.

And the wilderness—my Jiu-Jitsu Wilderness—-suddenly didn’t feel empty at all.

It felt holy.

Marked. #ISWYDT

Sung over.

Held.

TETHERED.

And, in true BPC style, I feel like the child playing tetherball Zim-Zam with my sisters at Mamaw and Papaws house. what a precious memory, knocking the heck out of my front tooth and everything!

Thank you, Jesus. What a glorious seven months you have given me. I could never thank you enough !!! How cool to realize I CAN say “never” and mean it—-Never ever could I thank you enough for ALL you have done fore me, mine and humanity.

Thank you for every opportunity you give me to try.

A Fair View

On By mygodroomIn blessings, gratitude, Leverage, marriage, obedience, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Thank you, Jesus, for letting me breathe deeply today.

It’s after six and other than placing an order earlier, this is the first time I’ve touched the computer. Of course, I am running straight to My God Room to chat with you in writing. Still, I appreciate the way you navigated this day for me in photos and images.

Struggling with this letter and website hasn’t been a typical struggle. It feels like it’s meant to be this way for reasons I just don’t see yet. You showed me a bajillion words and feelings in some key photos. Perhaps the most loving way to explain “Why the BPC White Belt” is to pick 12 photos to represent the heart of what you are showing me. At present, there are more than twelve and I trust you will be the Grand Master of Editing, as well.

Thank you for keeping me so incredibly busy for YOU and for giving my writing a necessary rest. You know exactly how you wired me. You’ve had me creating, pondering, praying and simply loving everyone on my path. Today, you connected me to Brittany, mom of four, and let me meet her sweet kiddos, Sage and Ryman. Thank you for her sweetness, honesty and willingness to consider how Jiu-jitsu may be a great solution to benefit her. What a wonderful day it’s been at CV with our customers. Maurice’s smile and KO talking about his five years of BJJ before hip replacement last year. I praise you for all of it.

I believe you closed our Smyrna Community Vapor so I would find my jiu-jitsu community at One Nation Jiu-Jitsu. You know how grateful I am for everyone there. I am still closing my eyes from time to time to remember how radiant Mushaffa’s face was two weeks ago. Somewhere, I have written about it but I don’t think it ever got posted in here. In short, to be witness to the spark which was evident on Mushaffa’s beautiful face when a move clicked was encouraging to me. I know she has only been rolling about three weeks more than I have. In short, it was humbling and exciting in the same breath. It felt good to miss her last Sunday and yet pray she and her sweet family had a blessed trip to Costa Rica. I’m looking forward to seeing all the women at class tomorrow.

You’ve given me a full week without writing here for your good purposes. I may not know all of the details yet, but the one thing that is crystal clear is that there will be a very public letter to serve as the landing page of Jiu-Jitsu Wilderness. #ISWYDT.

Letters, letters, and more letters. Hey, Hey Hey—-I remember it is the fifth letter in Hebrew and in YHWH’s name.

You do like to teach me things based on things you’ve had me to write down. I just learned there are roughly 442 public posts in the entirety of My God Room, spanning nearly ten years. I’ve just had my eyeballs attacked by counting how many posts since May 8.

Holy Mother of Pearl and Praise you, Father God! You are the Master of the Universe and clearly the Master of My God Room.

Considering I haven’t posted anything in 8 days, this is still my 19th post in November. There were 48 in October. You CLEARLY had me busy. That is 67 in the past two months alone.

Add another 20-September, 13-August, 25-July, 29 in June and 5 in May. That is another 92.

159 posts since May 8.

Yippee! More than 33 percent of “My God Room” has been posted since May 8. I am not surprised. You know me, Jesus. I’m giddy each time you teach me anything. But in nearly ten years, I don’t think I’ve ever posted this much in such a relatively short time. I know mathematically it’s closer to 35 percent. I am keeping in line with “dropping the 2” here. #YESSiR

Father God, thank you for cranking my spirit the way you did on May 8. It is proof to me that there are “good cranks”. 🤣🤣🤣 I won’t be using that language tomorrow at One Nation Jiu-Jitsu, as this is between us. Thank you teaching me to “drop the 2” and the pure gem you gave me in Lamentations 3:58. I love you.

Psalm 137:4

On By mygodroomIn blessings, gratitude, Leverage, obedienceLeave a comment

137.44 was a really important number yesterday in our business. It stood out immediately and the Lord made it clear enough that I couldn’t ignore it. He nudged me straight to Psalm 137, and specifically verse 4:

“How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?”

And the moment I read that, I felt it. Not sadness—clarity. This wasn’t about sales. It was about assignment, and about how some things in life just quietly shift seasons without making a big dramatic announcement.

Fast-forward to today. I pull into One Nation Jiu-Jitsu, listening to Zahira Zachary singing “Stay” from my iTunes library—already deep in worship, already soft in my spirit—and when my Bluetooth disconnected as I parked, the exact same song was playing on the radio.

If that wasn’t a Godwink, then I don’t even know what qualifies anymore.

Inside the gym it was Q&A day. Tyrone and Matt were there, Geo was teaching as the black belt, and Jaden popped in. Coach Sadie and Coach Sam were around too. I watched them drill getting out of an anaconda and a couple of other tight spots, and then I asked my question about shrimping—the way your hips need to rotate, the angle, the mechanics. And I actually got a great answer. That’s something I need to drill again.

Then came the moment:
“Carol, do you want to roll today?”

And yes, of course I wanted to.
But I told them the truth. My plan is to roll on Sundays and Mondays, take Tuesday through Thursday to heal, and then come on Fridays and just feel it out.

Coach Sam said, “That’s wise.”
Not “wise for 57.”
Just… wise.

Right there, between the Godwink in the car and the confirmation on the mat, Psalm 137 started making sense. It wasn’t God saying, “Stop singing.” It was God saying something else to me.

There are times in life where the Lord lets you hang your harp—not in defeat, but in obedience. Not because the music is over, but because the location of the song is changing.

And then, as I sat with it, He brought me to the very last line in Psalms:

Psalm 150:6 — “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.”

Psalm 137 is the moment the song pauses.
Psalm 150 is the moment the breath returns.

Yesterday felt like Psalm 137.
Today felt like Psalm 150.

Breath.
Clarity.
Rest.
Strength.
Direction.
A new song rising.

And all of it—from the strange sales number, to Zahira Zachary singing in stereo, to the wisdom on the mat—was the Lord saying:

“Daughter, you’re not in the foreign land anymore.
Breathe.
Move wisely.
Walk in the pace I give you.
And let everything that has breath in you—praise Me.”

Exactly the plan as I enter the quotes into a standard format. Thank you, Jesus.

Jiu-Jitsu Wilderness

On By mygodroomIn blessings, gratitude, Leverage, obedienceLeave a comment

There is no way on earth I could ever explain how God chooses to use me. I have written many times how Jesus love, love, LOVES to get me carried away with Him whenever I am isolated. More on that later. The point is the Holy Spirit moves mightily in me and through me whenever my husband is out of town.

Jiu-Jitsu Wilderness was “electronically born”around 2 am Sunday morning. By that. I’m I mean I purchased the websites around 2 am. As I am following wherever the Spirit leads, I need to pause the floodgates and catch my breath. Just breathe. The inception was on Saturday, as I was pondering how my earthly father would have been celebrating his 81st birthday “in three days”.

Suffice it to say that the Spirit showed me gifts He has given me and how I am to share those gifts His Way. That’s about as clear as I can get until certain steps are completed.

To say I am excited to share a gift with One Nation Jiu-Jitsu would be an understatement of epic proportions.

Despite being exhausted (yet highly energized in Spirit), I went to church without Mark yesterday. Obedience is KEY for me. I heard the best sermon possible about DIRT and truly felt Gen 2:7. We sang Trust and Obey and boy, oh boy, #ISWYDT

No doubt, It hit deeper to realize God literally breathed life into humanity. God didn’t do that for anything else, only for humanity. It’s beyond precious and powerful to me. I’ve known He was the breath in my lungs for a long time—- just felt it in palpable manner yesterday. It was invigorating. 💜✝️💜

Praise God!!! Praise, Praise and more Praise! #MOLA

Seriously, think about it with me. If the Earth shifted even a single degree on its axis—- our seasons, climates, oceans, and habitability would all be dramatically altered. Everything we call ‘normal’ depends on a razor-thin margin of balance — and Colossians 1:17 tells us exactly Who holds that balance together.

In Brazilian jiu-jitsu, leverage changes everything.

One inch, one angle, one shift of weight. And the universe works the same way. A single degree of tilt would undo life on Earth… yet He holds it steady. He is the Master of leverage. The One who keeps every angle exact so that we can stand, breathe, and roll. That’s My Jesus in his “red” belt…the FIRST and LAST GrandMaster in everything.

Invigorated as I was yesterday, of course I went to ONJJ yesterday, as well. What a difference one week and seven days can make in a persons life! My song, “Stay” found me on the way to the gym. I did manage to post about that as soon as class was over. When the Lord delivers a song the way He does with me, it must be honored. I think I posted it from the parking lot at the gym! From that same parking spot, Mark floored me in the best way —-he was already at the airport!

So why did my husband leave me in the Jiu-Jitsu Wilderness?

I wish my facetiousness and humor translated better here. Let’s just say I am a safe driver but my household has jokes about my driving and especially, my parking. 🤣. We’ve got nearly fifteen years of jokes about him leaving me or staying for the dog. We are silly and playful, indeed. In all seriousness, My sweet Gingerbeard Man left town to drive a U-Haul to a Wisconsin for our former employee (forever CV Family member), Jenn. It was the best gift we could offer her after twelve years of faithful service.

Facts? I am not fearful of anything except Holy Wrath. That said, I would not be comfortable driving a 20-26 foot loaded U-Haul and towing a car from Tennessee to Wisconsin, or anywhere else. It’s not my strength and my husband is the best driver I have ever known. We love Jenn and it was clear that our gift needed to be from our heart and God-given talents.

Mark made the drive joyfully, despite his exhaustion from our extra early Saturday morning commitment at Creekmont Church. We love our new church so much, he insisted on being present and then opening the shop for me. He knew I needed rest and he protects me (and the world 🤣) from “hyped up Carol”. Mark wasn’t upset that the Good Lord knocked me out so hard, I didn’t wake until after 3. He never said it was my fault for his late departure of 4:18—he was thrilled I received the true rest I needed.

My husband serves in so many ways like this one. One of my soul sisters, JoJo, knows we have jokes about his “Apostolic actions”, as well. Mark has helped her a few times with various “man tasks” around her home. He loves helping others and JoJo is always so authentic in her gratitude. Heck, Mark even gifted her some Eagle Rare Bourbon for her retirement party last year. He has such a generous heart and spirit!

Anywho, Mark left Saturday at 4:18 pm and was safely home 27 hours later. I picked him up shortly after 7:18 last night and we stopped to split a fantastic steak dinner.

While I have SO MANY BLESSINGS to write out and share, I am just tickled he was blessed to come home a day early. I sleep better when he is home, in general. But, I confess I was thrilled for several reasons and equally excited how he was blessed with no charge for cancelling a hotel reservation with less than an hour or two notice and for finding 95 dollars he forgot about on Venmo- how Jenn chose to pay for the gas and his airline ticket. And, bonus blessings like the flight attendant looking at his 6’5” frame and graciously telling him he was welcome to his favorite emergency section seating.

The extra added bonus blessings for me was being able to be present at ONJJ with Mushaffa and Miss Vee today. As this post has run quite long, there will be a separate post today to honor what God did at the gym.

What a GEM!

Thank you, Jesus, for this Jiu-Jitsu Wilderness with you. I praise YOU for all the colors, beauty, grace and my current position. I love, love, LOVE having your seatbelt around me. I love you. 💜✝️💜

Jesus Has My Back

On By mygodroomIn gratitude, Isaiah, Leverage, obedienceLeave a comment

This morning, I flipped to Isaiah 22–23—pages in my Bible that had never been marked, which is rare for me. And as soon as my eyes landed on the words, “You saw the breaches in the wall…” something in my spirit stirred. Breaches. Blind spots. Exposed places. The kinds of openings in jiu-jitsu that an opponent takes instantly.

Isaiah 22 is a picture of vulnerability—cracks in the defenses, unseen angles, places where we try to fix things ourselves. But the Spirit whispered, “Daughter, you do not guard your own back. I do.” Then chapter 23 shifts the tone completely. From judgment to sovereignty. From exposure to restoration. It is Yahweh saying:

“I see the openings. I see the places you cannot protect. And I will be the One who stands behind you.”

Not an accident.

Not a coincidence.

A setup.

Later, the Lord gave me a song—“Stay” by Zahriya Zachary—and as soon as I heard it, I felt the seatbelt.

That secure, unbreakable hold in jiu-jitsu when someone takes the back with intention, with closeness, with stability. The moment the song said, “If my head’s on Your chest, I can hear Your heartbeat,” it felt like the exact pressure of an arm across the shoulder. Then “If my hand’s in Your hand,” felt like the underhook that completes the seatbelt.

The whole song is a spiritual rear-mount revelation:

He closes the space between us He breathes life into me He anchors me He guides my movement He knows my soul He holds me with no holding back

This is the ultimate jiu-jitsu metaphor:

Jesus has my back.

And not loosely.

Not casually.

Not “spiritually symbolic.”

But in the most real, embodied way—like an instructor settling behind you to protect, to steady, to teach.

In jiu-jitsu, the back is the power position.

It is the safest place for you and the most dangerous place for whatever opposes you.

It is control, guidance, protection, and presence.

It is where the breath is felt most closely.

It is where trust is necessary and surrender is holy.

And today, the Lord gave me a picture of Himself taking my back with a perfect seatbelt grip—an embrace that says:

“I see every breach. I know every blind spot. You don’t have to defend what you can’t see.

Stay close to Me. Stay tethered.

Let My heartbeat steady you. Let My breath fill your lungs. I’ve got you.”

Isaiah 22 exposed the walls.

Isaiah 23 showed the restoration.

And the song “Stay” wrapped it all in the reminder:

“This is the gift of My great love—so stay.”

Stay close.

Stay tethered.

Stay held.

Stay in the position where He guides your movement and guards every unseen angle.

I love that my Savior has such a sense of humor.

He knew exactly how to speak to me today—

in the language of breath,

the language of the mat,

the language of intimacy,

the language of grappling,

the language of a daughter learning a new art and a new obedience.

Jesus has my back.

And because He does, I will stay.

Thank you, Jesus! Thank you for ONJJ. Please use Jiu-Jitsu Wilderness for YOUR GLORY.

Not Forrest Gump’s Shrimping

On By mygodroomIn gratitude, Leverage, obedience, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Today was only my second class at One Nation Jiu-Jitsu. There is much to unpack.

BJJ Technique Focus: Shrimping (Hip Escape)

The shrimp, or hip escape, is one of the first movements every Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu student learns.
From your back, you press one foot into the mat, lift your hips, and slide them sideways while curling onto one shoulder.

The goal is to create space between you and the pressure holding you down. It looks small—but it’s the move that keeps you from being crushed.

I just learned that shrimping is an escape method and scooting can be offensive or defensive option.

Shrimping teaches that survival doesn’t come from strength. It comes from angle, timing, and breath.
You don’t fight pressure head-on; you shift, realign, and make room to breathe.
It’s the language of escape written into the mat.

⸻

📖 Scripture

“You brought me out into a spacious place; You rescued me because You delighted in me.”
— Psalm 18 : 19

⸻

💭 Reflection

When I shrimp, I feel it in my ribs first—breath meets resistance.
Every inch of space feels earned.
And that’s what the Spirit does inside us: He gives us room where the world tries to press us flat.

Sometimes God doesn’t lift the weight immediately.
He teaches us to move under pressure without losing peace, to shift our hips instead of panic, to create a little grace-space before the breakthrough.

The shrimp reminds me that freedom isn’t always dramatic; it’s often quiet, rhythmic, and deliberate.
Each small escape becomes worship in motion—breathing, turning, trusting.

⸻

🕊️ Coach Jesus Says

“When life pins you down, don’t freeze.
Breathe. Turn toward Me.
I’ll show you where the space is.
It’s not running away—it’s moving wisely.”

⸻

✨ Golden Nugget

“He sets my feet in a spacious place.” — Psalm 31 : 8
“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” — 2 Corinthians 3 : 17

Shrimping is the gospel in motion—
God teaching us how to make space for grace when the weight of the world presses in.

That’s how it feels today.

Thank you, Jesus. I love you.

Seatbelts and Safety

On By mygodroomIn blessings, gratitude, Leverage, obedience, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I went to my second jiu-jitsu class today. Sadie and Sam were there, as was Mushaffa. It was helpful to hear Mushaffa’s growing process with BJJ. In fact, it was so encouraging, I went ahead and paid through December 15.

My husband fully supports me taking these classes. Added bonus- It was a stellar deal and provided me a tshirt, ONJJ Irreverent compression shirt and shorts.

This was the photo taken yesterday, maybe a minute or two after Mushaffa left.

Today’s class was four women and 11 men. While I observed them all rolling, My favorite lessons came from watching Mushaffa with Sadie and Sam with a male professor.

Truly, every person has a different style which makes sense based on body type. I love there is isn’t a “one size fits all” when it comes to “good jiu-jitsu”. What is “good” is indeed a very individual variable.

BJJ Technique Focus: Seatbelt

For things like definitions, it seems wise to use BJJ accepted definitions. To that end, I read several and this is the gist:

The seat belt is the foundation of back control.
One arm threads over the shoulder, the other under the arm. Hands clasp palm-to-palm across the chest as you press heart-to-back. Your head stays tight beside theirs; your chest follows their spine.

It’s called the seat belt because it keeps you connected through chaos.

Nudged to learn if anyone particular in BJJ made it famous and this was the response:

In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), the seat belt control position was popularized by Marcelo Garcia. While the grip itself may have existed in various grappling arts before, Garcia integrated it into a highly effective, modern system of attacks and transitions, making it a standard and essential part of the BJJ arsenal. 

Even if your opponent rolls, twists, or bucks, you stay attached—anchored, calm, and ready.

My life verse is Galatians 6:9: “And let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, if we do not give up.”

I see how it applies here. #ISWYDT.

Control before victory. Connection before submission.

⸻

📖 Scripture

“I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”
— Philippians 3 : 12

Greek katalambanō = to seize firmly, to grasp with purpose.

⸻

💭 Reflection

When I learned the seat belt, it felt less like domination and more like devotion.
One arm over the shoulder—the arm of authority.
One arm under the heart—the arm of compassion.
Together they hold without harming, guiding without forcing.

That’s how God holds me.
He doesn’t choke me into obedience; He secures me into peace.
If I thrash, I lose connection.
If I breathe, I feel His rhythm.

The seat belt teaches me that staying connected is stronger than any submission.
Control comes through closeness, not power.

⸻

🕊️ Coach Jesus Says

“My grip on you isn’t to choke—it’s to keep you from falling.
I’m behind you in every scramble.
Breathe. Stay connected. I’ll guide you through.”

⸻

✨ Golden Nugget

“Your right hand upholds me.” — Psalm 63 : 8
“No one can snatch them out of My hand.” — John 10 : 28

His hold is holy.
The safest place on the mat—and in life—is under His seat belt of grace.

Jesús, thank you for getting me through the first two classes. Thank you for encouraging my husband to make me rest today. Getting to spend the whole afternoon with you has been beautiful.

Holy Leverage

On By mygodroomIn Leverage, obedienceLeave a comment

The word leverage doesn’t appear in Scripture — but the principle runs through every story where God uses small things to do the impossible.

He is, after all, the God who turns a whisper into a weapon and a single act of faith into a flood of favor.

When Little Becomes Much

In human terms, leverage means using what’s small to move something big.

In God’s terms, it means yielding what’s small so He can move the impossible.

Moses lifted a simple staff — and the Red Sea split.

David swung a stone — and a giant fell.

A widow poured her last drops of oil — and every vessel filled to overflowing.

A boy offered his lunch — and five thousand went home satisfied.

In each moment, the power didn’t rest in what they held, but in the One who held them.

God’s math is different.

One act of obedience outweighs a thousand strategies.

One seed of faith can move a mountain.

He delights in multiplying the little when it’s placed entirely in His hands.

The Spiritual Law of Leverage

Leverage in the Kingdom isn’t manipulation; it’s alignment. Basically, for me, it’s as simple as letting the Creator apply His weight to my obedience.

In Hebrew, words like: חָכְמָה (chokmah) — wisdom, and חֵן (chen) — favor, describe this holy advantage.

Those walking in wisdom and grace move further with less effort — because heaven lends its strength.

In Greek, charis (grace) and dynamis (power) echo the same idea:

That’s divine leverage — when your weakness becomes the very handle God uses to lift the impossible.

A Mirror for Today

We live in a world that prizes human leverage: influence, followers, connections, wealth.

But in God’s kingdom, leverage begins with surrender.

He asks, “What’s in your hand?” (Exodus 4:2) and when we offer it, heaven bends low. We aren’t Moses , but we should all remember the Great I AM who parted the Red Sea. The staff didn’t do it on its own.

How can I offer “what’s in my hand?” Countless ways, even at a shop called Community Vapor.

Godversation is the biggest gift I can offer on a daily basis. Just being present for those who walk through the door. Prayer whispered through tears can be powerful. I couldn’t begin to share all the answered prayers.

Those small moments shift unseen realms. Heaven has always specialized in small beginnings with eternal weight. I can’t stop thinking about “The Hidden Greatness in the Smallest Letter. What a tiny, humble spark 💜✝️💜

And, just like that, my mind is on a mat and my spirit is telling me these lessons are as much for me as they are encouragement for Joe Rogan.

The “31 Mats” are written and each must be prayed over as I edit. Leverage is a big deal in jiu-jitsu and apparently it was a key lesson for me today.

I will learn more, first hand, as my first jiu-jitsu lesson is next Sunday.