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.
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📖 Scripture
“You brought me out into a spacious place; You rescued me because You delighted in me.” — Psalm 18 : 19
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💭 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.
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🕊️ 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.”
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✨ 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.
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.
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📖 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.
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💭 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.
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🕊️ 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.”
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✨ 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.
I went to church this morning without my husband. He wasn’t feeling well, so I told him I would carry him with me in spirit. After church I came home, made us lunch, and told him I was going to attend my very first jiu-jitsu class at One Nation Jiu-Jitsu.
At first he laughed, but later—just before I left—he told me how proud he was of me. Mark knows me well. Praise God.
When I arrived, there were two young students, two others maybe in their late 20s or 30s, and two female instructors, Sam and Sadie. Sadie was wonderful—encouraging, strong, and patient. She’s 38 and told me about “Jiu-Jitsu Grandma Elaine” from Alabama who began training around 62.
I looked her up; what an inspiration!
My training partners, Mushaffa and Lindsay, were amazing. We practiced the closed-guard position, using praying hands to sweep, push to the floor, and transition into a Kimura hold. They helped me every step of the way.
After drills I watched everyone roll and spar. It was fascinating—the flow, the respect, the controlled strength.
At one moment, there were three feet clearly coming from one leg as I watched Sam and Sadie spar. All I could think was about a chord of three strands and Ecclesiastes being brought to life.
I’m sore but so full of gratitude. Thank You, Lord, for the courage to step onto the mat, for new teachers and friends, and for the joy of trying something completely new.
The funniest moment was Sadie telling me Sam had figured I had some type of gymnastics background. I confirmed I could still do cartwheels, as I did for Linda in the Hickory Falls parking lot last night. One of the younger students said she could do a cartwheel, as well. I said, “yes and that’s fantastic …but you are not 57 years old””. She might be 10-11 and said, yes I am 57! 🤣🤣🤣
I went home to rest for a half hour before visiting with my JoJo. What a blessing to listen to good music with good friends and make dinner from cheese, crackers and grapes.
Thank you, Jesus, for every little thing. I love you. I have not written about my girls night out last night—-but it’s blessing has been echoing all day. Thank you for the lovely sisters you have given me. I love you.
Truly, far more accurate to state I am breathing in Jesus and exhaling gratitude.
There is so much I want to say and write and do because the Lord just keeps showing up, showing off, and blowing me away in the best of ways.
For example, yesterday I drove to Spring Hill early in the morning to be at a doctor appointment with my daughter. She didn’t need me there, per se, but she did desire my presence. It was a pure joy to be there for her. Her boyfriend treated us both to lunch after the appointment.
Drives to work are extended now and extra powerful. This morning, there were a copious amount of cleansing tears which fed into beautiful day. Being able to help Trish, make Dawnn smile and pray for Mr. Andy’s situation with his daughters wedding this weekend were big deals to me.
With the move to one shop, there is just too much hands-on work that has to be done when I’m there to consider bringing my laptop.
But this morning, the Lord brought me back to Lamentations 3:58 again. There are two specific verbs used together precisely once in all of Scripture. They just happen to appear in Lam 3:58 and my husband and I “not-so-coincidentally” are precisely 3.58 years apart in age.
The need to study the other scriptures was too early for the lights, so I just took my Bible to the hallway to leave my husband resting. It was way too early to wake him.
It just hit me all over again how impactful that study was two plus weeks ago. Digging deeper into those verbs and where else they’re used in Scripture really stirred my heart, especially since Psalm 103 is so precious to me.
Today, I am called to acknowledge the depth of His Movement and not the linguistic details.
I want to praise the Master of the Universe for everything. I am compelled to praise in many places, like at TJ Maxx yesterday. Thank you, Jesus, for Miss Mary! Everywhere I go, you send me one of your children.
Yes, she is YOUR CHILD, even at 71!
Thank you, Father God, for getting us through the move safely and for all the good progress made on our remaining shop. As an added little added blessing, I called the sign people today, and although they’re delayed, the gentleman who called me back actually leads a men’s group. My husband’s planning to join them tomorrow night at 7.
Praise God for divine appointments! Thank you, Jesus, for making today spectacular in so many ways. I love you.
The Bible gives such specific instructions for how to build the Ark — 300 cubits long, 50 wide, and 30 high. Those same proportions are used in modern shipbuilding today, a perfect ratio for stability in rough waters. I recall learning that factoid from my husband before our first cruise more than a decade ago.
Noah was not a shipbuilder or a naval engineer. The only way he could have known is if God told him — and He did.
That realization still gives me chills. It’s a reminder that the Word of God is not symbolic guesswork or ancient myth — it’s precision. It’s revelation. God whispered into human hands the wisdom to build something that could withstand the storm.
Sometimes I wrestle with whether certain kinds of knowledge are “good” or “godly.” But then I remember — godly knowledge always points me back to awe, back to Him. It humbles me. It makes me look at the world and say, “Only God.”
I see what You did there! #ISWYDT
When I see that the same ratio used for Noah’s Ark is still guiding shipbuilders today, I can’t help but worship. The God who gave Noah blueprints for salvation is the same God who steadies me when waters rise.
“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.” — Proverbs 25:2
Wowza! Praise God for weaving His fingerprint through every number and every nudge. It’s going to take writing this out to get to the first time I ever wrote it in my Bible. The Lord took me straight back to Blue Ridge and how He revealed Himself on 2/3/23 with such power.
I am in complete awe. #ISWYDT
Yesterday, I had an unusual nudge to study “birthday scriptures”. That said, I have not had time to write out the gist of the lesson from my 1:21 and Mark’s 8:19 verses. Only when and if He directs that step do I take it. Suffice it to say there was a ton of meat and honey and much to digest.
In the wee hours today, I was called to calculate our mathematical birthday date difference, “to the hundredth”. It was clear that precision was the point. For almost seven months a year, my age sounds four years older. Precision required me to enter the dates into an online calculator.
Mark and I share a precise age difference of 3.58 years. Of course it is exactly 3.58 years!
The LORD whispered Lamentations 3:58 four days ago to me by making me “consider the source”. How awesome there is only one chapter 3 in the entire Bible with a verse 58. Again, precision. #ISWYDT
This type of confirmation is exciting in and of itself. Imagine feeling that type of a spiritual surge hours before you typically wake.
Wee hour awakenings are unique. There are time he wakes me at 4 am and keeps me up all day. This morning, I crashed hard. Mark knew it and he knows why I now sleep like a baby with My God Pillow.
Thank you, Jesus, for making me write it down two weeks ago today!
When I woke for the day ahead, my son had already left for his job. If Blake were home, I would not have sung to Mark from the balcony. I am to keep that “balcony” reference, as Mark will remember the playful silliness of the day when I shared the song on my heart.
I shared how the Holy Spirit demanded precision on our age difference and it was EXACTLY 3.58 years. Mark remembered us sharing my last post about Lamentations 3:58 this week. I spared him my “plumb line” lesson when he asked about a tape measure. But, that’s what the spirit put on my heart.
Regardless, Mark knew I was giddy as he left to open the store.
I retreated to our bedroom to hang out with my other husband. I opened my Bible to the beginning of Ezra. My handwritten notes were a blessing from Him. In the last two months, I’ve written several related posts I think the most recent one is “Holy Spur” about how God used a pagan king for His purposes.
Joe Rogan may or may not appreciate being in my prayers as I considered how God clearly used Cyrus.
#Yessir! a#ISWYDT
The opening flip to Ezra was beautiful. Still, I had to “flip forward” and the section of pages landed in the heart of Isaiah 30. Wowza!
I still wasn’t to the small book of great Lamentations! The next section flipped to Jeremiah 31, the photo I shared at the beginning of the post. The surge of 2/3/23 is still buzzing in my spirit as I type from my phone.
Of course He landed me in Jeremiah 33:3 before getting me to Lamentations! He is nudging me to note my study Bible at home is an NIV Life Application Study Bible.
It reads “and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know”. #ISWYDT #YESSiR
Divine Humor strikes again! It feels like a Holy “Hide and Seek”game. Some folks bash the NIV Version. I study from several other versions but this is like pouring kerosene on a raging fire! Looking at images of scripture, the nudge to use the “one with hands” was powerful.
That’s exactly what He has done, is doing and will always do. God always listens when we call. The trick is for us to listen to what He says.
Father God, this has been such a joy today, to worship you in spirit and truth. Thank you will always fall short. Thank you for expanding my territory and answering my husband’s prayer. I feel like I keep winning the spiritual lottery with you. I love the work you give me.
When you gave me the assignment of 31 Mats for Jesus, Joy-Jitsu & Joe Rogan, I didn’t question it. Thank you helping me get 31 ready to edit. I hear your call to the expand the 31 to 40 Mats. Thank you for redirecting my steps. Thank you for giving me Lamentations 3:58 so poetically and profoundly.
What an amazing episode in my story with you! Of course you love Numbers.
From the depths of my very soul, I love you. I pray sincerely for all your children to answer their calls. In Jesus mighty name, Amen. 💜✝️💜
All the numeric breadcrumbs leads back to You, Your Word and Your Way, Yahweh!
I just posted “I See What You Did There #ISWYDT and brought lunch to my husband. Sitting in the shop, I am being completely dazzled by the realization we are approaching three years since the Holy Spirit visited me in Blue Ridge Georgia on 2/3/23.
I just googled and confirmed it was the first Friday of February. The first Friday in February is also National Wear Red Day (heart disease in women) and National Bubblegum Day.
Heaven help me, I can’t locate the story in My God Room. Okay, breathe in “Yah”. Hold. Exhale on “Weh”, slowly. Repeat.
The shortest version possible is that I was on a mission to complete the Boss Mull Family Book, The Holy Spirit planted a powerful seed when I took my husband to Blue Ridge in December 2022. I was nudged hard to correct errors on Ancestry.com and similar sites and provide every family member an accurate digital book of our extended family.
Uncle Dan never celebrated his 57th Birthday.
My assignment was to trace all twelve branches and get approval from the eldest in each branch before sharing the project results. This particular trip was for final edits. I made arrangements to stay at my cousin Marcia &Doug’s home, followed by two nights at Don & Jode’s.
Their dad, Dan Mull, was shot and killed August 20, 1975. I had my dad with me another 34 years before he also went to heaven on August 20, 2009.
I just realized ten days later, my cousins are reminded they lost their brother, Roger, August 30,2001.
Grateful in this moment for Facebook. Something about re-reading the post took me right back to Don & Jode’s guest room. I remember questioning the compulsion to go to my car and grab my Bible. It was late and my cousin has roughly 17 years on me. In my flesh, I would NEVER risk setting off an alarm or waking up such gracious hosts.
Yet, when the Holy Spirit told me to “put on your boots” and trek out to my car in the freezing cold, I was obedient.
What transpired for the next few hours was beyond other-worldly.
That morning’s words—Revival, Redemption, Reconciliation—became a thread that pulls through every “23:23” verse in Scripture.
This is like PTSD in reverse. I am back in their guest room, completely undone in the best of ways. I pray that makes sense to even one person reading this post.
Across the pages of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Matthew, a hidden rhythm emerges:
He goes before. He speaks. He protects. He holds us accountable. He honors courage. He values truth. He draws near. He exposes betrayal. He fulfills.
Each “23:23” verse held confirmations of that night’s message. They are proof of divine repetition: God doesn’t just speak; He echoes through time.
Super powerful is the only 23:23 in the New Testament. In awe, I remain.
Together, they form a circle of Presence — the living message of 2/3/23—echoing to the recesses of my heart.
Thank you, Jesus! You put the pen in my shaky hand that night. Woe to the scribes and Pharisees, indeed. I see what you did there. #ISWYDT Or, more accurately, my vision continues to improve, thanks to you. I love you.
I love, love, LOVE when God shows off , especially in our store.
A gentleman walked in with a kind face and a sweet spirit about him, just looking for a particular flavor. That’s all it takes sometime—a spark — and before long I was captivated into hearing tons of cool stories.
I thought I was a music buff. I am, but Kevin is a musical maestro.
I heard stories about how he moved here from Louisiana 42 years ago, though he was adamant in telling me he kept his house in Louisiana, too. He lived in John Prine’s guest house for a year and a half after moving up to Nashville. It makes sense to me those two were as tight as he described.
It was easy to imagine the John at his prime, helping Kevin with his dog at the vet. The way Kevin shared it, he couldn’t read English or sheet music when he moved here. Ronnie Milsap hired him because he read “music by number” and was incredibly forthright in his opinions. He also worked with Sister Hazel and Martina McBride.
Kevin told Ronnie a song wasn’t very good in how it laid out the guitar! He didn’t even realize Ronnie Milsap was blind when they first met.
He told me he’s Cajun through and through, laughing as he described his dog’s name — “Fido,” spelled P-H-I-D-E-A-U-X — because in his words, “I speak 1800s French English”, or something to that effect.
I shared my a bit about my “Loosy-Anna” soul sister, Cassie and my pronouncing “Metairie” incorrectly in Louisiana. He got a chuckle out of it. We talked about marriage, kids, and the funny ways life circles us back to the people and the places we’re meant to meet.
At exactly the moment he was getting ready to leave and I welcomed Miss Patty with my usual smile. Without missing a beat she returned the smile and said, “You’ll let anybody in here!”
That’s when it hit — she and Kevin were family. Her brother-in-law. They hadn’t seen each other in nearly a year, even though they live just ten minutes apart.
God had other plans today — plans that included a little vape shop, a Blonde Polish Chick and Cajun Kevin and Patty sharing a copious amount of laughter. His ways are higher than ours, always
Because that’s how He moves — through the smallest moments that somehow feel orchestrated, the way only He could.
Thank you, Jesus, for orchestrating this day so beautifully. I sure do love you!
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.
Quickly after sharing my thoughts on EZE 47:12 and REV 22:2, I got a nudge to ask Chat GPT to create an image of the tree. It was quite a strange nudge. When the image returned, I felt a surge and a reminder of what was written on my own “tree island”.
“Carol, you’re a river of love—-calm, deep and always moving forward.”
When Anna gave me my felt island in early July, I was nudged to use a chalk marker and write PSA 1:3. It made a sense that day but now evolves into a much deeper meaning. My elevated tree and streams from July now makes perfect sense.
This morning, Brother Gary stopped by the shop, and somehow the conversation circled back to the river again — that same one Ezekiel saw, that same one flowing from the throne in Revelation.
He told me about their family vacation on Alabama Shores. He and his wife still pray the rosary together every morning. Last week was different because they prayed it together, out loud on the beach, while facing the rising sun.
There’s something sacred about a husband and wife speaking faith into the same wind — the marital covenant magnifying every word. And while they prayed, Gary whispered a simple request: “Lord, if it’s Your will, let us see a dolphin.”
Within ten minutes, the water broke and there it was — a shimmering answer to a small, holy wish. Seeing Gary’s eyes light up like a kid at Christmas was precious.
Later that evening, as the sun slipped behind the horizon, their youngest, little Miss Sadie, looked at the sky and said something to the effect of , “God is an amazing artist.”
Miss Sadie is 100% correct! The same Artist who colored that sky also paints His presence in our ordinary days. I thought about my own little tree on the island — how it stands between the banks like the tree of life, roots deep in the current, leaves reaching toward the light.
I see God almost everywhere. I can’t lie and say I see Him in everyone. I just do my job and search for Jesus in everyone I meet.
I came back to settle into Psalm 1:3 for the day. Anna did not write Scripture under my island. However, her heart did write the spirit of the matter in different words.
That verse is the echo of everything God placed in my heart and mind today. The righteous tree, the river of life, the healing leaves — they’re all telling the same story: stay close to the Source. The branch doesn’t force fruit; it just carries what the Vine supplies.
So I sit here with happy tears again, remembering Brother Gary’s dolphin, Miss Sadie’s sunset, and my little tree by the water. Lord, bring the grandmother peace, as well as Anna and her husband.
The river still flows.
The branches still carry life.
And God — the Artist of sunrises, sunsets, dolphins, healing leaves and everything under the sun—-keeps painting His presence into every moment that stays still long enough to notice.
Thank you, Father God, for sending your son to die for humanity. We surely didn’t deserve such a beautiful gift. Thank you for reminding me who I am to you and in you. I love you.
My God Room 