Receiving

I start awake in the wee hours of morning, darkness consumes the night outside as the anxious thoughts of life consume my mind and will not allow for rest.  I worry and fret and cannot begin to comprehend how I will still my soul to lull back into the sleep my body needs.  Perhaps that this is the first issue: "I".  It will be impossible for me to surmount any of these anxieties and find rest myself, but only through surrendering and receiving the open and all-encompassing love of Christ will I find any release from my captives.

I turn to look at my phone to check first the time...3:38 (or something similar)...too early.  Then, I remember my Jesus Calling app and look there.  It is in those words for the day that I am reminded of the love God has for me and how easily I am swayed from it.  The enemy is fully aware of my flaws and weaknesses.  He knows of my tendency to worry and latch on to the things that are beyond my control.  He knows my struggle to let things go and move forward and how I feel that in some way, by holding on and feeling guilt, I am serving my sentence even though I am well aware the most miraculous act of sacrificial love has freed me.  The enemy loves holding me in this place of incapacity.  And I am not his first victim.  My thoughts turn swiftly to the first act of the tempter in the garden with another woman.  The first act of deception wasn't in the act of eating the fruit, but planting the seed of doubting God's word.  "Did God really...?" (Genesis 3:1)  And I think of how many times I have let that same voice, so craftily similar to my own ask myself the same questions.  Could God really choose you after this?  Does God really love you like He says?  Is His love powerful enough for this situation?  These are the questions that claw and catch me in my moments of weakness, these moments of the enemies attacks at my weakest point, but an answer is at the ready from the One who makes me strong in my weakness: yes.  At first the answer comes in a weak whisper: yes.  Then, it builds to a confident Yes and finally a shouting Yes as a remember God's miraculous word and the wondrous works He has performed in my life.  God is beyond what is required.  His love is all-encompassing.

Sarah Young speaks to this love in Jesus Calling when she writes of the discipline of embracing and receiving God's "boundless and everlasting Love".  We must continually be on watch for the deception we may receive from the enemy.  Because in this deceptive whisper lies a path of tragic disobedience that I have found myself on more than I wish to recall.  Claim that voice for what it is and turn to the Savior whose love knows no bounds, whose embrace never loses its power.  He longs to walk with you each step, guiding you in your pursuit of the abundant and eternal life He has called you to.

"And this is the real and eternal life: That they know you, the one and only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent." John 17:3 MSG

May we receive fully this abundant love of God and seek to submit to His authority over our life, so we can know God and the abundant life He has created for us.

Blessings for the journey.

Quiet in the Chaos

The incessant beeping of a large truck is working on the street outside...on Saturday. My one morning i have hoped to rest in quiet thought marred by the American spirit of hard work and continual progress. My body has already awoken at 6:15, wishing for a return to those teenage weekends when sleeping until 11 am was an easy request. I seem irked at the progress outside, but then i think, what have I done to truly quiet my soul before the beeping and scraping outside my window began?

Even before these external intrusions began, I recognized that i had already let internal thoughts and selfish wants for what I thought the day should hold take over. When finally, I lured myself from the constant whir of social media and began my quiet moments in my devotional, I was completely convicted of how often I am disobedient and don't quiet my soul before the Lord. I was so acutely aware of how many times I have been unable to hear the Still Small Voice because of my lack of discipline in allowing distractions to overtake my attention. I find myself yearning for a quiet retreat far away from technology and trappings, but when I think about it, I know that I would somehow find a way to distract myself even in the idyllic setting I have crafted in my mind. It is in these moments that I wonder if the point isn't finding a quiet surround, but perhaps could it be stilling my soul in the midst of the chaos that whirs around me? Is this the disciplined soul training I need in my life? I think so. If I were able to find a way to still my heart in the midst of whatever situation I find myself, wouldn't I began to hear that Still Small Voice all the more clear? God calls us to this and I have a strong suspicion that He will grant us the wisdom to learn how to train our hearts and souls to be still before Him. We are not in this life of discipleship by ourselves. Instead he offers grace and forgiveness for the times we have fallen short and is a constant presence to walk with us in whatever we face.

Elijah found himself in the midst of a chaotic whirlwind, overwhelmed with fear and running from a queen who was out for his life, I can only imagine how difficult it would be for Elijah to calm his own spirit before the Lord. In the midst of his struggle, God provided for him each step of the way. God knew when the journey was too much for him and offered the right provision, so Elijah could carry on. In the same way, I trust God to provide each step of our journeys exactly what is required and as we journey through the difficult times of life, He, too, will meet us with a gentle whisper. May we seek the stillness and quietness of sprint, so we can hear that still small voice of the One who holds the universe and loves us more than we can imagine.

"After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper". 1 Kings 19:12

Blessings for the journey.

Through the Fire

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="390"] Image courtesy of pakorn at FreeDigitalPhotos.net[/caption]

Three men bound up and tossed into the fire by order of the king for not worshipping something other than their True King.  The reality and consequences seemingly inescapable...and yet, they are brought out of the fire completely unscathed.  The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is one of my favorites because it shows God's almighty power and His profound immanence, his "God with us-ness", all bound together.  Not only did these men walk out of the fire with "no hair singed", no tunic damage, and no fire smell, but when they were in the fire, they were not alone.  God was with them the whole time for when the king looked into the furnace, he saw not 3 men, but 4.

Oh to live a life so fully trusting in the powerful love of Christ that I would not allow my situation to overpower me, but trust completely in God's unfailing and relentless love for me.  My prayer is that I would release those situations and circumstances that claw and grasp for control of my life, my thoughts, my energy to the Only One who rules in perfect sovereignty, acknowledging that difficulties and struggles will arise in this life, but facing them alone will not.  Will you join me?

Blessings for the journey.

Living as Mist

[caption id="attachment_171" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Image courtesy of dan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net[/caption]

Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there, doing business and making money."  Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring.  What is your life?  For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that."  James 4:13-15

As I read my Jesus Calling devotional on Saturday, this scripture stood out to me and in particular the descriptor, mist.

When I hear the word mist, two images come to mind.  In one, I think of spending the day at Six Flags Over Texas in the heat of the summer and occasionally stumbling upon an oasis of misters spraying the finest spray of water that offers a brief refreshment, but not a thorough soaking to the bone that you will experience on the Log Ride or "the Flume" as my grandmother refers to it.

The other image is one I have rarely experienced in the hot Texas weather, but it is in the beauty of an early morning right before sunrise when misty droplets hover over the grass with only the slightest hint of the day that is about to dawn painted on the sky above.  This mist I have seen more in photos like the one above and draw me to think of the far off British Isles as a place where mist may dwell more frequently.  But what does it mean to be mist?

1.  Brief

Our time is brief.  I think of how quickly my experience with mist vanishes as soon as the sun burst forth and it is those moments that help me recognize my place in the world and remind my too frequently puffed up self that it's not about me. In the book of James we see this concept of planning out life and I think of my paper planner recently purchased from Target and filled with dates of events for the months ahead and I remember: I am mist.

The writer of James seems to think that planners are okay, though.  He doesn't say throw out all plans, organizational systems, Google calendars...  Instead, he gives focus to the plans.  He encourages a new context.  He reminds us Whose the plans are.

"If the Lord wills."

What would my days look like if instead of making plans here and there on my own, I first consulted the Creator of all life.  I think a lot of the planning challenges I face: overprogramming, disappointment, loneliness, etc. might look a little different if entrusted to the Master Planner first.  Would my stress level drop if I sought God's guidance?

I think of a recent and special event I helped plan: my and my husband's wedding.  It was the most beautiful day of my life, but would I have been more calm and at peace in the days leading up to it, if I had constantly remembered my mist-like state?  Yes.  Without a doubt.

Focusing on God in any planning stage puts the emphasis where it belongs -- on Him!  It is so easy to get wrapped up in our world and lose sight of our only Hope -- Jesus Christ.  It is only through Him that we have meaning and purpose at all.  When we recognize our lives belong to Him and actively seek His plans, we will not be over scheduled and overburdened because we will be resting and trusting in Him, recognizing His guidance and direction.

How our perspective changes!  Let's begin this today, knowing Jesus wants to be an active part of all of our life.  So before we commit to a request, let's pray about it and before we make a decision, let's pray about it and before we invite friends for lunch...pray. about. it.  The Holy Spirit will guide you.  Plans bathed in prayer are never disappointing because they are God focused, so when maybe things don't turn out as we thought they would, we have peace because we are resting in God.  I want to add that because there is sin in the world, situations may occur out of our control, but nevertheless, God is with us no matter the circumstance.

2.  Refreshing

The other word I would use to describe a mist is the refreshment it brings.  Whether at Six Flags on a blazing day or the peaceful refreshment of an early morning, the mist has purpose and meaning.  It may not last long, but still it is valuable -- you have value.  Your life is so valuable to Jesus -- "You were bought at a price" 1 Corinthians 6:20 -- don't forget that.  We are called to be light in the world.  We are called to bring refreshing hope and love to a world that is desperately overburdened.  I think recognizing our brevity helps to give more focus to the meaning and purpose in our lives.  What are gifts God has indwelt within you?  What do you love?  What are you passionate about?  Seek God's plan in those things!

Ahhh, the refreshing perspective of living as mist.  Let's refocus and face our day renewed and refreshed ourselves, so we can refresh the parched desert that surrounds us.

Blessing for the journey.

What Defines You?

Possessions?  Position?  Opinions of others?

The examples above are certainly what society recommends to sooth our disgruntled souls.  If you just bought (fill in the blank) certainly happiness would be free flowing.  If you just had a certain job...  If everyone liked you...  These definitions can wreak havoc on our self-understanding, especially when we feel that we are without these things.  What then?  If we don't have the possessions, the position, the good opinion, where are we then?  Not only do such definitions encourage us to feel lousy about ourselves, but they also may motivate us to judge others with our definition.  Whether that judgement is positive or negative depends on how much or how little of whatever it is we want that they have.  Whew!  That's a lot of work, a lot of calculating, a lot of stress...

Perhaps there is something more.  What if none of these measures define us?  What if we let go of all these societal constructs that try to force themselves upon us day in and day out through the media and through our encounters with one another?  What if we embrace the true definition of who we are by understanding Whose we are?  When we believe in Christ, it is His love, His grace that defines us and those around us.  Our response not only to ourselves and one another changes dramatically when we fully accept and embrace God's definition of who we are.  Rather than seeing what we do not have, we see Who has us.  God defines us as His righteousness -- His right-ness.  When we live as God's righteousness, we see those around us as God's righteousness.  How we feel about ourselves and one another is radically changed.  You are God's righteousness today and every day.  May we embrace God's true definition of who we are, praising Him for this wonderful and transforming gift.

"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him (Christ) we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21 NRSV

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Say the Name

 

As I read my Jesus Calling devotional this morning, I was reminded of the critical need to immediately call on the name of Jesus no matter what we face.  I was convicted of how when faced with an unexpected change in my day, I immediately go into whirlwind of damage control, search and rescue, and how can we fix this, my mind racing with every possible scenario to explore, when the first thing to do is call on Jesus.  Even when I don't know what to say, saying His name is enough.  Not because saying his name brings Him to us because He is with us always and has never left our side, but because saying His name reminds us that we are in His presence and that He is walking through whatever challenges we face with us.  It is for our peace that we call on Jesus for "He is our peace".  Ephesians 2:14a.  Let that soak in.  Jesus is our peace.  When we are upset by the storms of life the only peace we will find is in Him.  When we scurry and try to figure things out on our own, I don't know about you, but my mind is rarely peaceful, but that is because I am not turning to Christ first, saying His name first, trusting Him for who He is.  What a change in my day to day choices and decisions if I made it a constant practice to speak the name of Jesus first..

One of my favorite ways to remember how natural speaking the name of God is is through breathing.  One year at a staff development retreat, a clinical psychologist taught us how saying Yahweh was as natural as breathing.  When we inhale "Yah" and exhale "Weh", we see how our Creator formed us to be able to speak His name within the most necessary part of our being.  Like breathing, saying the name of God brings life and hope and peace in all things we do.  I want to seek to make saying the name of Jesus as natural to my life as breathing.  Will you join me?

"Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."  Philippians 2:9-11

Letting Go

In the hurried morning, things don't go as planned, tense words are exchanged, hearts are repentant, forgiveness is requested, grace is extended and yet receiving the grace, forgiving the self seems challenging at times. How do we let go of the guilt and remorse? It is only in the letting go, in the receiving of grace and forgiveness, that we are freed and can walk in the abundant life God gives. It is in the turning to God in these moments that we find the embrace of the One who desires to free us from the entanglements of our forgiven past and strengthen us to be who He created us to be.

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7 NIV

Relax

Sabbath in the Midst of Agony

"Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment."  Luke 23:56 NIV

The leader you have been following for many months  has died a cruel death on a cross.  In your disbelief and shock of what has just happened, perhaps you begin to recall snippets of words he spoke seemingly trying to let you know that this was part of the plan.  Or perhaps you are so overwhelmed by the agony of the day and sleepless hours you have spent following closely to the anguish all around, you have no more capability to think, to ponder.  Overwhelmed with grief and loss, the tears may not even come or they may pour out in abundance, your head covering, your robe splattered with droplets of salt-filled tears.  Agony.  Sorrow.  Loss.  The women at the foot of the cross knew these all too well, but in the midst of their inner-anguish, they clung to Hope, they clung to obedience.  They knew that practically, their first gift to the body of Jesus would be to anoint his body with spices and perfumes, to prepare him for burial as custom required, but they also knew that dusk was on the horizon and there would be no time to prepare the body before the Sabbath.  They would wait for the Sabbath.  They would be obedient and rest on the Sabbath.  Then, they would prepare the body.

In this Scripture that is part of a story I have heard so many times, the obedience stood out.  They made use of the time they had, but they didn't over do it.  In the midst of sadness and grief we may feel the need to keep the wheels spinning, to keep talking about what has happened, to work on a solution to the situation, but the mindless, fretful, "busyness" was not required.  They chose to embrace the commandment for Sabbath rest.  I cannot believe that it was a coincidence that the Sabbath occurred when it did right after Christ's suffering and agony.  For in the agony, in the pain, in the loss we need Sabbath more than ever.  The pursuit of continual communion with God restores our souls and brings us back to our only source of hope.  For these women, obedience to God was like breathing and after a day of rest, they discovered the truth that we as modern-day believers already know, joy comes in the morning.

Blessings for the journey.

Moving from Awful to Awesome

Exodus1:15-22

Pain, tears, sweat pour forth and then the sound most beautiful, the sound that makes all the pain and agony of the hours before worth it, the sound of a cry from this new life who has been ushered into the world. To be part of that process day in and day out must be a beautiful experience. For Shiphrah and Puah, this was life. They lived their lives to help others give life to new hope. The life of the midwife must certainly have been filled with its share of challenges and sadness, but oh the joy it could also bring. So when the summons from Pharoah came down, what an icy chill must have run through their soul. Here was a man who in his earthly power had the capability of not only ending their lives, but now he was asking them to end the lives of many others, all the Hebrew boy babies. He was asking them to do a work diametrically opposed to what their life's work was. They were life givers, not life takers. How could the king ask this of us?

They could have taken this mandate from this earthly king, recognizing the power he had to end everything they knew, and follow his decree, but the truth is that Shiphrah and Puah held to a higher, holy Authority, they feared God. They knew this decree from Pharoah did not fit with the gift of life they had recognized came from God. The miracles they were gifted to experience each day must have drawn them in to experience an awe and wonder for the Creator God who brings life. Even today as I have been told my sister-in-law who is a nurse, the medical community still cannot pinpoint what it is that begins the labor process. The mystery of the miracle remains still and Shiphrah and Puah had a holy reverence, respect, fear of the mystery. They held God in such high esteem that the worldy values of following their earthly authority did not come close to eclipsing their fear of God.

So they didn't do it. They followed God. They honored God. They feared God.

They were able to hold in tension something that I personally find challenging, balancing God's Almighty Power alongside His Loving Immanence -- His "God With Us"ness. And I recognized and was convicted of my lack of focus on this Holy Power that is the God I serve and thought how my propensity for sin and in fact my life overall would change if I thoughtfully spent more time focusing truly on Who God is, on asking God to work in my life to foster more and more a holy fear, an awe, a reverence for Who God truly is. What would happen if I began each day, earnestly seeking to recognize the pieces of God that I am able to grasp? How would each thought and decision of my day be affected? It is one of my favorite things about God that He is completely beyond my comprehension, but nonetheless urges me on to learn more and more about who He is and grow closer in relationship with Him each day.

Shiphrah and Puah were able to recognize the Power in the God they served and God blessed them.

"So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and became very mighty. And it came about that because the midwives feared God, that he established households for them.". Exodus 1:20-21 (nasb)

May we each grow more in more in our recognition and understanding of God each day.

Blessings for the journey.

Beauty in Weakness

For the past several months, I have joined the She Reads Truth community in several devotional series they have offered.  If you are looking for a good devotional series, I highly recommend joining this wonderful resource.  You can even access these devotionals through the YouVersion Bible app on your phone.

The latest series I have read is "Women of the Bible" part 1.  One of the women profiled was Leah, the first wife of Jacob.  Leah has always been a character in Scripture who has stood out to me because of the sadness in her life.  Her father sneakily married her to Jacob first when the wife Jacob really wanted was Leah's sister Rachel.  How heartbreaking to feel as though you were always second place to your sister.

When I read Leah's story most recently, I noticed that the word used to describe her eyes varies from translation to translation of Scripture.  The NASB describes her eyes as "weak", but the MSG describes them as "fine".  The drastic change startled me.  Whenever I hear the phrase "fine eyes", I'm immediately transported to Pride and Prejudice when Mr. Darcy refers to the eyes of Elizabeth Bennett as fine.  I know he didn't mean that description as an insult, but rather to emphasize their beauty.

Could it be that there is a deeper meaning in the use of this word to describe Leah's eyes?  Perhaps there is room for both translations?  Perhaps, in fact, they may lead to one another, harmonizing into a beautiful melody.

Maybe this description points us to the beauty God sees in our weakness.  For in our weakness lies our reliance on God.  Weakness pushes us even further into the arms of God.  It is so natural for us to rely on Him in our challenges when we are pushed past the breaking point.  Our strengths tempt us to go it on our own, to be independent.  In our weakness, we recognize our true state of being, our utter dependence on Him and the true beauty of the relationship begins.  We begin to see what God desires -- that we would cast off our prideful, show-off self, rationalizing all that we are trying to be and embrace our lack, our weakness, and rely on Him because He is the only one who will strengthen us, purify us and complete us in the way we need.

It is not only Leah in Scripture who is described as weak, but Paul himself writes, "when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Cor. 12:10b.  Paul delighted in his weakness, for it turned the focus to Christ.  What a radical view!  Paul writes just before this passage, the word he heard from the Lord, "my grace is sufficient for you for my strength is made perfect (complete) in weakness".  2 Corinthians 12:9.

I wonder when we open our weakness up to God and ask Him to dwell within, to complete us, is there any response other than praise?  Leah certainly didn't think so!  In fact as God allowed her to bear six sons who would eventually become half of the twelve tribes of Israel, she pointed to God in almost each circumstance, recognizing that any good thing came from God's hand alone.

May we, too, be quick to praise God for the good and embrace our weakness, allowing God to perform a mighty and beautiful work in our lives.

Blessings for the journey.

Blessed

Today it hit me like a load of bricks -- the unbelievably beautiful and blessed life God has given me. For sometime now, I'm afraid the sneaky siren of comparison had slithered into my mind when I wasn't looking and became so in tune with my thoughts that I began interpreting them as my own. Feelings of "less than" and "not enough" began to ickify my soul along with their friends, worry and fear. These are the companions that all to often get cozy and at home in my life and then as they nestle into their familiar spots, I begin to overlook them like the carpet stain that when it first occurred glared frighteningly at you every time you crossed its path, but now is not even recognized as something that shouldn't be a part of the room. These feelings make themselves at home inside me and before I know it I am playing the role of hostess, asking if they would like cream or sugar in their tea.

Why do I not notice them immediately for the sinful states they are?

But sometimes I am gifted with a rush of clarity from God reminding me that all my worth and all my value comes from God alone -- nowhere else. No comparison with anyone other than Christ will help me on this path to holiness. Only resting and trusting in God will guide me to becoming more and more of what God wants me to be.

The distractions of this world are far too prevalent and I'm sure they will lure and entice me again into those icky feelings, but my prayer today is that God would renew my mind and my heart to recognize those situations when they arise and to race to Him immediately before they find a resting place.

But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him. Romans 5:8 The Message

This Scripture emphasizes to me the overwhelming love God has for me and for you. May we rest in this love today and everyday.

Blessings on the journey.

Finding Focus in the Frenzy

Sweet Saturday mornings spent baking beautiful blueberry muffins that pop easily from the pan, perfectly baked, perfectly wholesome.  Mornings spent lingering over Scripture with my cup of coffee and my journal.  Mornings with time available -- no rush, no hurry, just the chance to be.

How quickly life changes with the flip of the calendar.  Here it is Wednesday and those lingering memories of a quiet Saturday morning are just that -- faint wafts of what was, but certainly isn't now.  The schedule fills with work, with chores, with meetings, with a million little things that seem to pile on a to do list.

The beautiful muffins are replaced with a burnt bundt that for a few moments smelled heavenly from the kitchen until the wafting scent of apples and cinnamon is replaced with char.  Oops.  Too long.  A race to the remnant with knife in hand to try to loosen the cake from the pan only makes scars on what was before a pristine and perfect pan.  Now regret fills the void and the realization hits that it has been many days since that beautiful Saturday morning where time was at a plenty and communion with God was so natural and real.

Maybe those Saturdays are far out of reach for you as well.  How often do we truly get to take in those moments?  I can tell a drastic difference in my heart, my mind, my attitude when I have neglected time in the Word and as much as I try to make excuse after excuse and rationalize my time away, God knows.  And in the midst of the frenzy I have created for myself, He continues to call me to "be still".  In the midst of the frenzy God is there, calling, loving, waiting.  No matter how many baking catastrophes I have made or, as is usual, life missteps I have taken, God is present and waiting, drawing me unto Himself.  And it is into His arms I bring my repentant heart and ask to start again, refreshed and renewed.  In the midst of the frenzy, there is peace.

Blessings on the journey.

Wash Away

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="487"] Source: Microsoft Word Clip Art[/caption]

We sat together eyes closed, heads bowed.  The familiar melody rang through the air.  The melody of a hymn such a part of me that I could recall the words in my sleep.

What can wash away my sin?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

What can make me whole again?  

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Oh, precious is the flow that makes me white as snow.  

No other fount I know.

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Those words written by Robert Lowry so many years ago still speak to our souls.  As the stillness and quiet of prayer took over the service, I grasped my husband's hand and heard the sound of raindrops beating down on the roof of the church.  It was in that moment that I was drawn back to the truth in the text of the hymn.  What can wash away all of my sin, all my mistakes?  What can bring wholeness?  Nothing but Jesus.  Could the rain be another reminder from God, another promise to us?  Do not dwell on the past for it has been washed away.  You have been renewed, refreshed, my child.

We have experienced an unprecedented amount of rain in our area lately and I am so thankful for it.  With it's abundance the grass is greener and the world looks brighter.  If we allow the truth of God's love to fully indwell us, will we be more vibrant, more life-filled as well?

This is all my hope and peace.

This is all my righteousness.

The blood of Jesus and the love he has for us.  His saving grace.  All our hope.  All our peace.  All that any good in our lives can come from.  If we truly let go of all the past worry, doubt, and mistakes that keep us from clear communion with God and cling with repentant hearts to our only Hope, then we will experience the life abundant God calls us to.  The journey of letting go and learning to trust is the one I find myself on and each day, each step on the path is a challenge, but pursuing holiness is worth it.  The beauty is we never walk it alone.

May the love of Jesus Christ indwell you richly and renew you day by day.

Blessings for the journey.

The Edge

Her tiny toes, sprinkled with flecks of red from the Marks a Lot marker she thought would be the perfect polish color, grip the edge of the diving board.  The water seems so far away in her mind's eye, though in reality mere inches, less than a foot, separate her from the beautiful clear blue liquid.  She hesitates.  She falters.  She turns and walks to the back of the diving board.  And then, with a new found bravery not fully her own, but entrusted to her, growing inside her, she walks to the edge, takes a leap and jumps.  For a split second she is suspended in the not knowing, in the uncertainty, and in the exhilaration that such a leap brings before the water greets her, welcomes her, cools her on a hot summer day.  And all she wants to do now is swim to the stairs, climb out of the pool and jump in again.  

It is in the leap that so much hangs in the balance.  If we can let go of the fears and doubts and questions and trust, but that is easier said than done.  So many voices cloud our decisions, our choices, our own thoughts and that Still Small Voice always present, always constant, always with us can be more difficult to discern.  When we let our fears, doubts and worries keep us from abiding and trusting that Still Small Voice, we limit our capacity to do the work God is calling us to.

The little girl is me.

This week I have known it was time to enter this space in the universe.  Truth be told, this knowing has been present in my heart for much longer than a week.  I've known with this sense of purpose bravery has been given, but not yet grasped.  And yet.  Here I am, Lord.  So, here I am and my prayer is that this space will allow an opportunity to remember, to abide, to dwell in our certain hope in Christ Jesus because sometimes that hope can seem just out of grasp, but the true miracle is that Hope holds on to us.

Blessings on the journey.