Trust

I need to grab hold of this truth with a death grip, instead of holding it like it is a pretty butterfly. I need to pound it into my soul, instead of giving it flight.

I need to trust.

Kick out the doubts and stand upon the promise that He is a Good, GOOD God.

And dance.

I need to dance.

Time to kick off the cement shoes and dance in the freedom that this verse is saturated with.


*Linked up with Homemaker Design.

How Do You Dance?

 

 

 

How do you dance when the beat changes?

How do you dance when you the music stops?

How do you dance when all eyes are turned upon you?

Do you stop or do you leap?  Do you walk away defeated or do you sing as you twirl- 

Making your own music and dancing your praise.

 

 

You know that you have been called to dance; to be over the top called apart from the others sitting in the pews around you.  No longer is it okay to sit there unchanged.  No longer is it acceptable to not be outrageously vocal about who Jesus is for you.

The choice lies before you. Sit down, be quiet, keep the peace, keep the steady.

Or live out the fire that your Savior has put inside you.

You can sit on your hands or raise them high.

You can succumb to glazed eyes and numb mind or throw caution to the wind.

You can slip into heart hibernation…

 

 

Or you can DANCE.

The choice is yours.

Do you want to dance? 

Do you want the world to see you twirling, leaping, and praising your Jesus?  Then DANCE!

Do you want to live out the bold faith of the New Testament?  Then display the fire of the Holy Spirit that is within you.

Do you want to further the Kingdom?  Then SING!

 

 

 

Grab your skirt, send up a shout of praise, and twirl!

Leap and tell the world of a Savior who loves beyond measure!

You can’t go back.

There’s no sitting.

This is no quiet demonstration.

This is God.  His Spirit pouring into you. Urging you to crazy love.

SO DANCE!

Spilling Forth His Glory

 

There’s so much, so, so, much.

What words should I even start with.  How do I organize into coherent thoughts all that I have experienced?

When God calls you out to follow Him and He asks you to toss all logic and religious caution to the wind, how do you capture that in words?

Over eight months ago God showed me a picture of myself.  It was just a quick snapshot, like one of my own photos except I was the subject.  I was standing in the middle of a grassy field, up on a small knoll that over looked billowing fields and a woods that stretched out as far as my eye could see.  The grasses and prairie flowers were bending in undulating waves all around me.  I had a basket full of grain on my hip.  I had taken a handful and tossed it into the air.  The wind which I was facing lifted my hair up and away from my face.  Chaff floated up and around me carried away by the steady flow that blew past me.  The grain dropped free and clear, unhindered by the chaff, ready for use.

 

 

At that time I only had a miniscule thought of what God was calling me to, but as the months advanced and the chaff became so thick that it almost took my breath away,  I began to see that God had showed me in advance what He was going to lead me through.

It has been a journey.  A journey of heart ache.  A journey of questions.  A journey of renewal.  A journey of new Life.  Above all it has been a journey of seeking God above all else. 

As I think again on the vision God gave me of myself in that field.  My face was never down looking at where my feet were or focusing on my hands reaching for the grain.  My chin was up.  My eyes were lifted to the heavens, seeking my Father, who desires an intimate relationship with me.

As I lift my eyes to seek God’s face I am learning first hand of His intense and all consuming love.  I am getting more and more glimpses of His majesty, His compassion, His power, His glory, His beauty.  He is teaching me to separate the unneeded, the unnecessary, the cumbersome, the hindrances from my every day.  In place of the chaff He is filling me with His Holy Spirit, full to overflowing, so that every part of me, every single pore is spilling forth His reflection.

It’s a process, this becoming more like Christ.  At times it is so hard, hard enough to bring the tears and the almost giving up,  but on the other side there is such joy.  I am learning this joy, hungering for more and more of this God-given gift. 

 

 

Through it all I just want to REFLECT Him, so that I carry Him into every situation.  Into every place I step may His LIGHT shine chasing away all darkness and confusion.

Jesus in me and nothing else!

Far Out Beyond Reason

 

 

I stood on the shore for too many years. 

It was safe there, I thought.  Knowable. It may not have been as exciting or refreshing as the water, but there were interesting things there.  Things enough to keep my attention.

I could lie on the endless sandy beach, sand molding around the contours of my body, heat soaking into my skin, listening to the chatter of the seagulls and the whisper of the wind in the sea grass that gathered in groupings along the edges of the dunes. And when that became too uncomfortable or monotonous,  I could spend considerable time looking down at the stones that gathered at the waters edge, sometimes I would even find a hidden gem of sea glass.

But, the shore wasn't the water.  There was no power in the sand.  Nothing to really refresh my sun baked soul.

Eventually with some prodding of fellow beach goers, I decided to do some wading.  After my long stint in the dry, life sucking sand, where growth is near to impossible, the water that lapped at my knees felt glorious.  Here was refreshment.  My spirit was no longer parched, still dry, but the deep fissures where healing.

I spent a couple years just wading.  Drinking in the gorgeous blue sky. Reveling in the feel of the cool water that wasn't too demanding.  Bracing myself or even backing toward the shore when the breakers came in high and fast.  Digging my toes in the soft water logged sand resisting the under tow that threatened to take me out over my head.  I liked it here. It wasn't too bad.  Most of the time it was good, refreshing, and manageable.

But, I was still dry and I watched as others picked up there feet.  Some running out over their heads.  Others floating on their backs, drifting farther and farther away from shore.  Some diving in head first with an abandon that I figured I would never understand.

Me, well I wasn't too sure that sort of thing was safe.  There didn't seem to be a lot of control to be had by going out over ones head.

The dryness, though, it tugged at me.  It soon became unbearable.  I wasn't content to just wade in up to my knees, keeping shore in my line of vision.  There was a pull on my soul to just let go.  To uncurl my toes, to let go of my increasingly tiresome anchor. 

I needed more.  More wind, more water, more power.  I needed to get in over my head. 

Yet, I was afraid.  Always afraid of the undertow and the unknown.  What if I got in over my head and couldn't breathe? What if I couldn't get back to the shore, to what I knew and was comfortable with?  What if I became entangled in long strands of seaweed that confused and captured?

And then, without a conscious awareness it was upon me.  A wave,  rolling, crashing, roiling, foaming.  My toes uncurled, hands lifted high, I let myself go. 

I was pulled under, but not afraid. The undertow I had feared was a rushing power, but without the darkness or pressure or lack of oxygen.  It wasn't life sucking, it was life giving.

It was glorious! Water rushed in and softened every part of me that was cracked and crumbling.  I was surrounded. Years of spiritual barrenness were restored.  Every single inch was touched and renewed. I was no longer clambering for the safety of the shore.  I was in over my head.

And I wasn't afraid.

Here with the Holy Spirit I was far out beyond reason.  In over my head.  I was no longer able to point to my knowledge as to how or why or for what purpose.  I was too far gone.  It was beyond reasoning.  It was by faith, that I had come to deep waters.

And what I had thought would be suffocating was in all actuality, liberating.  Out in the open wide spaces there was freedom.  No longer did I need to grasp for the bottom.  Here there was hope.  Out in the grand expanse, my sight was not hindered.  I could see His glory.  I could feel His love.  I experienced His power.

And in the deepness of His love, I found Him calling me. 

Calling me deeper.  Deeper into this relationship with Him.  Deeper into sharing what I have learned about Him.  Deeper into His power, and glory, and might. 

I'm in awe!

The shore is out of sight. This deepness is just the beginning.  There are many fathoms He wants to take me through.  I'm no longer on the shore, it's gone, far beyond my vision.  I'm done with wading.  I've even given up doggy paddling.

I'm diving deep.

I’m Not Mindless

 

 

 

About two years ago I participated in two studies that gripped my heart and mind:  One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voscamp and Crazy Love by Francis Chan.  Both were amazing studies that built upon my desire for a  deeper relationship with Christ, but even beyond that they awoke in me a need to study out God’s Word for myself.

As I read both of these books I was struck by how each of the authors dug deep into the Scriptures, seeking out God’s Words for themselves.  They weren’t looking to add to the Scriptures, but looking for the truth’s God had placed there.  I realized how little I really knew for myself.  I knew God’s Word, but mostly from what others had taught me or from books I had read.  And so began my walk with God in His Word.

I have begun to dig deep into the Word’s of God that had always confused me before.   Word’s that I either skipped over or shrugged my shoulders at or accepted as truth, because I had heard them preached that way. 

I have a drive within me, that I know is of God, to know His word, His truth.

Some may think I am following mindlessly teachings that they hold untrue.  But, I guess that is what comes when you are CRAZY in love with Jesus.  Some may think I am obsessed with Christ.  And I guess I am.  I want to know Him more and more and more.  I want it more than anything in this world.

And so I study.  I pray.  I seek Him.  I lift my gaze to His.

I am not mindless.  I am not blind. 

I am CHRIST’S!

A Thriving Life

Little Miss took this picture for me, to document a new beginning for her blankey.  The crocheted edging on her blanket which I made when I was pregnant for her was unraveling, falling to pieces and literally disintegrating from all the loving it has received.  It was beyond repair and so the other day I talked her into letting me snip it off.  As I sat there taking off the edging my heart was a bit sad.  It was hard taking off all that sweet crochet from almost 8 years ago.  I wanted to keep it and yet I knew it was time to remove it.

As I cut each connection of yarn to blanket, it made me think about how often in my own life I have wanted to hang on to the things that were tattered and no good.  I did not want to get rid of them because I knew them.  I was used to them.  They were part of me and defined me.  I was comfortable with them.  With them I had control (or so I thought).  And the thought of letting them go actually saddened and frightened me.

But, with them I lived a half life.  A doubled over, weighed down, survival mode life.  It wasn't a powerful, joyful God filled New Life.

"But for you who welcome him, in whom he dwells—even though you still experience all the limitations of sin—you yourself experience life on God’s terms. It stands to reason, doesn’t it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he’ll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ’s!"  Romans 8:9-10 (Message)

As I sat almost every night for three weeks putting on the new bright pink yarn on Little Miss' lovey, God brought to my mind how when I agreed to finally lay down my burdens, sins, lies, and wrong thinking that He never meant for me to carry, He brought Newness into my life.

No longer was I in survival mode, but instead God brought me to a thriving life!

He brought me into a life of expectation in Him.  A life of New Growth, a flourishing, abounding in God-adventures life! It has been amazing!  No longer am I weighed down by things that I was never meant to carry. No longer am I grave tending, but instead I live each day looking forward to what the Lord has for me.

Each day is full of the power of the resurrection of Christ!  Just like my daughter's blanket edging; I am NEW! 

"This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"  2 Corinthians 5:17

Wonder

 

This weekend I was blessed to be able gather together with a small group of ladies who are all seeking diligently to live lives that are filled with the overflowing, abundance of Christ. As we wrapped up our time together this morning, we attempted to write out the amazing, Holy Spirit filled, day’s that we had shared and been witness to. Following is my feeble attempt to encapsulate for you my heart and the hearts of my friends for a God who is so big, so good, and so ready to fill up the voids, uncertainties, and hurts within each of us.

How do mere words capture Father God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit? How do you bring understanding and depth to His real, life giving presence?
Does power describe what we experienced? Just barely. What about electrifying, soul-changing, mind altering power? This is closer, but it just grazes the surface of what the Lord laid out before us. My spirit is filled with it, my lips desire to express it, but it is beyond a clear explanation.

Does the overused word of love describe how God showed Himself to us? It’s lacking. Too weak, too limp in its meaning. Love- unending, overflowing, encompassing, soothing, healing, unchanging, enlightening, a balm for our souls. It’s closer to what our Lord bestowed upon us, but the deepness of love from our Father is soul deep and escapes the describing.

What about freedom? A Life giving freedom that comes when we seek to surrender everything to Christ and follow Him in true Oneness. God poured out freedom; illuminating, bondage breaking, informing, releasing, darkness eradicating, opportunity carrying, setting free- FREEDOM.

Paragraphs, sentences, adjectives, words these cannot describe our amazing, astounding God. It cannot portray what He poured out upon us this weekend. Our holy God is life giving, heart changing, mind altering, a God calling us to new life in Him. He is calling us into the river of His power, love, and freedom.

These words read, cannot replace experience. Our beautiful Savior desires for each of us to have life that is always, completely, experiencing Him, full of His love, mercy, grace, power, and freedom.

 

“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4

 

Would you like to know more about how you can know God’s power, love, and freedom?  Contact me, I would love to share with you the BIGNESS of our God!

Raindrop upon Raindrop

The rain’s coming down drop upon drop.  Sheets of water hitting obstacles, sliding down, soaking in. 

My soul within me is tired and heavy. I can’t explain it, but there is a weariness and I feel the fight has left me.  I physically ache from weariness that plagues me.

I open the mudroom door, pulling my hood close around my face. I step out, hiding my free hand in the sleeve of my coat.  With my other hand I carry a plate of scraps for the chickens.  Bent over, I duck my head from the cold, pelting, rain, but it is persistent.  It finds my cheeks and speckles my glasses.  The cold air seeps into my lungs.  My nose tingles.  A sharp breeze that makes cheeks pink, dances across my face.

 

 

I breathe in deep; cold air shaking me awake.   I ask God to give me eyes to see, to fill me with His strength. 

As I slowly, walked back up the hill toward the house, I felt it.  I knew that the cold rain was like a touch from Him.  Washing away the heaviness. Cleansing my thoughts.  The cold air was His breath blowing away the cobwebs in my soul.  A gentle call from my Lord to re-focus.

To take my mind off the “what-ifs”.  To remove my thoughts from anything that wasn’t from Him.  To see His goodness. To hope.

 

For He has called us to hope!

 

 

 

“Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!” (Romans 15:13 TM)

 

He has called us too so much that we never focus on. We never grasp.  We miss the green and just aim for the same old routine.

We live in a blur and our spiritual eyes haze over. 

We lose our desire and expectation of obtainment.  Where is our hope?

 

That day in the rain was God’s wake up call for me. 

Live filled with hope!

Fine tuning my focus to pin point precision on my Savior.  Then will I obtain the joy and the peace that He has for me and I will bubble over with the Holy Spirit, spilling out God’s hope in a never ending fountain.

 

God You Want Me to Do What?

 

 

 

Years ago, (not ages, but a few years times two, at least) if I was asked to pray out loud my heart would begin pounding and my mind would go blank. I literally detested going to Wednesday night prayer meeting, because we always took half of the evening to pray. I was scared stiff when it came my time to pray and I always felt my prayers were so mechanical. I knew I was missing the whole point, but I didn’t know exactly what I was missing. I couldn’t put my finger on the emptiness there, and I didn’t know how to bring about change.

Fast forward to the present and multiple years spent under the teaching of some very Godly people. The past few years have been life changing as I have learned to say, “YES!” to God. My life has been transformed and still transforming as I follow God’s leading, lean on His strength and power, let go of my fears, loosen my grip on the control in my life, and listen to His voice.

On Friday last week I had a crazy opportunity to say Yes! to God.

I had to make run to Wal-mart to pick up a few items. No big deal, rather routine and just a regular day type activity.... or so I thought!
In Wal-mart there were two ladies who got into a fight in the meat aisle. Not pretty. The language was intense and so was the noise level. In my head, I was thinking, "This is why I hate coming to this store and why I avoid it if at all possible."

Little did I know that God had plans for me at Wal-mart.

As my daughter and I made our way out of the store there was a young man (late teens/early twenties) standing by a table that had a donation box on it. I was getting ready to pick up my pace and speed right by him when I caught the words "teen challenge". I pulled back on the cart and backed up a few paces, just as he began speaking to me. The young man told me what Teen challenge did and I mentioned that I knew a bit about the program. I dug through my wallet and found a handful of change, it was all I had.

As I turned to go I said, "God Bless you."

He replied, "Thank you and have a blessed day."

And that was that, until I reached the car.

As I was putting away the groceries, God kept laying on my heart to go pray with that young man and I tried to avoid it by making excuses about the heat and not knowing what to say. The whole time that I was putting my groceries in my car, I felt like time was playing out in slow motion.

I climbed in the car, backed up and headed up the aisle toward the front of the store where the Teen Challenge table was sitting. I was just going to keep going, but the urging was so strong to pray. I remember thinking, "God if no one is talking to him I'll pray with him." Silly girl with the ultimatums!
You guessed it! No one was talking with him.

So, I turned right, headed down the next aisle and said to Lauren, "Honey, God is telling mommy to pray for that boy we just talked to."

She so sweetly said, "Okay." Like it was something I did everyday. It was no big deal to her!

I re-parked the car.

With my heart pounding in my ears, another handful of change I had found stashed in the ash tray in one hand, and Lauren holding onto my other we headed back up to the table. I said something to him about being back and as I slide the change into the box I mentioned that God had asked me to pray for him. Just as I was saying that another young man walked out of Wal-mart and stood next to us. It was another young person working the table for Teen Challenge.
The one I had talked to mentioned that I wanted to pray with them and the new guy said, “That's great, or awesome, or terrific,” something in that vein. I was too busy with my heart and mind which were racing at top speeds! He immediately put his hand on my shoulder (no hesitation there, thank you Lord!) and his friends. I grabbed Lauren's hand and right there we bowed our heads and prayed!

My heart was pounding so loud in my head and I was so out of breath that I'm not sure if my words came out right, but I did it!

I listened to God’s prompting and obeyed. I know He can use what I said to bring glory to Himself and power to that ministry, even if it seemed garbled in my mind. Because I know its not about me or the perfect prayer. It’s all about Him!

To God goes all the glory and praise!!!!

I Fell Off the Blogging Merry-Go-Round

I have fallen off the Merry-Go-Round, my friends.

I’ve been whirling around on this ride for almost 5 years and I have come to the conclusion that even if I loosen my grip and get flung off, it’s okay.  The pressure to stay on right in the center of things is too much of a struggle. When I’m holding on so tightly just trying to keep from slipping to the outer fringes of the Merry-Go-Round, I find my stress level going up.   You know that whirring and blurring and centripetal force that is pulling, pulling, pulling against you the faster you go. That’s what blogging was feeling like for me.  Finally, I knew that God was telling me to let go.  He wasn’t going to pry my fingers off of the metal bar for me, though.  I had to do the releasing. 

It’s been hard, because I love to write.

But, the Lord showed me a hard truth.

I loved the attention and comments more.

So, I let go.  I found myself safely transplanted to the grass just clear of the hard packed dirt circle created by so many others before me.

And its been good. I’m enjoying other things right now and learning so much about staying in the presence of the Lord all day long.

 

 

Country living is keeping right in His presence. 

 

 

I’m captivated daily by the beauty I see around me.  God’s glory is never so evident to me as when I am outdoors.

 

 

 

 

And so, God is calling me to higher things.  I know I will still write.  I will just have to learn to write for myself and ditch my emotional connection to the comments.  I know I will still share my photography, because it speaks so highly of my Savior for whom it was all created.

 

 

 

 

I will still stop by at your blogs when I can, but I’m not going to cling to those metal bars any longer.  It’s silly really, sitting there in the center with my legs and arms twisted around the post just trying to fight what God wants for me.

'

 

 

 

And what He wants, is me.

 

 

Not part of me, when I can squeeze Him in, but all of me.  Every moment of every day, practicing His presence.  I’m finding that this is a difficult discipline, but one He has called me to pursue.  And since I am sold out to Him I am leaving behind what He is telling me to.  He has a purpose and a plan for my life. That is this… Love me with all of your heart, and all of your soul, and all of your strength (Duet. 6:5).   To do that I must release all that hinders me.  I’m  running toward my Savior, ready to be broken and poured out for Him!

Sleepy

 

 

 

 

I glanced across the room and saw my sleek gray, Sneakers dozing.  The sun was streaming through the sliding glass doors in huge shafts, casting a hazy afternoon glow.  The whole scene shouted, “REST, quit rushing.  Doesn’t this look heavenly?”

That’s what I have been missing lately.

I need to rest.  Not so much as in, on the couch with a soft pillow and old comfy quilt, however that does sound rather dreamy right now.  It’s more like: take a breath and quit pushing.  There is so much I want to accomplish.  I’ve wanted desperately to write.  To spill out words that encourage and words that move.  But, my mind has been sleepy and dull in those respects. And my days keep pushing me. Not enough hours, not enough inspiration, and not enough peace.

I know that God is calling me to rest.

I need to grasp within my heart what I know in my head. 

If no words come for me to place upon a new, blank page, it is okay.  I need to just rest.

If I pick up my camera and inspiration seems to elude me, it is okay. He will show me beauty in time. I need to remember to rest.

If I feel in over my head and the pressure weighs heavy.  It is alright, as long as I remember to hand it over to Him and just REST.

He never asked me to carry this on my own.  He has, however, called me to rest in Him. 

 

 

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him.  Psalm 62:5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Linked up with:

textures used:

kk-partings

kk-1402magic

 

Enter In

 

 

It’s snowing again.  Gorgeous mega big flakes are dancing on the wind. Swirling and dipping past my windows. 

White upon white.

Delicate, peaceful, enchanting.

 

 

There may be fewer colors in a winter landscape, but there is still beauty if we only take the time to look for it.

It’s in the small details. Hidden away.  Just waiting for us to look deeper.

 

 

It’s in the seeking. 

Taking a moment to look past what we see on the outside. It may seem dreary, but by using your heart and soul it can be transformed it into something beautiful.

 

 

 

 

And isn’t it the same way with our relationship with Christ?  Sometimes we go through periods of winter.  Times when everything seems so stark.  We can’t see the glory, the grace, the beauty.  We’re stuck.  We see only the drab, the painful, the ugly.  We go through the motions, plodding along, not really seeing and definitely not seeking.

The Psalmist said,

“How lovely is your dwelling place,

O Lord Almighty!

My soul yearns, even faints,

for the courts of the Lord;

my heart and my flesh cry out

for the living God.

Even the sparrow has found a home,

and the swallow a nest for herself,

where she may have her young-

a place near your altar,

O Lord Almighty, my King and my God.

Blessed are those who dwell in your house;

they are ever praising you.

Psalm 84:1-4

That’s the key to seeing beauty in the winter.

Desire.

Where is your desire?  What is your heart yearning for?  Are you hungry for the Lord?  So hungry that you can’t wait to spend time with Him?  So desperate to sit at His feet that you talk with Him all day long?  Nothing will break dreariness like falling on your knees before your Lord and Savior. When your heart cries out for the Lord, when you lift your voice in worship to your God, when you come before His altar in absolute adoration, then will your eyes be opened and your heart set ablaze for Him. 

Suddenly you will see such beauty, God’s beauty.  His grace and  His glory will be revealed to you. 

Where once there was heaviness and the inability to see beyond your circumstances, there will now be a knowledge that with God there is beauty even in the winter. 

Press on enter into the inner courts of the Lord.  Seek out the Holy of Holies.

 

 

 

I am once again turning back to press forward. I let winter settle in my heart.  I became complacent.

God brought to my mind today a picture of the Old Testament temple.  He showed me that I have been circling around in the outer courts of the temple.  I have been praying, praising, and worshipping, but not deeply.  He’s called me continuously to enter into the inner court.  To come.  To spend time in in His powerful presence.  To worship with abandon.  “Come, I am here.  Come, I am calling.”  With Christ’s sacrifice I am free to enter into the holy of holies.  Yet, I hold back.

No more.  I am falling on my knees before Christ.  Lifting my voice and hands in praise.  To God be the Glory forever and ever!

How about you?  Will you join me?

Be Still

 

 

It’s time to stop, to stand still.

Surrender.

It’s time… long over due.

God’s been calling and I’ve been dodging

 

Hands in the air- full submission.

I’m creating moments of silence.

instilling a Discipline.

Of being still.

Of waiting.

SHHHH!

Breathe in- Breathe out.

 

My heart quiets.

My mind stills.

Holy Spirit come.

His presence is here.

And I absolutely know that HE is GOD ALMIGHTY!

 

 

How about you? 

It’s a discipline, being still.  It’s not easy in our rush and tumble days.  We hurry furiously from activity to activity, running here and there to accomplish.

In the process we miss so much of what is truly important.

But, God says “Be Still”.

Stop. Listen.

SHHH.

Breathe in- Breathe out.

Slow down!

Clear your mind and your agenda.

Tell Him you’re ready to hear what He wants to tell you.

Even when we are on the move we can listen if we just open our hearts and minds to what He is speaking.

God has words to soothe your very soul.

Take the time today to just be with Him.

Be still

And

LISTEN!

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

“The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." Exodus 14:14

“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.” Psalm 37:7

 

 

Linked up with Sunday Snapshot:

Un-Muddied

I sit on my knees on top of the counter.  Camera in hand. Gazing out the window above the kitchen sink.  A blazing red orb sinks leaving a trail of pink-orange through the bare black arms of the trees.  I have to capture it.  God is here in this moment. Providing me a deep breath, a glimpse of His glory.  A whisper in my heart, comfort for my soul.

 

 

I caught the colors out of the corner of my eye on my way out to the mudroom. It’s the last night of Bible Study.  The last night of leading a wonderful group of ladies through Ann Voskamp’s, One Thousand Gifts.  I can’t pass up this moment. God is calling.

I grab my camera, hike my leg up, climb onto the counter, adjust my settings, and the breath leaves my chest.

It’s Beauty flowing through my window, right to my very soul.

The day had been a rush of self imposed anxiety. There are parts in the 11th chapter of Ann’s book that I know have created controversy.  Words that are so intimate that some have taken them the wrong way.  I wonder what the thoughts of the ladies in my group would be. The ultra conservative voices from my past threaten to strangle.  And the enemy grinned.

Oh how foolish.

It’s not about what other’s think or how they might read into or twist Ann’s words or even their innocent well meaning opionions.  I had fallen head long into old habits, again.

Those words of Ann’s spoke to me. Reminding me of my own heart to heart,  soul experience with God.

It’s about a heart that is sold out to Christ. It’s about the Spirit moving, molding, and using me. It’s about pure and un-muddied intimacy with Christ. Soul to soul.  Not Ann’s alone, but thousands of others and mine.

 

 

 

 

I hear the age old whisper, “I will quiet you with my love.” (Zeph 3:17 NIV)  Words He uses to soothe my soul. Verse that I’ve hidden in my heart for over a year now. One I cling to when the fear rears its ugly head.

As I watch the sun slipping down He reminds me that “He is mighty to save. He takes great delight in me… He rejoices over me with singing.” (Zeph 3:17)  The display out my window testifies to it all. This is His song over me.  Color drenched love that soothes my soul.

I am His and He is mine.

Calm floods over me as I sit perched on the counter.  An odd place to meet God, maybe… but it is where He has called me to commune with Him.  And I am so utterly grateful! Once again He looses the chains and I am free!

I climb down, making my way out the door.  Heart assured.  He is with me!  His words, His wisdom, His guidance they are with me.  And any discussion tonight will be flooded with His very presence.

God is GOOD!

My throat forms words of thanksgiving and I know I have sat on my counter top and experienced the presence of the Lord! 

 

 

 

Scavenger Hunt~ 06/03

This weeks items: Shine, Fast, Left, Peace, Plain

 

Well by this weeks photos, you will be able to tell what has been inspiring me lately!  Flowers, flowers, and more flowers. I love this time of year!

 

Shine

 

Fast

My Peonies bloomed and then we got super hot and humid days. I had to work fast to get some good pictures of them before they keeled on me.

 

Linked up with Nancy:

Left

A bit of a stretch on this prompt, but this peony is on the left. :)

 

Peace

AHHHH! Breathe it in.  A hazy evening walking around our property, peaceful.

 

Linked up with Kim:

 

 

Plain

It doesn’t have to be fancy, just fresh strawberries with plain ole’ half-n-half. MMMMM!

 

Linked up with Ashley:

 

 

Linked up:

Scavenger Hunt~ 05/27

This weeks items: Beneath Your Feet, Capturing Movement, Texture, Face Your Fears, Currently

 

Beneath Your Feet

My dad’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) field planted in clover. So soft and fresh under my feet.

 

 

Capturing Movement

I was originally going to post this picture for movement…

But, then this just happened!  One morning this week she dressed herself in this outfit to do the chicken chores. I couldn’t resist grabbing my camera.  What made it even better is that she began dancing as I was taking pictures! Cracked me up and at the same time melted my heart!  For me this was the perfect set for movement.

 

Texture

These poppies in my friends garden were huge! Loved the center of these poppies they have great texture and look at the stems, too!

Photo linked up with Misty and Kim:

 

Face Your Fears

This is actually from my archives. I don’t have to fear because my God is bigger than anything!

Linked up with Katie:

 

Currently

We’re in love with our girls! The other day I was cleaning out the water tank we are currently housing them in. I give each of my children three chicks to watch over while I clean out the old shavings and put in new. My youngest son had taken off his work boots to cool his feet and two of the chicks decided to investigate it.  One promptly climbed up on the sun warmed boot and fell immediately asleep. The other was a bit more curious and decided to check out the inside of the boot. I of course had to capture it all with my camera.

Linked up with Nancy:

Linked up with Ashley: