The Invitation

One of the greatest lessons we will learn is the importance of going where you are invited.  Often times the places where we are invited are places that we may not have chosen for ourselves, but they are entry points to experience the Life and Love of Jesus.   Truth be told, we are ambitious people and often we would choose the way of lights, camera, action-Roll!  But this is rarely Jesus’ way. 

Joseph and Mary entered into Bethlehem in need of a place to stay.  I’m sure they asked a lot of best selling hostels before the open door of the manager was made available to them. 

Jesus says whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy and stay at his house until you move on. As you enter the house, greet its occupants. If the home is worthy, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you.…  Matthew 10:12

Just think of how great the peace was of those who welcomed the Baby Jesus that night to a humble and simple stable. 

Just think of how great the peace was of the Shepherds that kept watch and heard the angels sing.

Just think of how great the peace was of the Wise Men that traveled from a far to bear witness to the True King of Kings.

Just think of how great your peace was when you received Jesus into your heart as Lord and Savior.

Jesus says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

Revelations 3:20

Another Time, Another Place....

When I was in college, I was a new Christian; and I had so much to learn about our Loving Savior and I still do.   I always loved a diverse array of worship music.  One day while living with a College Mentor of Faith, I stumbled across a song by Sandi Patty entitled; “Another Time, Another place.”  The chorus sings…

So, I'm waiting for another time and another place
Where all my hopes and dreams will be captured
With one look at Jesus' face
Oh, my heart's been burnin'
My soul keeps yearnin'
Sometimes I can't hardly wait
For that sweet, sweet someday
When I'll be swept away
To another time and another place

I realized that in True Worship that’s where we go… We are swept away to another time and another place- The Lord’s time-The Lord’s place…

And nothing and no one can take it from us because it’s eternal.  Eternity lives within us. 

That’s why Jesus says, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven…

There’s so much we don’t understand here on earth, but when we get a glimpse of the eternal embrace that we can experience in True Worship, we realize that fullness of Joy is ours and we are filled with a love that overflows from His Heart of Pure Gold.  

Thank you Jesus for what you have done for us, and what you remind us to behold every day of our lives… Your face, your gaze that penetrates us with an inexplicable longing for Another time..Another place…

Worthy

What is a soul worth?  Jesus thought a soul was worth dying for. Jesus was the perfect father, the perfect lover, the perfect friend.  He thought our lives were immensely worthy to be called sons and daughters of the Most High; that’s why our struggles here on earth though real, are light and momentary compared to the Glory that will be revealed in us.  (2 Corinthians 4:17)

We need an eternal perspective every day of our lives.  We need an eternal perspective to lift us up beyond our jobs, our communities, our homes, our ailments, our struggles.  How much do we need the Church-God’s powerhouse; the place where we can run to and leave our burdens behind! A place where we can allow the simple and pure Love of Jesus to lift us up and fill us with his good Will and desire for our lives- The Truth of who we are In Him that envelopes Joy and Peace and Confidence and Hope and Love; this love that has never been ashamed of us-But calls us His very own.

Dear God please give your daughters and sons an eternal perspective, so we don’t sweat the small stuff that creeps up in our daily lives.  Help us to laugh at the days to come; to feast on the bread of heaven, and to delight in Jesus, your son.

Eternal Embrace

I went through an in depth healing program called Living Waters, and one of the chapters of the manual was called- Embracing the Process.  I always hated that chapter, but it proved to be one of the most profound. Because we all want quick solutions to problems, quite honestly- “Let’s just move it along, people!”  But life and humanity are a process to embrace, not a problem to quickly solve.

How can we stand it, when we live in a culture with quick smart phones, and quick microwaves?  The long and slow process of recovery is challenging to say the least.

What can we hope for in embracing the process in our relationships, job culture, and personal lives?

There is not a quick solution.  You just gotta hang in there.  Take every day as it comes.  Do your best, do your homework, take risks, Ask for help when you need it, stop and smell the roses, stop being a perfectionist, develop a sense of humor, stop caring so much what others may think or say about  you- It’s what God says that matters.

Stay Hopeful above all things.  Stay connected to your creator, who loves you with an eternal embrace.

Sabbath Rest

But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of Sabbath rest, a Sabbath to the LORD. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. Leviticus 25:4

Why does the Lord call All of Creation to a Sabbath rest?  I believe it’s to become even more fruitful.  The Bible says let the land have a Sabbath rest so the poor can glean among you, and servants can be refreshed. Exodus 23:10-12

Fallow Land means according to the dictionary; plowed and harrowed but left unsown for a period in order to restore its fertility.

People need a Sabbath Rest, and so does all of Creation.  Rest enables us to become more fertile, fruitful and productive. 

It’s very hard for Americans to take a Sabbath day of rest for even one day of the week, let alone an entire year in order to pursue God in quietness and trust- where you will find your strength.

Even our gifts need to rest.  Even our gifts need Sabbath.  I’ve always felt I was gifted in the area of dance and writing, and it’s so interesting how different times in my life one gift has been more prevalent over the other. The other gift has been “resting” in a way until God begins to fan into flame. 

I’ve been writing fairly steadily for about a year, but I’m feeling God is calling me to rest from the posture of active writing.  Not to say all writing will cease, but there is a rest I’m being called to here. 

I have to laugh, maybe I’ll start dancing again, because I haven’t danced in over a year, or maybe something new will pop its head over the horizon.  It’s hard to let go of the Gifts, because they are so fulfilling, but God knows what He’s doing, maybe He’s preparing us for new terrain.  Listen and Let go….That’s the wave of the Spirit!

Forever

I lived with my mom for a long time in my young adult years.  I think I loved it because I always wanted to be an only child and I had to share her with my sisters for so many years.  But when I graduated from college until I was almost thirty I lived alone with her. 

One of the beautiful memories I have is in an apartment we shared that had a bright and beautiful kitchen.  We would gather there on Saturday mornings and talk about God and the Bible.  She had a sunny window in that kitchen and started a garden.  One plant was a flowering pink plant with petals that folded upwards.  It was a funny looking plant, but of all the flowering plants we had it lasted the longest.  For at least a couple of years it would bloom.  We were always amazed by it.

Recently my mother was hospitalized.  I wanted to bring her flowers and found that same strange pink flowering plant that she had in her kitchen window.  She remarked that she remembered we had that plant when we lived together and that it lasted all year…

I quickly responded, “yes mom it lasted forever….”

A seed that will remain...

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19

Never underestimate the power of prophetic women.  Consider Mary, the mother of Jesus.  She was told of the birth of her messianic son before anyone else knew about it.  She traveled to meet her cousin, Elizabeth and Elizabeth’s son, John the Baptist prophesied even in the womb.

The angels appeared to the Shepherds pronouncing:

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Luke 2:11-14

Mary was favored and chosen by God to birth His son and all she could do was hold these words of promise and ponder them in her heart.

And then painful words would come, too-“A sword will pierce your soul as well.”  Speaking of the sword that would pierce her son's side while on the cross in which He died for all mankind. 

Mary pondered the Good news of the Savior’s birth.  She nurtured the Word planted in her, and it developed and bore fruit that would eternally last. 

And as prophetic women, we need to treasure up the words that have been spoken to us.  We need to wait, and allow God to develop and give birth to a seed that will remain from everlasting to everlasting…