Identity - Choosing to Belileve What He Says About You

I’m so stirred after watching Shelly Hundley preach at the One Thing Conference online. Her story is amazing and such a picture of the Lord’s power to deliver anyone from the strongest bondages. She talked about how she had places in her heart that no one could reach. After counseling and getting professional help, she came to the decision that suicide was the answer. No one could reach the place of pain that was inside of her. After years of abuse in her childhood, she was ready to call it quits when she was 19. She goes on to say how the Lord, the God who sits in the heavens and over the earth, has the ability to reach in and bring wholeness to the parts that no one else can reach. It’s amazing that the Lord not only heals us, but understands us so completely and sees every part of us. No one can see the inside of us. No one can know our thoughts or fears. But He does.

She talked about the importance of filling our hearts and minds on the love of God. When we get in a rut, to “shake off the dust” (Isaiah 52:2) and rise up from the place of allowing things to trample us (our pasts, thoughts etc.). God has called us to walk in the truth of who we are in Him. And, if you are like me, there are times when sitting in the dust seems to be easiest. When all of the strength I once had in the Lord is gone and all I can do it sit and be trampled on. In that place hope seems to be very distant. But the Lord is calling to me, and everyone else who feels they are sitting in the dust, and saying “shake off the dust and arise.” Begin to walk in truth again and feed our hearts and minds on who we are in the Lord, not what people have called us or the opinion of others. Break out of the old habits and come into the place the Lord has made for you – a place of rest and confidence that what He says about you is true. Good stuff, Shelly.

I’m old enough now that I realize life with the Lord is not making one decision to serve Him and that’s it. It’s saying yes to Him again, and again, and again. I think a lot of people give up on the process He takes us through because they don’t always feel strong. The key word is PROCESS and it happens to be life long. When they make a wrong choice or choose a not so great path, they don’t feel like they can come back to the place they used to be in the Lord. Life is about what we do when we make mistakes. And that is what brings greatness – what we do when we make mistakes, not that we never make them. And what we do in that place is based on how we view God. I once thought He was mad and disappointed. Therefore, I wasn’t about to go to Him in my weakness. Heck no, I don’t want a spanking. But as I set my heart on the Word and truth of how He feels about me, my emotions towards Him changed. There are most certainly days that I still struggle in my identity – sometimes I’m my worst enemy. But in knowing that He calls me by a different “name,” the delight of His heart, it causes me to come to Him when I feel weak. The fact that He is safe and He is for me brings much relief to me. And He cares about me. And He smiles a lot. And He is happy…and loves me.

Agreeing With God's Heart and Leadership!

There are a lot of different tangents I could go off on when talking about the subject of agreement. Mostly, we hear about the importance of agreement in prayer – having another person to stand with us in agreement believing the Lord for something. And that is so important - agreeing with each other in prayer. We don’t, as often, consider the Lord’s heart as one who is looking for someone to agree with Him. I believe this is a key to pursuing and having a more intimate relationship and partnership with Him. In better terms, God is looking for friends.

The best example I can think of when thinking about partnership is the relationship between a wife and husband. If they are not in agreement on key issues, it’s just not going to work. It doesn’t mean one is controlling or manipulating the other. There is a freedom for both husband and wife to have their own personality. Yet, it is vitally important for them to have the same values when it comes to making decisions in their lives. That is what the Lord is wanting – that we would have His values – to really partner with Him. He doesn’t want our relationship to be like a master/slave relationship, to where we don’t have a brain. He wants to hear our hearts and He wants to communicate back with us. We can speak our wants and desires to Him, and He wants to share the secrets of His hearts with us. A lot of times we are really good at talking to Him, but listening is a lot harder. He has so much He wants to tell you about your personal life and everything that is involved with it! Do you see how this type of relationship is a two way, not one way type of relationship? We walk with Him together in partnership. Yes, we can have this kind of friendship with God. It’s not limited to the pastor, worship leader, or person on the stage on Sunday mornings (thank goodness). It’s for every grandma, child, full-time worker, and homeless person. It’s for anyone. And everyone! It’s for the person who has made a lot of mistakes and for the person that has a lot of ugly issues. It’s for the poor, the rich, and everyone in between! His heart is big enough for all of us and He really is wanting friends!

This kind of friendship with God does not happen automatically. It takes work. It takes discipline. It takes time. It’s not always easy for us to quiet our hearts enough to actually listen to His goals, His thoughts, and His leadership strategies (or just for His whispers of "I love you"). We are quick to jump into what we think is best (so many times He does bless this!), when He is wanting us to stop and listen to what He would have us do. It’s leaning upon His wisdom, His guidance, His timing, and His judgments on decisions in our lives. It’s about trusting Him and knowing He is good. And it’s not easy, but it is key to partnership with Him and living under His leadership. He is the perfect and best leader!

Not only does He want us to stop, listen, and agree with His plans for our lives, but also with His thoughts and emotions towards us as well as those around us. It’s nothing magical or overly spiritual. It’s simple. He wants us to agree with Him and believe that we are loved and wanted by Him. He wants us to agree with Him that He loves to hear our voice and He wants us to come near to Him. He wants us to agree with Him that we are never alone. He wants us to agree with His heart that He is not disappointed with us or mad at us. Sometimes when I am in a rut, I make myself say it outloud, "I AM YOUR FAVORITE. I AM SO LOVED BY YOU. I AM BEAUTIFU TO YOU. YOUR HEART IS FOR ME. I AM THE APPLE OF YOUR EYE." Sometimes it takes awhile to break through, but sooner or later the heaviness lifts and my heart experiences His pleasure over me again. Peace comes. The accuser wants us to stay in that place of yuckiness when the Lord has a better place for us - the place of experiencing His pleasure over our lives. The words that come out of our mouth does take root in our hearts. Begin to proclaim truth out of your mouth. Pray it. Sing it. Read it. Write it. Tell it.

Then, He wants us to agree with His heart about someone else. This is the most powerful thing on the earth – to agree with God’s heart about someone else. It’s powerful because how God views us is amazingly different than we view ourselves and how we view others. He loves differently. If we can fill our hearts and minds on the love of the Father about ourselves, He will surely give us a bit of His heart for others. In doing so, we can be His hand and heart extended to another. When we agree with God about ourselves, we will be the most confident, yet humble people on the earth. Why? Because we are not ignorant of our humanity. We know that we are all a little disfunctional. And when we realize that God sees that, and HE STILL LOVES US EXTRAVAGANTLY, we can't help but have a meek and humble heart before this kind of God. He wants us to be confident and in agreement with Him about ourselves, and then about others. Bottom line - God wants friendship. God wants friendship with YOU!

A Home for the Hurting

I would like to write a few thoughts on the depth of love our incredible Father has for us. Can I just say how much His love has changed my life? I mean, to be able to say with your mouth about His love is one thing, but when He has completely all together changed the INSIDE of you, there seems to be a validity to what otherwise would be just words. Oh to know fully His unending tenderness, His unyielding passion and adoration towards us, and His words that can pierce any broken or hurting heart and bring healing. What can one do but cry a million tears at the feet of this beautiful God. Only to feel His gentle hand wipe away every one. He is a servant. Not to the rich or the powerful, but to the broken. To the hurting. To the poor. To those in need of someone to care for them. It is to this one that He opens wide His heart, extends His embrace of endless love, and holds them close to Him until every wound is completely covered and healed by the words of one who understands exactly where we have been, what we have been through, and where we are going. He has prepared a home for us in His heart. He offers a home to the one who has never had another speak kindly to them, the one who has never known a safe place, and to the one whose trust has been broken again and again. It is in His heart that we find who we are -- that we are truly loved and wanted by another. He brings value to us, sets His seal of ownership on us, and has said with all the authority that is in His Kingship that WE ARE HIS. In a world where most are trying to find a place to belong, He beckons us to come and drink freely of the endless supply of healing, love, and acceptance. This is what He loves to do - take the broken places in our lives and gently redeem every part. He sees us differently and calls us by a new name -- no longer forsaken or forgotten, but completely covered in the shelter of this home he has made for you and I. And all we have to do is come, let our guard down, open up our hearts, and let Him take His place in our hearts. There is absolutely not a trace of fear in His love.

Another school year has started and I am struck again by His heart for the children. As I see such pain in their eyes, I know there is One whose smile can bring joy to the sadness they are carrying. The Father will bring justice to them. I am desperate to have His healing hands heal through mine, His eyes of love shine through mine, and His joy abound through me. For I am not much different, really. Just a girl who happened to stumble upon a God who said I was special, valuable, and different than what others had spoken over my life. Oh to be one that carrys His love on the earth.

The Pain of Separation and the Gift of Longing

I remember the first time I experienced a new demension of who God was. I had known certain parts of God, such as the importance of prayer and trying to stay far from sinful things. I loved God, but was quite legalistic and judgemental. Because of His love for me, He would soon bring a shaking and brokenness that would cause all of my pride to shatter under His mercy for my life. I had no idea what was about to hit! Although I had the mental knowledge of His love, I had not experienced it on the heart level like I was going to in my early 20s. It was during this season of divine shaking from the Lord that I would experience His love for the first time on a level that I was not accustomed to. Although I didn't understand the heart of God in what was happening to me then, I look back with a different perspective and I see His mercy written all over it. It's funny how we often need time to have some understanding of what God was doing in situations of the past. What an opportunity to more fully understand God's heart of jealousy over us by Him allowing certain things to take place. Even more than us, it's His desire that we mature into our true identity - lovers of God. If you are as stubborn as me, sometimes it takes some shaking sent straight from the throne room of heaven. Oh the treasure of understanding His kindness in all of life's seasons! His banner over us is love!

In that sweet season of encountering the precious heart of Jesus and His love for me, I became ruined. I loved more than anything to sit with Him and drink deeply of His presence and sweetness that, day by day, brought such healing to me. I found Him as a dear friend and confidant that knew every part of me from beginning to end. I had never known such friendship before. I was amazed that, after all my years of what I thought was devotion, I hadn't really known Him. I hadn't really experienced who God was. In my zeal for Him, I was actually missing the point -- to love Him and be loved by Him. I wanted to prove to Him that I was something special, but it was now time that He proved to me His love, zeal, and commitment to me. He knew my heart and, for the first time with no striving, I was actually enjoying God. It was a season where He took my aside and lavished me with His love. Although I didn't realize it then, it was a time of preparation.

Now, 10 years later, I long for that season again...to be close to Him, to listen to Him, and to forget about the things that are truly of no importance. There is nothing like being close to Him. If you also have the longing in your heart, you are blessed. For one day there will not be the gift of longing. We will be in His presence forever. For now, during these few days on the earth, may we value the gift of a longing heart --- one that finds no satisfaction in worldly things, but even in the pain of separation that our hearts would long for the One that can fill every part. Nothing else can satisfy. Nothing.

With that, I want to type a part of the book, "Union and Communion," by Hudson Taylor. It happens to be my favorite book. It speaks of the bride in Song of Solomon, a picture of the church.

"She has had her eyes open to know His love and longs for a fuller enjoyment of His love. This experience of knowing His love gives a divine warrent for the desire for perceptible manifistations of His presence--heartfelt communications of His love. It was not always so with her. Once she was content in His absence--other friendships and other occupations sufficed her--but now it can never be so again. The world can never be to her what it once was. She has learned to love her Lord, and no other companionship can satisfy her like companionship with Him. His visits may be occasional and brief, but they are precious times of pure enjoyment. Their memory is cherished in the intervals and their repetition longed for. There is no real satsifaction in His absence, and yet He is not always with her: He comes and goes. When He comes, her joy in Him is like heaven, and when He goes she is longing in vain for His presence. Like the everchanging tide, her experience is a constant ebb and flow. It may even be that unrest is the rule, satisfaction the exception. Is there no help for this? Must it always continue this way? Is it possible that He has created these unquenchable longings only to taunt her? It is strange indeed if this is the case. There are many who look back to the delightful hour of their conversion who are far from finding the rich inheritance in Christ they once enjoyed, and they are conscious that they have lost their first love. Others, who may not have lost their first love, may be feeling that the occasional interruptions to communion are becoming more and more unbearable. His absence is an ever-increasing distress "Oh that I knew where I might find Him! Would that His love were strong and constant like mine and that he never withdrew the light of His countenance!" Poor mistaken one! There is a love far stronger than yours waiting, longing for satisfaction. He is waiting for you all the time, and the conditions that debar His approach are all of your own making. Take the right place before Him and He will be most ready, most glad, to satisfy your deepest longings, and to meet and supply your every need."

Overcoming Bitterness Through Meditating on God's Goodness

I want to write this for anyone who has, at some point in their life, not understood what is happening in their life or the life of someone they love. Life is a mystery, full of ups and downs and situations that we don't fully understand or comprehend. Though we try to control details of our lives that are both big and small, we soon find out that we simply can't. I'm not saying we are not responsible for certain things, because we are. There is certainly an accountablity we must live by, but my point is that we truly don't know what's going to happen from one day to another.

If you are like me, it's very difficult to not be in control. Whether it's having the freedom of choosing simple things such as what I will eat for dinner or what I will wear, to more important issues like what my life will look like in ten years, I really like the feeling that I am in charge. It's when we can't see, when we can't explain, and when we didn't plan on "that" happening is when the ugliness of bitterness seems to try and hook us. It is when disappointment seems to cloud our understanding and we seem to give up or lose hope that we give place for bitterness to take root. If you have not experienced this, just live a bit longer and I can assure you that this experience will be a part of your journey. If you have experienced, know that you are not alone.

So what is the answer to this battle we all fight against? It's a battle between having a heart of tenderness and trust towards God and having a heart that is untrusting, angry, resentful, and full of blame towards others and possibly God. I think everyone, at some point, will have the latter because we are simply human. We can't see the big picture and our perception of what God is doing in our lives is often twisted by our own ignorance of who He is and His heart towards us.

For example, take Job. This story is just painful. He loses everything he has including family and possessions. He has never done a thing wrong. As a matter of fact, God calls him "blameless." You can imagine what was going on in his mind when he tried to comprehend what was happening around him. He even began to question God and wondered if He had become his enemy. At this point, God speaks to Job and asks, "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?" I believe darkening here represents a lack of true knowledge. In the bitterness of his pain and discomfort, Job had expressed rage over the injustice he was experiencing. He claimed that God was angry with him and that He was his enemy. From the events throughout the story that are unseen by Job, the reader knows this isn't true. I think I can safely say that Job's biggest problem was ignorance about God's heart and what His motives were in allowing certain things to happen. If he knew the things that we know as we read the story, his attitude would probably be very different.

The fact is, the more we meditate on the goodness of God to us and His love for us, bitterness will not have root in us. The moment we begin to accuse God or anyone else for that matter, we are in a very dangerous place. I've been there before and though I have crawled out of that pit a few times, I have to set my mind upon the Word and fill my thoughts with His love for me. Otherwise, that pit will be a familiar place for any of us. We can know, even though we don't understand what's happening, that God is good and God is fair and God is just. It will also do good for us when we can know in our hearts that there are things we don't know, things we can't see, and a plan that is unfolding more awesome than we realize. Our temporary problems, quesitons, and concerns are nothing in comparison to what will come about one day!

He Says Yes

I think there are times in all of our lives when we are needing encouragement. At times, weariness seems to set in and the race gets a bit tiring. It is in these times when I am so greatful for the comfort of friends and those around me that can strengthen my heart in the Lord. Yet, there are times in life when no human can reach the depth of our heart that we are in need of being touched. We need something greater.

I love the Holy Spirit's job. He has a lot of them, but one thing He loves to do is encourage. He knows the human heart so well...that we are prone to discouragement and negativity. He knows our perspective has a tendency to wonder into confusion and He knows the human heart can be our worst enemy. In knowing that, He has said yes to being the greatest encourager to our hearts. He has said yes to walking along side us in this life. He has said yes to being the great reminder of who we are when we begin to believe otherwise. His gentle touch on our hearts does more than 1,000 words from another and once you experience His passionate pleasure over your life, you can't help but be awed by this one who loves to help us. He doesn't do it grudgingly, but with such pleasure knowing that we are the Lord's treasure and reward. He is a servant to us. As a matter of fact, He is the greatest servant as He prepares our hearts in love for the day we will meet the Lord face to face. Through every trial and every disappointment, He is able to turn it to good as He gently and patiently mends our wounds and heals every false idea about ourselves. His words bring healing and although His love has been proven over the centuries, there is no better proof to me than His sweet kindness I have experienced in my short life. He is truly committed to us. Although there is a responsibility in all of us to commit to one another (even this we seem to fall short of so often), there is no committment so strong as the one He has made for us. Our committment to Him seems so weak when all we see so often is our weakest parts, but that is just another reminder of what God is like. His patience with us, is...well...I have no words, really. I used to think it was MY committment to God that was getting His attention. Now it is HIS committment to me that gets my attention. In all my desire to love Him and be committed to Him, at the end of the day I am left with the brokeness of my own humanity. But then, there He stands, faithfully beside me...saying yes to me again. And this, my friends, is the story of my life.

The Faithful Confidant

Tonight I was thinking about the Lord being one who carries the heaviness in our hearts. He actually likes to take the heaviness that is mine and carry it for me. And that’s just what He did by dying. He took those things that were against me that I was guilty of and carried them for me. But it’s not only sinful things. I believe He wants us to enter into His peace now, even in this lifetime. I believe He is calling us to live in a place of trusting Him no matter what our situation is. In the face of such circumstances that cause us to fear or worry, He wants us to know the Rock in which we stand upon. He is calling us to carry the lightness of his burden. The Holy Spirit, who is a fantastic teacher (He would definitely win teacher of the year), wants to teach us how to live by allowing Him to have those things we worry and stress over. Instead of carrying them ourselves, He wants us to live in peace, like a child standing safely with their father. Even in times when we don’t know what’s ahead and we can’t see how life circumstances will change, we can trust with confidence that His faithfulness is our shield. One of my favorite verses is Psalms 131:2, “Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.” David had learned the lesson of trusting God. He was not like a child crying and needing milk. Instead, he learned to not complain or worry about his situations. He had matured to the point of trusting the One who had proved Himself to be faithful. His heart could wait quietly and trust that God saw Him and knew His situation. Though war raged around Him, He lived in God’s peace inwardly.This is what He is calling us to…to enter into this place of rest He has created for each of us. We are not meant to live in stress, anxiety, and fear. He wants to lift that off of us and teach us to learn from His heart. There is nothing like His presence. I am so thankful for the One who wants to lift the heaviness in our hearts and teach us to live in peace and trust! He is a faithful confidant!

God's Pleasure in Day to Day Events

In looking back at my life up to this point, I see the journey with a completely different perspective. It's a powerful thing to have lived long enough to look back at one's life from a different angle. I'm not sure if it's just the fact that with age comes the wisdom of seeing situations with a more mature perpsective or if it's something else. Maybe in another ten years, I'll be able to answer that question with a more profound understanding.

What has truly changed in my understanding of life is how important and precious our days are to the Lord. Not only are our day to day events hidden deep in the heart of God, but the different seasons, which consist of numerous days and months are a part of the treasure He calls our lives. We can not fully understand how He sees our lives. I can only imagine the emotions He must feel when He sees, before His eyes, what He thought of before time began. Every life consists of many changes, big and small. I think of my own Mother when I ponder on this issue (only because I know her life well). I think of the many different stages she has gone through in her life, which resembles many women in our culture. She grew up in a large family of 5 girls who lived in a rather small house and spent much of their time working to help make ends meet. In a small Colorado town of not more than a few hundred people, she spent her time in 4-H and other community events throughout highschool. She soon got married and moved off with my Dad. After 7 or so years of being married, they had their first child, Cristy. Three years following, Sherri came along, and then a year later me. I can only imagine what it was like having three little girls running around the house. I'm sure that she didn't have much time to call her own having to care for us! The day came when we were all out of the house and she got to enjoy retirement, which is the season she is in today. Although my Mom is a quiet woman who has nad no problem living in the background, her days and seasons are not only precious to the Lord, but are full of purpose and destiny that she cannot fully comprehend. Just like my mother's, my life, as well as yours, is full of purpose and importance that we can't fully grasp or understand.

Think of your own life and the changes that have taken place. You may not have had as many changes as my Mother, but everyone who stops to look back can see how life is full of different seasons. The time line of our lives is being watched ever so delicately by the one who knit our very lives together in our mother's womb. He is watching with such delight as we take steps closer to fulfilling our God-given plans on this earth. The time line of our lives is very precious to Him and one day, when all is said and done, we will see the tapestry of our lives with clearness and understanding. In that moment, we will see the wisdom of God in every situation, the patience of God throughout our mistakes, and the sustaining love of God that helped us endure through pain, confusion, and sorrow. And (I write this with much excitement), we will never feel that pain, confusion, or sorrow again as we will forever live in the presence of God and see His face. May we not let the day to day boredom stop us from knowing that we are not merely living, but we are walking out a time line full of purpose and destiny that was thought up by God Himself. When we live in that truth, there is no place for devaluing our lives or having the feeling of being unimportant. When we feel as though nothing is happening in our lives, just remember it is part of a bigger picture that will have a glorious ending. For some, death is the end. For others, it is a glorious beginning of true life! I know on that day we will not be disappointed!

Friendship With God

It seems I am in an inward tug-a-war as I realize the battle between knowing truth in my heart and actually walking it out. I would tell anyone that I am completely uninterested in religion, yet I unknowingly walk in it most of the time. I can talk the talk nicely, but I want to see my life as it really is, not as I think it is, covered in mere religious words and ideas. I think everyone would agree no one needs or wants anymore religion. I really want to know and experience Jesus. If it is possible for a heart to encounter God in such intimacy, than I want to be a candidate. With a bit of fear and trembling, I'm asking that a bull's eye be placed on my heart and that God would find a place in my heart that He can relax, enjoy, and find rest. I want to stop caring so much about religious duties and begin caring about God Himself. May we be those that honestly care for God -- what is really on His heart! Things that we care for are cultivated. Whether it's the main things in life, such as our families, or smaller less important things like yard work or gardens, we give our time and energy to making sure those things are in tact. It is no different with God. He really wants us to cultivate friendship with Him and be those that carry His heart to others.

I add "with a bit of fear and trembling" because, though I don't know a lot about the subject, the invitation to friendship with God is more than what I once thought it was. I think about whom the Lord called His friends throughout the Bible and I realize the life lived in friendship with God is one that is costly -- at least with the perspective of earthly things. It is laying aside what we think we deserve or need and with joy in our hearts sharing the thoughts, burdens, and cares that the very God of the universe carries in His heart. This is a daily struggle for me personally as I encounter nearly every day the selfishness in my heart as to what I think I need or deserve. If only I would lay aside temporary things to carry the perspective of heaven in my heart so much so that I die to what I want, think I need, and believe I deserve. It is truly a narrow path that many in the Western world criticize and call unnecessary. Yet to God, it is a life lived in wisdom and an invitation to greatness in His Kingdom. We lay down our lives to gain Him. We say yes to a life of being poor in spirit, of being desperate for His touch on our hearts, spending our energy for the sake of others, and being willing to carry His heart for the poor and forgotten of the earth. Although foolish to many, I would think that those who find this place in God would begin to believe that the temporary pleasures of this earth are as nothing compared to encountering true pleasure that flows from God's heart to those who hunger for Him. Bitterness has no root in them because they walk the way of tenderness, forgiving others and walking in humility and love. Jesus, be the love of our hearts -- that we would not walk in religion, but in real encounters with you.

Singleness

I have found that even though people seem to be getting married later in life, being single in our culture is not the most popular choice. And, by all means, it shouldn’t be. Yet, there are many who struggle with the idea of singleness and who long for the husband or wife that God has prepared for them. It is true that there are both positive and biblical ideas about the topic of singleness, but it is clear that it is not for everyone. For those who are waiting for their mate, it can be a difficult and lonely time full of questions and concerns about God’s timing. I am certainly one that can talk about the issue of singleness since this is the path that God has put me on up to this point in my life.

I want to encourage those, who like me, are on the path of singleness. Whether you are young and have many years ahead of you for God to bring your mate, divorced, or older and have never been married, I want to speak what I believe is the heart of God to you…an encouraging word, so to speak.Like all of you, I know friends and family who decided to get married in their early 20s. I loved watching the excitement of having the fist child, purchasing a home, and celebrating yearly anniversaries. I loved the conversations about the child’s first words, their first day of school, and the first friends they made. I love all of the mothers in my life and have the highest respect and honor for my friends and family who are one. It is a God-given gift and responsibility that is just incredible.

I love that God’s plan for our lives is not set in stone and we are not all wedged out of the same “cookie cutter” so to speak. His plan for each of us is so unique and precious to Him no matter what it may look like to us. We often wonder why our lives can’t fit into a mold to look like a certain somebody’s that we know. But to God, it is precious in His eyes no matter what our circumstances are because He is the one writing the book about your life. We aren’t the author – He is! Because of this truth, it takes much trust and dependence on knowing that God sees us, is aware of His timing for our life, and, even though we are at times tempted to ask Him, cares about our needs and wants (as long as our wants and needs fall within the boundaries of His will).

Whether you are single or married, that is not the most important issue. There is something much deeper that God wants to give us. Contentment. To be content in every situation and circumstance is of much worth in God’s eyes. The topic of being content can cover every issue in our lives and goes far past just being single or married. In talking with a friend the other day about the difficulty of waiting for her mate, she finished with this statement, “These issues I am so concerned about are nothing in the light of eternity.” That is so true! At the same time, God cares about our needs and desires and has a time clock that is important to Him to bring about each stage in our lives to completion. Take advantage of the period of waiting – God can work a beautiful inner quality within you that will help you throughout future seasons in your life.

Therefore, whether you are single or married, I encourage you to find contentment in every circumstance, to set your mind and heart upon eternal things, to be a peacemaker in all areas and relationships of life, and to be servant hearted before God and others. Is it not true that our first and most important desire should be to please God? It is not in doing things that pleases Him – it is in the quiet inner trust that makes us aware of God’s eyes upon us and allows us to enter into His peaceful rest and assurance of His marvelous love. Place your needs, desires, and wants on the back burner and begin to walk with the humility of pleasing God with an attitude of meekness in every relationship and season of waiting. In doing that, I promise that you will get God’s attention.

Intimacy With God

Oh to be known fully. Oh that the depths and chambers of my heart, thoughts, and emotions would be searched and known by another. There is a cry in all of us to be known and to be seen even more than just our outward appearance and the shallowness of everyday acquaintances. For it is on the inside that we are defined and it is in this place of inwardness that God’s description of us is formed. To describe the inward man is not an easy task. It is made up of chamber after chamber, longing after longing, passion after passion, and an endless pool of emotions and affections. One can not come close to bringing to perfection the blue print of our inward lives. But there is One that can. He not only has words to describe each of our unique inner qualities, but He has the ability like none other to reach into the depths of each of our hearts and know exactly what moves us, quiets us, and stirs us. Coming from this beautiful array of majestic and holy pleasures is the jealous love in which God draws each one of us into sweet communion with Him. It is when our hearts touch His that pleasure beyond any worldly experience occurs. Intimacy, being the greatest gift God has given, is available to any and all who open their hearts in holiness and hunger. Deep cries unto deep. The depths of our hearts, though we may not know it, yearn for something greater, something deeper, and something that will bring definition and identity to our lives and give us worth.

Adopted

Of all the different aspects of who God is, I think the one I like best is that He is a Father - one who brings us into His family, close to His heart, and embraces us with belonging and acceptance. Working in the past and present with children who live in tough situations, I find that the revelation of my Father and His love for little ones like these is often one that resides in me. Six years ago, I worked at a battered women's shelter. During my time there, I got to connect and spend time with children who had been abused on every level. Memories of when I got to visit the children who lived in the city dump in Ecuador also fill my mind. As I held the baby in my arms whose diaper had been used over and over again and whose body was covered with filth, my heart began to realize just how much this God of extravagant love gave for them. Though it has not been much, I am blessed to have spent time among the poor, the fatherless, and the forgotten. For it is in looking in their eyes, that I see the my Father. It is in sitting with them, talking with them, and befriending them that I learn about the heart of friendship my Father longs to extend to us. It is in opening my heart to them that I realize the incredible truth that Jesus' heart is open to us. My Father loves extravagantly and He is not afraid to embrace us in our weakness and imperfection. "He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart..." Isaiah 40:11 He wants to pull us in close to His big heart where there is room for everyone. He has enough love to heal every wound and scar of the past and wants to nurture us to completion and wholeness by His love. There is a place in His family for everyone...and oh it feels so good to have this kind of Father...it feels so good to be in His family!

From Rags to Royalty

It is amazing to me that God has written a book about my life which includes my birth, my death, and everything inbetween. He has recorded the day I rode my bike off a cliff and broke my arm when I was five, the day I wrecked the mail man's truck at a carwash , and every choice I have made whether big or small. There is one thing that will not be in that book...my mistakes, my weaknesses, my sin. I am grateful that He is keeping track of my life and all the while forgetting when I fall short. Because of His amazing ability to look upon my life with a happy heart and a smile, I have hope knowing that one day I too will be able to fully receive His love for me with no shame or fear. Though I stumble, I am perfect before Him...blameless with inward beauty which comes from His own reflection. He covers my multitude of sin and loves me faithfully in the middle of testings, doubts, and confusion. All because He stands as a mediator between me and the Father. He takes my sin and makes me pure. Therefore, though we struggle with our sinful nature on the earth, we can know we are truly loved, important, delighted in, and enjoyed by the one who loves best.

I am so thankful that He has chosen to treat me better than I deserve. He has taken me in my rags and made me into a princess! I am poor, yet He makes me rich! I am of low estate, yet He invites me to sit at the table of a King. Like Cinderella, He chose the lowest of the low in whom others wouldn't have chosen and has brought me into His royal family. He is my good samaritan. When no one noticed me, He did. When no one stopped to care for my wounds, He did. When I had no covering, He became my covering. When no one else cared, He did. He stopped and He listened. He bandaged my wounds and spoke words that no one else had spoke into my heart. He saw me differently and I am not ashamed to say that He is the love of my heart...not because I am so dedicated, but because He did for me what no one else could do! What's even more amazing is that He is not ashamed of me. He is not ashamed to say that I am the love of His heart and He is not ashamed to stand with me through every season as a faithful friend and partner. Even if I had the strongest love this world had to offer, it would be nothing compared to the love He has for those that open their hearts to Him. No one...and I mean no one has ever loved me like this!