Thursday, March 24, 2011

a good day.



this is peace. 

God is not committed to our comfort, but committed to our character.

“Our trials are not random persecutions. Heaven is not in a panic and where we are and what we are going through is no surprise to God. We may be knocked down and kicked around by life, but if we have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, we will not be destroyed.
God is not committed to our comfort, but committed to our character. 
Check out 
Malachi 3:3
He is refining us like silver, though it may seem at times you are getting burned, in the pits of hell, He keeps a watch and is refining you/me/us to the point where though we feel our suffering won't end, He anticipates making us more refined, pretty, whole.”
Tracy Le sent me this on one incredibly difficult morning. I sobbed.  

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

made new

"just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly..."

i love this quote. 

i relate it to the work that the Lord does in our lives. in my brokenness, He creates a masterpiece. although painful, He molds and transforms. This God, this creator, is my Healer, and the Redeemer of life. my life included. "perseverance must finish its work so that you may be complete, lacking nothing."

in the realm of healing, and the healing of others, we must not be limited to seeing people as they are.

we must take the time to dive into the depth of humanity to find the scarce bit of good in each person.

if we hold each other to a standard that only entertains face value, we commit a vast disservice to each other. 

"to affirm a person is to see the good in them that they cannot see themselves and to repeat it in spite of appearances to the contrary." -Brennan Manning

Never settle in relationships where you are not encouraged to be made new, that do not daily encourage you to strip your old self, and strive for the new. this proves the daily necessity for our soul caretaker. the  One who restores, the One who looks at His love, you, and says, "My sweet little one, it is you that i take delight in. It is in your contagious laughter where i find joy. i have entrusted you with a desire to serve others. be new and bring hope."

"but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And HOPE does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

hope does not disappoint us. 

Monday, March 21, 2011

freedom

Freedom

A word that evokes hope. We strive for it, we yearn to feel it, but sadly we resort to feelings of bondage, control, and stagnation.

I remember times when I would want to run, sprint through wide open fields away from the stresses of everyday life.

I wonder if healing, to any degree, has anything to do with freedom. I recall a sense of limitless possibility when I had healed from a broken relationship of several years. The work of the Lord was not yet finished.

"if you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you FREE." John

Knowing truth.

Truth about God and His character.
I am assured that God knows what is best for me. I am promised the presence of the Holy Spirit, and I KNOW that the Holy Spirit is my advocate. (love that word, it's what I strive to be)

"In hope that creation itself will be LIBERATED from it's bondage to decay and brought into the glorious FREEDOM of the children of God." Romans

It is amazing to think of my struggles as bondage to decay. I had never seen it that way. All those things that drag me down and keep me from living in the fullness of the Lord will ultimately lead to my soul decay.

But as children of God, praise You Abba, we have glorious freedom. We have the strength to move, to love, to grieve, to heal-freely in His presence. And we are liberated, rescued, SET FREE from the chains that so easily entangle us.

My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior has rescued me

"Now, the Lord is the Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is FREEDOM."

Hallelujah. (highest praise)