-Lord...I want to go "from strength to strength"....how does this happen? 

+ What thrills your Father is when you really believe in how much He loves you. This is healing. This is wholeness. This is why I came…that you may be filled with the eternal “Yes!” of the Father! This is the key…the gift that transforms every moment you live. With this gift received…truly…you can do everything, everything He created you to do. Your most perfect prayer has always been that you learn to love. The gift you have received – My Presence in you, by the Power and continual working of the Spirit – makes this more than possible, it makes it inevitable! God’s very Love has been released in your heart. This Love is what heals and frees and empowers You and what then flows out of you to bless and enrich all who He brings into your life. Give yourself completely to this Perfect Love…to your Father…to the Bridegroom of your soul…and allow His Love to percolate through your being. Light…Laughter…Joy…Contentment…Praise…Thankfulness….all these qualities take up residence in your spirit. Patience…Kindness…Forgiveness…Peace…these are yours without measure. Ah…such good news – such cause for rejoicing! You have been dressed like a bride with garlands, like an apple orchard in full bloom. Bloom this day with your whole heart – one with Him. The Spirit has come alongside you…has infused you with all you need to live in perfect union with Me. This is exactly what your Father wants. This is the center of His Will. All other details fall into place. Nothing is impossible…all things are possible with the High and Holy God of the Universe…Lover of your life. He keeps you safe always and anoints you to accomplish wondrous things in Him. The tiniest thing you do…done with a heart filled with love for Him…is transformed. This is “going from strength to strength”…Love creating more love….creating more love….. This indeed is LIFE to the FULL!!

-The Lord brought to mind a photo I saw of hundreds of Muslims - prostrate in a big town square. I was impressed with the devotion. This is what He told me.

 

+ It is impressive...those pictures of the vast throngs prostrate together for morning/afternoon/evening prayer. You think, 'look at that devotion'! I see something different. The problem is the forced obeisance… the group think… the melting in… the ideology that can bow one minute and the next (because the individual has no worth… the one counts for nothing), a bomb can be strapped on a child in the name of this god that is being worshiped. Here's the difference. To Me, each prostrate Muslim bowed down into the oblivion of the masses… each one is precious. I am the God of the one. I am the God of the one lost sheep. I am the God Who, in essence, strapped a bomb on my Only Beloved One to rescue the masses from all that would destroy them. I was willing to destroy My own, not as a mindless action to appease a heartless God, but as an intentional gift to transform the life of every one of My creation. The difference is massive. I let My Beloved suffer because this Sacrifice had power to unleash faith and freedom and love and salvation on the earth. Of course, the plan was always that My beloved One would rise from death – victorious…alive…honored above all, for all time. Imagine the beauty of One Who goes to each one of those bowed souls and reveals to them a Heart that cares for each one… that approaches.. bends low and picks them up one by one and embraces them and calls them by name. This is Who I am… not a distant-impersonal-demanding God Who is incapable of being placated, uninterested in relationship, but a God Who loves, Whose love has cost Him everything… a God Who has sacrificed was what was most precious to Him to break the hold of this very type of cold, heartless religion that is antithetical to everything He is. So imagine My Son - in all His resurrected glory -coming to that bowed throng… lifting one trapped soul up to his feet looking in his eyes and telling him He loves him. This soul, suddenly illuminated, would indeed fall to his knees, but this time, it would not be a forced ritual but a deep response to the power of Pure Love. What a difference! Pray for those lost in the depths of the darkness. Pray for the light of My Son to shine forth. I desire that none should perish. Let My light shine always in you.....           

 

-Ah.....Helen Keller....so full of joy and life and light! Lord help me embrace everything about my life the way she did. What a woman!

 

+ My love, it’s no accident that I have you reading Helen Keller’s autobiography. I want you to have a great example before you of light in the darkness. But see – the agent of her freedom was her beloved and ever-present teacher, Annie Sullivan, of which she said;

“My teacher is so near to me that I scarcely think of myself apart from her. How much of my delight in all beautiful things is innate, and how much is due to her influence, I can never tell. I feel that her being is inseparable from my own, and that the footsteps of my life are in hers. All the best of me belongs to her – there is not a talent, or an inspiration or a joy in me that has not awakened by her loving touch.”

So…..when you feel the darkness closing in, see the Holy Spirit as the One Who ever holds your hand…forming the words of encouragement and truth on your palm….opening the eyes of your spirit to the beauty in all situations just like Annie Sullivan did for Helen. Ah…but she is just a shadow of what the Holy Spirit can be for you! I made you! I know you! I understand the nature of your battles and I can lead you safely through every one. I can even guide you away from the fray and out into that wide and spacious place where you feel the expansiveness of my unfailing Love filling you with joy and peace. You are beginning to understand how Graham Cooke calls the enemy my sheep dog. When you start using everything he throws at you as a touchstone for praising Me…turning your spirit to Me…waiting for the pressure of My still small voice forming the answers in your hand…revealing the great and wonderful things you do not know….Ah….this is Glory!!! Angels rejoice because you have eyes that SEE and ears that HEAR!!!! You belong to Me and I am truly able to set you completely free from all that is death and loss and pain in your life. It’s time to give all that stuff a “decent burial and get on with your new exuberant free life. God’s Spirit beckons!” (Romans 8 ~The Message) This so aptly illustrates “what the enemy meant for evil, God means for good.” You have passed through the suffocating waters…all the enemy’s attempts to drown you in the darkness of disappointment and instead, you have started your day...hands open listening and looking for the goodness of the Lord! This is life as God designed it and it’s only going to get better! Your inheritance is just beginning. Hold on!!! Joy. Joy. Joy !!!

-Speak to me, oh Lord of my heart. I’m struggling. I need to wrap thanksgiving around every detail of my life. I feel too fragile. The insecurity of my lack of accomplishments lurks too powerfully just beneath the surface. Help me Lord to Magnify You…to release the tight grip I have on this hazy imagery marking the “well done!” ...the sense of faithfulness to the call. Help me to uncurl the tightness in my chest when I sense others’ acclaim (even if only to themselves!). Let my life be enough. Let what You have chosen to allow be met with great gratitude. Help me be that child….without guile…without expectations…just an accepting, wanting-to-just-be-with-You child. Teach me to breathe when the contrasts make my chest constrict. Take me to the place of worship where freedom is all I know. This is why You came…to peel off the sin nature and show me why You love me…to help me accept who I am with grace…contentment…”not better than…not worse than, not comparing at all…..Humility”  Why am I still so proud Lord, with no reason? You know me…the real me and You love me still. Thank you.

+ Take a breath, my love, Know that all is grace…the air….the design of your lungs distilling the oxygen, sending it on its way to renew and restore. I’m right here! I understand your sense of loss. Give it to me. There’s no reason to cling to it…..no reason to hold it up to your face like a mirror as if this is your identity. You once were lost, but now…and for a long time now…you are found.! I’m here to help you see the wide place and believe it is yours. This is why you can release the pain and the loss and the ways you feel like you’ll never measure up. My love….come and rest and just BE with Me. I know how to make sense out of all the things that still confuse you. You are forgetting Heaven! You are forgetting the heavenlies. You can know that your mind is not set on things above when you feel this tightness grip you and hold you hostage to the lie. Use the will I’ve given you to resist the enemy of your soul. He will flee. You can learn to totally rest amidst all the unanswered questions. You can still feel favor even when it seems to hide from you. Faith is the substance of things not seen. Believe in the favor that I have for you…believe it because of Who I am for you right at this moment… and give thanks.

 

    -Over and over I come to You, my Lord....so conscious of all my faults and failings. Help me to understand You like Graham Cooke does. Teach me how to bask in Your favor and to obey Your slightest desire. I know that's why he walks in Your pleasure...because he is so willing to do anything You ask, even if it makes him look like a fool! Free me and help me to fully be who You have designed me to be. I love you Lord.

       

 

+You feel the ebb and flow of your resolve as your heart and spirit seek to belong completely to me.  Stop looking at how well you’re doing (or how dismally you feel you fail.)  Look constantly at Me.  This is the secret… You live like a favored child when your eyes never leave the source of favor – the look in your Father’s eyes.  You must train your mind and will and spirit to do just that.  You recognize that you are weak in so many areas in your life, but these all can be paths leading you straight to the arms of your Father, Who can help you “Get over your bad self”, (as Graham would say).  Fix your heart, secure your gaze on Him.  A ship’s captain steers the course and has all the controls fixed on the destination.  Winds, waves, unexpected storms may require adjustments, but the harbor never changes.  So too with you: when I tell you not to look to the left or right, it refers to more than comparison to other people (which it includes), it refers to the habit of tearing yourself down.  When you fail – which you will in this world  - immediately take all the fall-out: the self-recriminations, the sense of isolation from Me (a tool the enemy loves) and come to Me.  Come to Me when you’re feelings tell you that you are not worthy…. not good…not true…not loyal.  Come to Me and let Me cover you over with the sweetness of acceptance and forgiveness.  The heart of the Father is forgiveness.  He’s not looking for perfect children but for those who love Him.  The Holy Spirit’s job is to conform you to the likeness of the Son.  Only He can do this.  So give yourself into the loving and true hands of your beloved Papa and let Him love you completely throughout this day.  When you choose to allow your faults and failings separate you from His tenderness, you let the enemy win. There’s nothing about you that your Father doesn’t know. That’s why His love is so enduring and freeing.  Dive into this living water and feel the clear freedom of being totally loved.  You are accepted in the Beloved.  You are in Me and I am ever and always in you.  I will never leave you or forsake you.  I will never let you down.  Come My little one and let Me fill you up this day with joy the world can never offer.  Come to Me and find rest for your soul…your mind…your heart.  Every care that arises – hand it over and stay calm at the feet of the One Who caresses your life with His freedom and unfailing Love.  You are cherished.  Believe it!

 

- I still have a tendency to get hurt when someone is critical or speaks harshly. I'm too over-sensitive. I feel like the Lord told me He's making me into His little duck - and these kind of words/negative energies coming at me will roll off me like water off a duck's back. So, I decided to look up what makes water roll off a duck's back so easily. This is what I found.

Ducks spend a lot of time preening, ie: spreading oil over the top layer of feathers. They get the oil from a gland. This coating creates such a shield that water is repelled and cannot penetrate the outer layer! Two other interesting facts: Ducklings with "down" are not protected. In fact, their soft hair-like feathers hold the water....they can get so soaked and weighed down that they can't swim. Some even drown! Also, the oil gland can get plugged with dirt and dander and the duck can't access the oil. However, soaking in a warm bath can unplug the gland and the oil flows again!  Hmmm.....some interesting analogies here....Holy Spirit teach away!

+ It's pretty obvious isn't it, my little swimmer? I have promised you that I would "harden you to difficulty"...toughen you up....and this is a good lesson in how this comes about! When that criticism came at you recently, it was as though you had no feathers, only down, something that actually absorbed the weight of the remark. In your spirit, you heard Me tell you that I want you to be like a duck with water rolling off her back. So....all you need to do My love is:
1) Spend a lot of time preening...Spread the oil of gladness....the oil of the Lamb of God (that expensive oil of Love purchased at so high a price)... spread it over you and feel the power of this impenetrable shield! Ducks were created to swim, yet they would not be able to survive without continually applying this oil. So, My love, continually apply this oil of gladness around your mind and heart. Let it protect you from the weight of someone else's weakness. You needn't be dragged down. I'm getting you to the point where something like this won't even be an issue. These petty things will simply roll off your back. You also need to remember:
2) You are not a baby ducking...unprotected. You have an armor about you. The way you preen and strengthen this armor is by staying thankful... filled with praise... laughing and living in the Joy of your Lord, your Strength! You don't have "down"...so don't think you have to hold and absorb hurts, letting them weigh you down. Keep on preening in the Goodness...Mercy and Love of the Lord and you will be completely free. Your freedom will not be compromised by anything someone else does. This will also keep you free from judgment and bitterness...things that can clog the outpouring of healing oil. Don't forget:
3) The duck's oil gland can be blocked by dirt and dander. This represents any unforgiveness and critical thinking that you feel justified in picking up in response to your mistreatment. Live lightly! Let go! This is such a happy, carefree way to live. When you let things roll off your back, you don't feel a need to respond and/or protect yourself. You've already been protected! You have a continuous supply of the oil of gladness that keeps you safe.Finally:
4) My people are called peculiar because they do not live in this world....walking in this world's ways... Instead, they live their lives in the Kingdom. Some people think this makes them quacks!!! :) But I say, be my little, happy quack! Keep your oil gland soaking in the warmth of your Father's Presence.  When you live in the Kingdom, you get to experience the beauty ...freedom and refreshment of the River of Life right here...right now....now and forevermore! Exciting isn't it? That's why I'm always telling you to rejoice!! Enjoy the Living Water and the fun of a resilient life. This is Freedom!

- How do l learn to love?

+ I see my beloved, that you want to be able to love and that you assess your actions and find them lacking. You feel incapable of truly loving like your Father has called you to love. But my precious one, He would never ask you to do something He will not enable you to do. So here's a perfect image of what it means to belong to Me...where you no longer strive for separate acts of love - but, in Me - you are love. Think of a clear carafe of pure water. Then imagine a drop of blue food coloring… and another drop swirled into the transparent water. With each drop, a new identity appears. The water has been transformed. Now the carafe is filled with the same water, only now, it is sparkly blue. My identity - by the power of the Holy Spirit - permeates your identity – colors it - transforms it totally. There is no separation possible between the clear water and the colored water. They are one. So too when I penetrate your being: I am Love, and in Me, you are love. It is the same with My Peace, My Joy, all the qualities - the fruit of the Spirit; they color who you are and then your separate actions manifest what has happened to you. Think of this transformation. It will help you understand that you cannot change yourself by will power. You change yourself by coming to Me. The Spirit is in charge of transforming you. This is why you can relax and rejoice. This good news is truly something to smile about! So come to Me in your mind and heart throughout this day. This colors everything about your day. You are loved completely. You have been given a new nature - one that responds the same for all who are in your life. It is finished. Live in Joy… in Peace… in perfect Love. 

       

-Teach me how to forgive. I so want to be able to live my
life without having ANY hard feelings towards ANYONE... 
hmmmm "hard" feelings... that sums it up perfectly.  

+ There is something I want you to always remember. Keep this in the forefront of your mind and heart. Think about what I said on the cross: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

People who wound you really have no idea of the emotional and psychological damage their actions can cause. They are unthinking…often insensitive…many times concerned with themselves…but most times, your injury is a secondary thing….not their purposeful intent. They truly know not what they do.

Because I understood this so well, I was able to separate the actions of an angry, stirred-up mob from the deeds of the foolish, weak people My Father sent me to save. His deep love overshadowed Me even in My most desperate situation, and kept My vision clear. His love knows no measure. That day, I showed you the way to love your enemies and those who hurt you: pray a blessing on them. Ask the Father to forgive them. Refrain from judging their motives or from thinking you know their hearts. Leave that to your Father, who keeps you safe and protects your heart even as He did Mine despite the pain. Freedom was what I came to buy.  Because you are in Me (in Me you live and move and have your being) your responses to all that could disappoint you or hurt you have been redeemed. You can expect to be filled with that living water gushing out of you.  That same relationship I had with the Father is yours. You are an heir apparent!! Yes….it is clear! There is power that resides in you to love just like your Papa loves. So, get ready to meet your day with high expectation of the Spirit’s empowering. He will never fail you. Shalom!

- Lord, teach me the secret of living in Your peace.

+ My beloved….When you choose to rest in Me throughout the course of your day, you lift yourself out of the moment and declare eternity. In Me, there is no time, so when you rest and trust, you are seeing what formerly caused worry and distress from a different perspective. This is Freedom and it is the Joy that is your Strength. No longer are you bound by your limited vision. All your prayers that once were filled with angst are now quiet declarations of trust. You know Me. You know your Father. The Holy Spirit lives in you to keep you in that place of abundance. Heaven is only about abundance and joy and favor and light and fulfillment. All that is poverty and sadness and lack and darkness and deferred hope must bow to the supremacy of the God of all that is Good. This is the Good News and it is YOUR Good News. It is why you can rest and live each day in productive joy. You are in Me and nothing and no one can ever change that. You belong to the Father and He loves His own with a vengeance. He guards His own and delights to reveal to them the enormity of His boundless Love. Enjoy the wonder revealed to you this day. Entrust every care to Him. There is no safer, surer way to live. Declare the triumph of the cross over the minutes of your day and see the goodness of the Lord overshadow all….taking all death captive and leading you by His Powerful Right Hand into the land of the living. Expect this goodness. Wait and look for and rejoice in it. It is your inheritance…right here…right now. Peace that is yours…complete Peace and Rest that covers you over with Light and Laughter….God’s radiant Smile. Rest and rejoice. You are His much-loved child. This can never change. It is forever. So you see, this day has been overtaken by eternity – redeemed already! Truly this is good news forever!

 "For what we are about to receive, may the Lord, make us truly grateful."

  

 

+ This is a prayer that people routinely pray over their meals. But I want you to stop and think of these words.  They can be a blessing over your whole life… minute by minute. When you become more and more aware of the unwarranted, unrelenting blessings throughout the minutes of your day, this prayer takes on new meaning. It signifies the hope that precedes your day - the understanding and awareness of the boundless goodness of your Father Who shines on you no matter what events occur during your day. It is the buoyant expectancy that knows that your heavenly Father watches over you with an intensity and graciousness and liberality that has no rival. This is why you rejoice. You understand the meaning of Calvary… Everything about your life has been redeemed…each moment infused with that same power that broke the cords of death that held humanity down. Be full of joy. Watch the manifestation of Perfect Love as it unfolds and graces your every moment. His love is the same, working completely for you, sustaining you, whether you acknowledge it or not. But it's the recognition of this all-powerful love that is yours, working to empower you, that brings you total peace and immovable joy. Thy kingdom come, oh Father, in all its glory and rejoicing! Filled to overflowing, you are greeted with that Smile - His Shining face everywhere you go. This is your confidence. This is your security. This is your strength. This is life to the full. Enjoy it!

- Lord, I really want to know You the way You intend to be known. Every day I ask You Lord to show me Who You are and Who You want to be for me throughout the moments of my life.

 

 

“I am the God of green Hope – filling you up with Joy…filling you up with Peace, so that your believing life filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit will brim over with Hope.” Romans 15:13 – The Message

 

+ This is Who I am!  Everything GOOD and BEAUTIFUL - HEALING - and SATISFYING. I am the SOURCE of all that you desire. I am the ANSWER to every question. I am the BALM for every wound. I am the PROMISE that trumps every evil. I am the TRUTH that clarifies every distortion. I AM Who AM and  I am CONSTANT – UNCHANGING - and very much ALIVE. I am your own FATHER, CREATOR...REDEEMER. I am the ONE WHO made you and designed the path of your life. I am the ONE WHO guides you step by step by the light of the Spirit and Who heals you through the Blood of My Son. You have been rescued – set apart. You have endured the isolation of these many years of being “set apart”, but oh my beloved one, this has been a place of safety and warmth. This place of isolation and silence, where you have felt so unappreciated and unaccepted…this has been the very special place of anointing! This has been your safe haven – the cocoon specifically designed to bring you to the place of flight. I know you. I know exactly what you need to become all that I created you to be. I have helped you learn the secret of high praise in the hidden place and showed you how to lift your voice to Me and you have learned the power of a thankful heart. You have been kept safe from the distractions that would make it so hard to hear My still, small voice. This is a mystery, my Love. It’s a lesson in Hope. Trust Me, I haven’t forgotten the treasure of your labor…the work of your hands….your crop...sown… often in tears. I have promised that you will come rejoicing with a beautiful harvest in your hands. My Joy has proven to you that I am more than enough. My triumph is in you. It is LIFE...won for you by the power of the resurrection. Now....this day.....Peace, Joy, Bounty and Satisfaction....are the sheaves you carry in your heart because you have continued trusting in the One Who calls you His own. You know that nothing can separate you from My Perfect Love. And with this Love you have everything. This is the secret of the Kingdom. It is a great and wonderful thing that secures you in confidence. The Kingdom of Heaven is indeed IN YOU. Blessed is she who believes that what the Lord has promised will be done. So believe, dear one, it WILL be done unto you according to My Word. This is why nothing can touch your peace and joy.

 

-Lord, how I long to live my life in the full consciousness of Your Presence and Love.  Overshadow me, Lord.  Purify my heart.  Help me to release all cares into your Hand.  Lord, I draw near to You knowing that You are here.

 

+ I am here with you in the deepest regions of your soul and spirit. My “yes” sustains you…fills you…draws you…enables you and loves you completely.  Live this day certain of your status as a treasured, beloved bride. I overshadow ALL that concerns you.  All that weighs on your heart belongs on My heart.  This is the covenant….the marriage contract. Rest and trust in the strength of my joy and rejoice throughout this day.  It is a gift to be treasured.  Go about your work with the silent satisfaction of one who knows the heart of her lover.  Let this knowledge color each moment as bright as the trees outside your window, splashing the wild color against the sky. 
Give all to me…all concerns…all anxiety…all fear…all questions…all guilt. Free yourself from every encumbrance and wait for the bounty of my voice filling your heart with music and delight.  The Father is all Delight and Goodness and Favor and Joy.  With your arms open- free from all burdens- you can raise your hands in anticipation….a little girl running to the waiting, welcoming arms of a perfect Father.  Here is where you spend your day…under His smile…in the heart-song of His laughter…and at every turn, you are encouraged and led along the path before you.  This is the Kingdom of God, purchased for you that your joy and understanding will spill out over all you meet, transforming the darkness of pain and disappointment.  This is the assignment for this day.  Joy, joy, laughter and joy….Abundance is like that!

"and throwing off his outer garment, he leaped up and came to Jesus and Jesus said to him "What do you want me to do for you?" Mark 10: 50-51

 

-Lord, in so many ways, I am blind...wrapped in an outer garment of worldly blindness.  Help me to throw off this outer garment and leap up and come to you knowing that it is your will and desire to be all that I need in every situation. Lord, I want to worship you with all I am.... especially as one who has seen You in all your love, mercy, kindness, power and compassion. Lord, that I may see is ever my cry to you.  More and more, may the light of my eyes be YOU.

  

+Like a snake shedding its old skin or a flower emerging from its protective encasing, you are throwing off the thinking that keeps you from seeing who you are in Me.  I am the source for all sight.  I ever come down your street and hear your heart cry out to me.  I hear your silent cries too and they make my heart leap towards you in joy.  How happy I am that you yearn to be Mine!  This desire has been birthed in you by the power of the Holy Spirit to teach you of the Kingdom within you.  Consequently, as you find that you are decreasing and I am increasing, the throne of the Father becomes more and more the home of your heart, as it is Mine.  I came that you might have life Abundant, which means, I came to place you in the radiant Love of the throne room, before which all of creation SINGS.  This, my love, is the secret place where you are fully healed and are all that you were created to be.  So yes…throw off any outer garments that have covered your mind and heart and come to the Bridegroom who loves you completely. I am teaching you how to see your beauty through my eyes…. to be happy that you are who you are.  It is my job to groom you and make you spotless for the King.  It is your job only to leap up and come to me, which you are doing.  Live in great expectation and hope of what amazing thing I will do next to take you one step closer to heaven.  I have done the work of the cross and continue to give you eyes to see.  Live here in the light of my joy…. here in my arms.  Walk this day as my slave, ready to do my bidding, knowing that you are royalty.  Whatever you do to the least in this world, you do unto me.  You are kissing Me when you give your love to the unlovable.  You have eyes that see when I am your vision.  This is the best life possible because it is out from under the garment of the prince of darkness.  His power is powerless in this lighted arena where the King of Kings is on the throne… where you find that your blood has been mixed with royalty. You are under the complete protection of the Majesty of the High King… your Father….Who treasures and keeps you safe at all times.  This is the Kingdom come….right here….right now in your life. 

-How I love fall! Everywhere I look, creation is displaying God's glory. It's such a perfect illustration of Eugene Peterson's beautiful translation of      Psalm 23:6 "Your Beauty and Love chase after me every day of my life."  
Autumn is a love song for the eyes and heart. 

+All of nature reflects My lavish hand.  All of nature celebrates the goodness of the Lord.  The Father is extravagant.  He has made the trees to sing a colored song of His beauty and He has given His children eyes to drink in that beauty.  The wind blows the colored­-confetti-leaves across the sky and they twirl and catch sunlight as they spin down to cover the ground.  There’s a party going on!  It’s the continuous Joy of heaven reflected for a brief moment every autumn.  It’s the riotous gladness of the goodness of God Who sees all and cares for all and gave All for all…that none may perish and all might live in glory.

 Take this stunning reflection of beauty and majesty and know that transformation is ever the work of My hand.  I know you.  I know your struggles and I can blow the dead and dying leaves off the landscape of your heart.  I can renew your mind and your heart and your spirit.  It is the work I love to do.  You cannot do this for yourself, so just come and sit and rest and let me plant the seeds of spring deep in you . . . fill you with expectation and hope . . . surround you with songs of gladness and victory. Because I have won all the battles for you, you need only stand and see the deliverance of your Lord.    

Know this . . . I never change . . . I never fail . . . I never turn away and I am always your encourager and champion.  The battle that seeks to destroy you is smoldering like an old fire. Only embers remain.  Do not feed these embers with thoughts that enflame the enemy forces.  My Spirit – your Advocate - pours living water on these destructive coals. You can be free from ever having to feel the tidal wave of failure overcome you.  The fire of My Spirit is like a firewall that is erected purposely to contain and destroy the wildness and power of an out-of-control fire. Right now – as the fiery leaves swirl before you – I am building a firewall of protection around your mind and heart.  Your security is solid.  The enemy’s heat might be felt, but the Spirit’s fire will protect you utterly from being hurt.

 

 So, dance in your heart before the Lord of your heart. You are loved and yearned for by the Source of all love and all romance Who knows every doubt…. every hurt…. every fear…. and Who calls you by name to be His own. Run to Him…. the Word is near you…it is in your mouth.  Yes…. a thousand times He has said only “Yes” to you …Let your heart and your lips dance your yes back to Him with all your might.  The joy that will descend will swirl around you like autumn leaves…your own robe of many colors…. the sign of your status in the heart of God as a favored bride… loved without measure…. secure…. beautiful…safe in the arms of her beloved.  This is life as it was designed to be lived.  Live it, beloved.  Live it. This Word is truth.  The Truth has set you free!

-Meditating on the peace of the Lord…learning to release everything (palms down) and receive the Lord's response (palms up).

 

+ The image I give you is of a lighthouse standing firm in a raging storm. Waves crash… buoys bounce and are even pulled off their moorings… but this lighthouse (which is you - firmly planted in me - filled with the power and love and beauty and light of the Kingdom of Heaven) stands firm. All that rages against it is as nothing at all. Inside this place of safety, which you both indwell and represent, you live in the lighthouse which is the Kingdom and you are the lighthouse in Me. This is the secret place where I have placed you. This environment is a haven of beauty and healing… of rest and joy… of light and satisfaction. OUTSIDE is bitter cold - gray crashing waters - roaring winds – WITHIN is  the sound of nature - birds singing -streams babbling - the smell of warm sun on sweet rich earth...whatever is most beautiful and comforting to each person who enters in. This is such a perfect picture of the Kingdom on earth. The interior of the lighthouse expands and  pushes back against storm (all the forces of darkness that seems so engulfing and immense,that look so overpowering). Supernaturally, the Father of all expands the base, the height, the depth, the width of this lighthouse until the ocean is forced to retreat. There are no words to capture the Kingdom, but this is one image that gives you a tiny idea. So, go through your day then as this lighthouse… full of love and peace… of light and warmth… acceptance and healing. In so doing, you prove the Word of God, which stands for ever. Indeed, no weapon, no storm formed against you can ever succeed. It cannot be. It will not. Selah! 

-So many options everywhere I look.....so many choices that all look good. I need guidance and clarity. Lord, what do You want for me this day?
 

+ I am eager to see you explode with My Power and Fullness. I am eager to see the suffering I endured put to use in your life. I destroyed all death -all limits in your life. I want you to live as the free, completely redeemed, rescued person you are. There IS power in the Blood… wonder working Power! Contemplate what that means specifically for you. I am always concerned with specifics. Fields of flowers are created with one perfectly designed flower after another. Cultivate the mindset that I had, that I spoke of so often, the one lost lamb… the one pearl…the one field… the one murderer that I rescued as I was on the cross. Group mentality, group thinking is something that leads to death because I came for one… and one…. and one. Just so, I came for you and it gives Me pleasure that you seek to know the entirety of the freedom I purchased. It gives the Father pleasure that your heart is turned to Him. This is all He requires, that you believe in the One He sent and that you seek to grow in your belief. This is the pathway to the ‘fullness beyond measure’ of the fullness of God. It is His perfect will for you. This is why so often I spoke of peace - that My peace would make you full. As I was, so you will be in this world. I will increase your understanding and expand your heart and you will be so focused on the goodness and joy and freedom of God that you won't even think of the details of your life! You will know that they have been completely taken care of because you have chosen the One Thing. All life… all happiness… all power… all satisfaction spring from this One Thing...you in Me - I in you. With the Holy Spirit's power overpowering and renewing you, now do the “one things” that I put before you. Do them with praise in your heart and soul for the beauty of your Father's Name. Believe that in Me, you have a heart for the lost and you are equipped to bring My Love without effort or pressure to every one. Keep your eyes and heart on your Father throughout this day. Know in the stillness of your heart  that I am and ever will be God… your God… your Maker… your King… your Lord… your greatest Love… your Redeemer… your Savior… your Bridegroom. This Love…the highest…the best Love is yours. Take and receive and give all you are away without fear or self-consciousness. I have gone before you and I will continue to do so until the day I bring you home. Today is a day of exploits! That's another word for life in the Beloved!

-I was feeling so under siege at the beginning of my quiet time this morning...under the weight of all my failures...rejections...all that same-old, same-old swooping over me... pushing me down. I was writing out my familiar boo hoos when I suddenly stood up and started walking around...begging the Holy Spirit, my Friend and Rescuer to help me. Within seconds, I felt Him tell me to bunch up what I had written and to take it to the sink and BURN it....CREMATE it actually...and give that old self a "decent burial." After I did just that...smoke still rising from the ashes in the sink...He gave me this word:

+Oh yes, My beloved....you have had quite a spirit journey this morning as the self pity rushed over you and you succumbed for a while. But in a moment of clarity, you fought the good fight and called on your Rescuer for help. The moment you stood up on the inside and called for help was definitely a sign of progress....but really you're beyond all this now. You are at a point where you no longer can act like a child who forgets her basic ABC's. You know the truth and you can not allow yourself to go back to that place where you wallow in a victim mindset. I led you to look up the definition of "wallow" and it was most instructive.
As a verb, it means:
1). to roll about or lie in water,dirt or mud (for refreshment!)
2). To live self indulgently.
3). To flounder about; move along or proceed clumsily or with difficulty.
4). To surge or billow forth as smoke or heat (does that need explaining?)
As a noun, it means:
1). The act of wallowing.
2). The place animals wallow and
3). The indentation produced by wallowing!!!
The dictionary makes it abundantly clear. So, don't wallow! When you indulge in this faith-destroying activity, your freedom is compromised. You turn to these familiar woes....wallowing in the disappointment for 'refreshment' and wind up stuck in a hole with more reasons to be sad.  This is self indulgence! It makes your spirit earth-bound so it moves with difficulty. It darkens your mind with the black smoke of confusion and leaves your spirit unable to breathe. It also leaves an indentation...leaving a kind of gully that can be difficult to get out of! You don't want to get  stuck believing all the lies you're rolling around in do you? 
Fortunately, your Father loves you too much to let you wallow! Instead.... you find yourself gently chastised by His tender Love! The question He puts to you is this: do you want to be free? If so (and I know it's so) you cannot go to this familiar and false place that does anything but refresh. You need to get tough with these emotions! They are all based on LIES and you must treat them as such! Feelings are not truth. I am leading you into All Truth and the Truth (and nothing but the Truth) will set you completely FREE. So, you must always be on guard. You know the enemy's tactics. You must be acutely aware of the random thoughts you are thinking. Remember, this indentation is very familiar and even deceptively comfortable. But enjoying this momentary unbelief (and that's what this is - unbelief) is not an option! Remember....without faith it is impossible to please God....and I know your heart's desire is to please your Father. Of course, because of His inordinate indulgence and generosity, He constantly gives you a growing measure of faith. After all (and before all!) He is the Author and Finisher of your faith. In every test, all you have to do is say 'yes' to Him and 'no' to the lies. So....which shall it be My love? No comparison, right? Do you want the place of clumsiness and impaired vision, where you move with difficulty OR the wide and spacious place of freedom, purchased just for you? Your smile shows Me which you chose!
This has been an interesting little graduate course this morning, hasn't it? "Mind of the Spirit - 101". How critical it is that you learn these most important lessons of faith! You are called to walk....live and revel in the Spirit. You cannot go back to your old ways. Rejoice My love. This is going to be a good day.....and if the Father gave out grades....you'd get an A+.

-Lord....sometimes I get so turned off by all the Christianese....even though I regularly give myself permission to be pretty super spiritual! 
 I went to a funeral last night and the pastor was so heavy-handed and un-anointed, laying a guilt trip on all the "unsaved" people...trying to use this sad moment to hit his captive audience up  with the gospel. At least that's how it made me feel. It actually made me angry. Instead of love.....I felt his whole sermon was one of judgment....(of course, as you can see,  I was doing my fair share of judging in the pew!). It's just such a difficult balance....sharing faith in a way that draws. I think I just prefer LOVE being the witness.....and being ready to tell someone who asks what it is I believe. Anyway....please help me Lord with the yucky feelings that pastor's talk engendered. It made me want to run from all churches and just be with you in the woods. Your Presence is so unsullied in the woods. Guess it's best just to keep my mouth shut and take the plank out of my eye. Lord show me Your way....

+Hush, my little one.  Still your heart and your mind and your spirit.  Rest only in the knowledge of my deep and unyielding love.  I am your strong tower.  I am the dwelling place of secret joy and unhurried rest.  My peace transcends all the questions, all the storms that arise to pull you down and away.  Hang on only to Me and leave all unanswered questions safely in My Hand, like a child. Actually, the answers are not anywhere near as important as your swift and steady running to Me for all your needs.  Do not dwell on the things that cause you distress.  Dwell on Me and all the rest will fall away.  Remember, I am your impenetrable shield. I came to keep you safe, to rescue, not only your spirit and body, but also your mind from the restless and churning wiles of the enemy of your peace.  I am your Prince of Peace and My Peace I give you.  No one and nothing is more powerful or deep as this covenant of peace, which I have blessed you with.  When testings come – and they always will – use them as the path to your tower of refuge and strength. Know that, in Me, all is well and in Me, you can do all things. You can give mercy and grace to those who are clumsy and not the ambassadors for the kingdom that you would like them to be. The woods are a place of refreshment, but I do not call you to a life of retreat....I call you to Myself....and to a world that needs to see Who I am. I want to strengthen you,  no matter where you are so you can conquer any force that seeks to destroy you...even your own thoughts. Last night you wanted to run away from an image that contradicted your heart. But my beloved, you must always seek to hear with the ears of the Spirit. You let your heart be troubled and felt assaulted not wanting to be associated with this man's gospel. Despite the pain you felt, I know he was doing the best he could....trying to serve me. Is it possible to love this man who does  such damage to your idea of what it means to be a Christian? Yes...you most certainly can, because with God,“All things are possible”. The Holy Spirit... has been given to you to help you operate in strength and joy, in power and in love, from your secret place of quiet strength and confidence.  This is a mystery that is the source of all gladness and light-heartedness, for you know no matter what you face- even the most disappointing ministers of the faith - I AM, Who goes before you and lives within you – is the mighty conqueror of all. This is the day the Lord…your Lord – your King – your Hope – your Lover – your Maker…the One and only One True God has made.  So my dear one, get up and rejoice and be glad in and throughout it.  Your prayers are sweet to the Father’s ear.  Ever and always trust in His glorious plan to transform you.  Thank Him at every turn. Rejoice and be glad.  Laugh and reveal His perfect Love everywhere you go.  Each moment of your life is a gift.  Live your days with this understanding.  Love. Love. Love…even the people (especially the people) who turn you off.  When you feel this “turn off”…turn to Me and I will turn you back on!  It’s all about letting go of judgment…releasing, being willing to release, the yucky feelings and just being Mine in your minutes and hours.  Be Mine and know that I am yours.  I am!  This is the abundant life I came to give.  Live in this abundance and let your light shine!  Your light is ME!  Rejoice. I go before you every step of the way.  Live, move, breathe this day in Me. All is well.  All is well.

-Why is it I feel overwhelmed just accepting who I am? I so want to be  free to be just the person God created me to be. I know the answer is just to get my focus OFF of myself and ON to the One Who knows who I'm supposed to be. He's also the only One Who has the power to get me there. When I asked Him to give me a word of encouragement, this is what I felt He said.


+ I am Greater.....Greater than your greatest fears....Greater than your highest thoughts...Greater than your greatest sins...Greater than your biggest triumphs...Greater than your deepest loves..
Greater than your deepest wounds...Greater than your highest hopes.. Greater than your worst despair...Greater than your biggest failures...Greater than your best imaginings...Greater than the most exquisite beauty...Greater than the most painful loss...Greater than Above...Greater than below...Greater than injury - pride - loss - gain - hope - doubt - effort - joy - grief - life - death.

I am Who am ...Alpha...Omega...Beginning...End...Unchanging...Ever-present...All powerful...All knowing...overflowing with Love - Forgiveness - Peace - Goodness - Kindness - Truth - Light - Power - Glory and Abundance.

I will never leave you or forsake you. I am eternally HERE...eternally NOW...Your God...your own forever. You are Mine and I am yours. Be still and know that truly, I am God. I Am. I am the Great...the Only...Ever the Same. I Am.    

-I'm trying not to look to the right or left....trying not to compare...but to just run my Race the best I can...It helps to have a Word to cheer me on.

+ For years….most of your life….you have been hindered and attacked by the enemy of your soul who has attempted to crush and destroy your ability to live out your identity in freedom. You have been like a horse at a race – jittery – confused – set against opponents – (most of all) set against yourself.  A sense of worthlessness…of not measuring up….of being on the outside looking in, has plagued you, weakened you, left you feeling unable to function in the gifts that are yours.  I have come and have been with you….in you…through all the years.  Little by little, the chains of lies have been broken off of you. The bridle put in your mouth by the enemy of your soul has been removed. Now, blinders have been lovingly placed on you, focusing your eyes on your race and on the single goal…the finish line…your Father’s Smile!  Now you see Him beaming at you…shining over you as you run.  The race brings you Joy, not anxiousness or fear of failure because you know that the Spirit is empowering you to run with ease and great freedom. No longer are you whipped and lashed into submitting to the lies of the master of this earth. He has been fired!!! Disenfranchised!  You are no longer his property. No, you belong to the High King of Heaven and earth, Who created you to claim the victory He won for you. Now, when the trumpet fanfare sounds, you no longer cringe and feel the bridle of all your inadequacies choking you…disorienting you…rendering you ‘less-than’.  Now, the trumpets sound and they declare to your soul and spirit, the glory that indeed you can do all things through Him Who strengthens you. That means, you have the strength to be who you were created to be and nothing can hold you down or back. The Son has set you free indeed and now you run with eyes focused and glory in the feel of the wind on your face and the sound of angels cheering you on!! At last you can run your race for all you are worth (that would be the price of Calvary!) as you feel your Father’s shining eyes focus on you. You belong to Him. He paid top dollar for you and He has set you up for victory….given you the best feed - His Word and the most successful trainer - the Holy Spirit – Who has taught you and continues to teach you everything you need to live fully and freely in Him. This is the way the kingdom comes to earth... you running your race full out…living in the freedom and love that was purchased for you. Praise your Father as you live each day in His love.

-Lord, last night, I dreamed I couldn’t find my former friend. You know the pain and deep sense of loss and betrayal…the feeling like he never could have really loved me…the times when he hurt my feelings so deeply. The memories rise up to give credence to the thought that I was a convenient distraction in his life... nothing more. This rejection really hurts. I so want to write to him and tell him so. Wouldn’t this fall under “speaking the truth in love” ? Perhaps he has no clue that he has broken my heart. What do You say Lord?

 

+You already know the answer my little one. Do I present you with a laundry list of the ways you’ve hurt and disappointed Me? or do I consciously reapply the shed blood of Calvary to your sins and drop them in the sea of forgetfulness?  Did the prodigal son’s father greet him with a memo of the ways his departure broke his heart or did he run to him…robe in hand…to cover over his sin and fallen state?  This, my beloved girl, this is the heart of Calvary. This is the hardest thing to do but it is the best. No, you cannot summon up the strength to do this yourself, but here is where you experience the mighty empowering that is yours for the asking. Once you have truly forgiven this dear friend of your broken heart, it will be as though he never hurt you at all. You are the one who must act…now…while the wound is fresh and the tears are not dry. You are the one who gets to choose this day who you will serve, the God of Love Who forgives the worst sinner and washes him clean or yourself?  Do you hug these injuries to your self, allowing them to continue to do damage to your heart, making you bitter and cynical (that’s what happens to unforgiven hurts) or do you hold them out to the light of My Grace and allow the Holy Spirit to cleanse you and wash you clean. This choice is the eternal choice. Choose life, my love….choose Love. Choose to forgive and forgive and forgive. Harbor no ill thoughts. Do not envy or withhold the love in your heart as a punishment. When you belong to the Father (and you do…completely) your only response to this kind of injury is the same love shown you on Calvary. There is no other way that leads to life and wholeness. Lay it down, my love and feel the mantle of peace and freedom cover over you and heal your heart. I know this isn’t easy, but it’s the way of life set before you. I have gone before you…shown you the path for your life. This leads to joy and freedom…Rest in me and trust your cares to the One Who will never ever leave you or forsake you. Forgive from your heart now and then choose to rejoice in the God of your salvation. This is a recipe for gladness. Be glad!

      

- Lord….Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed. There seems to be so much pain and loss spinning all around me....calling out for help....filling me with confusion and guilt and a sense that there's nothing I can do that can make a difference. At the end of the day, I don't feel like I'm accomplishing much that means anything. I do want my life to count. Speak to me.


+  I will teach you how to rest. I will teach you how to be you! Only I can do this, but it is why I came. The enormity of all the suffering in the world closes in around you and you feel your helplessness. What can you do? Do all the little things I ask you to do. You can only be effective as you fully live in the Love that paid the price for all of this suffering. You do that by keeping your mind and heart On ME and by cultivating a spirit of joy in everything you do. You don’t have to feel the joy to initiate it. It is the by product of time with your Father….time with Me. Here is where you gain wisdom that overcomes all the questions that remain unanswered. Here is where ONE THING is needed. It is always about ONE THING…REDEMPTION….and redemption has been given to you, free of cost. What do you do with this gift? How does it manifest itself in your life? Have you sold everything and purchased the field of freedom? Do you understand the enormity of what this ONE THING means for each moment of your life? This one thing is the reason for the praise that is on your lips. It is the foundation for and the true purpose of your life. Stop worrying about everything. Focus on the ONE THING. Sit at My feet and rejoice in who you are in Me. Let Me lift all the unnamed feelings of desolation (applied to your mind and heart by the master of deceit). Let me wash you clean and set you on your feet and lead you to the place of restoration….the green pastures….the restful waters of My Heart. Be still. Let not… let not your heart be troubled. Trust…trust in God. Lean on Him with everything you are. Commit yourself to Him. Trust that there is nothing impossible, even about you (that too is a lie designed to keep you in chains!). So, get up. Put your dancing shoes on. Grab your partner (that would be Me) and dance your heart out this one day. This one day is yours to give back in joyous thanksgiving to your Father. Let Him know how grateful you are for all His lavish gifts. Give Him all your cares… in trust….in hope…in confidence and leave them in His keeping. Certainly, you already know you can do nothing to change the things that cause fear and worry. Cast fear and worry off! Let them drop in the sea. Come and put on My Yoke, which is easy and not burdensome. It is for LIFE …abundant…joyous….radiant….praise-filled life that I came. So....the best thing, the one thing you can do to combat all the pain you see around you is to be your Father’s daughter this day and spread His radiance and His Love everywhere you go. As for everything else …leave the rest to Him. “Taking up your cross” means embracing the fullness of the life your God has blessed you with….walking in the unfettered freedom He has ordained. It is believing that the One He sent and the One Thing He wants for you is right this minute completely yours. Say yes to your life this day. In Him, you cannot be yes and no…only yes. Soak in this Love throughout this day and be overwhelmed by Me....This one thing will magnify all of your blessings and help you bring My Love to a hurting world. Rest and enjoy being you.

           

           

- I can't believe how humble God is.....He takes all the ways I ignore Him and slight Him and refuse Him.....and, like a relentless suitor,
He keeps on pursuing me......Who is this God Who keeps exhibiting such boundless love?



”You drew me with cords of a Man, with Hands of Love, and you were to me as One Who lifts up and eases the yoke over my cheeks, and You bent down to me and gently laid food before me”  Hosea 11:4

 

+This word declares to your heart, soul and spirit Who I am for you…Who I will always be; One Who draws you to Myself. You come to Me only because I draw you with cords of a Man…My only Son…Who stretched out His hands of Love to all mankind that we might be reunited.  This is the Love that bends low to you continually.  I am always near you, in your very being.  I am the One who bends low and lifts up and eases every yoke over your cheeks…the yoke of injury, of intimidation, insecurity, fear of man, disappointment, measurement, weakness, loss and failure. I lift it over your cheeks, remove the heavy weight of it that has constricted you and restricted your freedom.  It is gone forever, replaced by the easy yoke of the Spirit, Who lightens your step and leads you in paths of righteousness, of joy and productivity, of freedom and deliverance.  Unhindered by the yoke that has kept you bound; now you are ready to fully run your race, unmindful of the races or positions of others.  You are out to run your best race and I give you food to empower you to endure and finish, crowning you with the victory mantle. Actually, you are already crowned. This is one of the joys of My Kingdom.  You have already won. Victory is assured! This changes the tenor of the race as you run.  You have already obtained the crown; the beauty and goodness of My Son in you…on you…for you…with you.

          So revel in your freedom this day and every day.  This is not a matter of feelings, but of the Spirit.  This is My Word which is true and which actually accomplishes this truth in you, for you.  The Holy Spirit in you causes you to will and to act according to My Good pleasure.  So, no matter what you are feeling, you have access to complete joy and abundance, to absolute victory over every enemy of your spirit. My own Hands of Love have accomplished this for you…removed the yoke of the enemy’s power upon you and set you in a bountiful place of freedom and boundless, enduring, powerful Love.  Love with My Love today. It will never fail you. This is how you draw others into the same freedom you have been blessed with. So, live in gladness, out from under the yoke. Taste the food gently set before you…the Word that is in your mouth, sweet to your spirit. You shall say with all the saints, “Your words were found and I ate them; your words were to me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart, for I am called by Your Name O Lord, God of hosts.” This is your heritage, my beloved. This is why I drew you and continually draw you to Myself…that your heart may know the joy and rejoicing of heaven, right now, through all of your days.  Selah.

- I love the story of the woman with the issue of blood. She must have dealt with loneliness (being considered unclean) and depression (having been unwell for so long). How great that she overcame the inertia and fear and went for the whole nine yards (about the size of a hem)....ahem! I know....bad pun!!!

"As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. "Who touched me?" Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you." But Jesus said, "Someone touched me. I know that power has gone out from me." Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet.  In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace."
Luke 8: 42-48

 

+The woman with the issue of blood represents all my wounded and bleeding children.  What is it that drains life out of you?  What is it that has kept you isolated – in shame – unclean – unacceptable – dying?  This is what I came to heal…the lifelong issues of pain and woundedness that seem to plague you forever. This is what I came to heal once and for all.  My Power has gone out from Me to you to remove every last vestige of this sense of loss. What you must do is focus on Me the way she did. She ignored what anyone thought. She braved scorn and derision. She pushed through her fears and sought one thing….the power of God to heal.  This power has never changed.  Like Esther touching the staff of the king, you are called to be empowered.  I want you to receive what is rightfully yours. Be resolute in your heart and believe that My Power is for your complete healing.  Every wound, every besetting sin and weakness, every loss, all have been covered over by my blood.  How ironic that My blood had to be shed to set the legacy in place.  So ever…as I have told you many times…look neither to the left or right (at the seeming wholeness of those in the crowd). Keep your eyes on Me….and not just my hem, no, yours is a robe like Joseph’s, a robe of favor and promise…wrapped around you for your healing and sense of destiny.  Not just my hem but all the power that raised Me from the dead…yes…is at work in you and it shall complete God’s purpose to make you whole.  Come then, beloved one, and don’t think of the years that pile up or the disappointments that have surrounded your efforts.  Instead, come to Me.  My arms are open wide.  Come and rest and trust in My perfect, perfect love for you.  You have all you need. You may rest and continue blessing your Father by being docile to His plan and perseverant in your call.  Take each step before you.  Seek love and celebrate the freedom and healing and power that is yours. Do not look back.  Do not fret.  Let NOT your heart be troubled. Instead, rejoice now in the goodness and majesty of the God Who loves you…Who created you for Himself and Who will not…can not….fail you.  You are His treasure. Believe it!

The Beginning:

I decided to start with an entry from the summer of 2010 because I feel it truly was the first day of the rest of my life. It's the logical place to begin my blog.

 -Well Lord, here I am, bowing before You for the gift of life.  Sunday morning (1am) I woke up and almost died with an allergic reaction to something.  I did think I was going to be with You .  My throat swelled, as well as my tongue, my chest, my hands and feet. In a very short period of time, my breath was being choked off and I started losing consciousness. The ambulance took me to the hospital and they saved my life.  I felt so sorry for poor Gary, my poor love, having to suffer through the fright of it. And here I am…still on this side of life and I ask you Lord - in deep gratitude for rescuing me - what have you saved me for?  What is there that I must complete? Guide me. Speak to me. Help me remember the joy I had of being unafraid (that was a surprise to me).  My life is in Your Hands, oh Lord. Indeed, I belong to You. Let me live each moment with this as my understanding and motivation.  Ever and always, it is about learning to love like You do…in and through Your heart.  Thank you, Papa, for this life which you have extended. Show me what you want me to do. Empower me to do it with everything I am. 

+ This experience I allowed you to have was for several purposes. One, to remind you in a very concrete way, how quickly your life on this earth can end – how fleeting are the days – how fragile and how finite your time is in this world.  I also want you to operate in a greater freedom. When you are close to death, you are certainly not worried about what anyone thinks. Remember that feeling. You actually live (all of humanity does unwittingly) on the threshold of death every day. Each day is a gift. Each day could be rendered your last. Love with this sense of urgency and appreciation and live your life to the full. Pull out all the “stops” ... all the self conscious ways that impede the full-out radiance I have called you to. Sing your life for all you are worth (and what you are worth is the death I died to give you this freedom). So, renounce all petty hurts and naggings.  Let go of all expectations, both of yourself and others. Focus your gaze….fix your eyes on the Joy of your salvation, the Father, Who loved you and loves you so much that He was willing to pay the highest price for you so that, because of this sacrifice on your behalf, you are free to live each day filled to the brim with this perfect, made-for-you…fit-to-size Love.  Your Father created you with a Destiny and He has kept you on earth to enjoy living it out.  Live in constant, continual gratitude. Give your Papa’s Love away. There’s an unending supply. Love all who He brings into your life. Love, love, love and cast all your concerns …all concerns on Him. Everything about you has been addressed and made new by the shed blood on Calvary. So sing your freedom like a bird in the tree and praise your Heavenly Father Who loves you and sings over you….Who heals your heart and your body and your soul….Who strengthens you in your inner self to live a life of valor and might….every step you take- ordered and blessed.  You have been given the Kingdom…God’s favor and blessing. Live in high praise and consistent joy.  Enjoy the Holy Spirit, Who lives within you to help you with every move you make…every breath you take. This is what redemption is all about. It is the best love affair…designed to mold you into a vessel of God’s Presence for all you come in contact with. Bless everyone with all that is in you. This is why you were kept on earth for a little while longer. Bring heaven to earth. It is your high and holy calling. Love in the Spirit’s anointing in all you do. Rejoice, oh highly favored child of the King – bride of the Lord. The Spirit will enable you to be all that you can be. Stay low…remain humble…Taste continuously, the sweetness and goodness of the Father, the Lord your God. . He will continue to bless the work of your hands and heart. Believe in His plan no matter what it looks like. This is His way …foolishness to the world …wisdom to the wise. You have been completely protected and kept safe by the Hand that made you.  Rest always in this Love that loves you so.  Do not doubt. Do not fret. Rejoice. Your prayers …all of them … are being answered.  Peace.  
 

“Accordingly, God in His desire to show more convincingly and beyond doubt to those who were to inherit the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose and plan, intervened with an oath.

   This was so that, by two unchangeable things (His promise and His oath) in which it is impossible for God ever to prove false or deceive us, we who have fled to Him for refuge might have mighty indwelling strength and strong encouragement to grasp and hold fast the hope appointed for us and set before us.
    Now we have this hope as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whoever steps out upon it – a hope that reaches farther and enters into the very certainty of the Presence within the Veil…where Jesus has entered in for us.”
                                                Hebrews 6: 17-2