The Door

I set out to find my place in this world, knowing this world is not the place for me. For I call heaven my home. Still, I knew I must search for the place purposed for me this side of heaven.

But fear now blocks the door to the way I believe I should walk and doubt darkens my vision. So I pray for God's will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. And I gather up my faith to take the steps I need to take that carry me past the fear. Now the door seems so much closer.

Is there a door you know you need to walk through, but fear keeps slowing you down?

"I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me."
-Revelation 3:8

Amazing Love

I emptied everything I hold tightly from the hidden places in my heart. Then I dumped it all out and sifted through the things the world calls good. And I traded those things for the goodness of God. Now a brokenness burns from deep inside and I cannot help but feel overwhelmed by his amazing love.

"The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
I say to myself, 'The Lord is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!'
The Lord is good to those who depend on him,
to those who search for him.
So it is good to wait quietly
for salvation from the Lord."
-Lamentations 3:22-26

Free

She chased after freedom before realizing that chasing freedom is like chasing the wind. So instead she stopped only to waste years of her life caged in a silent prison.

But then You held her heart in Your hands like a bird with a broken wing. You nursed her back to health. And when the winds changed, You set her free.

Now she soars, knowing it is one thing to be born, but it is an entirely different thing to be born again.

And when she sings, her voice sounds sweet as it sweeps through the city streets, beckoning hearts to beat wildly to the sound of freedom.

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." -John 8:36

Save me

I was seduced into making my heart up in a bed of lies that devoured me until you woke me up. Then you offered me your one-of-a-kind love. So I buried my heart in your hands and asked you to save me.

"The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing."
-Zephaniah 3:17

Drawing Close

I draw close to Jesus and he grips me in my time of need, shaking off the distractions of this life. Suddenly he has my full attention. But I don't want to continue coming before this Holy God still bound by the cares of this world. Instead, I want to kneel before him, stripped of the things that take pieces of me. Because the beauty of it all is that Jesus is not in it for the taking. He is in it for the giving. And he gave all of himself for me so that I could give all of myself to him.

Have you drawn close to him today?

"And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise."
-Hebrews 10:19-23

Seeking

I want to walk barefoot, leaving my sandals in the sun. I want to go and find shelter in the shadow of His wings. And when I get there, I want to feel young in my faith again. I want to shed the weight of responsibility, peeling off the things that slow me down. And I want to put on the power of God, even if the culture all around me denies it. But I want to do all of this without even leaving the comfort of my kitchen table.

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." -Jeremiah 29:13

Resolutions

On new year's eve I stood beneath a star speckled sky, sobered by time. After all, it has the ability to not only usher in a new day, but also a new year. Then I stepped back into the familiarity of the four walls I call home after kissing the year's end goodnight. I closed the door on yesterday then reached for my pen and paper to record the resolutions weighing heavy on my mind. And as my pen maneuvered across the page, I felt determined to document something significant. But when my thoughts moved from my head to the paper, they appeared to pile up as artificial comforts I have allowed to cradle my heart. The things that spilled out only paled in comparison to the One who created the night sky or the passing of time. So I crumbled up them up and threw them in the trash before praising the One who never comforts me artificially, but only offers what is true. And I found my new year's resolution; to stop craving the comforts of this life and to start praising Him more.

What are your resolutions for this new year?