Taking Authority

Sometimes reluctance sneaks up from behind and taps me on the shoulder, reminding me of all the things I do not feel like doing. Then complacency whispers in my ear. Until I firmly remind them both that they are messing with the wrong person. And they back off apologetically before cowering in the corner.

"...the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."
-1 John 4:4

A Prayer

"'Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die;
Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say,
'Who is the Lord?'
Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.'"
-Proverbs 30:7-9

How long has it been since we have prayed a prayer like this one?

Telling

The lines on my face tell the stories my mouth rarely tells. They tell of the apathy running through my veins when I come to the place where enough is really too much. They tell of the nights when I anxiously wait for the morning, like the darkness nipping at the heels of the dawn. They tell of my heart-felt desire to be a reflection of my Savior. Not a marred image, but a mirrored image. The lines on my face tell the stories my mouth rarely tells, but what my heart really feels.

"As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person."
-Proverbs 27:19

I Need

I need a holy perspective. In one moment, I feel like I have nothing but time on my hands. In other moments, time evaporates, leaving me so spread thin that there is not enough of "me" to go around. And I fall short. It is in those moments that I need God to do more than just fill in the gaps. I need him to fill me with his presence.

"But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'"
-1 Peter 1:15,16

Feelings

Sometimes she feels like a piece of paper saturated by the rain. Other times she feels like a strip of paint fading in the sun. Most times the cares of this life leave her feeling either soggy or weathered depending on the day...until he comes along and lets in a breath of fresh air.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” -Jesus (John 16:33)

Traveling Girl

She thought she would have to travel half way across the world to still the restlessness that stirred inside her heart. Until she realized the peace she was seeking could not be found by crossing land or sea, but in a foreign place unlike any she had ever known. A place called surrender.

"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Jesus Christ. For he himself is our peace..." -Ephesians 2:13,14

Simply Trust

Sometimes God likes to work behind the scenes. So we live by faith. We pray prayers that sometimes seem to go unanswered. We dig deeper in our pursuit of the Holy of Holies. But other times, God seems to show up in big ways. He defies death. He feeds the multitudes. He parts the sea. And whether in seemingly small ways or in obviously big ways, we simply trust he is faithful to work on our behalf.

"Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness."
Lamentations 3:22-23