so when what
once defined you
no longer defines you
when what you used to be
you no longer are
and what you once needed
you no longer need
does it no longer exist?
and is it no longer a part
of who you are?
and of who you will be?
and what if what no longer
defines you or is you
and you no longer need
is exactly what you come
face to face with
and toe to toe with
looking you in the eye...
what will you do?
if options are being discussed
not too many exist
for some things simply
have no middle ground
and to think you can
touch that flame
and not get
burned
is a lie.
sometimes it would make
sense to turn and run
from that which once
held you...
get as far away
as possible
as fast as
you can
yet at times to run
is to give in
to the lie
that it still
has power
over you
and perhaps in the
turning and running
you just might be
forgetting that
the healing
the freedom
the redemption
is in actuality a beautiful part
of a beautiful story...
a love story written only for you
by the very hands of the One who loves you
and as He writes that story of love
He writes Himself into the script
for His own death and
resurrection are the
key to redemption
and redemption is
the key to the
love story
for He is the essence
of that story so lovely
and is not that which
once held you and
defined you
a part of the story?
and to run away from that
would be running from
the very essence of the miracle...
and the miracle written
into the story is one of
grace so amazing
love so pure
and hope...
and is hope not perhaps
part of the reason it
is written into the story
in the first place?
and perhaps better than turning your back
would be walking straight forward
towards that which brings
fear and doubt
knowing in your heart of hearts
you are redeemed
so you face it not alone
rather you face it with the
One who wrote the
love story
and perhaps it is in
the sharing of that story
hope will be brought
to the one feeling hopeless
courage to the discouraged
light in the darkness
peace in fear
and truth...
the truth that
with Jesus
nothing is impossible
and even the deepest of pain
does indeed have a purpose
and beauty unimaginable will rise
from the ashes of despair
and He receives all the
glory.
sometimes we need
simply to hear a whisper
pressing hard
from His own heart
into our hearts
run a bit ragged
in a world weary and hurting
sometimes we need simply to stop
to listen
to ponder
to let go
to press into
to be reminded
of love so boundless
sometimes we need
simply to sit by the ocean
watching wave after wave
crash in rhythm to His heart
beating with love ceaseless
and does not each wave
contain millions upon millions of
drops of water?
and is not each drop
a tangible and touchable
symbolization of His love so deep
so unfathomable?
and the sand...
the grains of sand
as they run through fingers
created by the same One who
numbers each grain of sand
a number our minds cannot begin
to comprehend...
and we stand in awe
we fall in worship
as His love in all its
vastness wraps us as
securely as the
sandy shoreline
hugs the ocean
and sometimes a mist hugs
that same shoreline
a mist making the line
dividing horizon from water
and water from horizon
impossible to distinguish
and all is shrouded
and all feels uncertain
and all blends into varying
shades of one color
and that color is gray
and could it be that in those seasons
when our vision is blurred
the future obscured
the wait going on and on...
could it be that in reality
Jesus is simply pulling
us closer to Himself?
for if all was always
clear and defined
would we not
tend toward
self reliance?
and perhaps He simply
waits for us so prone to
running
controlling
maneuvering
and a multitude of other ings...
is perhaps He not waiting for us
to let go
to be still
so His love so boundless
can simply pour over our hearts
run a bit ragged
and flood our hearts
with reminders
oh so beautiful
that we are cherished
and loved
and priceless
and precious
and spotless
and radiant
that we are His
and He is ours
now and forevermore
all because of His love poured
out for every ragged heart ever beating
once and for all on the cross
we are redeemed
once and forever
and sometimes that
redemption looks
and feels a bit
messy as we
walk this road
yet never are we
unredeemed
for the love of Jesus
covers all with grace
upon grace
her spirit now soars
her heart is brand new
no more struggles
no more darkness
she lived her life with
passion for everything
passion for everyone
she loved God
she loved her kids
she loved her family
she loved her friends
she loved.
she lived.
never to be forgotten
she dances with angels
she gazes into the eyes of Jesus
never again will she battle
that which is unseen yet seen
and never again will tears fall
for heaven has no tears
and heaven has no sadness
for those she left behind
an emptiness presses in hard
and tears fall until tears run dry
for how can one not weep
as a heart so vivacious and alive
no longer beats on this earth
oh but hold tight to
memories sweet
in pictures
in sound
in touch
in scent
in word
for although she is in heaven
her spirit lives on forever
through all she loved
and hold tight to the legacy...
her legacy of love of light of laughter
of living to bless those she loved
especially her children
and she dances with the angels.
the love of Jesus
is profoundly uncomplicated
"Jesus loves me this I know
for the Bible tells me so
little ones to Him belong
they are weak
but He is strong
yes Jesus loves me
yes Jesus loves me
yes Jesus loves me
the Bible tells me so" 
at the center
at the foundation
around all
above all
in all
this is truth...He loves me.
He loves you.
the cross demonstrates His love
in an incredibly painful
yet beautifully tangible way
for the giving of His life
whispers with a fierceness so gentle
"I love you"
a whisper still echoing
around the world today
and the grace flowing from that cross
pours crimson over even the most
broken
bruised
bleeding
heart
for is that not the heart
captured by His heart?
truth so profound
so uncomplicated
but oh how complicated
we as humans can make it
for do we not often put
white picket fences around
our church buildings?
and do we not often say
(perhaps not in words but in actions)
"we must take care of our own"
and do we not often become
consumed with conflict and pride
causing our eyes to
focus inward rather than
upward and outward?
and how many rules
be they spoken or unspoken
do we not have in place?
for surely we would
not want our
white picket fences
to become spattered
or smudged
with the dirt of the world
and all this I say with no condemnation
for I have been oh so guilty
of these things
and more
yet when I look at the life of Jesus
I see no white picket fences
I see no fear of
spatters or smudges
or mud or worse
for did He not tend
to be where the church
of His day did not want
to be seen?
did He not go out of
His way to touch
(yes literally touch)
a heart a body a life
rejected by not just
the church but by society
as a whole?
and I believe with all my heart
the same is true of Jesus today
He lives
He loves
He blesses
He touches
(yes even touches)
outside the four (or more) walls
of the church!
oh also within the walls
to be sure
yet not confined
within any picket fences
of human making
for is not the purpose
of the church to be the love
(yes that profoundly uncomplicated love)
of Jesus in this world so hurting?
to reach out
to step out
to risk the spatters
the smudges
to risk getting
our hands our feet
dirty as gently
we touch those lives so
vulnerable and in need of
that love
and we become
the fragrance of Jesus
