"And I am convinced that nothing can
ever separate us from God's love.
Neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons,
neither our fears for today nor
our worries for tomorrow -
not even the powers of hell can separate
us from God's love.
No power in the sky above
or in the earth below - indeed
nothing in all creation will
ever be able to separate us
from the love of God
that is revealed in
Christ Jesus
our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39
nothing means nothing.
"not anything; no single thing"
and Abba, through the pen of Paul,
repeats Himself just in case
we don't get it the first time.
"nothing in all creation will ever
be able to separate us from the
love of God!"
and does not every heart
need this reminder at
some point in time?
and as He whispers this
promise so exquisite,
He is fully aware of
the circumstances in which
each and every heart is living.
broken hearts.
broken homes.
broken promises.
illness and disease of all type,
be it physical, mental, emotional.
bills unpaid, job lost, home lost.
for many, even country lost.
and any dream shattered,
any life traumatized,
any pain, be it
large or small,
is held close
to His heart.
yet each heart must be
willing to take a step...
a step of faith.
giving all the
somethings
(the opposite of nothing)
into His pierced hands.
for if we hold on to that
over which we have no control,
the peace which accompanies
this love so stunning will
evaporate like the
morning mist.
and never, ever forget
that those same hands
are the hands on which
our names are engraved,
written with the blood of
Jesus.
and never does He
need to rewrite a name.
His love is for all time
and eternity. 
"Just as you cannot understand the
path of the wind or the mystery of
a tiny baby growing in its mother's
womb, so you can not understand
the activity of God who does
all things." Ecclesiastes 11:5 
the wind.
always moving.
always swirling.
always changing.
at times forceful,
moving all in its path.
other times gentle,
a caressing breeze refreshing.
invisible in and of itself,
yet visible when tracing its path.
and does that not describe our God?
His love is furious.
His love is glorious.
His love is relentless.
and ununderstandable.
for a love that pursues to the
last heartbeat
no matter how
far the heart
may have
strayed
is a love not
easily
comprehended.
a love that took on
human skin and walked
the road to the cross as
Jesus walked willingly and
love held Him to the cross,
not nails.
and even the criminal hanging
on the cross beside Him
was not beyond the love
of the cross.
this is a love beyond
what this heart can fathom.
and as the wind blows
so moves His Spirit.
the Spirit cannot be defined.
the Spirit cannot be boxed in.
no.
for the wind of the Spirit
moves and dances
twirls and spins
within hearts
willing to follow His lead.
for His love is the
dance.
and everything is because of
the cross.
His love and grace
pour over us
as waves of
mercy pull us
into His arms of love.
heaven wept.
for how could it not?
the very Son of God,
God Himself,
had just been
nailed to a cross.
heaven wept.
the Father wept.
for He knew the
plan of redemption
involved turning His
face away from His Son.
the plan set in place
long before time
had begun.
all was hushed as tears
fell
like
rain.
angels stood with
breath held as they
watched Jesus struggle
for each breath He took.
heaven heard each word
uttered from the cross.
heaven was silent as
Jesus asked His Abba
to forgive the very
ones holding hammers.
heaven heard Jesus welcome
a criminal deserving death
into life eternal with Him.
and for one brief moment,
heaven again rejoiced.
the love of a Son for His mother
brought tears flowing fast
as Jesus lovingly gave her
to the one He loved.
and as darkness inky black
covered the land,
heaven was without
sound.
even tears fell
in silence as heaven
continued to weep.
as time on earth seemed
to stand still, a cry pierced
the Father's heart.
"My Father! My Abba! Why have
You abandoned Me?"
a cry met with complete
and total absence of sound.
silence as heaven wept.
hours passing like years
brought thirst intense to
the human man still fully God,
who was hanging
suspended
between
heaven
and earth.
and the enemy rejoiced,
thinking surely he had won.
and heaven wept as a cry
split the darkness and tore the veil.
"It. Is. Finished."
reverberated from
earth to heaven to
earth as it echoed
from mountain tops
to ocean shores
to cities far and near,
in every language to every
nation and people.
"Abba, I entrust My spirit
into Your hands."
and heaven wept
with those who loved Jesus.
the ones watching from a distance.
they thought the story had ended.
tears flowed from hearts broken for 3 days.
but. then. Sunday. came.
angels rejoiced as
death was defeated forever,
the plan of salvation now complete.
and all heaven sings:
"Worthy is the Lamb who was
slaughtered -
to receive power and riches
and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and blessing!"
Revelation 5:12
My beloved one ~
for just a moment you are thrown
into a story that isn't about you
yet is about you.
fear strikes deep.
you look for a place to hide.
then you whisper My name.
and. here. I. am.
allow yourself to sink into My arms.
the reality of pain, My child, is real.
especially pain resulting from evil.
and the question your heart
asks of Me over and over is profound:
"where. were. You?"
perhaps even:
"where. are. You?"
O My precious child,
I was there. never did and
never will I leave you!
My own tears mingle with yours.
and listen closely, My beloved...
what the enemy means for evil
I always use for good!
every moment
every circumstance
everything that ever happens
is part of your story.
is part of our story.
now enter My story for a moment.
from the dawn of time, I knew.
I knew what would happen.
the plan of redemption was laid out
before the morning stars first sang.
I knew My precious Son would leave heaven...
leave My side and become one of the created.
I knew the dusty paths He would have to walk.
I knew the rejection and ridicule He would face.
I knew the agony He would suffer
and I knew I would have to turn My face away.
and I already heard His cry,
"My God! My God!
Why have You forsaken Me?"
I. knew. all.
I knew His side would be pierced.
I knew He would be laid in a tomb.
I knew three days would pass.
but I also knew that Sunday would come!
I knew He would rise again!
I allowed all this to happen.
and do you know why, My child?
because I love you.
because I love every heart
which has beat, is beating,
or ever will beat.
I defeated death and the enemy forever!
are his forces still at work?
oh yes.
does he have any power over those who call
on My name?
no.
you are Mine!
you are washed in My blood!
you are My bride, dressed in
beautiful, purest white.
when you whisper My name
you are reminded that you are Mine.
fear has no power over you.
and I promise that always I am taking that
which appears to be in ruins...
that which the enemy meant for evil...
and bringing beauty unimaginable!
that which was shattered in now a
prism through which My light and
My love shine in radiance.
and you, child, are that prism.
the pieces of glass once shattered
are held together by My hand of
loving tenderness
and My light shimmers and dances
through the beauty of you.
