from ashes
to beauty
from despair
to joy
a heart once broken
now made new
fragile but free
vulnerable but whole
the wedding celebration
can now begin
the bridegroom
waits for His bride
with great patience
she has traveled many miles
through rugged terrain
she dug through guilt
she climbed through shame
she waded through grief
each time she thought
"surely this must be the place
where broken hearts are made new"
she knew the promises
she even believed the promises
"He has covered me with
clothes of salvation
and wrapped me with
a coat of goodness
like a bridegroom dressed
for his wedding
like a bride dressed in jewels"
yet she never felt
quite good enough...
quite ready
"why?" she would ask herself
"why would He want me?"
she tried to make herself
beautiful
by trying on different gowns...
some of lace
some of linen
but none fit quite right
"surely He must becoming impatient
with me" she thought
" I need to hurry...
make something fit"
in time...
in His perfect time...
her eyes were opened to the
reason nothing fit quite right...
the love the bridegroom had for her
was a love she was convinced would not fit
"why?" she would ask
"why would He love me?"
another heart came alongside her
walked through the pain of the past with her
guilt...shame...grief
the tears
the prayers
the honesty
the courage to walk through
the pain all came together
she knew something was different
the bridegroom then wrote her a love letter
she struggled to accept
what He was saying
finally she looked in the mirror and saw herself
as HE saw her...
a beautiful
radiant
bride
the love of His life
she realized that her love for Him
was as passionate as His for her
this heart is now whole
this heart is now new
she is ready for the wedding celebration
to begin
to fall into His arms with
sweet abandonment
January 1, 2012
seasons exist when the heart
hears yes
turned no
turned yes
but wait
even when blessings
rain
down
from
His hand
the heart can grow weary
for nothing drains that heart
quite like uncertainty...
the hours in life's waiting rooms
be it in a hospital
or be it in the spirit
sure to have heard yes
but just as sure to
have heard no
and then yes
and then
wait.
thankfulness for gifts unending
still flows from the heart
through arms raised high
hands empty
worship blesses the
heart weary
as it blesses
the One worshiped
when the heart weary is
still enough
to hear,
He speaks...
"My child,
see rainbows of worship
flung across time
raindrops of grace
colliding with flashes of light
from My hand then
bursting forth in color
so stunning as to
blind the eye
bend the knee
bow the head
oh not in fear
My child...
I simply
want you to
remember
that I, the One
who spoke
all creation into being
who sustains all of life
from the delicate wildflower
to the motion of waves and moon
know your name so intimately as to
have it engraved on My hand
I hear your voice, My child
I hear your heart so weary
worshiping
thanking
for all I have done
for all I am still to do
you long for the known
for the outcome
for the specifics
that knowledge would gain you
nothing
all I ask is a heart soft
a heart listening
a heart trusting...
trusting
that I hold your
future and ALL that
dwells within
in the palm of My hand
on which your name is
engraved
I will not let you go"
'for I know the plans I have for you'
says the Lord
'they are plans for good
and not for disaster
to give you a future
and a hope
in those days when
you pray I will listen
if you look for Me
wholeheartedly
you will find Me'
Jeremiah 29:11-13
what does the church look like?
what is its purpose?
is the word church a noun
or a verb?
what is worship?
what does it look like?
what does it sound like?
is worship something to be taken in
and kept within the walls
or something to begin within
then offered up to Him
and spilled out
as water cascades
over a waterfall
its mist touching
all near by
who decides what church is?
who decides what worship is?
and why has God placed these questions
in my mind
in my heart
why am I searching?
why is what
I have always known
no longer where He has me?
these questions come not from a place of fear
they come not from a place of
doubting who He is
or Whose I am
rather they come from
a heart stirring
a heart sensing that where He is
leading
might look a little different
from where I have been
and that 'different' is not a matter of
right or wrong
His tears spill over
when time precious is wasted on
arguing details
trying to be right
grasping for power or authority
when in all reality
He alone has the power
the authority
instead
He asks me (and you) to love.
love.
love like Jesus loved
when He walked this earth
loving the broken
loving the unlovable
loving those who hated Him
who crucified Him
love deeply.
love passionately.
love like Jesus loves.
Then Jesus said to His disciples,
"If any of you wants to be My follower, you
must turn from your selfish ways, take up your
cross and follow me." Matthew 16:24 NLT
