perhaps an indication of stuffing? think so.
my head is full. time to dump my bucket.
time to put some of these thoughts into concrete words
save and publish them
so i don't have to worry about losing them
because i think they are good healthy thoughts
so what are they?
bottom line is
i'm finding myself less and less satisfied
with the world's definition of success and happiness
amidst the tragedy and hurt on earth
i more and more find myself repeating the words
of a Toby Mac song
"break open the sky!
won't You turn off gravity so we can fly?
we wanna see Your face!
so tear the roof off this place!
Jesus, break open the sky!"
i want to huddle together my closest friends and family
and just be with them every day
[sorry if that sounds selfish]
2012 let me experience what i think is a taste of heaven
june - i worked 50% from home for 2.5 weeks
july - van ee family celebration
august - for 2 solid weeks i spent 12+ hours every day with my best friends
december - vacation with my whole big family [missed u ben, jeana, p]
and on sunday afternoon, dec 30, i wept
i don't want to fall back into the routine of worldly patterns
that sunday we read aloud a declaration for 2013:
whatever the issue in your life,by friday, jan 4, i was completely frustrated with world's definition of success
the key is to praise and worship a holy God
who created you
and knows everything about you -
your failures, shortcomings, insecurities, besetting sins and fears.
most important, He sits on His throne, omniscient,
and says something like this...
"I know your final destination,
and I know how to get you from where you are now
to where I want you to be.
I know why I created you.
if you'll praise and worship Me, I will visit with you.
I can tell you how to get untangled from the snares in your path
and how to move forward.
I can even reveal to you things to come
that are pertinent to your life and world."
God may continue and say something that will startle you.
He might say something like this:
"Come up into the Throne Room
because this is where I will reveal Myself to you
and share with you My desire for your life.
These are days of restoration.
I can restore your losses,
but devote yourself to praising and worshiping me.
My Son has given you access into my Throne Room.
My Spirit can cause you to ascend
and be enveloped by My love.
Come up, so I might reveal Myself to you in a new way
and cause My Word to become real to you,
so it guides you in the path that I have set for you.
This is the time to praise and worship Me.
if you will praise Me, if you will worship Me,
you will know how to step forth into your path.
ascend into My Throne Room as you praise and worship.
descend back to the harvest field
and war for its release.
I am ready for the harvest to come into my kingdom.
praise Me. worship Me."
then on sunday, jan 6
matthew 2 was revealed to me in a new way
the wise men "observed a star in the eastern sky that signaled his birth"
and went on a "pilgrimage to worship him."
God uses "stars" to guide us
so i'm praising
and worshipping
and praying God clearly shows me a "star" to chase!
and i'm "hearing"
through conversations, and lyrics, and texts, and tweets, and posts
-don't settle for less than Christ was raised for
-hope for mistakes with small price tags
-not just a new year, Jesus offers a new purpose, a new power, a new peace, a new relationship, a new life!
-to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we imagine...to Him be glory {Eph 3:20-21}
-to fulfill God's purpose, Moses refused popularity, power, possessions and pleasure-what we spend our lives trying to get.
-worship is giving God His breath back
-"don't be a friend of the world" {James 4:4} refers to its sinful values, not sinful people. Jesus was a "friend of sinners!"
-the more we love God the less we love this world
-say it with love and they will hear it. say it with anger and it will become noise.
-i realize how desperately i need grace therefore i try to lavishly give it
-change happens in circles, not rows
-it's easy to make a buck. it's a lot tougher to make a difference
-spiritually we are called to live with integrity and to be transparent, to be real. there is no need to put on a front
-our joy in the Holy Spirit is what makes us so contagious and magnetic to the people around us
-patience is not the ability to wait. waiting is a fact of life. patience is the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting
-the people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money...or the most awards. they simply are the ones who care the most.
-the planet does not need more successful people. the planet desperately needs more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers and lovers of all kinds.
and that is where i'm at on Sunday, Jan 13...
-tvz
hope. patience. strength. victory. all possible because God so loved the world that He gave! [John 3:16]
ps davis is 9.1 weeks seizure-free
Tricia, I sometimes think that God uses you to show many how to go thru life and be willing to say God, help me be who You want me to be and not who I want to be. Thank you for sharing, not only because we identify with so much of what you say because you are so honest, but we also as family and friends get the privilege of rejoicing and praising God for showing us the miracles of everyday life!
ReplyDeleteLove you, Aunt Deb
I'm right there with you...struggling with similar things. I have a bunch of thoughts stirring in my head too and am trying to find time to update my blog as well. In the meantime...while I wait, I'm trying to follow the guidance in Titus: "And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching." Titus 2:7 NLT
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