1776. Independence Day.

So last September I woke up in the middle of the night, somewhat fearful of a situation going on in my life. I couldn't sleep so I got up and read my Bible. I prayed. I begged God for relief. For freedom.

A few days later, He showed this to me in his word:

He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me. - Psalm 18:19

I knew the answer. It was time to sell my house. Time for the Lord to rescue me from that time of life. Time to move on to the next phase. So I put my house on the market and it sold in a week. For sale by owner, and the 2nd person to look at it bought it. Did I mention it was for sale by owner?!

He spoke loud and clear. He told me something else was coming. So here I stand, ready for that next phase. I've started building my new, more spacious house. It's beautiful. It's overwhelming. There are tons of trees. It's peaceful.

You know what the square footage is? 1776. Why, you ask, is that important? It was when the declaration of independence was signed. Freedom for our country. Freedom in my life!

My God does not miss a detail. He loves to line stuff up. To confirm His message, His word. I think He has a sense of humor too. I mean, come on...1776!? How does that stuff happen?

Come see me!

Depth and details.

I've started going with my bro and sis-in-law to Sunday night church at their church. It's a spiritually deep church, full of big words like sanctification, holy grace, redeemed....well, it's just challenging stuff which I love.

We are studying Exodus - right now, Moses. You know one thing the minister mentioned last week - the water is not to be disregard. Moses was put in a basket as a baby and delivered by that water. Later, he would deliver God's people right in the middle of the Red Sea (another body of water). He was delivered as a baby, God used him to deliver as a man. Seriously. God does not miss any detail.

I also heard last night that flesh is not "the body" as we tend to make it.....rather it is the untamed soul not in congruence with God's desires. Good stuff to think about.

Loving my soul being fed again.

(Image: RED SEA)

Someone I love.

I have a few friends that truly know me. That will be honest with me. That will tell me when I need to adjust my attitude, my spirit. I love these friends with all of my being. I love when someone I love and cherish tells me to pull it together, for that makes a lasting bond.

I went walking with one of these friends the other night. For a long time. We talked about anything and everything but the best of which was the suffering of Christ. To know Christ is to experience His sufferings. Does it hurt? Like nothing else. Is it worth it? Above everything else.

My friend is going through a time of suffering. A time of loss. Her heart, mind and soul are grieving, yet she feels the heartbeat of Jesus lift her and pull her near to Him. She gets a glimpse of her small sufferings in comparison to His sufferings and it makes everything easier. Make sense? The more you suffer, the easier it is.. It's the peace of His nearness. The mercy He pours. The hope He gives.

Not sure how anyone that experiences hard things in life is able to cope without the hope of something to come. I heart Him. I heart how He changes us, how He allows us to see His love in the midst of our hurt in this fallen world. I heart how He will come and rescue.

Realness.

I've recently been so turned off by people that only want to talk about how to grow, how to be better, how to love better, be more joyful, etc in every conversation (I guess I should say they want to talk to others about how to change). Possibly it's me being ridiculous, possibly it's me being allowed to see it from an unbelievers perspective. Whatever it is, what I'm learning is that people need to see realness and experience grace.

So here's something to know about me. I love Jesus (have you not gathered that from my blog, I have failed). But here are some other things to help you know that I am real:

1. I got angry this week. Angry. I had to work through it over a two-day period. I knew I was being ridiculous.
2. Sometimes I'm extremely insecure. Sometimes I'm extremely confident. Sometimes I'm in the middle.
3. I love to go see romantic movies, comedies, suspense movies. But not scary or horror movies. NO. And occasionally I watch a "R" movie, although I know it can affect my purity, my thoughts, my language - I have to weigh this out and determine if it's worth seeing the movie.
4. I love to dance like a wild woman when Rihanna comes on my iPod. Well, not just Rihanna, any good music with a beat.
5. I struggle with being single.
6. My big brother calls me everyday, and greets me by saying "Hey Ho". I am not a ho. But this is his term of endearment for me.
7. I have to work on my tone with my mom. It's gotten a ton better, but if we discuss money, I fire up.

Needless to say, those are just a few real things about me. Just because I do them, say them or think them doesn't mean I don't know that I need to change. I'm being real. I am not perfect. I am challenged by my shortcomings daily. Hear that. Just because I love to talk about the goodness of grace and love does not mean sometimes I wonder just how HE could love ME so much for I am but a filthy rag.

Hope it lets you see a little more of me. My heart is dark, yet He loves it the same.

So much more...

One of the youth ministers at my church just tweeted this and it challenged me: "Eternal Life is so much more than going to heaven. It is the pursuit and the knowing.... JOHN 17:3"

Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17:3

Heaven and Hell.

Just got done talking to someone about Heaven and Hell. Jesus as the Messiah. What happens when we die.

He said he thinks often about where he will go when he dies. But He's unsure. He asked me what I believed hell was like. He said He believes that Jesus was real, but can't believe He is the Messiah.

He is skeptical. He said "I'd believe if an angel appeared to me and revealed to me that it is real". I told him I'd pray that Jesus himself would come face-to-face with him and let him see.

Please join me. Power of the prayer of the saints can make a blind man see.

Pray for a miracle to happen.

Sunday's coming.

It's Friday but Sunday's coming! from Pinelake Church on Vimeo.