A peek into my journal

I was reading through my old journal from the past year, and I came across several entries that I wanted to share. I hope you find encouragement, and pray the holy spirit touches your soul with warmth, reminding you of the closeness and intimacy He shares with you! Rest in it, soak in it, and live out of it. Enjoy!

January 12, 2014
Tell me what tears your heart,
Speak what fills your mind,
What clenches your jaw,
Antagonizes your life?
Pour out your heart before me,
Let me be your closest friend,
One that lends an ear,
And stills your heart from within,
Nothing you say can move Me,
I am constant, and do not shift,
As you pour out your worry, your burden I will lift,
My arms open for you, daughter,
Rest your cheeks into my palms,
For you my face smiles,
For you, my heart longs

March 21,2014
Getting up with the sun,
Allowing what was to be undone,
Slipping on simplicity,
Holding fast to what you whisper to me,
The strongest, softest color sweeping over all I owe,
Knowing more, and being known,
The Glory of the morning

May 15, 2014
Open palms are my worship,
Open palms are my weakness,
Open palms lead to life,
An emptied fullness

July 28, 2014 with recent edit
I was her,
She was me,
Hidden, cloaked with daylight that no one might see,
From the arms of one, to the grip of another,
Though I tried to hide, my shame refused to be covered,
But this hand, reached my heart through the thickness of thwart,
This Life water I drank refused to remain in the dark,
These sin stained chains, they break, and I am bondage free by sweet Grace,
Daylight uncovered me, all, come and see,
I am not condemned, but awake

Thanks for reading :)

A peek into my journal

Oh Come, Let Us Adore Him

The words of this Christmas song have been so thoughtfully woven with a twist by the lovely Kari Jobe. They so tangibly reached out to my need yesterday afternoon, preparing my stubborn heart for Christmas and paving the dry, cracked roads to worshiping. These lyrics became so precious after her revised intro, and I felt the tenderness as I joined, "Oh come, let us adore Him." I hope you join me, darlings.

You see, my heart grows tired of want. Longing for a perfection that will not come until heaven, discomfort had found me in my Ford Escape, driving to Target in the normalcy of yesterday morning. As I spoke my heart to the Lord, but mostly to myself (yes, I do that),  of wants and waiting, of tired and trouble (hardly), Jesus met me with a softening reminder. One the season lends, one that offered much relatability (yes, made up word).

"Countless days on a journey that led so far, endless nights they traveled to follow the star"

This first lyric drew my attention in. This feels endless, this feels far, I thought as I turned up the volume with intent. I imagine the wise men and shepherds thought the same thing as they traveled as the song states. Without a clue where they were going, and quite possibly with several nicks and stumbles along the way. I imagine that the 400 years prior of silence from God felt vastly larger, vastly longer, and deeply confusing. I am sure now, that I do not always get it, understand, that I have no clue where I am heading, and that I have definitely doubted along this path.

But I am even more sure that the birth of a baby changed every inkling inch.

The past, at the time - present, and reaching me all the way here in the future. This baby thing, this baby boy, this Jesus King, he changes us, loves. He exceeds time, and space, and wonder, and is everything we hoped for but nothing we expected. He is. HE is.

"They did not find a palace, just a humble village home, and searching for a king, but finding a child, no crown. no throne."

And as I recall times in my life, I am so thankful that Jesus was not what I expected. I am so incredibly, insanely ecstatic that his thoughts are not my thoughts, and his ways are not my ways.

"Still they bowed down....

Come let us adore Him."

Oh Come, Let Us Adore Him

Who do you call Him?

The Light Life some say, The Bear it No More,
The Close to the Sinner, The Lover of Whores,
The Shake Off Your Shackles, the Come Follow Me
some even say he's Redemption is Free,
Water that Lives, and Peace Poured on Wounds,
Messenger, Counselor, Bearer of Bright News,
The Giver of Grace, The Word in the Flesh,
The One Brave Enough to Journey into My Mess,
Provision Provider, Better Adam, and Love
Forgiveness Forbearer, The One Who has Come,
Sin Savior, Heart Freer, Payer of Blood,
A Baby, A Man, The One True, Holy God,
My Jesus, My friend, My Here, and My Now,
My Past, My Reward, My Solid Rock, My Firm Ground,

Who do you call Him?

Poetry Corner with Phoebs :) "Shaking Shackles"

This unexpected turbulence,
its pace no present to find,
this chaotic contribution,
controlling patterns in my mind,
thrown by distant sorrows,
tossed by past times,
but You meet me in my muck,
You stand white while knee deep in mire mine,
You don't let go, you say you won't,
when I know I'm sinking deeper,
You don't let go, I know you won't,
as the hope you lend sees clearer,
this pit, you see, has not swallowed me,
instead I'm owned by grace,
each day remind, by those things I am ill defined,
these shackles, through mercy, I shake

Poetry Corner with Phoebs :) "Shaking Shackles"