Fire

Fire can be associated with both peace and what we see as destruction.  We sit around a fireplace or bonfire and picture joy, love and comfort.  It's where we gather with loved ones and for the most part laugh and rejoice.  Yet, there's the fire that hurts, leaves ashes in it's path.  It leaves us in pain, hurt and for some of the unfortunate can take your life.  

We don't wish for the later, but we're always ready for the joy.  The thing is it's the same...it's fire! I'm not a fireplace kind of girl, but I love a good candle.  As I sit and watch the flicker of light dance, I'm mesmerized by it's wave.  I'll admit that there are times I want to touch it and watch it dance on my very fingertips, but I know the consequence of playing with fire. So I leave it to release the sweet scent into the air.  In the same way I avoid touching the fire, there are times I choose to look the other way to avoid the potential of danger.  After all I understand the consequence of placing myself in those positions.  

There are moments that the fire is ignited without warning.  There's no way to avoid or run, but we're ready to put the fire out and yet we make it worse with our words.  We get in the way causing an explosion and then want to ask "Why?"  We forget that God is also FIRE.  He's the Fire that will consume.  Those fires that we didn't expect, the ones we contribute to in a negative way cause for an out of control blaze.  BUT GOD! 

He will work in the FIRE, He consumes and if we allow Him to work-out of the fire comes something new.  Yes, we may get hurt, and we'll walk away scarred, but new.  Those scars heal-they may never disappear, but they are reminders of what we went through, what we learned, but more importantly what He did.  Permanent tattoos! Whatever blaze you're going through, He's with you!  Allow Him to be the all consuming Fire and see what new creature comes from the ashes.  

Get out of the Kitchen!

  If you know me, I'm not the greatest on cooking, my family survives.  I don't like the waiting, the recipe reading, what should be one teaspoon, well sometimes doesn't look like enough, so what's the problem with adding another. The outcome can sometimes be acceptable, but there are times that the only thing to do is order in. Sorry, Papi! Because he was a cook that could 'pinch' it here and 'pinch' it there and all was well.  Didn't inherit that gene.

Often enough that's my life.  I grab a little here and little there, in other places I put too much or not enough.  A recipe for disaster.  Jesus is my main Chef in this life and I can envision Him with his apron looking over my concoction and sweetly nodding His head.  He knows what's going to happen, I'm not going to like it, I'm going to want to start over or just leave but I'm stubborn and will put that thing to the test. I put it to the burner only to have it too high and now I've burned it and it hasn't even cooked in the inside.  I'll finally allow Him to take over when I've dropped the ingredients and run out. Because who has time to stop and run to the store to replenish.  Well, not me! I need it done yesterday.  

I love how He gently caresses my hand and loves me through my disasters. He smoothly uses what I've should've been using all along and with nail pierced Hands moves like a breeze, a 'pinch' here and a 'pinch' there. As it simmers, a slow rise in temperature, He's removed me from the not so high temperature.  A beautiful display of what He can do, if I only get out of the kitchen. 

Many of us get in our own way, only to make a mess.  

Lord, forgive me for the days I want take control, using too much of what You've already told me was not necessary.  I don't have hands that stir with such grace and I want to recognize the days that I don't need to be in the kitchen.  Give me discernment in my day to day.  And thank you that even when I choose to take my own road, You still meet me and share with me sweet taste of Your love. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Letting Go!

When you find yourself in the middle of a storm...what is your first reaction?  I know for myself I tend to just close the doors and windows to the outside.  The world has become my enemy and I don't want anyone to come into my domain.  I take grip of all that will cover me to block anyone from being able to see the inside of my center chaos.  The winds of this life seem to assault me at my every turn. I'm propelled across the darkness as my emotions seem to become bigger than me.

How did it get this far? Where and when did I allow the storm to become out of control. It's ripping through the very core of my soul. My fingers are white from the pained hold.

Let go!

Photo Credit: Reddit

The softest whisper penetrates through my very being. I still hear the rage of the winds but the calming of His promise is stronger.  I can feel the sensational pull from His love literally wrap itself around me.  There in the means of it all I'm still unable to lift my head up.  What holds me down?

Is it the shameful thoughts that I doubted-YET AGAIN?  Are the strains of my fight bearing a hold on me that I've become so weary to even hold up this heaviness?  No! It's that I'm repeating the measures of the song before. I'm playing my own tune-alone! I'm choosing to be a soloist in a world that requires me to be directed.  All it takes is my heart to call out to Him.

In doing so I'm lifted up, made anew in His love, with His power.  The middle of storm is still raging but my focus is entirely on the One.  Every stone thrown my way cannot reach me because of His influence.  Each one that threatens to steal my joy-knocked away by His Hands.  The tears that I've cried have not been unheard because I can sense the sensation in His touch. He knows me, my thoughts, my struggles, my aches and pain.   All the shame that manipulated my hope-faded.

Let go!

Two simple but yet complicated words.  A phrase that holds more than your fear-they hold His promise.

Our stay in San Juan, Puerto Rico-after a rainy night

He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.
Psalm 107:29

Emotions

Our days can really be filled with many emotions.  Whoever came up with those little emoji's for your phone must have gone through each of those feelings and hit it right on the face. What's scary is that so many of us literally experience not just one or two but can encounter more than our fair share of those emoji faces in a regular day.

For myself, I can start my day with a smile ready to start a day with optimism only to be tried and brought down. I'm soon met with a feeling of disappointment that will surprise me. I mean really how did I get myself here when I prepared my heart and mind in His Word?  Knowing that I'm not as strong in my faith brings on fear and then doubt about my walk. Maybe I'm not as strong as I portray to be to the ones I speak to or when I pray. I begin to find my heart and mind wandering and confusion begins to set it's claws into my soul. I feel like a slug and all this before noon.

I reach out to a close friend and the emoji's are soon laid out across the screen.  I need help with accountability and fellowship with a friend in Christ.  I receive a prayer and the pleasant sight of "praying hands" along with a reminder of His grace. A sweet token to remind me of all He has done.

I'm brought back to 😊.  Thank You Jesus!

Broken

I've watched someone I love hurt deep down to the core and feel destitute. It's as though I watched from an upstairs room with sound proof walls.  I found myself drumming endlessly on the clear glass and yet felt that I could not be heard.  The screams were silent to my own ears and the beating of my heart was louder than I could handle.

I cried out to God until the tears were no more-dried up like a desert. I searched for answers of my own before I could offer up any to my love one.  Questions bounced around every corner of my mind.  Where did the road turn?  How did this end up this way?  Why do they deserve such pain? More importantly-WHERE WAS MY FAITH?

Where was the faith that I spoke about to so many?  How did it fall away with every tear?

I felt paralyzed in my own fear and I could not find where my God had fled. I was stranded on an island of despair with a shattered heart that only seemed to suffocate as I watched my love one slowly grieve.

How do we get to these places?  Have you ever wondered what turn in the road or what grip did you lose that you find yourself in this darkness? It doesn't really matter how you got there-what matters is that you find your way back to the light and turn yourself around.  This is exactly what happened on that clouded day-the Son broke through and His rays channeled through my broken heart.

I felt His Words articulate and become one with my soul.  He reminded me of His love and mercy. That my cries may have seem silent but were heard up in the heavens.  As my love one's heart broke, His heart broke, but healing was taking place and plans were taking shape.  As doors seemed to be padlocked there were others that were being set free.  The tears that suggest that they had weakened were now alive in Him.

Know there is healing through what was once broken.

Psalm 34:18 NIV
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
    and saves those who are crushed in spirit

Road Trip

It's been a while since I've actually written my thoughts down.  I've been on a long journey- a road trip of sorts.  I've thought about what I've wanted to say several times. It's as though every thought has been drowning in my mind.

I coursed on an actual road trip to visit our oldest niece and before I ventured out on that trip I stocked up. I loaded myself down with junk food. Why?  Because my mind told me it was necessary for this trip. Although I tackled food that I wouldn't normally eat, it's what I assumed would comfort me at the time. 

As I drove that highway I couldn't help but compare it to how I've lived my days for the last couple of months.  As I said my days have been heading down a lonely road.  Preoccupied with a  meaningless consumption of negativity.  I've packed my days and nights with junk. I bought this junk - I've basically decided everyday to buy into what this world has offered.  Just like a convenient store...it's been just that...what has been convenient.

How many times have we all just done what was convenient?  Packing our hearts and minds not with His Truth but with loaded down energy zappers. What will only give us satisfaction for the moment instead of eternity. We all certainly pay a price for what we decide to carry. Our guilt overtakes and conviction becomes the ache that twists your insides into a over cooked pretzel. 

Today it's time to avoid the junk that conveniently awaits us. We must decide to turn to the Fruit of the Holy Spirit and take a road trip with a Companion who does not complain about the bumps in the road.

Pain Reliever

I've always believed in God. He was the Man that hung from the cross with a look of devastation. He was the One I was required to repent to at least every two weeks. He watched over me at night as I lay my head to sleep. Yep, I've always believed in Him ,but having a relationship...well that put a whole new twist to how I saw the Man.

I didn't understand how I could have a relationship with someone that I only called upon in times of need, in times of desperation or when required by my mother's law.  Yet, years later I will find myself in daily exchange with my Savior.  My questions run deep and I am childlike in my approach.

There are days that I wonder my purpose, the plot behind my story.  I'm in awe of how He has written  the chapters of my life.  He has prepared before me the path that will give me perspective.  The Author has taken the pen of life and glided across a canvas that to me seems scribbled and illegible.

Until....


The day comes when you will find yourself reliving your every mistake.  You will live the past regret and pain so that maybe you can spare another.  Your words are bitter and distasteful, but you feel a since of atonement. You're yet again walking through the fiery pits of hell, but this time your feet stand on solid ground. The roots of faith have been buried deep into your heart and soul.  He has a hold of you and this time around you're "Cross Eyed". You realize that God's purpose was not for a great void.  He would use your pain to save another.

Yep, I believe in Him.  I believe that He no longer is on that cross, but is with me everyday.  That look that I once saw as devastating-I now feel as deep abundant love.  My childlike questions and mistakes will continue however my Redeemer, my Savior, my Father goes before me to prepare the way.