Splendor At The Door Of My Own Heart

Mark 13:29 "Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door."

With Valentine's Day behind me, I now sit and reflect on things marvelous, wonderful, miraculous, incredible, beautiful, and very personal;  things laid in my path on that particular day of love.

I am in humble awe.

As if God and I had divine appointments all day long, He showered me with gifts from Heaven. Hearts appeared and Heavens sang His praises and possibly more. Seeing all these signs, I captured them in photos. The last "heart" of the day is such a wonderment, that I have chosen to share it only in real time, one on one.

Recognizing that God is near for a very long time now, He continues to give me new revelations, adding to my stories of His grace upon amazing grace. I missed my son that day as always, sending Him a Valentine love wish that morning in a post, now almost 9 years since his passing and returning Home. God heard my prayer and lavished on me, allowing me to see what others may not see, what some take for granted, or do not recognize, what some just want to ignore.

But God tells us many times in scripture to be on the alert, to be on guard.

It's not only for discernment and demon-watching, but I also believe and know it is to see His mercy, His forgiveness, His grace, His hope and His beautiful love for us, reaching down, across, up, through-- in such personal ways.

One unique BELIEVER'S heart, underfoot on a pathway where I worship, fellowship and connect to others, saves me, for I gave my heart in belief to Him long ago and I choose to obey Him by serving and worshipping Him within the Body of Christ.

A second SANCTIFYING heart, pools around the thorny rose, pruned back numerous times, but continuing to explode each spring in a bounty of beautiful buds and spectacular blooms. It's the word picture, the many parables of Jesus, sewing and reaping, planting in good soil and on a firm foundation, expecting a harvest and planning for more.

The third, an ETERNAL MESSENGER heart, empowers me to continue on by doing what I am doing, seeking more, surrendering and trusting in the known and the unknown, praising Him and giving Him the Glory for every beat and pulse that moves me forward, giving me opportunity and providing my every need.

Psalm 8:1 O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Thy Name in all the Earth, who Has displayed Thy splendor above the heavens!"

All of it is an affirmation, right at the door of my own heart. God is Good, He is on the Throne. He empowers us to share our lives in belief, to live our testimony and grow in sanctification, and to be His messengers of love to others whose hearts are crumbled and broken, whose lives are dry and root-rotted, for those who need to see to believe and/or exist as if hope is lost.

Father God, in Your sovereign plan, You already gave each one of us our own miracle. Your Resurrection redeems us so that we can partake in communion again with You and have a relationship in Your grace. These insights and gifts Lord, are Holy; where what can be seen and felt, moves me to pure worship and humbles me to unspeakable joy. Thank you for these gifts this week and may I be prepared and ready, on guard looking continually and intently along my path, walking it with intention. Help me see those in need of life-giving water, and those just needing to reconnect to the Heavens and find Your powerful face of forgiveness and love. Amen.


Please listen to this song and its story. "Tell Your Heart To Beat Again," Danny Gokey.

Is It In You?

I Peter 3:15  "But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts...


I know. It's only part of a much larger verse, a greater calling. The words before...commands.

Do Not fear...but

Do Not be troubled...but

So many of us have taken that first step of faith, believed, asked for forgiveness, know the promise of heaven. Praise God!  

And it ends there.  You are a beautiful butterfly never opening your wings. 

Oh, good deeds may abound, prayers may still be whispered at the beginning of the day, at the closing of heavy eyelids, at a table with the smell of food and appetites waiting. 

That "sanctify" part...What exactly does that...what do I have to do in order...how much time will it take...what will I have to...change?  Give up?

Complacency.

Apathy.

Excuses.

Comfort

Unwilling, unmoved, ineffective.

For me, the sanctification process became reborn within me, like a cut-off, half-dead branch grafted again to the Vine, after the "comfortable" burned up. I lived with the complacency, the apathy, the excuses and the ineffectiveness for way too long. Pink Floyd said it well, "comfortably numb." 

But the HOPE of God, though dormant, never left.

God reawakened in me a desire to deepen my faith and then live it out. I began to see and understand true Grace in a soul-changing purpose for me. That, my friend, is sanctification: the intentional pursuit and the resulting growth in that pursuit of all that is Holy, all that is purposeful, all that is inspirational and affirming--sojourning on the  path of His will and finding joy and peace in the process.

Alive again and active, my intentional asking and seeking, the nerve-endings of my soul surged with anticipation and longing for more. In that, God leads me to His comfort within the uncomfortablness of this world. 

For we may have the privilege of suffering for Christ.

The rest of that verse says this: "...always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence."

I know the Hope of Christ. Because I intentionally seek it every day within my grief-stricken heart, God has refilled, re-purposed and recharged a passion, planted long ago by the Holy Spirit. I gravitate towards it and I run to it. His Word is alive and active, personally sanctifying and leading me in truth towards His promises. As Lord in my heart, I can't help but share.  I stand firm to make a defense, I invite the broken, the seeking, I  encourage the down-trodden, I pray with my sisters--together in the suffering and waiting; and I am embraced and loved by a community who lifts me up as well. I rejoice in the redeeming Love and forgiveness of my Heavenly Father.

For I am a sinner.

I am called for the very purpose that I might inherit a blessing!  (I Peter 3:9). Though I have suffered greatly, I have not been crucified. I have not held the very sin of every human being in the palms of my hands and left to die on a forsaken cross where even God, The Father turned His face away. Jesus Christ bore the ultimate suffering for me, for you. In the resurrection, He conquered death, the ultimate suffering--the result of my sin.

I am redeemed, blessed. I am a temporary resident, taking daily steps towards Him in the sanctification process.  One day, I will inherit all His promises. 

Thank you Lord for the Hope within me. May I use it in a way that only brings You the glory and may this same hope stir others to seek more of You than just simply believing; for You are made known through us. Your power and grace magnifies through the believers heart if we let it go and give it to You, full reign. I am thankful for the very first step, the belief. Thank you for stirring me up. Lord help us to continue to arise out of our own dark comfort and bask in Your marvelous Light. Amen. 

I Am Petrified!

Luke 19:40 NASB

 But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!”

 I visited the Petrified Forest in Arizona this summer.  An amazing geological phenomena, the forces and elements of nature allow something of limited time to become eternal.

What happens in this process?  A volcanic eruption resulting in layers and layers of hot ash containing silicates mixed with water, cover the trees and infuse into their cells. A change begins to take place.  Before the tree disintegrates, the cells remain the same shape but change in composition by crystallizing.  The tree, though looking like a tree is now a solid "rock," a beautifully patterned, multi-colored specimen; an old life takes on new identity.

Thinking of the word "petrified" Does a negative connotation define this word?

Something like:  "SCARED STIFF"

                                                        "FROZEN IN FEAR"

                                                                                             "LIFELESS?"

Spiritually speaking, let's compare the process to sanctification of a believer.  God's spirit erupts in our hearts. Combined with His covering of the ashes of forgiveness and the washing away of our sin--a  change happens. Our old sinful cells (selves) transform into new matter and God the Creator gives us a  defining hope and purpose.

Promised:  "SOLID AS A ROCK"

                                                       "MADE NEW"

                                                                                 "ETERNAL"

Lord God,  the wonders of your creation never cease to point towards your existence. Help me to remain humble and allow my cells to feel your presence. Transform me, remake me, to give you glory. Amen