Confirmations

Unexpected confirmations are sometimes the best kind of confirmation. The confirmation that my heart is in the right place. At this point, it's not about the outcome of the prayer. It's about the prayer in and of itself. It's a greater joy to know my prayer is aligned with God's heart, than it is to know His decision.

Less chaos please

"When we notice in ourselves eager desires for something in the future, and when we see that our temperament carries us too intensely to all that must be done, let us try to restrain ourselves from hurry, and ask our Lord to stop the haste in our hearts and the agitation of our behavior, since God has said Himself that His Spirit does not dwell in confusion." Francois Fenelon

One always needs a good swift kick when the focus becomes more about manipulating life, than dwelling in His Spirit.

Thanks Francoise for the swiftness of your kick.

Closer Still

You bring her to Your hill,

what a long journey it was.

Firm and equally tender are Your words of discipline.

Without humiliation, she hears what is meant for her ears alone.

You sit her among the flowers,

and compare her to the petals.

'Rest', You say. 'Stay with me. Never leave again.'

Wide tearful eyes give Him the affirmation of her loyalty.

'Rest.'

You carry her to the places she cannot go herself.

Down the cliff,

To the water,

You gently dip her in,

and cleanses the tear stained dirt from her cheeks and hands.

You have drawn her closer still.

Flowers (an Adam experience)

It is amazing how flowers can bring such excitement. When I brought home this African Violet it was nothing but a leafy green plant. It was a gift, a shoot-off of a friend's, lovingly grown from a stalk into a flourishing plant. However, we did not know if it would produce any flowers because she had never done this before.

I have taken care of it exactly how she told me to...water once per week with special African violet food. So simple even I could not screw it up. Every time I fed it, I would examine it for new growth and changes...two weeks ago I saw the change, the new life. Buds! Little white buds.

This grew my excitement, and every morning I have woken up to see what changes took place over night. Slowly, but surely the bud stalks grew taller, the buds got bigger, and a bright purple took hold of my once white babies. I even counted how many bud stalks it has...one...two...three...four...five...six...SEVEN! Seven stalks! With each morning the oldest buds would loosen it's tight self-grip. Two days ago, they opened and produced the purple and white flowers pictured above.

God was so creative when he spoke vegetation into life during creation. I feel like I have experienced a minute amount of what Adam must have felt when harvest season came, and the fruit of his labor was in his hands...Victory! Not only for my satisfaction, but also for the incredible amount of work it took the plant to produce the beauty it was created to give.

Next project: Learn how to sprout a new African Violet from one leaf...

Spurgeon...

All the pretensions you make of attachment to your Master, and all the devout actions which you may perform, are no recompense for disobedience. -Charles Spurgeon

#1

For those that know the significance...#1 has come and gone. Surprisingly, I am unscathed, and a new understanding of Jesus has taken hold of my heart!

Bring on #2!

Ali

Hesed

Sometimes, my introspection can get me into trouble. Leading me down paths where my thoughts should never venture to go. But, every now and then that introspection leads to a good soul sweeping, inventory taking, time with my Creator. It saddens my heart to know that many days I shun this time with Him. Faithful. He never fails to whisper the words that melt my soul and collapse the walls I have been so diligent to build.

It's during those times, during this time, that I see the only worthy thing in life is to know my God. All of life springs forth from knowing Him.

It's during this time I stand bare and vulnerable. My desires slip from my grasp and lay at my feet.

It's during this time that I see the canyon that divides me from the Spirit. How did a canyon come from what I though was only a trickle of water in my life? Slowly and over time. Crying out over the distance to be heard. He whispers back.

It's during this time that the ash of mourning is wiped from my face to reveal the glow of Aaron. The glow of time spent with God.

It's during this time that Jesus picks up those things I held so dearly. Open handed, He extends an invitation to hold my desires with Him. Hesed.

To Feel Deeply

Tears of children not my own strike fires in the pit of my soul.

From it rises a passion to help, to heal, to hope.

Tears of children not my own strike fires in my bones.

From it comes a grief no words can fully describe.

A generation sacrificed to their parent's vice(s).

Only my God knows the depth of their pain.

Hearts broken from birth...

Only my God knows.

Who will sacrifice for children not flesh of their flesh?

It was His reason to die,

It was His reason to live.

I understand...

even if it's just a taste...

I understand.

copyright Alison L. Hunt