point of view

the Creator says "speak" and for a moment the breath catches my lungs, as it were, frozen afraid I'm afraid all that will come out will be a squeak how could dirty flesh and blood speak holy cry out fire and glory? paralyzed but there is a coal in the angel's hand blood red and praise cannot be restrained

Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted I will carry you. Be still and hear, you rebellious I love you. Though you stumble in the dark lugging your idols around Though you close your eyes and put your fingers in your ears when I am speaking to you Though you hide your pet addictions under the bed and protect your favorite sins like a toddler with candy listen to Me I still love you. I will carry you. I will never leave you or forsake you. I will bring you Home I will pursue you, hedge you in, and guide you always. And I will capture your heart. Who is safe from the power of the Love of a holy God?

Impossible is the roof on what we think can be done but we are told God doesn't fit in the house He is the atmosphere. When the quicksand is sucking or the clay is hardening in on my ribcage the rope around me, pulling me up is from You it happens every time. And when I see, it steals my breath away. I want to run and say in wonder, with outstretched hand like a little child, "Can You be my Papa?" but You already are

Be my boast, Lord I've got nothing without You I've got everything with You The way baby chicks are fragile helpless that's me I need to feel Your cover of protection Then I will peep noisily at the tiger unafraid in the Lion's care "He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler." -Psalm 91:4

Here are a few of the things in my "1000 Gifts" notebook from recently: 696 How quickly a day goes by 698 The glowing smile of a bride 707 New pens 711 A grieving family held close by church 715 Sunday afternoon warmth and stillness 718 A movie date (Courageous!) with my 11-year-old brother 720 A child coming to be comforted 735 Bible stories told the Jewish way 736 Spontaneous detours 743 The sound of driving on gravel 780 A little girl who likes being tied up to trees! =) 785 A raised mailbox flag 803 A friend who finds me when I'm anxious and prays over me 809 Guitar stands on stage 814 Remembering magical stories of sailors and rainbows and blue seas 819 Dutch women outside their comfort zones 828 My Opa's harmonica hymns 829 My Oma's perfume 833 A fellow homeschooler in crowds of schoolteachers 834 A very full church 840 Spurgeon books 851 The grace to laugh at myself 853 A moonlit run 863 Earl Grey Va...

"...You are not your past or your surroundings." -Lecrae Hmmm.

listen you weary busy and numb and frustrated the tinsel and inflatable Santas tire your soul the flickering lights are cold like LED and the emptiness of your heart is weighing heavy searching for wonderful this time of the year I know oh, I know in this long winter this dark, dark night at the moment when despair begins to choke us a beam of light constellations are singing as a woman cries out and in a muck of blood and fluids a Baby with hardly any hair, no teeth, uncoordinated limbs skin and flesh and bone human yet - miracle of miracles - the light of Divinity I wonder how Mary dared to touch Him and the Light in that stable shines down through the ages to you He can take your life of dark moment followed by dark moment and spill His blood into your dead and decaying soul to bring life and hope and light to transform your everyday.