The Girl Behind the Red Rope by Ted and Rachelle Dekker

Ted Dekker and Rachelle Dekker are the father/daughter duo that co-authored the most nerve rattling novel I have read in a long time, The Girl Behind the Red Rope.

The hills of Tennessee is the hiding place for an extreme, religious community that believes that following impossibly strict rules will keep them faultless, pure and ready for the world to come. Doubters, wanderers and strangers can not be tolerated. Life is lived within a perimeter marked by a red rope.

In this fear based world, it becomes impossible to tell the wolves from the sheep, the darkness from true light.

I read the book aloud to my husband as we travelled long hours cross country. There were many times we were sad to have to take refuelling breaks, so caught up were we in the story.

If you'd like a calm easy read, pass on this book; but if you want to be challenged, baffled and engaged, don't miss The Girl Behind the Red Rope.

An advanced reader edition of this book has been provided courtesy of Graf-Martin Communications. All opinions are my own.

thick clouds

friends dear to us

have had their hearts exploded by tragic loss

clouds dark have settled over us all

in my quiet time with the Lord this morning

He spoke these words

in Africa funeral houses fill with wailing cries

this, when there are no words

they do not fear the depth of mourning

this makes sense to you now

your people, your village is shaken

I hear cries that they think they should suppress

there is no need, no reason 

to be strong

I Am the strength for all

stand together in your weakness

those who already have answers

did not hear them from Me

never dimmed

Now from the sixth hour (noon) 

there was darkness over all the land 

until the ninth hour (three o’clock).

Matthew 27:45 Amplified

It is Friday

that Friday

darkness falls

yet there is light

that is never dimmed

that will not be overcome

that will rise from the grave

we are bearers, carriers

containers for that light

the empty place in which He dwells

thin as eggshells on the cusp of cracking

Sunday is coming

psalm 25

psalm 25

I have known too well

the darkness, deep pools

that beckon, lies convincing

sharp edges hidden 

in the appearance of softness

muting all sensibility

“come down lower

come quick come”

I have known too well

the tricks, skilled at a game 

I thought I was winning

while You waited, patient

knowing You created me for light

Your voice ringing clear, clean, true

“come up higher

come away with Me”

only by Your Spirit

did I choose the better way

Good Friday clouds

By now it was noon. The whole earth became dark, 

the darkness lasting three hours—a total blackout. 

The Temple curtain split right down the middle. 

Jesus called loudly, “Father, I place my life in your hands!” 

Then he breathed his last. 

Luke 23:44-46 The Message

I set my self

in silence, dark

to imagine what 

we can not

even in the thickness

of clouds cover, we

who have chosen Him

will ever see light

Sunday is just around the corner friends...

joining Bonnie and friends finding whitespace

 

fragile perspective

the road stretches forward

under cover of intruding night

the place I left behind

soon to be another's

destination

where I journey on

they have already been

a shifting

dance of directions

dark upon light

perspective fragile

as thin bright clouds

this wanderer

always seeking

home

hanging out at the pub tonight

 

Saying yes to the light

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; 

on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. 

Isaiah 9:2 NIV

I knew the light was there, bright and burning hot

there was colour, life in the light

but snuggled into darkness I felt safe, protected

all my imperfections hidden

their heaviness pressed hard upon me

almost like an embrace

I had grown accustomed to the weight of them

added bit by bit, slow so I wouldn't even notice

I could hardly breathe

I could not have seen the darkness

without the light

growing stronger

the shadows deepened, gripping

comfort vanished

I surrendered to the pull

to the warm

and saying yes to the light

found the heavy lift

yes to the light

yes to light

yes

sharing the light with the imperfect and redeemed at Emily's

and jamming about yes with Bonnie

 

What can I say?

This week, Bonnie asks us:

If you were to write a letter to God, what would you ask of him — what would you say?

I am in the habit of sitting with Jesus most mornings, journal open, asking what He wants to say to me.  I then write what I sense Him sharing. I am accustomed to remaining silent to listen, so to reach out to Him with my words feels odd.

Lord God
What can I possibly say that You do not already know?
Every beat of my heart, every breath was planned by You.
I know what I want
You know what I need.
I get lost and You are the One Who finds me,
again and again and again.
Your eyes remain on us all
even the wild one I wrote to last week
who denied You, turning instead to ways of the world
craving and seeking in dark corners
refusing the light.
What I can say to thank patience like that?

Can you fill me with that kind of love
love that waits
keeping eyes, arms and heart open
free from judgement and bitterness?

Lord God
help me continue to surrender
to let all things in me die that are not You
that more of You would live in me
that the world would know
and the world would see
for Your glory alone.



Joining Bonnie this week writing to our God

 

Relevant to who?

I’m looking up relevant:

Having some bearing on or importance for real-world issues, present-day events, or the current state of society

I’m thinking of all the endless discussions about how the church must find ways to be significant to the world, as if Jesus Himself is not important enough.

He Is our God – He Is always relevant. That only becomes obvious to those that truly know Him.

Twisting in my thoughts today is the idea of turning this all upside down. Instead of thinking how we can be relevant to the world, perhaps we need to consider how to make the world relevant to us. Instead of hiding inside the four walls of our church buildings singing “this little light of mine” can we pray and ask the Lord to show us how to allow that light to really shine in the darkness?


Image via Wikipedia



Think about the way that Jesus lived when He walked among us. It was the broken, the hurting, the crippled and lame that caught His attention. He was filled with love and compassion for those who would never think to darken the doors of a temple.

These were the ones that were relevant to Him then.

These are the ones who are relevant to Him now.

If we claim the desire to be like Him, should we not feel the same?

Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.  Matthew 5:16 The Message



Joining Lisa-Jo and others where today's word is relevant

also bragging with Laura today





 

Can I draw the line here?

I am scared of this poster.
There is a terror that rises deep within.
I am not afraid of being harmed by the KKK, I am white, favoured, safe.
What haunts me is a fear that I could very easily draw a line here.
I could shake my head and my fists and shout
"Enough of this grace stuff.  How can anyone forgive such hate?"

And once that line is drawn, who else would I place on the other side?
How high up on the ladder of judgement would I climb?
How many would I add to the list of those beyond forgiveness?

Yes, the KKK was/is a movement of hatred.
If I counter hate with hate then I join their ranks.

Lord, my flesh squirms, recoils and wants to deny the very thing You died for.
Help me extend forgiveness.
Help me walk immersed in radical grace.
Help me counter hate with love.

I am not beyond a second chance.
You, who are reading these words, are not beyond a second chance.
May we walk in this world believing the same of everyone.

At People of the Second Chance we are raising  our voices for second chances, to overthrow judgement and liberate love. Will you join us? 

Redeemed from "the dark side"?

I may be one of the few people of my age who has never seen even one film in the Star Wars series, but even I know that Darth Vader was considered a "bad guy".

I sat down with my husband to ask him what he knew about this character.  What he shared was that the character had been a Jedi Knight who went over to the dark side, influenced by the darkness he did indeed become an agent for evil.

Are any of us beyond becoming moved by forces that are less than pure?  Are any of us worthy of judging those who fall?

Our hero, Luke Skywalker could not even believe that someone as "bad" as Darth was his father, not until Darth gave up his own life to save him.

I'm reminded of the words of the preacher in Cowboys and Aliens:

"Sometimes good men do bad things.  And sometimes very bad men do good things."

I need the gavel taken from my hand, for there is only One able to know all the facts and details, only One Who is worthy to judge the hearts of man.

Will you agree with me in prayer, asking the Lord to impart more of His grace into our hearts and lives?

People of the Second Chance ask us to raise our voices for second chances, to overthrow judgement and liberate love. Will you join us?

Darkening skies

The ever darkening
skies touched
by His hand
streaked
with delight
in this northern place

I have known joy
for endings
welcome
new beginnings

calm even as
chaos
rattles the doors

peace
descending
on a storm

I am His
what more
is needed?

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid  John 14:27 NLT

Finding light

This week, as Jason and Sarah continue to lead us, we are looking at Mere Christianity Book II What Christians Believe; Chapter 1. The Rival Conceptions of God.  Here C. L. Lewis concludes:

If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning; just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. 

I chose to seek the light
hungry for sense in the nonsense
wanting to taste meaning, purpose
something deeper
than the random scattering
of life's events.

Yes, if I could notice
the darkness growing darker
than surely I had eyes to see.

Grace, it was, and grace it is,
yes grace indeed
that keeps those same eyes open now
to drink in light and life and love
blinking in tune
with His heartbeat.

Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see." Luke 10:23 NIV 


Come on over to Jason's Connecting to Impact to join this week's discussion.

Sweet lack of understanding

What sweet lack
of understanding is this
that leaves me
thirsting, hungry
seeking more
of ways higher
deeper, wider
than ever human reason
could fathom.

Still You choose
to speak, truth
light reflecting revelation
chasing shadows
silencing storms.

A soft residue of peace
like volcanic ash
covers me
deposits deep
a mystery
my logic cannot reach
but my spirit connects.

Let me then rejoice
if, in leaving reason
far behind
I find not more of myself
but Him.


The unspiritual self, just as it is by nature, can't receive the gifts of God's Spirit. There's no capacity for them. They seem like so much silliness. Spirit can be known only by spirit—God's Spirit and our spirits in open communion. Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God's Spirit is doing, and can't be judged by unspiritual critics. Isaiah's question, "Is there anyone around who knows God's Spirit, anyone who knows what he is doing?" has been answered: Christ knows, and we have Christ's Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:14-16 The Message

Stop by Jason's place for more poetry written by God's warriors!
This time we're writing about the mystery of God.

Unexpected flight in 55 words

Love Force #5

painted by Jonas Gerard

A leap of faith
unexpected flight
on the revelation
of fresh born wings
created to dance
in worship, unhindered
chains left behind.

Light explodes into light.

The pure joy
of love, uncontainable
beyond all limits, free
a power that darkness
will not, can not
taint or control.

This and more
have I found
in You.

Linking up today with Brian Miller at One Stop Poetry and at G-man's Friday Flash 55

Black, white and shades of gray

Black and white and various shades of gray.  The colour of winter on days when the sun stays hidden within the clouds.

These are days when the sky fades into snow on the fields and its hard to find the line between the two. 

We often have to dig deep to find beauty. 

But here I find peace.  The work of His hands in a season of dormancy. 

He asks me to be still, without the distraction of things bright, colourful.

He asks me to listen.

Waiting is for me perhaps the hardest trial, yet at His calling, I attempt obedience.

God, the one and only— I'll wait as long as he says. Everything I hope for comes from him, so why not? Psalm 62:5 The Message

Stop by to read more imperfect words
at Emily's In the Hush of the Moon

Waiting for light

The days have grown shorter almost overnight. I went to my chair for my morning appointment with God and noticed that the sky did not yet show even the faintest glimmer of light. Flipping the light switch, I grabbed a fleece throw, my journal and a pen, and settled in to hear what He would say.

Just as you are able to see in the dark by turning on lights - so too do you try to see spiritual things using natural means, like your own understanding. How much better and clearer is My revelation?

It takes patience to wait for the sun. How much harder to wait on Me to shine My light?

I know the uneasiness in your heart, little one. You want to know what I Am asking of you in these days. I need you to watch and wait and keep walking in faith.

The hardest part of that equation for you is the waiting. You hunger to move, repair, right wrongs and move ahead. The idea of doing nothing frustrates you, I know, but there is more happening than you can see.

Can you withold judgement, trusting that I see a bigger picture?

Can you simply pray into the rising of the light?

Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth Hosea 6:3 NIV

A Magpie Tale - Rising

Something is rising
falling

stirring in the air

Light extends
displaces darkness

Home in the distance
waiting

in the bright
shining

Glory just beyond
what the eye perceives.

Is it yet

rising
falling
or somewhere

inbetween?

Stop by and visit Willow at Magpie Tales for more words and tales.