daily choice

a daily option, easy 

unto death

hard, into life

where freedom waits

I daily choose

the narrow way

pressed close

to my Master's heart

 “Enter by the narrow gate; 

for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, 

and those who enter by it are many. 

For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, 

that leads to life, 

and those who find it are few."

  Matthew 7:13-14 RSV

psalm 37

psalm 37

nowhere can I turn

run or hide, around every corner

I find You again

and my soul is stirred

You surround me

I am sheltered, shadowed

still, softened in Your presence

even as I often strain the leash

to think I would find freedom

anywhere but with You, in You

is foolishness, now

even Your laugh comforts me

if I were

if I were to ask you
what flows through your veins, ice or fire
if I were the gambling sort
I’d bet on both, and then inquire

if I were less certain
that your erratic heart sings, wild
unmarkable rhythms, spark this inner child

if I were bold
if I were free
I would cast off chains, set sail
invite you to my sea

if I were to venture 
being thought a fool, unguarded
words could take wing
to finish what I’ve started

if I were, yes, 
if I were, the sneaky smile, the wink
indeed,  I am
I think

other side of the fence

I have been making frequent short trips to town

running errands, collecting necessities

all part of our preparations for Africa

there is a  farm near the end of the road

right before I hit the highway

and it seems like each time I pass

a different calf has found a way

to wander free, exploring life

on the other side of the fence

by the time I make the return trip

everyone is safely back 

in the same pasture

I too, rejoice

that no matter how far

I travel, thinking I can

make my own way

I am never far from His sight

and always, always welcome home

But for you that honor my name, 

victory will shine like the sun with healing in its rays, 

and you will jump around like calves at play

  Malachi 4:2 CEV

 

anchored

My prayer has long been

Lord help me be willing to be willing

to go when You say go

and I believe that pleases Him

but He reminds me

will you also be willing to stay

when I say stay?

I tune my ears to the Spirit

wanting the voice of my Shepherd

to ring louder

than any other

before sleep the other night

I saw a large metal anchor

I sensed God telling me to set my anchor in Him

if I set it in the ground, I am fixed in place

anchored in Him I can move where He moves

so this morning, pen in hand

I asked Him if He had more to share

Grounded in Me isn't static

but it is stable

the safest place

there is more freedom

more joy, more peace

When I move, you follow

and I remain your base of support

Yes, drop your anchor here

from your heart to Mine

What comfort this brings me

to know that even as I go, I can stay

in Him, and He in me

jamming with Bonnie

 

giving no power to darkness

I had more than four decades behind me

before I came to faith, forty-three years

of directing my own story

comedy, tragedy, horror film

I laughed at the idea of sin, hell

didn't worry me, I joked

at least there I would finally be

warm

my dive into Jesus was fast

hard and deep

total submersion, much like baptism

even before I took that step 

of public declaration

acknowledgement of my filth

and forgiveness of the same

walked hand in hand

the exchange of my wretchedness

for His righteousness

a transaction solid and complete

abundant grace

that still brings me to tears

not because of who I was, or am

or will be, but only because

of Who He Is

nothing I can do to make myself better

but surrender to what He has

already done

so I need not think long about sin

I need not give too much power 

to the darkness, no

I won't deny His sacrifice

I instead choose freedom

choose light, choose life

But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ. Romans 3:21-24 The Message

joining Diana who asks What’s with all this talk about 'sin?'

 

Photosynthesis

I woke this morning with the word photosynthesis on my lips.  "How odd" I chuckled as I shared this with Rick.  I hadn't been thinking or dreaming of plants so it seemed strange indeed.

I sensed perhaps God was trying to tell me something and a Google search lead me to wikipedia where I read the following:

Photosynthesis is a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy, normally from the sun, into chemical energy that can be used to fuel the organisms' activities

Normally from the sun?  What about the Son?

Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life. John 8:12 Amplified

He Who Is light gives me the energy to do all that He asks of me.  I find great peace, rest and the freedom to be still in that simple and  profound truth.

 

needing to be still with Sandy

abiding with Cheryl

 

Call to freedom

When you are interiorly free 

you call others to freedom, 

whether you know it or not.  

Freedom attracts wherever it appears.  

A free man or a free woman 

creates a space where others feel safe 

and want to dwell.  

Our world is so full of conditions, 

demands, requirements, and obligations 

that we often wonder what is expected of us.  

But when we meet a truly free person, 

there are no expectations, 

only an invitation to reach into ourselves 

and discover there our own freedom.

Where true inner freedom is, there is God.  

And where God is, there we want to be.

Henri Nouwen

Seeking a still place with Sandy

 

A sense of floating...

For the last eight months or more
I have let my hair grow.
When last cut in the Spring
my hairdresser said
"let's leave the length for a change"

Not only did it grow longer
but thick and wild
layers weighed down yet untameable

Today I chose freedom
the shears and other tools
that in skilled hands
create a sense of order from chaos

Such a little thing
and light emerged from shadow
a spark returned to my eyes
released from the added weight
floating, flooded with new life

it brings back memories
of another freedom choice
that first release from the burden of sin

hairstyles will change
my decision to follow Jesus?
Never!


 

Life here is... and the scent of water

Life on an acreage in the Canadian prairies is like living a dream I never knew I had
more than I could have imagined
here is space, and clean air and freedom to be
here is a sky littered with stars
here is where my dog runs and runs and runs without ever leaving her own land
here are barn cats and hummingbirds and fresh veggies from the garden

and here is well water, an almost endless supply to pump from the ground into our home
and with it the unpleasant aroma that can seem to take up every inch of indoors
when the filtration system malfunctions or simply can't handle the balance of matter in the water

I light scented candles to mask the smell
I shower quickly
dishes are washed and rinsed with alarming speed
and, yes, I complain...

This morning, I think of those who have no water at all
or they have water but if they drink it they will die anyway
we use sweet, clear bottled water for drinking and cooking
my health is not threatened
and I know things will sort themselves out

so pardon me for my grumbling
and if you feel led to pray
pray for those who live and die without all we take for granted



 

Living water

Waterfall in the Friendship Gardens - La Crosse, Wisconsin

Back on the road
winding along the Mississippi
breathing deep
drinking in freedom
refreshment
no need to be anything but His
living water never ceases


 

Free indeed

So if the Son liberates you

[makes you free men],

then you are really

and unquestionably free.

John 8:36 Amplified

Stopping this morning to rejoice in Who He Is

with Deidra and the chorus of awe

 

The Emancipation of Robert Sadler, Chapian & Sadler

I was intrigued when I read the following description of The Emancipation of Robert Sadler The Powerful True Story of a Twentieth-Century Plantation Slave by Marie Chapian and Robert Sadler.

Over fifty years after the Emancipation Proclamation, Robert Sadler was sold into slavery at the age of five--by his own father. Originally published in 1975, this is the no-holds-barred tale of those dark days, his quest for freedom, and the determination to serve others borne out of his experience. You won't forget this poignant true story of good triumphing over evil, of God's grace, and of an extraordinary life of ministry.

I knew this would not be an easy read.  My heart was torn as I read these powerful words about man's inhumanity to his fellow man writen from a very personal perspective.  I admit to having a bit of trouble reading the conversations written in the regional dialect, but I am glad that I pressed through.

This story is a testimony to God's faithfulness to save and protect those who choose to surrender their lives into His hands.

My favourite tales were those of Sadler's ministry adventures, how God blessed his obedience by showing Him wonderous example of His power in miracles of healings and salvation.  We could all learn a lesson here about both listening and really hearing God's voice.

Marie Chapian is a Christian counselor and author or coauthor of more than thirty books, including the bestsellers Telling Yourself the Truth and Free to Be Thin. She founded Marie Chapian Ministries in 1982 to teach and equip the body of Christ. She lives in Southern California.

Robert Sadler (1911–1986) was born near Anderson, South Carolina, in 1911. He was sold into slavery at the age of five and escaped at fourteen. Eventually he moved to Ohio but traveled extensively sharing the gospel and ministering to others at every opportunity.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

The opinions I have shared are my own.
 

Divine exchange

In the quiet, in the waiting, I have been listening for what the Lord would share:

Even as a tiny baby I Was and Am big enough

to hold and carry all that concerns you.

This then is the magic of Christmas.

Your worry for My peace.

Your grief for My joy.

Your bondage for My freedom.

Your wrong for My right.

In all the unwrapping of gifts,

do not forget this divine exchange.

Now thanks be to God for His Gift, [precious] beyond telling [His indescribable, inexpressible, free Gift]!  2 Corinthians 9:15 Amplified

 

I'm still here

I seem to have been away.  I miss wandering in this space.  November will soon come to a close and my time here will return.  Here's another little taste of what i have been working on:

Jessie went back upstairs with her legs feeling shaky and weak. “I don’t know if I’m ready for this yet” she thought.

“You are ready indeed” said the steady voice. “Look for the words I speak about truth in your Bible. It’s time.”

She hung her new coat in the closet and flopped into the armchair, picking up her Bible as she was told.

“How do I find the words about truth” she thought and then remembered there was a kind of index in the back, not a dictionary, she thought, more like a table of contents. She looked for the word “truth”. There was a long list of page numbers and places where truth was mentioned with the beginnings of the passages listed too. She didn’t really know where to start, but as her eyes moved down the list they noticed these words in John:

And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free

“It is freedom that the calm voice keeps talking about” she thought and though there were many other things on the list, she thought that this is what He really wanted her to know.

“Free from what?” she pondered.

“Free from the lies. Truth will silence the voices. You have already seen a bit of this.”

“Yes, I think I have. When I listen to you, they have no more words to say” Jessie answered out loud.

“Truth is light. This is why I tell you to bring everything into the light. Lies cannot live there.”

Jessie was comforted by His words, yet once again the voices rose.

“You think you’re hearing from God? You silly girl, you’re making it all up.”

“No!” Jessie answered loudly. She held up the Bible in her hand. “I didn’t make this up, did I?”

There was no reply.

Jessie snorted, boldly saying “No answer to that huh?”

Closing her eyes she slipped into a place of dreams.

She found herself walking into an old house. The floor creaked with each step and she could hear the sounds of crying and voices arguing. She walked from room to room and each time she flipped a switch and turned on the lights there was silence in that room and the noise moved to another room. Over and over again, the voices scattered away when the light was turned on, only to move to a room that was still dark. Only when she had turned on a light in every room of the house was there silence and a sense of peace.

“This is what You have been trying to tell me” Jessie said, waking suddenly. “I have to turn the lights on everywhere so that the lies have nowhere left to hide.”

“Yes. You are letting Me teach you”

“But I am still afraid” Jessie thought aloud. “There is so much that no one knows.”

“I know. I know all of it. And I will be with you.”

“And if I don’t tell? Then the secrets will still have power over me, right?” Jessie asked.

“You already know the answer to that” replied the calm and steady voice.

“The truth will set me free
The truth will set me free
And then I can be
Who I was meant to be
Maybe everything before
Was really just a lie
And when I turn the lights on
You can teach me how to fly”


 

Let me obey

I am speaking about obedience tomorrow morning.  While working on my message I recalled this poem/prayer I wrote some years ago and it still rings true in my spirit. rarely do I feel led to rhyme, but this is exactly how the words came to me.

Let me obey, let me obey,
whatever Your will, whatever You say
let me be true to Your Sprit in me
and walk in Your love and set captives free
open my eyes and my ears and my heart
remove any blinders that sin can impart
let me close any doors that have let evil in
repent for my part, repent from my heart
let my tears wash the feet of the One I adore
I want more. I want more. I want more.

I am Yours, Father God, I belong to Your Son
wash me clean, leave me spotless
the expectant bride
I know He has always been here at my side
it is I who have wandered
and been led astray
when deep in my spirt, I still knew The Way

I will run to Your arms
and there I will stay
and go when You send me and do what You say
it's a vow I have spoken and a vow I will keep
to wait on Your will
and Your will alone
thank You for replacing my heart of stone
for a heart of flesh, as You said in Your Word
and this heart understands
and this heart has heard
and I wait with great wonder for what lies in store
I want more. I want more. I want more!

But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.  1 Samuel 15:22 NLT

Choose freedom

Image via Wikipedia

This morning as I was meditating on what to write about freedom I came upon an old notebook that I used to carry in my bible case.  In December 2001 I wrote:

You can never be completely free until you become a slave to the cross of Christ.

A few pages later, in notes from a conference in 2003 I found a word I sensed the Lord asking me to share:

Bring them to Me.  Bring the sheep to Me.  Show them the gate.  They cannot be free until they come in.  Show them the gate.  They think there is freedom in running wild - but out there they are captive - they can only be free in Me.

So here is my warrior poem prompted by the word freedom:

What is this place
I've found?
The domain
of a humble King
where chains
are built from love
where the path
out of captivity
leads me
to a  bondage
that grows
deeper, sweeter.

As I choose again
to surrender
my right
to be free
what explodes
within is true
freedom in Him.

Join Jason and the other warriors at Connecting to Impact where we're writing about freedom

Finches free

Finches small
golden, purple,brown
gather and scatter
never lingering
long enough
for me to truly gaze upon
I imagine the lightness
of their landing
as if I could
hold out a hand
as a perch
a temporary home

for once I too
cherished
my ability
to fly
find the wind
whispering always
the song of goodbye
never knowing
I was captive
to my freedom

Visit One Stop Poetry where they're celebrating one year of Wednesday One Shots

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