fixed

my mind has wavered, troubled

and this welcome rebuke from my Lord

has settled me

when your eyes are fixed on Me

when your eyes are fixed on Me

peace falls

but where are you looking?

you fix your eyes on what is behind you

you fix your eyes on what waits ahead of you

and your thoughts swirl and sway

and anxiety has its way with you

you can choose, little one

perfect peace

fix your eyes on perfect love

fix your eyes on perfect glory

You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace 

whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, 

because he commits himself to You, 

leans on You, and hopes confidently in You

Isaiah 26:3 Amplified

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

choices

More and more I have been reading the tales of those who live with the rumble and shouts of voices that grab their heart and mind with lie upon lie.  Words not of life, but condemnation, confusion and shame.

So I share below a snip of my novel-in-progress, Redeeming Silence.  
Learning to hear the One True Voice is the underlying theme.

“That was a big dinner” she thought “and I'm so full. But I still want to try to eat more of God.” She sank into the sofa and opened her bible, continuing to read where she had left off.

By their fruit you will know them. Grapes aren't gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles, are they? In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a rotten tree produces bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a rotten tree cannot produce good fruit. Matthew 7:16-18

“You know what kind of tree you are” the voices sneered.

“Are you going to listen to them?” asked the calm One.

“No, I am not” thought Jessie. “Help me to not hear them.”

“Choose to not listen. Choose.”

“Okay” Jessie whispered aloud. “I only want to listen to you.”  She closed her eyes and breathing deeply, drifted.

She was in surrounded by trees. Everywhere she looked she saw lush green leaves and more types of fruit than she had ever seen before in one place. There were apples of every colour, peaches, pears and every sort of citrus fruit. She wandered from tree to tree and noticed that there was not a single blemish or spot on any of the fruits. Each one looked perfect. She couldn't resist tasting them, and found each rich and sweet, totally ripe and ready to eat. The juices dribbled down her chin.

The sound of a car starting in the street below woke her. She laughed when she realized she had been drooling. Not juice, just a dream, a very nice, bright dream.

“Thank you God” she said as she rose to prepare for bed. “Thank you for showing me the good trees and not the rotten trees.”

“You can choose what you want to see” she thought she heard Him answer.

“Choices?” she smiled. “I never thought I had any choices. Might take some getting used to.”



walking with Emily and the imperfect but beloved
 

not my will

For I have come down from heaven, 

not to do my own will, 

but the will of him who sent me

John 6:38 RSV

To see examples of true surrender, 

we need only look to Jesus

He gave up His divinity to walk the earth

submitted His will to His Father

choosing to surrender all

Day 6 of 31 Days of Surrender 

 

world on a platter

born into

the Pepsi Generation

taught to Just Do It

Be all that I can be

I was told 

I could have the whole 

world on a platter

but so many 

choices can paralyse

What are you hungry for

when you don't know what

you're hungry for?

undisciplined, glutted

with too much 

that was never

 enough

now my constant 

prayer is

bleed me dry

to desire more of You

thanks to Pepsi, Nike, U.S. Army and Ritz Crackers
hanging out with Brian and the poets slinging slogans

 

Birthday word

This is the gift my Father spoke into my heart this morning:

I know things you will never know

things you will never understand

I, yes I alone have brought you to this day

Happy birthday, child.

Choose life.  Choose joy.

Choose to trust that My plans are indeed good plans.

Your grateful heart is a gift to Me.

I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. When you come looking for me, you'll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed. Jeremiah 29:11-13 The Message

This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.  Psalm 118:24 NKJV

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!


 

Thankful for choice

Sharing a bit of a snip from my work-in-progress:

“That was a big dinner” she thought “and I’m so full. But I still want to try to eat more of God.” She sank into the sofa and opened her bible, continuing on where she left off.

You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit.  Matthew 7:16-17 NLT

“You know what kind of tree you are” the voices sneered.

“Are you going to listen to them?” asked the calm One.

“No, I am not” thought Jessie. “Help me to not hear them.”

“Choose to not listen. Choose.”

“Okay” Jessie whispered aloud. “I only want to listen to you.” She closed her eyes and breathing deeply, drifted into a dream.

She was in surrounded by trees. Everywhere she looked she saw lush green leaves and more types of fruit than she had ever seen before in one place. There were apples of every colour, peaches, pears and every sort of citrus fruit. She wandered from tree to tree and noticed that there was not a single blemish or spot on any of the fruits. Each one looked perfect. She couldn’t resist tasting them, and found each one rich and sweet, totally ripe and ready to eat. The juices dribbled down her chin.

The sound of a car starting in the street below woke her. She laughed when she realized she had been drooling. Not juice, just a dream, a very nice, bright dream.

“Thank you God” she said as she rose to prepare for bed. “Thank you for showing me the good trees and not the rotten trees.”

“You can choose what you want to see” she thought she heard Him answer.

“Choices?” she smiled. “I never thought I had any choices. Might take some getting used to.”



Jamming with Bonnie about gratitude

Sharing with Emily and the others imperfect but loved.