psalm 12

psalm 12

I have been quiet, compliant

not wishing to disturb 

as if You did not already know

my heart songs

the deep, low wail of distress

questions build upon questions

ever seeking the answer

that would obliterate the need

for more discussion, yet

I hear, more than enough

the expected reply  “wait”

the ache rushes in, the sad sinking

“how long then?” my lament

 is sharp, cold, bitter

“how long?” David also queried

and waited, aching, lamenting

yet choosing to turn, I will also turn

my back to the wall 

and the wind, and the wail

and I will worship, yes worship

until…

write His name

waves roll

gentle, lacy edges

teasing shore

magnetic energy grounds

me, locked

here, in this moment

watching, waiting

anticipating

as if an answer 

would be etched

upon the sand

wander, where the wetness

creeps, use a big toe

as your pen

write His name, there

FIRE

strong enough to quench

even these waters

there and only

do all answers

cry

finding whitespace along the shore with Bonnie

 

Time to quit?

Today Bonnie gave us the following prompt:. 

To quit or not to quit. Share your thoughts or experience on quitting something or not quitting something.

This past year I struggled long and struggled hard. I needed to make a decision to step away from the leadership of intercessory prayer ministry, and also felt an insistant call to step away from a church body we have prayed for, worshipped in and fellowshipped with for the last ten years.

Words like failure, defeat and quitter banged about in my head.  Fears were multiplied by those who asked if I was stepping away due to offense, had I been hurt, did I think that I could find perfection somewhere else?  I spent long hours inquiring of the Lord, wanting to hear His voice and His voice only.  At the same time, in some misery, I continued life as usual, pressing in until I was certain I had heard the Lord's request.

I was hurting, confused, trying to keep everyone else happy, juggling too many balls in the air, striving in my own ability to understand and make things right.  If God was telling me one thing and everyone else was saying something else, could I be hearing wrong? 

God was saying "go" while I was expecting Him, like the people around me, to convince me to stay.  I believe I received His answer many times before I heard it clearly enough to act upon it.

If you shut the door to everything else - keep it open to Me and I will continue to enter. I will show when to fling gates wide or crack them narrow. When you feel without wisdom, lean on Mine, for I see and I know.  Even in correction, I Am your place of safety.

When we hear a call, to submit, to surrender, to make the hardest of choices, will we listen and obey?  Lead me then, blessed Lord, in the way that I should go, even when in doing so I may leave those I've loved behind, to find in You my strength, the call to rise for the glory of Your name.



Jamming with Bonnie about quitting

linking as well with Emily and others who write broken and imperfect prose

Max On Life - Max Lucado

When I opened the cover of Max on Life Answers and Insights to Your Most Important Questions I didn’t quite expect to feel as if I had opened my home to a guest who was willing to spend hours chatting, not only to me, but to all who would come, as if we were all old friends.

We all have questions, and in his years as a pastor and writer Max Lucado has received more than his share. In this new book he sets out to help us find answers.

There is something here for everyone who is searching, both new believers and those who have been walking with the Lord for a lifetime. Here are just a few of the questions Max addresses:

Can God use His followers today as He did His first followers?

The seven year old son of our neighbors died last week. They are devastated. So are we. What can we tell them?

We’re trying to teach our children humility, but at the same time we don’t want to destroy their self esteem. What would you say is a good balance?

Max speaks from years of experience, but more important, He leads us to open our Bibles to read God’s answers.

I also appreciated the addendum The Write Stuff, as this celebrated author shared tips like these on writing:

You’ll never write better than you live. Live with integrity.

Let editors do their job. Release your grip on the manuscript. A little red ink won’t hurt you. A lot of red ink might save you.

These are wise words from a man who lives by Words written in red and who knows well the power of a single drop of red.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.