The library and the tape measure...

My ears heard a fragment of a sentence, my heart saw a door open - crossing the threshold revealed a room with shelves from floor to ceiling, books upon books lined up next to each other, titles printed...my heart grew heavy - this was not my library, but I recognized some of the titles.
Each book was about shame. Each book had its own cover.
Overwhelmed by sadness at the amount of books my eyes scanned across some titles...

I was neglected.                                      

I was mobbed.                              

I was manipulated
I never measured up.
I was rejected.                                  

I messed up.                                            

I was used.                                    
I was different.

I was behind.                                                                                                    
I was poor.

I was exposed.                                          
I was abused.                                
I was unheard.

I was belittled.

I was oppressed.                                      
I was unloved.                              

I was never chosen.

I was compared.
I was invisible.





             
                Each book belonged to someone, penned from the heart with tears of sorrow...
                                                 
                                                 - what title does your book have -

Shame, shame, shame - oh the damage it does to our self-image. The loneliness, the hiding and closed door to 'rooms' of the heart, out of fear and self protection, and the never-ending list of ways we try to shed this cloak clinging to our soul.

Could we but scrub long enough, cut a vein bleed it out, starve it to death, scream loud enough to drown out its whisper, run far enough to escape its shadow, or maybe time is the key ...

                  - but we can't can we, because we have all tried, and tried again, and again...

Have we not all heard the phrase; "Time heals all wounds"!
May I just pull away the nice sound of this and reveal that there is no truth in that - none whatsoever. Time is a measurement,  pure and simple, it has no feelings, no powers to heal or mend.
Time has no keys either. (Jesus has them, remember..)

Time is an invisible tape measure running alongside us - what will you give this credit for?

There's only one bath with power to wash away shame, once for all and ever!
Only heaven holds the key to unlock the shackles of shame - rendering you free to be, to soar, to run, to live in the power of transparency and intimacy...

The key is truth, the bath is love!!
The truth of God, your heavenly Father and Creator - let Him pour into your heart the truth of who you are, who He created you to be.
The bath of the Father's and Jesus's love for you - this love for you made Jesus leave heaven....leave heaven, walk in your world, know suffering, rejection and heartache, and sacrifice himself for you, me - the human race - to make us his, make us belong, become children of God, chosen, loved, favored, heard, seen and rejoiced over!!

This truth is what sets prisoners free, this love is what washes away any shame - and enables freedom to ring through your whole being, body, soul and spirit!

God is good and his love endures forever, and to him belong all glory, honor and praise forever and ever.
Can I get a hallelujah and amen...

-b

you can't fly with one wing...

On my morning run I heard this sentence in my heart;
                                         
                                              You can't fly with one wing.
     As that is not a secret, I let the thought linger and waited for a paragraph.,,

It is not a given that the culture we love, even a part of, lives is inside us.
(Nor does agreeing with/re-posting all the good posts on facebook mean we are living it out.)

And if the culture isn't living in us we can't spread it. We can't give what we don't have.
If we truly love and believe in the culture we are a part of and desire it to be alive inside us as well, then welcome to the club of courageous living, where attending isn't satisfying neither is pointing the way. But jumping in with both feet and a whole heart, living a sold out life and like Paul can say; do as I do!
There is a Kingdom culture out there - it is bold, courageous, powerful, exciting, invigorating, somewhat unpredictable and so full of life.

It is not hush-hush, be careful of the toes, nor is it disrespectful, but encouraging freedom in each individual to embrace and pursue all that God created them to be, and to embrace each gift and use them.
It is exhilarating and having tasted it there is no desire to go back. It is where the wind flows and where we are called to be light and salt. It is where we soar.

It can seem daunting to step all in, what will 'they' think, what will it cost....

                                           -  it takes two wings to fly -

-b

the road that leads

There was the temple, and deep within, past the outer courts, past the holy place, hidden behind a heavy curtain, inaccessible to all but one - the holy of holies.

I wonder how much believers longed for access to this hidden place where only the high priest was allowed. The hunger for an encounter with God, the deep desire to be in His presence......

And here we are, with access to it all, any time, any day - with no excuse, yet at times remain in the outer court...

 If we have ever experienced being in the holy of holies, then to remain in the outer court leaves us dissatisfied and it is easy to start looking for excuses or blame. Let's look within!


                   I think there is a road that leads to the holy of holies - a road within the heart...

At times this road is only as long as a step across a threshold, other times it seems long, winding or an uphill battle, other times again we are swept up and carried there by anointed worship.

Do you ever wonder why this is - why the difference?
Whatever the reason(s), I do know two things to be true -

                        It is our choice to journey this road that lies within our hearts

- there is no curtain, no door, but a throne room where worship is always in session inviting
us to partake.......


the holy of holies beckons, let's journey together,
-b