Listen - Day Forty Seven

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32 NIV

     This is the lesson I have been processing since last weekend.  I want to live in the Promised Land.  Free.  Free to be the me God created, Jesus saved, and the Blessed Spirit guides. This scripture verse says the TRUTH will set you free. 

     And what is the truth? 

     Jesus said... I am the way, the truth and the life. John 14:6 NIV  

     So Jesus is truth.  And the truth (Jesus!) will set you free. And I want to be free.  My conclusion. My grand summation after journaling and reading scriptures and going over my notes from last weekend is...Jesus is the way into the Promised Land of freedom. Simply put: I just want to love Jesus. I just want to follow Him. So I have been praying, then listening. Listening with my ears, and my heart, and my spirit. 

     Jesus wants me to love. "A new command I give you: love one another."

     I have been trying to be more loving, to more people. Love them like I think Jesus would love them.

     To do that I had to surrender myself to Him.

     Oh this is not easy ....not easy at all.

     But I can tell you in the last few days, I have felt this sense of freedom welling up in me as I followed the Blessed Spirit's promptings to send prayers, to ask about a person's day, to cookie brownies, to be present and go and do when what I wanted was a nap, to be selfish.  Yet I pressed on with the Spirit's help and was a freer me. I can't explain it, but even though there was more required of me, there was more of Jesus to share. 

     I won't ever get this completely right. I know that. I hope to make Jesus smile though. But listening is key and it is still my One Word for this year. Follow Jesus with me into the grandest adventure we could ever have. Please! Blessings to all.

Listen - Day Forty - IF: Gathering

.......this weekend I was privileged to be one of the many women who were streaming the simulcast from Austin, Texas, the IF:Gathering.  Powerful. Obedient.  The women who formed this idea, this dream into a live event.  Their obedience is powerful. Their enthusiam and love for Jesus was evident from the prayers they each offered at the beginning to the unity they exhibited at the end.  
     Yes, I heard a number of women speak.   I can't name them all but I give them credit for this blog entry. Jennie Allen, Angie Smith, Christine Caine, Jen Hatmaker, Ann Voskamp, Rebekah Lyons, Shelley Giglio, Tara Jenkins....and more....
     I also heard God calling me to receive their message. I listened. So many women today give and give and give, without ever taking the time to refresh and renew ourselves.  The giving isn't bad, it's just that our race is a marathon and we women need to learn to pace ourselves. We need time to BE WITH JESUS. In His word, in His presence, in the time we set aside to be still and know that He is God...we can be renewed. 
     So, hands opened to receive, heart opened to receive, I listened. I leaned in and surrendered to His ministering.  I heard that "Jesus is better" than anything we can think of.  Of course I knew that but say this aloud: Jesus is better than the most perfect spouse we can imagine. Jesus is better than that house in that neighborhood that we covet. Jesus is better than your dream job, or your dream portfolio, or your retirement travel plans.  So why do we spend our time and energy working to get the one, when The One is better?
     I also heard about Wild Grace. Don't you love that term?
     And "keeping my eyes above the waves" and walking on water.
       These are just the notes the first hour!
     So what did God want me to hear?  That I tuned my spiritual ears to listen for His Sweet Spirit in me to point out? 
     "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." (Gal 5:1 NIV) It's time for me to cross from the desert wilderness into the freedom of the Promised Land. Thank you Christine Caine for that message!
     So, I will be listening eagerly(I am addicted to my morning listening time now) to hear what direction God, Jesus and the Blessed Spirit have for me.  Blessings to you.