Soaking It In

I’ve become a SLOW reader. Why? Because I want to soak up every little bit of literary crafting in order to fully let the words get into my heart and not just my head.  I’ve been plugging my way through Mark Batterson’s new book Primal and needless to say, I’m intrigued.

I so appreciated his reminder that “silence is one of the soul’s love languages” after coming from a place that exudes silence (a farm far from town) and going into a small, but “noisy” city.  I love getting away in the wilderness…

Along with that, I SO needed the following reminder: “But if God is speaking to your heart, don’t let your mind get in the way of what God wants you to do. Sometimes loving God with all your heart simply means listening to your heart instead of your head.” Whoa, so good. When God invades my heart in such a shattering way, I don’t want to get caught up in the silly games my head plays. God completely changed my heart this last year and I’m letting Him come deeper so that my heart can respond with a big “YES” regardless of how it looks to my head.

So, what do you think? Are you looking for a primal faith? Ready to go on a quest for the lost soul of Christianity with Mark? Check out the book here or when I finish my copy, I’ll send it your way!

p.s. Check back tomorrow for another great quote from Primal and some thoughts about what breaks God’s heart…

*This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Counting the Day

Countdowns…I got rid of mine.  Why? Because I want to live in the present.  I don’t want to get distracted by the “what if” or “I wish” or “I can’t wait until..” game like I have before.  In the past, I’ve written posts about things I’m looking forward to and how far away they are.  Some of those countdowns aren’t as exciting anymore or don’t have the same significance.  Some take/took away my focus and let me play those games of selfishly wanting things as they are not.

I refuse to complain or get caught up in the wilderness because of my selfish desires.  Instead of counting down, I’m asking God to help me count the day, the season, the moment.  To take that step into the Promised Land.  To let go of my picture of what I want life to be and trust that He wants to give me a life that is immeasurably more than the anything I could dream up for myself.

To take up my cross daily and to die to myself for Him.  To live in such a way that the Holy Spirit guides my path and every word.  Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead by focusing on what I can do today to press into Him and dig deep to have more of Him and less of me. The rest doesn’t matter.

I need to obey today because if I love him, I will obey His commands no matter what.

Wonderwall

Wonder: a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar or inexplicable

Wall: a continuous vertical brick or stone structure that encloses or divides an area of land. something perceived as a protective or restrictive barrier.

“Today is gonna be the day that they’re gonna throw it back to you

by now you shoulda somehow realized what you gotta do

I don’t believe anybody feels the way I do about you now

And all the roads we have to walk are winding

and all the lights that lead us there are blinding

Because maybe you’re gonna be the one that saves me

and after all you’re my wonderwall.“

I’ve realized what “I gotta do.”  Run to my wonderwall (my protector, my strong tower, the one who leaves me in awe and wonder at His love and forgiveness).  Run to Jesus.  Because that is where I find healing and I trust Him “because You’re gonna be the one that saves me.”  He is the one that makes “all the lights that lead [me] there are blinding.”  He brings light to the darkness (1 John 1:5).  God is so blinding that Moses literally glowed when he left the presence of the Lord (Exodus 34:29).  He makes a way in the wilderness: “Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of past.  Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:18-19). He wants me to get to the place where He wants me and to do what “I gotta do” because He knows what is best and causes all things to work for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28).  He loves me like no nobody else does.  So, that’s where I’m running today.  To the foot of the cross where I lay it all down and ask Him to “take it all” because I trust Him.  He’s my wonderwall.