Author Archives: Denise

A Soft Unfolding…

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Quietly and yet clearly, I could hear and see the sparkling dew falling from the leaves overhead – a gentle display of His hand shaking awake His slumbering creation.  I realized that what I was witness to in the cool of this early morning stirred awake even my own heart.

These words – His Words – began to softly unfolded within my soul.

“Don’t fall victim to the wiles of the world turn your heart toward Mine.  I fashioned this moment as a gift to unwrap – a moment chosen for you.  Now choose Me and give thanks.  Look for My hand all the while remembering what I have done.  Can I not do even more today?  Start to speak out loud the grace and mercy I have already given so you will not doubt what I can do even now.  Make the decision to be glad in this moment.  I have given it to you.  If nothing else, can you find joy in Me?  Find your words as songs of praise not dirges of gloom.  Life is beautiful.  I am beautiful and you I have made in my image.  Sing to that!  Death and gloom is not yours anymore – My Son overcame it all for you.”

Daily life is a choice.  Today the gentle reminder…

I will give things to you, Lord, with all my heart;

I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.

I will be glad and rejoice in you;

I will sing the praises of your name, O most High.

Psalm 9:1-2

Today may I hold fast to “I will” and choose You, my Lord.

A Night’s Surrender

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moon

It is a moment of surrender when I leave the cocoon of my bed to wrestle with a wide awake mind in the shadows of the night.  To give up the comfort of sweet slumber and lean into the darkness.  I search for purpose and reason for this rustling of heart and soul but searching doesn’t mean finding.  Tonight was one of those answerless nights.

It is a night when words echo back like a slumbering breath – when darkness obscures vision and my heart begs to see.  Yet, in this hollow moment my soul feels strangely warmed.  For even now when I feel most alone, His Presence beckons me to come.

Come into the darkness and reach for the hand of God.

 I entrust my spirit into Your hands.  You have redeemed me, O Eternal, God of faithfulness and truth.

Psalm 31:5 The Voice

A Good and Gentle Morning

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morning sun

Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.

Ecclesiastes 11:7

 

Oh gentle, morning sun you come bearing the gift of a new day.

Hope shimmers in the dew.

Rouse in me today what needs awaken – what has slumbered long and needs to stir.

In your gentle warmth may I feel my heart burning within.

Darkness is pushed aside and promise shoots forth.

I welcome this gift with arms open wide.

Longing to unwrap each moment that comes.

 

And hope will never fail to satisfy our deepest need because the Holy Spirit that was

 given to us has flooded our hearts with God’s love.

Romans 5:5 The Voice

A Prayer for Today

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azaleas

Father some of us come wearied by the cares of this world

Our hearts are broken

Our minds confused

Our strength is gone

Others come holding firm to things that keep us from you

We grasp so tightly to our hurts, disappointments and fears…

We cannot even begin to reach out for help and relief

Father, I pray for fresh revelation of your love to overwhelm us

Revive us Lord

May we encounter you in such a way that we are compelled towards your heart and away from our own

May your Word – your Living Word – come alive in us in a way that we have never experienced

Like your breath upon the dry bones in the valley…breathe your Spirit upon us and in us!  Make us alive!

For You are God

Who forgives all our sins

Who heals all our diseases

Who redeems us from the pit

Who is faithful and true

You are God

Who loves from everlasting to everlasting

May your love drenched living breath bring a song to our lips…

“Praise The Lord all my soul – all that is within me praise his holy name!”

May we never stop singing!

Awaken in us a passion for your presence.

Open our eyes to see your Kingdom now and

May we be ready for the kingdom to come

Move mightily upon us,

Move mightily in us and

Move mightily through us

 

 

 

 

 

Can’t touch this

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Misc 208

Time…

We don’t control when ours begins or even when it ends – only God.  Yet even still, He allows us control over the moments falling in between.  It is the proverbial dash between the dates found on too many tombstones.  In His creative, expressive love He has sketched out our lives but it is up to us to live the dream.

This year has been a wildly busy year with very little tangible worth.   Worth, however, isn’t always found in the items we hold or touch.  Sometimes and often more importantly, it is found in the things that touch us and change us.  In that, this year has been overflowing.

When I left my nursing career, I thought I would have all this “extra” time – time to get home and hearth in order; time to spend with friends sipping tea and eating lunch and time to pour out my words from heart to paper.  Yet, it hasn’t quite been this way.  On occasion, what I think will happen does not.  Such was this year. 

Instead of ordering home and hearth, I have been flying by the seat of my pants trying to maintain equilibrium.  I am a creature who thrives when things are clean and rightly placed.  Not compulsive by any means but life happens with more clarity when my surroundings are together. 

Instead of spending time with friends, I have been lucky to find a moment in a hallway to reconnect.  This has made a lonely year.  It is a funny road us introverts walk when our needed refueling occurs in quiet and solitude yet we desire not to do life alone.  Often, we struggle between the two.  This year has been a struggle.

Instead of writing with abandon I feel like I have abandoned my writing.  When life is a blur and tasks are overwhelming, the work of writing falls down the “must do” list.   What once used to flow now burps and spurts.

Worth carries a high price but it isn’t what you may think – it is me (and you).

I have found in the letting go of what I thought would happen – I get to embrace what He has designed.  The cost is me.  Only I can surrender myself.  Only I can allow eternity to inhabit my present moment.  He has given me that control.  When I release it back to Him, the infinite invades.  What I once sought to measure, I can no longer confine much less define.   In Him is found the exceedingly abundant more than all I can ask or imagine.  When eternity invades, His power is at work within. 

I may not be able to touch it but I have been changed by it.

And that has made this a very good year.