In the book of Genesis, we learn right up front that God speaks a thing and then, it is.  In fact, we learn later on, that God “summons the things that do not yet exist as though they already do.” (Romans 4:17 NET) That’s not how most of us roll.  But God does.  So, when God speaks to us and calls us by a new name, a new title, or gives us a new command………?    Oh, we can argue about it!  We won’t be the first.  In fact, it will put us in a list of greats, like Abraham, Moses, Gideon, or Zachariah to name a few.

I am a Christian.  A follower of Jesus Christ.  That to many seems like I must have exchanged a life of fun for “religion.”   Exchanged a good time, for a list of what-not-to-do.  Sadly for many in the Body of Christ (Christians), that is too true.  But Jesus said that He came to earth so that we “may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].” (John 10:10 AMP)  Now that sounds good!

To me, living under a list of rules is not even a good life, much less an abundant life.  I’m really not good with that.  I grew up in a culture of rules.  I am grateful for the heritage of respect for God and for people it provided.  But that culture had little power to show me what a friendship with God is like.

As a friend of Jesus, I don’t just get a little good life when I’m a good girl doing churchy things and the rest of the time I just try to dress right and not cuss or drink or smoke or sleep around and then at least I can feel good about that.  Or that I’m not like those sinners. (DEEP sarcasm intended here).  No!

Why would a supernatural God, come into the world in a supernatural way, live among us and be different than the rule makers, allow himself to die so that he could rise again from the dead supernaturally….. only to give us a totally boring and worldly list to live by?

No, Jesus came to Earth for two reasons.  To reveal the heart of the Father and to bring His kingdom to us here on Earth.

Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”  (John 14:9 NLT)  Paul, who met Jesus supernaturally, said that “Jesus is the radiance of His (the Father’s) glory and the exact representation of His (the Father’s) nature.” Hebrews 1:3 NASB (parenthesis mine).  Jesus exhibited the Father’s love for His kids in all of his miracles.  (Miracles…that’s what we call supernatural events.)

Jesus made gallons of the best wine out of perfectly good water when everyone at the wedding feast was already drunk!  I know some have noticed that they didn’t run out of wine until Jesus and the boys showed up! Hmmm?

Whenever He got together with His friends, two things happened:  He taught them something that blew their minds and it was a party.  Jesus was so joyful and laughed so easily that he was often accused of being a drunk and a glutton.  Not so!   But He embodied love, joy, peace, kindness.  He, as creator, had compassion on people who the world deemed expendable or scum.  All the while he was modeling the Father’s heart for us.

In the Kingdom there is no lack.  So when lack appeared, He multiplied food and there was always extra left over.  In the Kingdom there is no sickness.  So when He touched the sick, His health was contagious to them!  In the Kingdom there is no death.  So when he observed death, he brought dead people back to life.  In the Kingdom, Satan is already defeated.  When Jesus encountered the demon possessed, the demons had to admit the presence of their darkness simply because the presence of His light was so much greater.  Once they were exposed He would cast them out and set the person free.

That is Kingdom living!  Does that sound boring to you?  Sick people being healed, dead people being raised up, the hungry being fed, the poor (body or spirit) being refreshed and pointed to their true identity….Ahhh!  Whenever I think of it, just like the first time I read the book of Acts, I say, “That’s the church I want to be!” Can you imagine what the world would look like if all believers began to model life lived in the Kingdom on the earth?

I love reading the Bible.  I love reading about the life of Jesus and all of the amazing things He did.  Here’s where it gets sticky.  I am a follower of Jesus.  He says He has given ME authority to heal the sick, raise the dead and cast out demons.  Jesus gave me His own example of kingdom life in John 13:3-5:  “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God, so he got up from the meal…and began to wash the disciples feet.”  In the Kingdom, when you know your identity in Christ  (Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power),  and you know where your citizenship lies (he knew he had come from God and was returning to God), you serve your brothers and sisters (even those who you know will betray you), and you wash their dirty, grimy, stinky feet.  You act out your love in tangible ways and represent the supernatural kingdom to which you belong.

So we have a decision to make.  Do we want to agree with Father God about who He has made us in Christ? About where our citizenship lies?  And about how that citizenship entitles us to live?  That would rock everyone’s world!  Maybe even turn it upside-down?!

Or, do we want to stay carnal Christians who are saved from Hell, but who are satisfied to live as citizens of this world along with the lost.  That means status quo for us and for the world.

Does the thought of moving in miracles scare you more than living a boring life?  Do you feel like there is no freakin’ way you could do any of this?  Do you realize that when Jesus sent out the 70 disciples to try out their new skills and they came back victorious, they weren’t even saved yet?!  Ouch.

Remember, God “summons the things that do not yet exist as though they already do.”  He has called you: more than a conqueror, complete in Christ, a member of a royal priesthood, anointed by God, an enemy of the devil, joint heir with Christ sharing His inheritance with Him, commissioned to make disciples, the light of the world, the salt of the earth and much more.  He has called us “the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.”  Whoa!

Some of that sounds like it might involve me taking a risk or two.  John Wimber said faith is spelled, R-I-S-K.  Maybe that’s what Paul meant when he said they were fools for Christ?

Do you remember that Jesus called us to walk out the Kingdom toward the world by doing everything that He did while on earth…and greater?  What does that even look like?  I don’t know but I sure do want to find out and I sure don’t think it’s boring.  I want to be so close to Jesus that I smell like Him to the world.  I want to live a supernatural life of trusting Him.  A life that is based in knowing my identity IN CHRIST and in knowing that my citizenship is not of this world.

I love how Holy Spirit has a way of giving us fresh revelation from the same story again and again.  Recently I joined a women’s group at church that is studying Matthew 13:1-10 and Matthew 13:18-23, the Parable of the Sower.  It was my first day with the group and I smiled when I heard what they were studying, because I was saved at around 8 years old through hearing that parable.  It has meant so much to me over the years.

I grew up gardening with my Mom in Southern California.  Now when I say, I grew up gardening, I mean that my Mom had a truly green thumb and loved to plant things, especially from seed, and see them grow, and that I got to do a lot of weeding and yard work and observing of Mom.

In addition to seed planting, Mom also had a habitual transgression into thievery.  By which I mean, on neighborhood walks, when seeing a plant growing through a fence or a volunteer plant growing outside a fence, she would either pull up the volunteer and take it home, or break off a piece of the trespasser because she knew that she could get it to take root and thrive wherever she planted it.

Whenever we would ask how she had gotten a particular plant to grow, she would say, “Oh, you just break a piece at the Y of the branch, like this, “Chick!”  and then you use a little rooter and put it in water until it roots.  Then plant it in some good soil and take care of it.”  Well, my siblings, in-laws, cousins, neighbors and I have tried this over the years with little success.  We’ve all decided that the key to success is in the “Chick!”

Many years later I moved to rural Texas and for the first time got serious about vegetable gardening.  I built raised beds and instead of just weeding and picking up, I began to learn about soil amendments and composting and even took the steps to get soil samples tested so I could add just the right ingredients to make my veggies thrive.  In Southern California,  if you water your plants, they grow.  In Texas, between pasture-cracking droughts, frog-drowning floods, and spring weather that can freeze or scorch, sometimes in the same week, it’s a little more challenging.

The lifestyle change from city to country living had me in a state of constant learning.  Though I’d been studying the Bible for years by then, the new awareness of agricultural principles illuminated many pages of scripture I had simply passed over in previous years.

One day when I was weeding around the outside of my garden, I pulled up, for the umpteenth time a very thorny weed that poked my fingers right through my leather gloves.  I never had that weed inside my raised beds, but it sure grew quickly right outside where the overspray from the hose gave it a little encouragment.

One day I saw a TV special on pasture management.  (Yes, I watched that on purpose!) It was discussing the perils of overgrazing and how when soil is depleted, thorny mesquites or other leguminous plants take over quickly.  These plants are so hard to get rid of once they start, but they have one valuable trait.  They fix Nitrogen back into the depleted soil actually improving it for future years.

Now, these are probably not exactly the thorn types Jesus was talking about in the Parable of the Sower.  But I found it interesting and hopeful, that although the seeds that fall among the thorny plants do not produce fruit, it is possible, if we keep on sowing that at some point, the soil in the heart of our friend or family member who has been hanging out among the thorns, may be ready to receive those seeds, grow some deep roots and end up producing fruit.

I shared this insight with the group that day.  A lady got up to the microphone after me and said that I had given her new understanding.  She had not grown up in a Christian home or anything close to it.  In fact, her home-life and youth had been quite the opposite.  So, over the years, she had always wondered how her heart had been good soil to receive the word.  Now she understood that God used those thorny years to make her heart ready!

Love perseveres.  Keep loving them, keep sowing into their lives, and keep hope alive!  Jesus is able.

Our family recently watched the video, “Jeremiah.” While I knew about his prophecies, I really had not studied his life or history. Since then, the Lord has been leading me to read the book of Jeremiah as a part of my daily devotions.

So I came upon this passage: “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not act like the other nations, who try to read their future in the stars. Do not be afraid of their predictions, even though other nations are terrified by them. Their ways are futile and foolish. They cut down a tree, and a craftsman carves an idol. They decorate it with gold and silver and then fasten it securely with hammer and nails so it won’t fall over. Their gods are like helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field! They cannot speak, and they need to be carried because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of such gods, for they can neither harm you nor do you any good.’” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭10:2-5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This brought to my mind some funny imagery – people in a field bowing down and worshipping a scarecrow. I hope you can imagine how silly this would be. Who would do that?

But then the Lord led me to see that the idols Jeremiah described are nothing but scarecrows made to look nice. The craftsmanship is impressive – wooden sculptures rather than straw-filled burlap, beautiful precious metal instead of cast-off clothing, well-engineered foundations instead of “fasten(ed) with hammer and nail so they won’t fall over.” The trappings of luxury can convince us to actually worship the scarecrow we have made.

That is silly, Lord – I would never worship something made by man instead of worshipping the one true God. Then the Holy Spirit brought to my mind what I HAVE worshipped. My accomplishments. My business sense. My truck. Money.

Father, thank You for using the words of Jeremiah to show me my own failings. Thank You for forgiving me through Jesus Christ. Let me worship only You.

The Little One crouched down carefully unfolding the map. Early glittering light of day kissed the frozen earth. Icy blades of grass gleamed blue in the early light. The landscape looked like a living kaleidoscope as the pale sun rose higher. The Little One marveled at the visible puff of air from her nostrils, in the cold is the only time to see that mystery of breath making life possible! A miracle every time…

Mesmerized by the slowly dissipating cloud of her breath she focused on the map and traced with her finger the path she had taken so far. As she lingered over different stops and trails along the way a highlight reel of sorts appeared in a cinematic semi-transparent overlay replaying bits of that time in those places. The Little One was captivated as she is the star in her very own “live movie.”  Like any good movie as she traced her finger on the map some places broke her heart while others brought a smile. Loss was present on many places of the map; lost time, relationships that once were but are no more, perhaps missed opportunity and loved ones taken back to the Real Realm. The Little One felt heat on her shoulders as tears formed in her eyes. She heard the tinkling sound of The Wind speaking in its wind chime tone. Release swept over The Little One as tears fell and then froze mid-air on their way to the ground. Such a strange feeling the cold all around yet this intense warmth on her shoulders slowly releasing the grief. She watched as The Wind gathered her many frozen tears in front of her. Swiping at the last few threatening, the Little One strained to hear the whisper of The Wind, “Shhh Little One, just give me your tears…” The Little One squeezed her eyes shut and the last three tears hung in the air as The Wind collected them.

The crunch of frozen footsteps interrupted the quiet moment but there was no fear as The Little One sensed it was The Maker and her Brother. Her Brother took her hand and moved her finger along the map again stopping at key stops and paths again. This time pleasure and humble pride rose in the Little One as she watched the scenes of hard fought victories replayed with The Three and her family both in this realm and the Real Realm all playing their vital roles. Tears from deep belly laughter rolled down all of their cheeks as they witnessed moments of slap-stick comedy that can only happen in day to day life. Some experiences are more outrageous than fiction! As her finger nears the edge of the map the Little One begins to feel restless and discontent. Looking at The Three, and really having to just sense where The Wind was; “Why am I not to another map yet? I’ve worked really hard just to get here and I thought I would be so much further by now. What have I done wrong? Is it all those places where I lost something? Did I miss a trail somewhere?”

Black cracks of Despair and Failure quietly rose to the surface of the earth at the Little One’s feet. Her Brother quickly stepped in front of her and commanded her full attention; “Look at your map again Little One.” As the Little One looked at the map, any of the places she had seen loss were now covered with her frozen tears. The map was swept up into the air and hovered before the Little One as the black cracks dissipated under the powerful presence of her Brother. “Look closely Little One, things are rarely as they seem.” The Maker rumbled in a loving tone. The Little One looked through the frozen tear like a lens and different scenes appeared. The “losses” were still there but it was as though there was another world operating in that semi-transparent background. Lost relationships while rightfully mourned also brought healing and hope in ways and to people she had never seen. Loved ones in the Real Realm were really not far at all and even working on in that realm for their Cause. Time that had seemed wasted was somehow rewound but appearing at points further along on the map simultaneously. Confused she looked at The Three, “How can that happen? It makes no sense that time is somehow transferred AND rewound?! And how is it I didn’t see any of this other stuff in those places?!” The Wind tinkled out a merry laugh “What fun would it be Little One if you knew everything?” Her Brother chuckled at the stubborn look on The Little One’s face, “Little One, what have you learned on this particular map?”

Still trying to make any sense of what she’d just seen the Little One paused before answering. “I’ve learned not to look at what I see now!” The Maker came in close and smiled “You remember that now and hang on to that. Know though that your Enemy will do everything they can to make it seem that reality is real.” The Little One rolled her eyes and laughed, “Well that helps clear up my confusion thanks!” Her Brother stepped forward and all four beings leaned into a tight huddle as her Brother pulled from behind his back a piece of rolled up and sealed paper. Excitement vibrated through the Little One “My new map!” she shouted. The Wind had rolled up the other map and it now hovered next to the new map being held out by her Brother, “Only your unique fingerprint can open this map Little One, it is for you and no one else. Only you can walk these paths. Are you willing to let the old map go because you cannot revisit those places any more.” The Little One thought of how far she’d come and all she’d learned. She knew now after this last map that each map would be different and she would see the Three always, but in different ways at each place on a map. They had promised they would never leave her, and they proved true because even when she hadn’t seen Them in the background they had been there.

Reaching out she grasped the new map and a shower of sparks erupted as the seal broke off and the first map disappeared. “Where did it go?” she asked with wide eyes. The Maker touched her shoulder and fire sprang up at her feet “I have a whole library of scrolls and maps dedicated just to you Little One, nothing is lost and nothing is wasted. Let’s open this new map and see where your story takes us. We love the journey but this is my favorite part…” The Little one paused from unrolling her map as the world was suddenly kissed with giant intricately patterned snowflakes falling. The Little One could see her breath again even though the earth around her feet was still aflame. The Wind rushed around her causing the snow to dance and the flames to rise. As the Little One opened her mouth to laugh The Wind, the true Breath, rushed in and through the Little One. She laughed all the harder because now she could see the Breath coming in and going out. “I learn something new about you Three all the time…” she marveled at what she’d experienced all while wondering what else she would discover about The Three on this new map.

Happy New Year to you all, may this coming year see the harvest for every seed you’ve sown, joy unspeakable, exciting revelations and provision before it is necessary.

Isaiah 61:1-4 – The Voice (VOICE) (The Bold words below are my own addition)

1 The Spirit of the Lord, the Eternal, is on me (You).
The Lord has appointed me (You) for a special purpose.
He has anointed me (You) to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me (You) to repair broken hearts,
And to declare to those who are held captive and bound in prison,
“Be free from your imprisonment!”
2 He has sent me(You) to announce the year of jubilee, the season of the Eternal’s favor:
for our enemies it will be a day of God’s wrath;
For those who mourn it will be a time of comfort.
3 As for those who grieve over Zion,
God has sent me to give them a beautiful crown in exchange for ashes,
To anoint them with gladness instead of sorrow,
to wrap them in victory, joy, and praise instead of depression and sadness.
People will call them magnificent, like great towering trees
standing for what is right.
They stand to the glory of the Eternal
who planted them.

Two weeks ago, I found myself on the floor face up with my head under our newly decked Christmas Tree peering up at all the lights and ornaments, giggling, because the large, gaudy Santa ornament that a friend had gifted me with was dangling over my head, with it’s rear blocking my view.  As a child, I found solace this time of the year lying under our Christmas tree gazing at the lights, and pondering what it was like on that special night as I daydreamed with the aid of  our manger scene. 

Christmas for me growing up had the expectation of Christmas morning with presents wrapped under the tree like most kids, but there was always an underlying looming dread that something bad would happen.  Like a bad aftertaste of cough syrup, it tainted my taste of everything, even Christmas.  But I’m not a child anymore, and this time lying under the tree was not a means of escaping reality.  I just simply was praying and felt the Lord say lay under the tree like when you were a little girl.  So the Lord and I giggled together as I stared at the lights and that Santa’s behind.

I’ve been asking my heavenly Father for a different Christmas season this year.  I’ve found myself yearning for something more, especially as those fleeting childhood fears try to creep back into the crevices of my mind.  Last weekend, my husband and I were attending an incredible conference at our church, where the presence of God was so heavy that it felt like a blanket was over the entire room.  We had decided ahead of time that we needed to allow our children to take part in a live nativity where they would play shepherds at a local horse stable and farm where our girls do 4H Club.  So, we skipped out of the last session of the conference, and bundled up in our coats to go stand out in the cold.  I ended up helping by ushering large groups of people into a tiny waiting room inside the main barn, while my husband did traffic, and my girls played shepherds in the horse arena.  

Now, I don’t care for large groups of people, especially in small waiting rooms, or any room for that matter.  But here I stood as a sentry at the gate with small children whining  and tugging at their mommies’ coats, some dads tightly squeezing their little ones hands with hot chocolate steaming in the other hand, countless babies bundled in baby carriers strapped to mommies’ chest.  Little ones, old ones, cranky, patient, all nationalities, some toothless in tattered clothes, some dressed to the hilt, all were waiting to see a baby in a manger.  As each group began to get restless, a friend with golden, reindeer antlers on her head, began spurring on random Christmas carols.

All these people no matter what their background, religious or other wise joined together in singing Silent Night, Oh Little Town of Bethlehem, Oh Holy Night, etc…  As their voices join in union, a calming presence filled the room every time  Even my fidgeting ceased.  As one group was waiting their turn, I began talking with the Lord, not really complaining, but more wishing, I said in my heart , “I really wished that we had gotten to finish the conference.”    In a sweet voice, I heard, “Daughter, I love being in a church building, but my favorite place is a stable.” Stunned, I replied, “Yes.  I guess you do, don’t you.”

 As the people were led on through a door on the opposite side of the room, which lead to the arena, I snickered as we walked through a supply closet with shelves of old cleaning supplies and a plastic, paint-chipped manger scene kicked off to a corner.  No, mickey mouse land here.  As the guests ran up to the edge of the ring where our children and others held the sheep and goats, “The Horse Lady” as she is called, began to simply tell the story in her own down to earth, laid back way of the night when heaven came to earth, when God became man, and entered His earth suit to show us the way to heaven.  In that dust-filled, manure-smelling stable, men, women, boys, and girls stood and listened to the greatest story ever told.  It may be the only time they have stopped to listen, really listen.  God became man and dwelt among us.  He prefers stables to mansions.  He comes to our stinky, dark, messy places, and brings hope, light, and salvation.  He calls to the lowest, and proclaims, “Emmanuel, God with us!”

Tonight, we were invited to a downtown mercy center which is a church which reaches out to the homeless in our city.  They had a comedy/ improv group come, which is why we were invited.  It was a most delightful evening of laughs, and precious moments of homeless people volunteering to act out the Christmas story: Mary, played by the recovering addict, Joseph, played by a homeless man, the angel standing on a stool, played by a very pregnant mother of three boys, etc…   It was a priceless picture.   As we were driving home, my husband leaned over and said the Holy Spirit had clearly spoken in his ear, “If you want to find me, come down here.”  

My heavenly Father has been answering my prayer this year by giving us a different kind of Christmas, a season of seeing Him in uncommon places, and remembering the real reason why He came.  He came to “heal the broken hearted, to proclaim good news to the poor, freedom for the prisoner and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the oppressed free…”. He prefers stables, delights in homeless addicts, and comes to heal our broken, wayward hearts.   I pray as you end this year, that you too will find Him in the unexpected places, in the secret place in your heart!

Love. What is that elusive concept? I feel sometimes I’ve been chasing after whatever that word is all my life.

Often I have felt a large deficit, especially in the area of loving myself or feeling loved. A few days ago, upon waking, I found myself longing for love. The Holy Spirit gently pointed to the wall around my heart, and said, “We still need to take that down, love. You thought you had to protect your self from me, others, even yourself, but I want to take the rest of that down. Just rest back into my love.”

While hanging up my husband’s clothes last night, ( I know… Such a spiritual time right?) I found myself praying for a friend, and as I prayed, “Lord, I know they love you,” I heard in response,” No, they don’t.”  Immediately, I found myself arguing with God. Then, I gently heard with no condemnation, “If you hate your brother, you don’t love me.  There are many believers in the church, but not many lovers.  Lovers love me by obeying me and by choosing to walk in forgiveness even when they are not feeling love.  Love is not a feeling.  It is an action.” I was stunned. I thought of all the times I had just been a believer, not a lover.

Then sweetly the Lord said, “You don’t think you have enough love, because you still struggle with bad thoughts, and negative emotions, but you consistently obey me. You consistently walk in forgiveness, even when it’s very hard. That’s love. It’s an action!” I walked out of our bedroom with new hope, and more fire to be a lover, not just a believer. May that be what we are all moving towards and walking in.

My spiritual father has reminded me many times, “Forgive everybody, for everything, all the time.” Yet, as I walk through life observing my brothers and sisters in Christ, I see this plague of the soul, called unforgiveness. Some cling to it like a familiar blanket from childhood days gone by. Others simply don’t give it importance, and play with unforgiveness, like a snake charmer playing the lute to the cobra weaving it’s head out of the basket. But what they don’t realize is in the end it’s bite holds the poison of death. And it will always bite in the end.

I understand the pain of unforgiveness, the bitterness of the soul. I understand it far too well. As a little child, growing up in the church, I didn’t really understand the importance of forgiveness. When children are shattered, having no safe place to run to, they don’t have any other alternative, (they perceive), than to turn those feelngs inward. At least, that was true of my childhood. Instead of being able to release any emotion, or any offense done to me, I, for the sake of survival, hid the pain in little broken pieces in my mind.

Being a pastor’s daughter, yet being abused regularly, I had no choice, but to create my safe world, where I could no longer feel the pain or remember the offenses. I lied to myself well. I walled in my heart, my emotions, protecting myself from the toxic emotions trapped in my heart, or so I thought.

But as with most things in life, things hidden will be brought in the light one way or the other. For me, it came through one painful layer after another of Jesus Christ peeling back the scabs of my soul, and taking His scalpel to gently cut into the places of betrayal and abuse; the places so dark I thought I would die if I went there. Over and over, He would show up, speak truth in love, many times hold me, crying with me, and show me how to forgive those who had so hurt me. I had to choose it though.

Sometimes it was so hard, because I just wanted to scream, running back into my corner. But I was being tortured by my tormentors, without even realizing it on a conscience level. I was like the duck, appearing calm on the top, but my little legs going constantly just below the water trying to keep me afloat. Under that torture, I just came to the place, I couldn’t stand it anymore. I also had three, beautiful little girls that I wanted to be able to be a good mother to, and I was incapable of that, because I was so bound up.  So, the pain of revisiting these places and the releasing of these people, was less than the pain of being tormented by the bitterness.

So, how could I do that? Wasn’t I justified to hold onto bitterness? I have learned that pain is pain. That what seemingly may be a minor hit to one, may feel like a major blow to another. It’s not so much what happened to you, as to how you perceive it. I went through things that most will never have to endure, but I still can get caught off guard by a simple negative word my husband says to me or an innocent comment of a friend.

It’s not what’s done to you, so much as holding onto that grievance and believing lies about what happened. Many times a child that has been abused, sexually or physically, will turn it into blaming themselves, as they try to reason out the why. The hardest person I’ve ever had to forgive has been me.

I’ll be the first to tell you that I don’t understand free will, but I know that we do have a loving, heavenly Father, and I do know that He gives all people the freedom of choice. Sometimes, He allows us to walk through the horrible choices of others, even at the hand of someone who should have protected and cared for us, because He has a greater good in mind for us.

I know many times I’ve looked at my husband and children realizing that God could have chosen to answer my cries for help by taking me home to be with Him. But instead, He saw my future, and He knew that there was a greater good by walking through the darkness and into the light.

So, let’s say, you think the pain is too great, or the other person deserves to be punished. Forgiveness doesn’t mean that the person didn’t do something wrong. It means I won’t be their judge. I let God be their judge.

See, when I hold onto bitterness, and I let the sun go down on my wrath, I am basically playing God.  I step into God’s place and bind that person to me. I give the devil a foothold to torture me. (See Matthew 18).

Only God sees all the things that have influenced all of us. Only He can truly judge. When I release offenses to Him, I set myself free from that person, and give God back His job. He can now work in that person’s life to bring them to true repentance. It frees me from the hold of the enemy, releasing me to receive my heavenly Father’s love and forgiveness.

The greatest reason of all though is to be like my heavenly father, because that is His nature. He is forgiving. On the cross, Jesus forgave all His offenders. No one has ever suffered the loss He did, so we all have the ability to do as He did. I didn’t say it was easy. It may very well be the hardest thing you ever will do, but it is so worth it. IT is so worth it!!! And it is the beginning point for freedom!

Father, I just had a fun experience with my sisters and some of your angels. I was thinking, how you must feel about four of your daughters, standing at a mirror; some putting on eye make-up, some drying others straightening their hair.   All somewhat groggy…but all singing along with the phone-generated music in soft, sweet, morning voices, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come! With all creation I sing, praise to the King of Kings…”

It was a beautiful few moments for me. What a privilege, that You and Your angels joined us right there at the mirror. I felt your smile, your pleasure with your girls.

As we “sisters”, by virtue of our family tie to you, worshipped you in a simple, but heartfelt way.

This kind of worship happens so often in our lives that I almost missed it. Thank you for pointing out to me that You, never do.

I hear the soft creak of leather. I feel the crisp fall breeze on my face and neck. Bright sunny patches filled with long autumn shadows cover the golden hills and oak trees surrounding the gathering. Now and then the soft snort of a horse emits a little puff of steam in the dew of early morning, as everyone called, quietly awaits his or her assignment.

Their warm-blooded counterparts amuse the riders of the steel horses, but the hearts of all the riders are the same. They are the hearts of warriors.

In ages gone by, other warriors dawned their leathers, sometimes topped in mail, or armor or Kevlar. The hearts gathered here don saddles and tack, leather motorcycle jackets of all variety, leather pants and gloves and boots. Each one tailored to the rider’s frame.

In the heart of all these riders, each one knows themselves as warrior.   The wind in their faces emboldens them as they ride their steed of choice. It whispers joyfully, “Freedom!”

They are exhilarated and energized. Each one knows to their core that they were made for adventure, made to protect and defend, made to stand when everyone else flees. Each one, though not often expressed in words, feels the solid footing of the warrior within. It is intrinsic to their kind.

The weight and drape of their leather garments feels a part of their person. An expression of their readiness at all times to dress for battle. The smell of the fashioned hide is earthy and speaks of adventures gone by. The once hard edges at the neck and wrist that have grown supple and custom fitted with much wear are now a second skin to them.

For every rider, the embrace of the saddle and their perspective from such seat reminds them that they are made for this ride. The immediate, response of horse or machine, responding almost before bidden, makes stopping regretful.   Covering ground is as much a delight to the rider as claiming ground is to the warrior within.

The camaraderie of the gathering is unspoken but thick in the air. Lighthearted appreciation of each other’s differences enhances the solemnity of the esprit de corps that surges in the air. This is a gathering of like-hearted warriors content to ride alone, but powerful when stirred to their true calling and drawn together by a leader who fashioned their hearts and equipped their souls for a moment such as this.

The imagery above was given to me in just a brief moment with the Lord. These people, the cowboys and bikers, really are my tribe. I think in showing me this image, the Lord was showing me more specifically why. It is because the common thread among us is that we are warriors. Within ourselves we are WARRIORS!

WE ARE WARRIORS!

God has put his gifts and callings in everyone ever born. The calling of Warrior is powerful and manifests itself in many temporal ways. Beginning in sports, martial arts and all forms of adventure that have as a root, martial skills and mindsets; like horseback and motorcycle riding (tied to horse-back combat), hunting, outdoor survival skills. Other tribes of warriors do battle in courtrooms and boardrooms, operating tables and classrooms. I can comfortably move among this tribe and can go into battle by their sides, but the call of open country speaks my name. All these warriors are responding to a call within their hearts to overcome, to take ground, to be victorious!

For the gifts and calling of God are given without repentance. (Romans 11:29)   That means that we have this calling before we ever receive Christ as our savior, but it is not until we find the true rest for our calling that we understand how to do battle appropriately. “For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”(Ephesians 6:12) Like every warrior of every age, we grow stronger, wiser, and more effective with training, experience and confidence.

When alerted to the scent of battle, our warrior nature arises in expectation! When you read the scene of the gathering above, did some part of you wish to be there? Did you feel the strength, the battle stance, the eagerness to move into the wind? Then come. Jesus is awakening the warrior within you! He has great plans for you and your tribe.