I am craving lemon custard pie with a big dollop of whipped cream, to the point that I can smell it and taste it melting in my mouth.

No, I’m not pregnant.  Isn’t that the question everyone wants to ask when you crave something weird?

We began this summer with a trip unlike any we had every taken before. A trip with two other families from church and a week long vacation to the beach… both firsts. Going into it, I was a little nervous. These are friends who I’m very familiar with, but I’m not fully comfortable in my own skin sometimes, much less letting others in that close to my daily life.

See growing up, the montra was “Conceal. Don’t feel. Don’t let them know”. So after hiding for so many years, God has had me on this journey of letting others in.  In fact, the year began with sharing all the nitty details of my story with a few close female friends. That was stretching. And now here I am with two other families. I felt some comfort from the Holy Spirit. A friend had given me a word about swinging on a white hammock eating watermelon. The Lord wanted to show me His goodness this summer. The place we stayed had a white hammock…

It was a fantastic week. Not only did we get along really well, but it gave us all freedom to have some alone time with our spouses and with God. Every morning like clockwork, the Holy Spirit nudged me to roll out of bed, slip on those studded flip flops (the ones they warn you not to wear at the beach in the water, because they attract sharks), and come watch the sunrise. He spoke so many wonderful things to me this week about His glory. He spoke to me about being ready to shine, about being like a bird who is one of the weakest of all creation, yet can fly to the highest heights, taking my fears and tossing them into the sea of His love.

On the last night of our time together, all the adults gathered on the musty screened in porch. We brought little lanterns out to provide some light. Each couple took the hot seat, while the others laid hands on them and prayed. As they got to me and my husband, one friend began to say, “Did someone burn a candle that has a lemon scent? I smell lemons, sweet lemons.” She started to giggle. “And I see a lemon custard pie.” Another friend said, ” I see a dollop of whipped cream, but I didn’t know what it meant.” So, as she prayed, the words began to flow about how I had had a lot of lemons thrown my way in my life, but my heavenly father was taking those lemons and making me a delicious lemon custard pie. Not only would I be able to enjoy the deliciousness of it, but when others get around me they would only see and taste of the goodness of that pie. Well, I just thought that was wonderful. Sweet lemon flavor is my favorite!

You see, I had been thrown a lot of lemons. From early childhood, I had experienced horrible abuse, and had hidden it all, until in my thirties when the book of my heart was opened.  Holy Spirit has faithfully, methodically been healing and mending my broken heart ever since. But I’ve not really seen the full freedom yet.

There have still been some really hard days. Some days I’ve wondered if it would be worth it all. Some days I have still felt like a dark cloud has sat on my soul, and anxiety has plagued me. But I know this now, my heavenly father really does love me, and He promises me that He will take all the pain, all the depression, all the crud, and he will make something deliciously, mouth-wateringly good out of it. I can trust Him, and His promises towards me. And I don’t have to be strong for that to happen. I can be as vulnerable and weak as a little bird that can be crushed in a hand. But in the hand of my heavenly father, I just lean into His breath and I can fly.

By the way, the last morning of our beach adventure, I got up with my husband for our final morning walk with our heavenly father. As we began our way back, I turned and looked up on a sand dune. There lay a slice of lemon.

A hush falls with an iridescent mist

Soft yellow light can be seen in the distance

Mesmerized I stand

A hum of anticipation rolls over me

Hum turns to a thrum in my veins – hot and tingly

I close my eyes, taking in an intoxicating scent, perhaps vanilla mixed with rain

I allow all my senses to soak this in

I feel a soft beat in the soles of my feet

Thump……..Thump…….. Thump……..

The beat is in perfect time with the breathless anticipation I feel

Opening my eyes I take in a growing crowd

All of creation is gathering…

A bear brushes by me and I somehow understand him to say hello

Excitement rolls off of every person or creation that passes by me

Light in every color of the spectrum begins to emit from all gathered

Such amazing and variegated shades

Colors I’ve never before seen, no two are alike

Humans, animals, trees, plants, stars – ALL of creation is crowding in

Everyone has ample view of a path through the middle despite the masses gathered

“It’s time” was whispered from somewhere

Those words are echoed in incredible melodic tones by all around me

“It’s Time!!!”

The thumping increases in intensity

The hum in my veins feels as if I can barely contain it

A bubble rises in my chest

Laughter spills out of me in glorious color

Drums are approaching – the beat is in time with my heart – it echoes in my chest

Winged creatures release streak after streak of color in intricate patterns in the sky

A cry is heard “THERE!”

Everyone looks to the left on the path

There must be millions upon millions along this path

The mass as far as you can see begins to change in shape

Light in the most intense concentration is in the middle of the path

A sound arises…

The sound of earth moving and rumbling, joyous laughter, waterfalls after a heavy rain, voices lifted in triumphant shouts

Even the light is emitting sound – “holy” is whispered… and yelled all at once

The mass is moving in wave like motion – all of creation bows

All of creation bows not because it’s expected

We bow because the love and light from The Three are too much to take standing up

THEY – The Holy Three – laughing and somehow touching every being present, move along the path

I bow my head and close my eyes as an intense flash of heat envelopes me

A full conversation happens in an instant, my poor brain is stunned but my spirit is doing backflips

A cacophony of instruments, new and wonderful in shape and sound are in perfect time and tune

The Holy Three with thunder in their voices announces – “Now… A New Day!”

Cheers erupt from all of us and the vibration is wonderfully intense

What a gift… a new day… what a gift… to be invited to participate in this celebration everyday…

To celebrate with Them and join with all They’ve made – I’m speechless

I can hardly wait for the end of the day bonfire…

Psalm 98:4-8 (The VOICE)⁴ Raise your voices; make a beautiful noise to the Eternal, all the earth. Let your joy explode into song and praise;⁵ Make music to the Eternal with the harp; sing a beautiful melody with the harp and chorus.⁶ With trumpets and horns, fill the air with joyful sounds to the King, the Eternal.⁷ Let the sea rumble and roar, and all the creatures it holds shout praise; let the whole world and all those who live in it join the celebration.⁸ Let the rivers applaud and the mountains join in joyful song

During a counseling session often I lead a client back to a traumatic incident. They relive the pain as part of the healing. Even with children the more comfortable they can become in telling a story about something painful, the less it is able to define them. We often go back to that painful incident and ask the Lord to reveal any lies that they believed during that time. Then we move on to asking the Lord what is the truth about that situation.

We repent of believing the lie, we renounce the lie, we declare the truth, forgive all involved including yourself and begin thanking The Lord. The freedom comes as we realize we have viewed everything through our distorted perception of truth. Recently I discovered the ability to do the same thing when trauma happens in our physical body. Especially if it’s a recurring injury.

I injured my shoulder getting in and out of the bathtub. I realized that I had originally injured that arm getting out of the bathtub. I asked the Lord what was common about both injuries. I realized that both times I was dealing with a relationship that was difficult.

So I asked the Lord what lie I have believed about that relationship? Clearly I heard, “You felt like you had to bear the responsibility and some how fix the relationship.” Then I ask him what was the truth?  He said, He wanted me to give Him the burden of changing the relationship and let Him carry it on His shoulders. Wow!

I repented of that lie. I renounced that lie and confessed the truth. I forgave others and myself involved in that broken relationship. I started thanking him and praising him for truth and taking the burden off my shoulders. Amazingly my shoulder started getting better. God loves to take from us the burden that we try to carry. Freedom feels so much better!

Grinding my teeth against the oppressive humidity and heat I trudged along. Would it rain today, I hope? Ugh, if it just wasn’t so bright out. Finally reaching the shade of a trellis in the courtyard I turn my face ever so slightly in a desperate attempt to find even a stingy breeze, no luck. I huff out my frustration, as I look at all the vines I’m carrying. In my normal state of rushing headlong into things I barely noticed that several vines are woven in an impressively intricate pattern of knots around my feet. Lifting a leg that feels twice as heavy as it normally would I realize the vine has rubbed an angry red path around my ankle not unlike a rope burn. Great, one more thing to deal with in this awful, literally hot mess. How did I not realize the sore spot growing? It’s funny how I can get so focused on one thing that I fail to notice my ankle is being used as a surrogate trellis for a very abrasive vine. It seems like these vines never quit. I pull one out and it’s as if it propagates a larger, improved cousin who has roots to the core of the earth.

My frustration is now oozing out of my mouth at a rate that the gateway of my lips cannot stop and my brain has now disconnected, allowing a black sludge of my angry words and frustration to over flow. I watch, fascinated as this black gooey matter drips off my lip to leave a scorched area in the ground. A plume of acrid smoke wafts up from the place the sludge fell revealing a rapidly growing vine. Man those vines are everywhere. I start tugging as more black sludge pours from my mouth. At first it was disconcerting to see this stuff coming out of my mouth but then I stop caring. Really, what difference does it make if it’s scorching the ground, this area is so eaten up with this vine that never ends and chokes the life out of anything I plant anyway.

The ooze is now flowing as well as a mountain fed stream after a heavy rain. The more I pull and vent the faster oozing black sludge falls and the vines get harder to pull out. I know whose fault this is, and with that person in mind I grasp at the vine whose base is as big around as my leg! How had I missed this monster?! Quiet and panting for the first time in minutes I study the vine trying to decide on the best method of attack. Growling from a place I didn’t realize existed deep in my chest I grasp the vine with both hands, and plant my feet to allow the use of all my body weight as leverage against this behemoth. I yank with everything I’ve got and hear a yelp that startles me from across the courtyard! Letting go and shielding my eyes from still blazing sun I see the very person I hold responsible for this mess! Boy, now I’m “fit to be tied” as we say here in the south. How dare they be in this space! Now I’m really fueled and grab the massive growth with every ounce of contempt I feel for this person, knowing with this impetus of anger I can surely dislodge the roots. I heave with a mighty burst of frustration the black sludge also shoots from my mouth! I hear that same person yelp again at the same time I also feel a sharp shooting pain from my ankle that causes me to drop to my behind panting.

Blood is pounding in my head as accusations fall from my lips charring every visible inch of ground around me except of course the vine with which I am fiercely embattled. Sucking wind has slowed the flow of sludge from my mouth. The vine that is grasping my ankle has tightened and is cutting into my skin causing a little rivulet of blood to flow down my foot. Normally this realization would have caused me to spew with renewed fervor the hateful sludge of anger and frustration but I’m spent. I’m tired of the heat, tired of fighting all of my surroundings to no avail. Leaning my sweat soaked head against my knees I close my eyes, wishing to be anywhere but here as I can now hear the person I hold responsible speaking and the very sound of their voice grates on my frayed nerves.

Really, couldn’t they go anywhere else but here? Wow, the softest albeit still warm breeze whispers across the back of my neck. I moan wishing it was cooler and gustier. Almost as if I had some say in this the breeze swept in again a few degrees cooler and with a little more force. Squinting I see the breeze has a gold shimmer that lends a sharp contrast to the blackened ground around me. The breeze seems to gather and flow along that mighty vine and highlight in shimmering gold the vine’s path through the overgrowth. To my astonishment I realize the farthest end of the vine is wrapped around the person I shower with contempt. Adding to my horror this nefarious vine had also grown the abrasive tendril now causing me a great deal of discomfort around my ankle. In disgust I realize that answers my question of why that person couldn’t “be anywhere but here”; because that stupid vine was wrapped around their feet much as it was mine! How in the world did that happen?!

Baffled I turn my attention again to the root. I swear the thing has grown in diameter since I discovered it! The breeze sweeps in again causing the trees to move and whisper. The heat must be getting to me as I am certain they said my name. There it is again! Although now it’s hard to hear because the person I hold in such contempt has stumbled closer in the effort to disentangle from the vine… fantastic. On the brighter side the breeze has now become a welcome cool wind with tinges of blue in the gold shimmer.

My entire body responds by relaxing into the refreshing Wind as I close my eyes blocking out my surroundings and breathing deep to relish the reprieve from blasting heat. No mistaking it this time, I hear my name accompanied by a lingering caress of The Wind on my cheek. The Wind now has my full attention, speaking in its usual lilting flow The Wind begins to talk to me. “What you have said about that person you hold in such contempt is what binds them to you. Why would you bind yourself to another and then have to pull that weight along throughout every aspect of your life? Release them, not because of how you feel about them but because you cannot move and go places being so tied up to others.”

Completely appalled at the thought that I could be making the situation worse for myself I look again at the person still tangled in vine. I certainly don’t feel any softer of heart toward them but I realize The Wind is right. The vine of great root holds us both and the black sludge I had been spewing was acting like the best fertilizer I’d ever seen with the root literally growing before my eyes. Realization is starting to dawn like a rainy morning – with reluctantly clearing clouds. One thing I know for certain is that I NEVER wanted to be tied to that person, and then having to haul them through my life? No thanks! How had I not realized I was feeding the whole thing? Gritting my teeth I ask the question knowing I probably won’t like the answer; how do I release us?

It may have been a bird but I know I hear The Wind laugh then say; “Just let it go”. I roll my eyes as the lyrics to a recent popular movie soundtrack (I know you know which one I mean) play in my mind. I’m not holding onto that person or the vine so how do I let it go? Ebbing and flowing but in constant motion touching everything The Wind continues; “I know at this point you don’t see that person like I do, broken and needing help, so let them go for your own good. So you can move freely. Let them go by doing the exact opposite of what you’ve done to entangle yourselves!” Right, well that seems straight forward, ha!

Replaying the day in my mind I see myself struggling with the brush and vines. I see the sludge increase as I give into the thoughts that none of this matters anyway, stuck is stuck. And that’s when I saw it. That moment when I decided none of my efforts matter the vine began growing fast in the deep fertilizer I was so eloquently providing with my spiteful aspersions and judgements on that person and my plight.

While I see how the entanglement happened, I’m still no softer hearted and part of me still feels justified in the things I have said about that person. The Wind picked up again and more blue shimmer was mixing with gold, the area is starting to get covered. The Wind reminds me “How will you get out of where you are if you don’t cut the ties and stop the process of binding? You don’t want to stay here yet you keep yourself here. It starts small, baby steps even. Let go because YOU need to be free, then you will see a little better with the underbrush cleared out and you can rest a little more. Then the best part will happen, you will see the way to blessing their path out of this courtyard! But it’s really up to you to decide. By the way the change won’t be easy to maintain. It requires different thinking and different action or reaction to accompany different thinking. That’s not easy, but I KNOW you can do it! We are ALL rooting for you – pun definitely intended my friend – from the smallest crawling critter to the outer expanses of the universe you’ve not yet visited. Everything is watching because everything you do matters, never forget that… ”

Seriously off kilter now I sit like a bump on a log rolling all that over in my mind. Not really knowing what else to do I simply say; ok, I see it – I don’t want to do it this way anymore, but I need help to change. A loud whooshing sound blew past my right ear and I looked to see a fiery axe come down and obliterate the once imposing root. Instantly the vine around my ankle was gone. Looking up I see the person topple over as they were released quite suddenly themselves. Still being rather small in my thinking I laugh at the fact they fell over and instantly look around for any shoots of vines popping up. Relieved that I don’t see any new imposing sprouts I hear The Wind whisper bemusedly “at least you’re watching out now…”

I hope to be doing a lot more watching and listening rather than spewing!

Ecclesiastes 1:8 (The VOICE) Words, words, words! So many words! They are wearisome things; and yet people cannot refrain from speaking. No eye has ever surveyed the world and said, “I have seen enough”; no ear has ever listened to creation and said, “I have heard enough.”

Proverbs 18:6-7 & 21 (The VOICE) When a fool’s lips move, a fight breaks out; it’s as if his mouth is begging for a beating. ⁷ The mouths of fools are their destruction, and their lips entrap their very souls.

Verse21- ²¹ Words have power in matters of life and death, and those who love them will savor their fruit.

Our loving Papa gave us authority in our words so they are important! And even at my age sometimes my best choice is simply not giving voice to my first reaction. The age old saying “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all” works but my goal is to get to the place that I not only control what I shouldn’t say but I take the next Kingdom step to say what They (Father, Son & Holy Spirit) say about the person or situation automatically!

Yesterday at lunch, the Lord gave me a prophetic word for our waitress that gave us both goosebumps!  This week my family and I have been in Chicago.  Ostensibly we are here for a conference for my daughter, but as usual, wherever we are, we are really here for God’s purposes.

So yesterday we had lunch at an old-school Chicago restaurant.  The food was good, the ambience was nice enough, but the wait-staff had been there a looonngg time and everyone seemed quite grumpy and set in their ways.  Yet, to me, a light seemed to shine on our waitress.  So I prayed and asked the Lord if there was anything He wanted to say to her.

Immediately I felt that our waitress was noble or a noble.  The story/myth of Anastasia, the Russian princess who is said to have somehow escaped the firing squad that killed all of her immediate royal-family members came to mind.  In the story, Anastasia escaped and lived under an assumed name, possibly in America.  All the while knowing her royal status, but living as a “normal” person.

The Lord was showing me that our waitress appeared to be a “normal “person, but in His sight she walks in the nobility of being His child in the world around her that does not recognize her nobility.  He knows who she really is and sees her graciousness toward others.  Every seemingly little act of kindness she does in the course of her day is set apart as special because of the noble and gracious heart that offers it.

So, at the right time, I thanked her for her service to us and told her I had prayed for her and then, I told her what the Father had said about her.  Half-way through she said, “OMG, that is so weird because my friends shared a personality test with me on Facebook and my results said that I was “too kind.”  She showed me her phone and there it was, the “official pronouncement” from Facebook that she was “too kind”.  All her friends agreed that she went out of her way for so many people and for strangers.  They agreed that she probably gets taken advantage of on a regular basis.  They tried to tell her that she really shouldn’t be so kind.

So I smiled at her and finished the word the Lord had given.  He reminded me how the word gracious was used to describe Jesus.  I showed her the simple definition from the dictionary that said that graciousness is “having compassion and respect for others, especially those of a lower status.”  I told her that she was just like Jesus, the King, who came down to serve the lowly. Right then we both got goosebumps, as Holy Spirit confirmed the word to her!

Do you see how sharing this word was how Jesus chose to encourage his daughter to keep going in the right path when all her friends were telling her the opposite?!  This is the gift of prophecy in its simplest form.  It is a gift that is intended to strengthen and encourage the church.  I heard from the Lord and shared what he said to me for her.

I could not have known about her Facebook test results or what her personal friends had been telling her, but Jesus did and he did not allow His daughter to be taken out by the words of people who don’t agree with Him.  Our simple willingness to share what we hear from the Lord, though it often feels awkward, can reap much for the Kingdom, with or without the goosebumps.

“I will make you like a signet ring on my finger, says the Lord, for I have chosen you.  I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”  Haggai 2:23

We are the signet ring on the Lord of Heaven’s Armies’ finger!  What?! 

In the book of Hosea the Lord promises to shake the heavens and the earth.  But then…He gives us, His chosen ones, His authority!  Well that’s old testament you might say, He was talking to his people Israel you might say, or specifically to Zerubbabel you might say.

Well, what about when, in the gospels, Jesus said,  “All authority in Heaven and on Earth has been given to me, therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  Matthew 28:18-20.  This agrees completely with the declaration in Hosea of giving us His authority.

So?  What are we to do with this being a ring on His finger thing?  A signet ring was the ultimate symbol of the king’s authority.  We are to walk in it.  What?  We are to WALK IN HIS AUTHORITY!

We are to walk in His authority as sons and daughters of the King.  We are to go into the world and be gracious to the lowly, like Jesus was.  We are to take the authority of His name and cast out demons, heal the sick, raise the dead, encourage our fellow believers and by our kindness, bring repentance to those who are far away and anything else the Father says to do.  By the authority we have in Jesus’ name we are to say only what the Father is saying and do only what the Father is doing.

By walking in this authority we are, somehow, to do more and greater than Jesus himself did while He walked on the earth.  Yeah, you know, the usual boring Christian stuff.

(Photo Credit: Cross Power Strip design concept by Alexander Pincus)

It was one of THOSE weeks. You know the type I am talking about, we all have them from time to time. The kind of week that when someone asks the innocent question “how are you  doing?” a sarcastic and somewhat hysterical laugh bubbles up to perhaps accompany an unconscious eye roll.

Shifts in perspective are always a hard fought battle for me I suppose. It’s not that I am intentionally stiff necked but I tend to toddle along blissfully unaware of an area of thought or perception in need of an overhaul until something slaps me in the forehead.

What if some of what we think is an “enemy attack” is really the Master Planner’s strategic placement of you – His valuable asset – for a kingdom win? What if we stopped the nasty little lie in our head the instant it attempts to creep in with that toxic and tired condemnation that sounds like “you deserved that because you failed in…” (insert whatever pity party you’ve recently held for yourself). What if FIRST – before we react and send a volley of petitioning prayer – we put emotion on hold and asked Him what He is saying about the circumstance?

Picture your favorite inspiring leader, it could be anyone real or fictional. They come in all shapes and demeanors from gruff to the knight in shining armor. Part of what makes them a favorite is that they are right there in the thick of whatever crisis is going on in the story. They may have the “here let me help you, I’m by your side no matter what” approach and we all melt. Or they may be a motivator and have us rallying behind the hero/heroine because we know they are right when they push ,“HEY! Get up off the floor YOU CAN DO THIS AND YOU WILL SUCCEED!”.

If when you ask Him about your situation and your thoughts or what you hear doesn’t sound like either of those options, not in those exact words perhaps, then you need to tell those thoughts to take a hike. He is your Leader, your Papa, your best friend, your greatest cheerleader and the lover of all that you have been, are and ever will be.

Over the past two weeks I’ve learned a few valuable things; rarely is a situation what I originally think it is – I need to wait instead of reacting and ask what He’s up to – which inspiring Leader is He right now? How can I trust Him more? What role am I supposed to play in this part of my epic story?

Finally, no matter how much I have professed over my life to have missed my calling as a hermit, people who never condemn but call out your best qualities – even when you are having a snot and tear filled pity party in my case – are a truly invaluable treasure.

For me and maybe you too, it’s hard to ask for help. Not always because I’m afraid they’ll look down on me for my mental, theological or physical struggle but for me it’s hard to ask because I figure they have their own or worse problems. “I shouldn’t bother them, I should just suck it up”. It’s funny because that’s exactly what our arch enemy wants, to isolate and us make us think we are the only one’s who have faced whatever the situation large or small.

One of my battles was blowing up two blenders while trying to bake a cake for someone else. Certainly that is not “end of the world” stuff but none the less I had a melt down. My bigger battle was a potentially dangerous situation where I was obviously protected by our Hero while destruction was literally all around. However, the more I talked (sometimes complained) with trusted family and friends the more evident it became that He very tangibly displayed Psalm 91 for me in that larger battle. I became extremely thankful for the many ways He provided and began to see victories in the midst of challenges and my entire perspective shifted.

Over the last few weeks He has lovingly gone above and beyond to restore the time, money and emotional weariness not only with physical solutions but exciting opportunities to grow and exercise new spiritual authority. It’s not always the victory we envision or when we think it will/should happen but you can rest assured when you can stop and ask Him those questions you’ve already laid waste to enemy plans.

If at any point in life you’ve decided that Jesus is your one and only Leader then the honest truth is; whether you feel like it today or not, with Jesus as your Leader you are a warrior. The best part is because He is always the perfect Leader and never apart from you, your very presence causes the dark one and his henchmen to tuck tail and quiver.

You never have to “be” anything, His love for you has done it all already. No wonder the enemy lobs so many lies, they know where He has sent them. Here are a few things He has to say about you:
Zephaniah 3:17 – The Eternal your God is standing right here among you, and He is the champion who will rescue you. He will joyfully celebrate over you; He will rest in His love for you; He will joyfully sing because of you like a new husband. (The Voice Translation)

Psalm 111:3-4 – His work is marked with beauty and majesty; His justice has no end.4 His wonders are reminders that the Eternal is gracious and compassionate to all. (The Voice Translation)

Remember you are part of His works and you are marked with beauty and majesty!

1 John 3:1-2 -Consider the kind of extravagant love the Father has lavished on us—He calls us children of God! It’s true; we are His beloved children. And in the same way the world didn’t recognize Him, the world does not recognize us either. 2 My loved ones, we have been adopted into God’s family; and we are officially His children now. The full picture of our destiny is not yet clear, but we know this much: when Jesus appears, we will be like Him because we will see Him just as He is. (The Voice Translation)

Notice He says we’re family. Ask Him to bring some “family” into your life if you don’t already have people that will stick by you, call you up and sometimes call you out in those messy real life moments. Finally, the next time you read Psalm 91 read it as His declaration and promise to you. He is true to His word!

Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT (Emphasis mine.)

I was having a little personal prayer and worship time with the Lord and He showed me a picture of two tall silk flags waving as if by a flagger, together. Each flag was vibrant orange with a shimmery purple and orange and yellow butterfly half on each flag. So as they were waved, it appeared that the butterfly was in fact, flapping its wings in flight. The wings moved fluidly and as they moved they exhibited all the colors that had been hidden in the folds.

It was beautiful!

In that same moment He reminded me of the verse above:

“Old things have passed away and the new life has begun.” In some translations it says, “the new life IS!” I like that.

Just like a butterfly that has gone through metamorphosis, we have been changed and we are radically different!

We come out of the cocoon where our old life died and we have to shake out our new gifts that enable us to fly and let them take shape and then we have to learn to use them so that we can fly into our new identity and help to build up the body (the church).

You are made new! Stop trying to go back to being a caterpillar! The Old life is dead! The New Life IS!

If you keep trying to haul out that old dead thing, it is just going to smell bad and your new you won’t fit back into that old cocoon anyway. These things are yours:

• New Life
• Metamorphosis
• Transformation

Old things have passed away and the new IS….and now you have wings to fly! As you spread your wings, all of your colors, your talents and creativity that were formerly hidden will begin to be exhibited.

Choose to soar with the Holy Spirit! It is abundant life!