Monday, November 30, 2009

Abba's Child.That is the core truth of our existence.

I have to confess...
I question daily where I truly belong?
Truth is.. I belong in His presence. In His will. In His hands.
No matter what my physical surroundings tell me.
No matter what the future holds, or what the past has recorded.
I am learning that I would rather be in the valley,
in His will, growing, changing, than in an "easy" place.

The most radical demand of the Christian faith is to say "yes" to the present.
Our life as Christians is lived more in the valley than on the mountaintop.
Faith is NEVER doubt-free. The surest way we can know God is as utterly unknowable.
He is beyond anything we can intellectualize or imagine!!!

The present sometimes may feel like we are walking in utter darkness.
Not being able to see the faintest silhouette of anything.
But it is in these valleys, the times of utter darkness, if we allow Him, our Heavenly father is able to show himself in the most powerful of ways.

More fruit is able to be gathered in the valley rather than on top of the mountain.

But don't get me wrong.

I always want the mountaintop experiences. They feel so good!
As human beings the top of the mountain is where we can physically see the fruit of God's faithfulness!
It is there where we have those awe moments where we say " Wow God you are real!"
We want to tell the whole world!

But here is the challenge.

Why can't we be just as excited in the valley as we are on the mountaintop?

"Hope knows that if great trials are avoided, great deeds remain undone and the possibility of growth into greatness of the soul is aborted". Brennan Manning

To be thankful in the toughest of times is completely contrary to what our human nature says to do. This is something the Lord is walking me through.
To rejoice in His love no matter what the circumstances are.

But I don't have enough strength!!!

Truth is... It is in our weakness the Lord comes in to flood our spirits with His strength, His love, His wisdom, and hold us tight. He loves to save us everyday. He is just waiting for us to simply ask.

Too often I try to go about on my own. I tell myself to be strong. Hold it in. Move forward.

No.

It is in these moments, the Lord has me right where I belong.
In his arms, surrendered, broken, thanking Him for his grace and mercy.
It is in the valley where I grow. It is on the mountaintop I will expose the new.
It is on the mountaintop I will rejoice!!

I will thank you Abba for the transformation you are doing in my heart in this valley. I will rejoice for I am becoming more like you. I will be thankful for the circumstance because it is preparing me for the calling you have on my life.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Made to Love

In this world we fall into meaningless things. Our culture today tells us we need more to feel more;be worth more. In Ecclesiastes we see the passion king Solomon writes with stating "Everything is meaningless!" Solomon was a man who had everything under the sun and still acknowledged it all meaningless without having the first commandment in it's place. Love the Lord God with all your heart, mind and soul.

Our Father's heart is not for us to give into shame for the things we have pursued or fed on, but He desires us to press in;to claim LOVE in our lives. Our Father desires us to be obsessed with Him as He is with us. He wants to take over our passions, desires, our longings. He is looking for hearts that are loyal to him. We were made to love Him. He is looking for love in our hearts towards him. In God's goodness he gave us free will. I believe it to be one of the most valuable things God could grant us. Love is not love unless it is a choice. He desires for us to choose Him! Just like we choose all the things we love on this earth, He is waiting for us to choose to run to him for satisfaction. I am realizing the only thing that will be of value on the day Jesus comes for his bride are the things I did to expand my love for Him. My relationship with Him. My knowledge of Him. God isn't asking us to step away from the things that distract us from him for the sake of obedience, but for the sake of holiness and deep love for Jesus. He desires to nourish us on eternity with Him. That is what will satisfy!

Just as we pursue meaningless things in our life, He pursues our hearts. We were made to love. On that beautiful day when God created man, his heart was overflowing with LOVE and anticipation for the amazing relationship He desired with Adam. The relationship between God and Man was the most purest of pure before sin came. Today God is looking for a church that is IN LOVE with the son of Man. Thousands are to come to Jesus through hands of people who want to catch a glimpse of the man we are IN LOVE with.

As we pursue our purpose to LOVE and be LOVED, our lives will begin to change. The addictions of the American lifestyle need to be broken. Everything that stands in the way of the first commandment will be removed. The center of the universe no longer can be ourselves, but the center of this universe will be Jesus Christ. Jesus is committed to the church that loves him.

"What is more. I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ" Philippians 3:8

Lovers always out do Workers.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

brazos de amor

we are a generation that is craving for love.
love is the essence of who we are.
we were created by love.
we were created in love.
we were created TO LOVE.
being created to love is a beautiful yet difficult truth. there are those that are easy to love. then there are those that are a little tougher around the edges. our father said to LOVE our enemies. in Luke chapter 6 he explains it is no credit to us when we love those who love us. even sinners love those who love them. it means nothing to do good to those who do good to us. we are to do good to our enemies! we are to LOVE our enemies. we are to love those who reject us. we are to love those who strike us on one cheek, then turn to him the other. we are to love those who curse us, misunderstand us, hate us, decieve us, abuse us, lie to us, take from us, judge us, etc. the father promises our reward will be great. I believe there to be many rewards for those who CHOOSE to love. rewards in our character. rewards in our relationships with people. rewards with the Lord. rewards in our life to come in heaven. I want to love those who hate me. I want to have arms of love for those who reject me. reality is I AM deeply loved by the one who CREATED ME TO LOVE. its an upside down world for us who choose to follow the words of Jesus.

"brazos de amor" means arms of love.

love her/him today.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

life unseen

My alarm woke me up at 6 this morning. Ofcoarse I was midway through a dream, I quickly pressed snooze and fell back asleep. I always dream something very significant, but I can't remember anything. I am left with that haunting feeling. Something was trying to speak to me, but about what? I prayed this morning. God let me dream again, show me what "it" meant. I start growth group today. Typical, we are reading a book. In the midst of the title of this book, the word "thighs" is present. Typical. Just from that word it is obvious what will entail in our conversations. It is a humbling thing to realize as woman we are so prone to deception. The culture we live in today demands a size 0-size2 to be the standard to which we compare our thighs to. I know I compare all the time.
Geez. This should be good.

I work in an office with 9 other people . I am in here now preparing for a shoot I will be doing this afternoon with a few precious ones who will bare there hearts on camera for a promo I am making for a school called School of Biblical Foundations and Missions. I love video. I love photography. I love anything of that nature. My constant hope is to become more and more skilled in this area. I want to use it for a greater purpose. I want to effect this world in some way. Only papa knows.

I miss fall leaves.

all my love.
murea

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

A blessing in disguise

Failure.

A blessing in disguise.
we were destined to fail from the start. Thanks to papa Jesus, we see victory painted all over the cross, smeared in failures face. Jesus knew what we were destined for. He showed up and replaced death for life. Replaced the old for new. Signed Victory on failures dotted line. I am learning it is far to easy to allow my human failures pave my path towards the future glory that is to be revealed. Jesus is the way the truth the life. He is the light to my dusty rugged path I trail on. He places my feet on level, steady ground. Failure tries to come and distract me and get in the way. It tries to lie in my face, and become a heavy dark shadow over the light that is within me, But if it wasn't for failure, the reality and truth of the victory I have in Christ would become stale and tasteless. Failure is a blessing. we fail to have victory in Christ. we fail to learn what is right. we fail so victory tastes like a 3 course meal of defeat. we fail to see Christ's spirit to be alive in us.