A Conversation with God

Gateway Church is doing a series on Hearing God. Today's message was about what it means to be God's friend. I was reminded of this vignette I wrote several years ago. Enjoy this new-to-you bit of creative writing from my heart to yours.

God held out his hand to me and on it I saw my name written. We were alone, nothing else mattered. I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I don’t even know what I was going to say. But just then, God put his fingers to my lips and said, “Shhh, my child, save your words. I know your heart.” I wanted to cry, but then I realized that I had forgotten how. Instead I laughed like I didn’t know I could. And like music to my soul, God laughed too.

His Love Covers Me

These song lyrics came just in time. I was denied health insurance coverage due to my history of eating disorder. I had just come from the gym and this was the last song on my iPod that I heard. When I got the news that I had been denied, I broke down and cried. I cried because I want to have babies and I thought that I could never be covered because of a stupid lie that I needed to be super skinny. Then God whispered to me: My love covers you and I was reminded of this song, still fresh in my mind. Thank you, Jesus for that truth!!!

"All I Need" by J.J. Heller

I don't need a thing

My good shepherd brings me all

You are all I need

You let me catch my breath

Even in the valley of death

You are all I need



All I need to be complete is your love

Your blood that covers me



You lift up my head

You provide the wine and bread

You are all I need

There's no need to fear

Even with my enemies here

You are all I need



All I need to be complete is your love

Your blood that covers me



Goodness and mercy are following me

You are all that I need

You make a home for me

With pastures of green as far as I see

You are all I need



All I need to be complete is your love

Your blood that covers me

A Woman's Heart Reveals God

A woman's heart is very special to God.

He cares about our hurt feelings and emotions

that often don't make sense.

This is because He loves us,

but also because he places His heart in a woman

to reveal something special about

His nature.

Here are 2 points that are on my heart that I have been learning to embrace about God's heart and my own:

1. God is a jealous God. God is also a compassionate God. He constantly commands, points and draws us to himself because he is the best thing for us. If he didn't then he would not love us because he would not be showing us Himself. He would just be letting us try to figure it out on our own. That is true love. That is why he is jealous. That is why he points us to himself over and over in the Bible. ("You shall have no other gods besides me" ring a bell?)

Sadly, however, while I was googling, I came across the sad misconception below:

If he [God] was a person would you love him or would you think he was manipulative psychotic control freak? Now consider that he has set up a system of constant surveillance to watch you all the time. He says he loves you, and if you don't love him and worship him he will burn you, for all eternity. Would you let your daughter see such a man?

(from http://mwillett.org/atheism/jealous-god.htm)

Lord, help us. This website encourages atheism and tries to claim that God doesn't love us and is actually a big meanie. The reason? A sorry excuse to live life as they want to. If there is no God, then there are no rules to live by. They say, Let's instead live by the rules of ourselves and trust in little gods who sit on our shelves. Sad, empty and plain untrue. Lord, help the people who are missing you. Soften their hearts and just love on them so that they will know your perfect love!

The Truth is that God LOVES US!!! Before I put God first (and believe me it is a constant battle to keep him there; our hearts are prone to wonder), my life made no sense. I had no hope. The Love of God is so essential to life that with out it you are not really living. There is nothing like knowing that you were made for a purpose--a great purpose! And that we are sons and daughters of the King. Royalty! Who would not want to be royalty!? I know that I am a princess! Thank you God!

2. God has put his heart in Woman's heart.

I am re-reading Captivating by Stasi and John Eldredge. (A beautiful book and a must-read! The first time I read it, I wept because it was like someone was reading my heart to me and the second time has proved no different and I am only in Chapter 2!) John suggests, "When you are with a woman, ask yourself, what is she telling me about God? It will open up wonders for you" (26). Here are some amazing excerpts that explain why women are the way they are:

God longs to be desired. Just as a woman longs to be desired. This is not some weakness or insecurity on the part of a woman, that deep yearning to be desired.(29)

He does not want to be an option in our lives. He does not want to be an appendage, a tagalong. Neither does any woman. God is essential. He wants us to need him--desperately. Eve is [women are] essential. She has an irreplaeable role to play. And so you's see that women are endowed with fierce devotion, an ability to suffer great hardships, a vistion to make the world a better place. (33)

See?!?! Now doesn't that explain so much?!?! Women rock because God rocks! We are love because God loves! And the coolest part is that God created women to be a helper, sustainer and lifesaver to Adam just as he helps us. The word "help" that is used to describe women in Genesis 2:18 is ezer kenegdo which is the same word that is used to describe God as our Helper. No one else is described that way besides God and Woman. That is a tall glass of water to drink, but when you realize that truth, the shame of being too much or not enough that women often feel melts away.

I hope that this blesses someone. I am going to get back to my book now! Love you!

Do It Yourself Boot Shapers

What do these things have in common? I'll give you a hint. They aren't trash.

They're boot shapers!!!! YAY!!!

Which boot would you rather be?