whispers

If I could, I would whisper in your ear that you are strong, confident and competely fearless. That nothing and no one has the talents you've been given; your perspective, your eye, your flair. I would remind you that your beauty is unmatched and unparalleled, and that the accomplishments you will achieve are yours alone. And I would say that you are more than your individual parts. Your entire person, your womanhood and femininity, are cherished and respected, especially and fully, by your husband. I would then chastise you for becoming small and angry and comparative. I would command you not to give away your power or allow your gifts to shrink from guilt or the possibility that you might make someone else uncomfortable. In the end, I would say, it only robs everyone of everything you have to offer. And in a quiet voice, you would say, you're absolutely right.

purge

The darkest days are beginning to give way to light. And I am overcoming emotions and reactions that I didn't even know were wrong or possible to live free from. I have been upside down, feet high in the air. But I'm becoming unsnarled, untangled from the lies embedded from the past. I know the Truth about myself and my original design. A powerful voice in complete control. Authority in realms still unknown. Vision of things others miss. I'm rendered speechless at this time of complete blessing covering my life. I have been laid low to reemerge promoted, confident and content.

bear much fruit

"A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'

'Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

The question was asked: what would you change if God gave you only one more year to bear fruit? This cut me to the core. I've spent a lot of time focusing on work that made me financially comfortable. I've traded time I could have invested in my gifts and interests for meaningless activity. And I've spent years attempting to strengthen my weaknesses instead of capitalizing on my strengths and creativity. I'm convinced that none of this has been in vain but I've lost precious time. I will not let another year pass, however, to pursue my loves.

arise

See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me. Song of Songs 2

I lift up my hands in thanksgiving to You, Oh God, my salvation. Who works wonders and gives mercy at all times. Your love and joy are endless. Your praise will always be on my lips. We will see Your goodness in the land of the living. You are the joy. You are my joy.

He's bringing hope to the hopeless, and giving His heart to the broken, and sharing His home with the orphan
He is the joy, He is my joy
He is the hope of the nations, the father's heart we're embracing, He is the song we're declaring
He is the joy, He is my joy

warning

He is my defense; I will not be moved. So I'm staring you down and won't look away. I'm angry at you and your attempts to kill, steal and destroy. I push you back behind the boundary lines of the life I have with my husband. You cannot step foot on the territory given to us as our inheritance. Consider this your warning. We will not be moved.

liberty

I experienced the best Independence Day weekend of my life. It began at a Messianic Jewish service celebrating Shabbat. In the middle of worship, the congregation began praying over anyone who felt oppressed by the battle they were in. We declared He is my defense, I will not be moved over and over and over again. A woman came to me, placed one hand on my back and one hand on my stomach, and started declaring liberty, Liberty, LIBERTY (about a hundred times) over my life. She starting naming things that I've been struggle with as if I had confided those things to her. I started agreeing with her and shouting and screaming Yes! Yes! Yes! I receive Your freedom, God! I receive Your LIBERTY in my life!! And I declare liberty over the curse of fear of failure that has tormented the women in my family line. I left sobbing and completely drenched in sweat. And free. Completely, irrevocably free.

The weekend ended with amazing friends in a gorgeously rich backyard in Haymarket. Setting off firecrackers, making S'mores and laughing together. What joy filled my life that night. To enjoy them without inhibition and without condemnation of self. It was gloriously, abundantly rich.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty.
Liberty: freedom from control, interference, obligation, restriction, hampering conditions; freedom from captivity, confinement, or physical restraint

taste and see

I may not see it flourishing in my life today, but I'm visualizing it in my mind. And I'm becoming more excited as time passes and brings it closer to me. I'm dreaming of love. Traveling. Creativity in a home with a glamourous workspace. Romance. Growth and development. A little group of amazingly talented friends. Discovering and using the Gifts. A pet to cuddle. My bare feet in the grass. The sky high above me.

How things have changed and yet stayed so the same. These are good days. The sweetest yet. I'm tasting and seeing that He is good. His promise to me is Love.