Spring Has Sprung

Spring has sprung. Okay, maybe not officially yet, but close enough. The official first day of Spring is two days away, and I'm already basking in the glory of the very idea of all the fabulous promise that is unique to this time of year.

This has already been a week of Spring firsts - first mowing of the backyard, first firing up of the grill, first sandals. There is an anticipation that accompanies Spring that is like no other. As the temperatures gradually warm and the gray winter sky gives way to a cloudless blue canopy, color begins to emerge all around. Yellow daffodils, green grass, pink roses have begun to peek out of their winter hiding places, a teaser of the burst of color that is just waiting for the right moment to emerge.

I can't wait to get my hands dirty and plant the Spring flowers that will grace the front and back porches. While it does sometimes happen naturally, beauty is often the result of work. The beauty of creation is the result of the work of God's hands. Beautiful hair is the result of the work of taking care of it. And the beauty of a quiet and gentle spirit is the result of the teamwork shared by two spirits - God's and mine.

My work is to submit my will and my heart to Him, completely and constantly, and His work is to take it from there. He continues to mold me into His image, freeing me from the lies and hurts that make me feel anything but beautiful. Freedom and beauty are closely interwoven. The more freedom I experience in my walk with Jesus, the more my beauty becomes evident to everyone, including my harshest critic, the woman in the mirror.

As we dive headfirst into this glorious season that promises new life, take the time to take inventory of what dreams in your heart are still in their winter slumber. Nudge them awake, and if necessary, blast the music until they jump up from their bed and come storming out the door of your heart - out into the glorious warmth and light of this new season in your life.

This is the season for resurrection! That which was dead now lives! There is nothing more beautiful than a life transformed by grace. The freedom that comes from knowing God and knowing who you are in Him makes you irresistible.

The creation waits in eager expectation
for the sons of God to be revealed.
Romans 8:19

The Smell of Freedom

It's been more than a month since I posted. In some ways the days have sped past me like I was sitting still, and in others, it is as though it has been much longer.

We lost David's sister, Judy, on February 11. She suffered a fatal blood clot in her lung following surgery on a broken ankle. The time spent in Austin with the family was bittersweet, but the presence of the Comforter was quite strong at the funeral services.

Two hours after singing at the funeral, I lost my voice, which had a significant impact on my plans to lead worship at the Thrive women's retreat that weekend - in fact, it made it impossible. But God had other plans, which He typically does when ours turn south, and it was a sweet time with my sisters, including a very timely and personal encounter with Him. God is so good.

Over the next several weeks, as my voice has slowly recovered, I have come to appreciate the silence and the things that the Lord is speaking to me in that silence. For weeks I was rendered quiet and was forced to slow down and listen. What I heard was the strong, gentle voice of the One who knows me more intimately than I even know myself. He has at the same time quieted things in me that needed to be stilled and begun to stir up in me those things that have laid dormant for far too long.

Revelation regarding my own value and worth is slowly taking shape in a way I never expected. From understanding more about myself and my destiny to recognizing the specific strategies of the enemy to target me personally, I am coming to a place of a deeper awareness that will lead me into a freedom I have never known.

The smell of deliverance is lingering in the air. Freedom hovers nearby, whispering my name and beckoning me with the challenge, "How desperate are you? How badly do you want to be free?"