Treating Spiritual Dehydration

I recently saw a show on public television about a climber who was stuck on a mountain after an accident left him with a broken leg. Severely dehydrated, freezing, weak and exhausted, he slowly made his way down the mountain, mostly by sitting and dragging himself down - a process that took days.

During the warmest part of the day, as the sun was melting the snow and ice beneath him, he could often hear water running somewhere below in ice crevices. At some points, it was nearly maddening for him to be able to hear the water he so desperately needed to quench his relentless thirst but be unable to see it or reach it.

Finally, he came across a tiny crack in the rock where water was trickling out. He laid down and put his face to the ground, licking the water directly off the rock. He found a way to dig around the rock and create a small pool where the water could gather, and he lapped up the life-restoring flow until he could hold no more.

"As I drank, I could feel my strength returning to me," he said, "and I knew I would be able to finish this journey and make it the rest of the way down."

When a body is dehydrated, organs do not function properly. Strength is sapped, and it is difficult to concentrate or think clearly.

So it is with the spirit. Our spirit can become severely dehydrated, causing various aspects of our lives to not function properly. Our strength is depleted and we find ourselves struggling for clarity and direction, seemingly unable to do anything more than keep breathing and getting through each day, much less living in any kind of victory.

"This is my comfort and consolation in my affliction: 

that Your word has revived me and given me life."

~ Psalm 119:50 (Amplified)

I could not help but remember what this climber said about his strength returning to him as he drank when I (a few days later) was spending a little time in the Psalms before bed. As I read, the words that I needed to hear poured into my spirit bringing comfort, direction and hope. I felt my spirit being renewed and refreshed - I felt my strength returning.

The Word of God is filled with what we need not only to sustain, but to thrive. Our spirits are designed to be fueled by His word and His presence. Nothing else can replace these two things in our lives. There is no shortage of counterfeit things that will try to take the place of God's word and His presence, but they can never satisfy our thirst for Him - it is not possible. This is by design.

And so, dear reader, be encouraged with this - make time to spend with God as often as possible. Soak in His presence and let His word wash over you. Here in the flow of these ancient words of life, we find healing, strength, hope, peace, joy, clarity and so much more. Here is where we are renewed, refreshed and recharged, not only for our own benefit, but also for the benefit of those around us.

"Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, 

'Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! 

For the Scriptures declare, "Rivers of living water will flow from his heart."'"

~ John 7:38 (The Message) 

 

And The River Flows

From my journal dated March 25, 2012

The waters returning to Lake Travis (Jonestown, Texas)

From my vantage point under my new friend, the Old Oak Tree, the water at the bottom of the lake bed is now easily visible, and it is flowing. 

As the sun's rays dance on the surface of the southerly flow, it is as though the waters are singing a joyous song of redemption, proclaiming praise to the Giver of life. No one needs to instruct this river where to go. Its waters flow naturally and with purpose in constant movement to the music of their life song. The birds sing along as bees and butterflies prance among the flowers in a full-on presentation to the rest of creation.

My own life seems sometimes to lack this kind of divine flow - the effortless sense of simply being in the flow of what I was designed to be and to do. There are days I long for my existence to be simple - uncomplicated, when I yearn to escape from the pressure cooker that seems to define my waking moments. 

Taken standing in the bottom of the lake bed.

But then I remember that I am fearfully and wonderfully made, crafted by the same fingers that smeared mud on the eyes of a blind man to restore his sight. 

I remember that my moments, every last one of them, are nestled safely in the in the palm of the same hands that blessed five loaves of bread and two fish, multiplying them to feed thousands. 

I remember that the same voice that spoke the whole of creation into existence now gently whispers my name, calling me to come away with Him to a secret place where we can dwell together. 

When I remember these things and take them to heart, the refrain of my own life song begins to reawaken within me. The flow is being restored, and it is well with my soul.

Add caption

From Dry Bones to Living, Breathing Destinies

From my journal dated 3.11.12

Sitting at a picnic table facing what used to be part of Lake Travis. What my eyes behold now is a dry riverbed with barren boat docks, the kind that used to be floating on top of several feet of water. Now they are merely forlorn shells, reminiscent of what once was.

Last year's record drought wreaked havoc on the lakes of Central Texas, particularly Lake Travis. Even with the steady rains we have had in recent weeks, the lakes are still many, many feet below normal, and the driest parts still hold no water at all. Only Go knows if it will ever be normal again, ,and if so, when and what it will take to get there.

As I sit and stare at a dry riverbed and thousands of dry rocks and boulders, I am reminded of Ezekiel and the valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37). When the Lord asked Ezekiel if the bones could live, he replied, "O Sovereign Lord, You alone know."

As Ezekiel followed the Lord's instructions to prophecy life into those bones what speaks to me is the creative miracle that transpired in front of his eyes.

"I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them.." (v. 8). What had not existed mere seconds before (tendons and flesh) suddenly appeared on the bones (the framework). The tendons and flesh gave substance to each lifeless body.

What happened next is phenomenal in and of itself. The Lord instructed Ezekiel to speak to the breath - calling it from the from the four winds - calling it to breathe on "these slain that they may live."

Like the bones and like the dry lake beds, sometimes we find our dreams, and maybe our hearts, dry and lifeless. But we are not without hope. The dry bones are the framework of our dreams. They give testimony to the fact that something is there - something has potential. The tendons and flesh are what God pulls together to give our destiny substance. They make it real and tangible, giving it a shape and a face.

But until we learn to call forth the breath of life from the four winds and prophesy life into our own destiny, it will remain lifeless and unused. It will resemble an active destiny, but it will remain an empty shell. Only when we fully believe the purpose of our destiny will we speak it into existence - speaking the word of the Lord and calling life into our dreams and our destinies.

A young father and his daughter just passed by on their bicycles. As they rode by, the dad looked down at the lake bed. He pointed out to his daughter, "Hey, there's water down there again."

I take a closer look. It is true. There is water down there again.

A smile emerges across my face.

30 days of Thanksgiving: Days 17 & 18 - Stretch Denim & Laughter

Day 17: Stretch Denim

'Nuff said.

Day 18: Laughter
At the risk of sounding a little self-focused, one of my favorite things about me is the fact that I am easily amused. I am somehow able to find the humor in most things (eventually), and a lot of things that slip right by others strike me as funny.For this I am thankful.

Laughter has a unique power that nothing can replicate. It is a healing balm that transcends realms to have a profound effect on physical, emotional, mental and spiritual boo-boo's. Aside from music, I'm not sure there is anything else I can say that about.

Throughout life's journey, my favorite movies, moments, memories and people are the ones that make me laugh. From a little snicker to an all-out gut-busting laugh-until-you-cry moment, laughter is one of our most precious gifts - and the ability to find things and people (and ourselves) funny is something for which we can be truly thankful.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine..."

Proverbs 17:22 

 

To Mend A Broken Heart

Over the course of the last few weeks, I've started noticing a certain theme in some facebook postings, especially among my younger friends. I've been seeing a lot of reference to Valentine's Day, or more specifically, being alone on Valentine's Day.

Now I'm all for couples taking whatever opportunity they can find to display their love for one another, but I'm just not sold on the idea that purchasing flowers, candy, gifts and cards is the most effective way to do it - unless of course, your significant other's love language is gifts. But for the one whose native tongue is words of affirmation, quality time, physical touch or acts of service, candy and flowers just don't get it done. Especially when the underlying reason is basically because everyone else is doing it. What did we teach our kids about that being the reason for doing anything? But that's a conversation for another time.

The thing that disturbs me about Valentine's Day is that somewhere along the way, it has helped to promote the idea in young people (and some not so young) that if they don't have a "Valentine", something is wrong with them and they don't fit in. They have gotten the idea that their value as a person is somehow connected to whether or not they are involved in a "romantic" relationship. During my years in youth ministry, I can't tell you how many times I heard from young girls how much they wanted a boyfriend. They were so desperate for a guy (any guy) that their judgement would be clouded by the first charmer who looked their direction.

This desperation for "love" (and I use the term very loosely) is why so many young women find themselves in one bad relationship after another. And it is an underlying cause why so many of them end up victims of abuse - and worse.

February is National Mend A Broken Heart Month. This, partnered with my own experience in a bad relationship, inpsired me to, for the first time in a long time, tap my creative side to design something that will hopefully remind others of the importance of being aware of the hurting ones around us and what they need to enable the healing process. The verse is original, and the graphic is of several hands forming a heart, surrounding it.

The design is printed on ivory parchment paper, is suitable for framing, and is available for purchase on my business website, FreestyleBizSolutions.com. It is also available by contacting me directly.

During the month of February, for every print sold, I will donate $2 to Hope Alliance, Williamson County's only emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence and sexual assualt. I have visited the Hope Alliance office and met their staff, and I wholeheartedly support the work they do in providing safety and hope to the women and children who seek their help.

The original verse included on this print is shown below.

In the meantime, let me encourage you to hug a young person and let them know that they are valuable and precious. Not because of their accomplishments or talents or whether or not they have a boyfriend or girlfriend. Just because they are who they are. Maybe if we give enough hugs and words of encouragement, we can prevent at least one heart from needing mending.

To Mend A Broken Heart

A broken heart needs healing

A broken heart needs hope

A broken heart needs comfort

While it's learning how to cope.

A broken heart needs safety

A shelter filled with peace

A place where it's okay to cry

And find a sweet release.

Where loving arms are open

Where one can find a friend

Here in the warmth of unconditional love

The broken heart will mend.



Worth For The Soul

The following is an article published in The Town Messenger on December 21, 2010.

Christmas. I love the word and I love the music. I love the sights, the sounds and the smells of this season. I love Christmas. I always have.

What I'm not overly fond of is the insanity that seems to creep in no matter how valiant my effort to keep it at bay. The moment my focus drifted to money and gifts and what is "expected" of me, I was in trouble. Not that buying gifts for family and friends is in itself a bad thing. It just should not (in my opinion), be the primary focus.

This past week has been an unusually emotional one for me as I received some disappointing news. It came on the heels of a very stress-filled series of events that have made the past year one that I will be glad to put behind me. Nothing tragic, just a very long year of difficult circumstances and changes that, when put all together, have taken their toll on my emotional strength.

So, when my disappointing news came the other day, I wallowed around in the mess of it for a while, then sat down at my computer. A friend had posted on her Facebook page a video link of a little girl, seven years of age, singing O Holy Night. I clicked "Play" and was washed away in a river of tears as I was overtaken by the emotional release that only comes when we reach our breaking point and finally lay down that which we have been clinging to, but were never intended to carry in the first place.

Listening to that precious voice singing the familiar words, my self-focused worry and desperation were magnified as my heart threw down the weight I had been carrying and ran to the truth that had been standing firmly in front of me all along.

Long lay the world (me)

In sin and error pining (for things and ideals),

Til He appeared and the soul (mine)

Felt its worth. *

My disappointment was so strong because something I had been longing for was being delayed again, and there was nothing I could do about it. How foolish I had been to allow my heart to chase after something that could so manipulate my emotions and my outlook. Instead, my heart should have been pursuing the One who makes all things new and Who promises to give me the desire of my heart if I delight myself in Him.

My soul does not find its worth in any material thing, circumstance or situation. My soul finds its worth in the appearance of Him, in the tangible presence of the Almighty in my every moment. Why? Because it is for relationship with Him that I was created in the first place. Immanuel, God with us, makes that relationship possible. My surrender to His love makes it a reality.

Life is filled with ups and downs. Some days we laugh, some days we cry. Some days we want to scream and shout, and some days we find our comfort in silence. We will be happy, we will be sad and yes, we will be disappointed. But our disappointment only comes when we put our hope and trust in something that is not meant to carry the weight of such precious cargo. I, for one, must be constantly reminded of this one simple truth:

But seek first His kingdom

and His righteousness,

and all these things will be

given to you as well.

Matthew 6:33

In this season, may the true wonder of the Creator of the Universe coming as a baby through the womb of a young virgin Hebrew girl captivate you and pull you into the beauty of His presence. Wise men (and women) still seek Him.

____________________________________________________________________________________

*O Holy Night (Lyrics by Placide Cappeau; Music by Adolphe Adam. Read about the history of this hymn here.

The artist referred to in this article is Rhema Marvanne, now eight years old, from Dallas, Texas. For more on Rhema’s ministry and music, visit RhemaMarvanne.com.

____________________________________________________________________________________

He Loves Me

"How precious to me are your thoughts, God!

How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them,

they would outnumber the grains of sand—

when I awake, I am still with you."

Psalm 139: 17-18

These words and their meaning overtake me as they roll over in my spirit. As I was out running errands this morning, I was still basking in the glow of an unexpected visitation from my dearest Friend. He had come to me while I was working at my computer. I found myself just sitting here, soaking in an unplanned dousing of His presence.

Later as I sat behind the wheel of my car, He came to me again, as if to say, "I'm not finished with you yet."

In the middle of my crazy busy-ness and determination to mark yet another item off my To-Do List, here is what I heard, "I am so in love with you. You are so beautiful to Me."

Naturally I immediately responded with wordless tears. "I have always loved you. I love watching you. I love the way you belong to Me."

One of the many thoughts that flooded my heart in the nano-seconds that followed was that He always knows exactly what to say - what I need to hear. In a way that only the most attentive Lover ever could, He once again captured my attention and my heart in one moment.

This year has been for me anything but routine. After seven and-a-half years in Arkansas working with an amazing team of people building an outreach church, my husband and I yielded to the undeniable leading of the Lord that it was time for us to return to Austin. David came in January to find work while I stayed in Fort Smith, continuing to work and wrap things up both at my job and the church. At the end of March, I left Fort Smith for Austin.

That was only the beginning of what has developed into one of the most unusual years of my life, but that is a story for another time. One of the many things I have come to understand and embrace on a much deeper level than before is that God is not interested in adhering to routine. Everything about my life this year has been such a departure from normalcy that the comment I most often hear from people is, "I don't know how you do it."

Well, neither do I. Because none of it makes any sense. God will use the foolish things of this world to confound the wise, and what seems to be the most ridiculous course of action is sometimes the only one that will get you where you are going. People used to tell me I was an "outside-the-box thinker." I no longer think outside the box. I live there. The box, if it ever really existed, is just a tiny spec on the horizon in my rear-view mirror.

And through it all, quietly providing a solid foundation on which I can place my trust, is this crazy peace that has come to be a familiar friend. It's the peace that passes understanding, that defies logic and stands as a silent centurion protecting my heart from the sure despair that would overtake me if not for the undeniable presence of the Comforter in every moment.

So here I am, experiencing once again a sense of wonder that in all the crazy, mixed-up stuff that is my life, Someone is thinking of me constantly. He watches me, not waiting for me to mess up, but smitten by the look on my face when He enters the room. The love in His eyes is for me. And no matter how far I step away from "normal," He is still here, walking with me and leading me into Himself.

And tomorrow morning, when I wake up, He will still be here.



A Timeless Message

A friend posted a video this evening on Facebook. It is a YouTube video of the Opera Company of Philadelphia, along with over 650 other singers from 28 participating organizations, descended on a Macy's store in Center City Philadelphia. Their purpose was to surprise the unsuspecting shoppers with a Random Act of Culture. The event took place just a few days ago, on October 30, 2010.

Scattered throughout the unwitting crowd were randomly placed individuals who, when given their cue, burst into a full rendition of the "Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's Messiah. As I watched and listened to this mass choir sing one of the greatest and most inspired choral pieces of all time, something began to emerge in my spirit - a realization of what I was witnessing as being a picture of what the Church is to be in world.

This was a secular group on a secular mission, but what transpired was a public declaration of who Jesus is and His ultimate dominion over the kingdoms of this world - His eternal reign as King of Kings.

Here is what I saw:

1. Hundreds of individuals from dozens of organzations coming together for a common purpose.

2. A multi-generational, multi-cultural ensemble of voices singing the praises of our Eternal King.

3. These individuals are not all dressed alike and standing together as a group, thus separating themselves from those they are singing for. They are dressed like everyone else, scattered throughout the crowd. Until they started singing, they appeared to be just shoppers.
4. Each individual sings his/her part from wherever they are standing, with faces upturned and eyes fixed on the conductor, who is standing on an upper level.

5. When the shoppers realize what is happening, they stop what they are doing and engage in the process. They smile. They laugh. They break out cameras and video cameras and phones to capture the moment. They sing along.  They sway to the music. You will even see one woman with a camera in hand and the other hand lifted in worship as she was unable to stand still.

How profound a challenge this is to the Body of Christ - to unite under one banner and take the message of Jesus to the public forum in a bold and beautiful display of a multi-generational, multi-cultured declaration of who Jesus is! I promise you - when the Church begins to take this kind of a unified approach to getting the message of Jesus into the marketplace, the schools, the businesses and other public arenas, the world WILL SIT UP AND TAKE NOTICE!

George Frideric Handel was a child prodigy who began composing operas at a very young age. By the time he was in his twenties, he was the best paid composer in the world. Over time, however, as his music came to be regarded as old-fashioned, and he was unable to sell anything. He endured bankruptcy, depression, a stroke and a palsy that crippled his fingers.

In August 1741, Handel began to compose the music for a libretto given to him by a friend, a collection of works about the life of Christ. Inspired by the words, "Comfort ye, comfort ye My people" from Isaiah 40, Handel had agreed to the project. Less than a month later, the entire work of The Messiah was complete.

The lyrics to the Hallelujah Chorus are few, but their message is profound:

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth

The kingdom of this world

Is become the Kingdom of our Lord

And of His Christ, and of His Christ

And He shall reign forever and ever!

King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

Forever and ever!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!



The fact that this masterpiece was written by a man whose career was essentially over in the eyes of the world around him is a message for another time. God can and will use the most unlikely among us to accomplish His purposes. He always has and He always will. It's what He does best.

So here, for your watching and listening enjoyment, is the Opera Company of Philadelphia and over 650 of their friends, singing the "Hallelujah Chorus" in a Macy's store. May we, the Church, receive inspiration from this to unite under the watchdul eye and graceful movements of our Conductor as we unite together to bring the music from the heart of heaven itself outside the walls of the church and into the streets.

Selah.

(Be sure to pause the music player on the left side of this page before starting the video.)