From my heart to yours.......

Somehow reflection and laying yourself BARE and wide open, and leaving your heart naked before God changes you...Somehow crying out as David did "Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit in me" comes from the core of your being and you know you're talking to the ONLY ONE who can answer that prayer. The one who formed me, predestined me, breathed on me, upholds me, HE alone knows all the things in my heart, my mind, my soul, my intentions, my MOTIVES. Everyone else only sees my strengths and overwhelming weaknesses...THAT is why we MUST run to the ROCK that is higher than we are...That is why we MUST continually commune with the one who sees all, knows all, and continually does 1 Corinthians 13 in it's purest form. No human being, no thing, no possession, no food, no idol, can replace the PEACE that comes from KNOWING the DEPTH of His unchanging love...I wrap myself in IT. I clothe my mind and heart with HIS thoughts toward me. I choose to no longer strive, one day at a time, with God's help, for approval of man.

I am reminded of my master.... which I am told to follow HIS example...I am reminded to draw strength from HIS lead...The perfect one..The perfect teacher, mentor, leader, and friend, yet still in one breath the crowds shouted "Hosanna" and the other breath those same crowds shouted "Crucify Him!" Forgive my arrogance Lord, my naiveness, that if they would do it to you, the PERFECT one, surely me in all of my IMPERFECTNESS, am not above it.. My heart cry is only that by your grace, I will fulfill my race, walk out my destiny, to reach and touch each and every person you have planned for me to, and not allow the words and opinions of others to matter more than what you say about me. Forgive me for not believing TRUTH....Forgive me for allowing the lies to bind me, even for a moment. Forgive me for yielding to fear rather than faith, forgive me for trying to hold my own head above water, rather than choosing to allow YOU...The glory and the lifter of my head. Today, one day at a time, I choose to hide myself in YOU. Allow myself to be healed in YOU. Allow myself to go from strength to strength in YOU. Allow the emotions that come with day to day life and ministry to be swallowed up in YOU. Thank you Father for your Word, which not only tells us to do something, but gives us grace to DO it: Prov. 4..."GUARD your heart with ALL diligence, for out of IT flows the issues of life" Thank you Lord that I don't have to guard it by being cynical, critical, scared, shrinking back from all you've called me to: No, guarding my heart means running to you, and running to you often! Putting myself in remembrance of YOUR thoughts toward me, YOUR plans for me, YOUR grand design.

My hearts cry to you is this God: May I by your grace, always strive to live what we preach and believe, and when I fail miserably, thank YOU that we preach humility and REPENTANCE! :) I pray that you would shine the searchlight of your WORD in my heart, and may I always be humble, teachable, and obedient. May I always remember that your WORD is the measuring stick, the mirror, and all things must conform to it. The words to the familiar song "Take my heart and form it, take my mind transform it, take my will, conform it...to yours to yours Oh Lord" come flooding back to me... Perhaps my life song.