You Are His Bride

I was driving back to class from a quick lunch break. Man that class was long...9am-4:30pm every day for an entire week! I was feeling kind of tired, so I turned up the music loud enough to keep me from dozing off. I had a Michael Gungor CD on in the car and an instrumental piece began playing after the song "We Will Run To You." The song is beautiful. It is filled with strings, piano, and is accompanied by a pretty awesome drum beat towards the middle and end. It is one of those songs that takes your heart to another place as you listen. I had heard the song before, but that day, it captured my attention in a new way. I had a few extra minutes, so I pulled over to close my eyes and listen. As I listened, I pictured one of the most breathtaking scenes I have ever seen. I wish I could have bottled this vision and poured it out before you, but my words will have to suffice.

The music starts off soft and slow with the piano and a few strings. The melody is full of anticipation, and it is in this part of the song that I envisioned a beautiful bride. She was gorgeous in her dress of white lace and she was filled with immense joy as she prepared herself for something glorious. Standing at the beginning of a dark aisle, she was the only thing I could see amidst complete darkness. She literally had light beaming out and around her. The energy in the song steadily began to build as she walked forward towards her destination. Her eyes were fixed on something at the end of the aisle, but I could not see what it was yet. Her steps were firm and she had a focused determination in her eyes as she gazed forward. (music becomes more full and rich with the sound of strings, and in enters the beat of the drums and cymbals) As the cymbals and drums entered the song, it became apparent that the dark aisle was blocked with HUGE boulders. There was NO WAY she could get around them. I wondered when she was going to see them and stop her steady walk, but she did not seem to notice them. In fact, her pace was so steady and her eyes were so fixed that I thought she was going to run right into the first boulder.

As the music built I could finally see what it was she was focused on. There, at the end of the long, dark aisle, was Jesus. He wasn't the Jesus you see in paintings. He looked strong and courageous. His hair was disheveled, His body was strong, and He had a look of intensity in His eyes. It seemed as if He was about to do something that required a lot of energy and heart, but I wasn't sure what it would be. In the mean time, the radiant bride was about to walk right into one of the boulders! As the beat of the drums began to pound harder, the first boulder crashed to the ground with great force . . . just in time for the bride to pass. She was unharmed, and she was still focused. It was as if she did not even notice her "close call." Her pace did not slow down or quicken . . . she was steadfast. "All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies." Psalm 25:10

Suddenly, I realized that the boulders represented distractions and sins of this world like Pride, Selfishness, Fear, Doubt, Hate, Perversion of Truth, Mourning, Pain, Shame, Guilt, etc, etc. The darkness engulfed everything except for the bride and for Jesus. As she walked closer to Him, more boulders appeared. His view of her became obstructed, so with each crash of a cymbal and bang of a drum another boulder fell at her feet. With a powerful swing of His Mighty arm, He commanded each boulder to fall to the ground. Faster and faster the boulders fell! (the cymbals and drums began pounding louder and faster!) Then, as the music built and grew in sound, Jesus began to run. He was running down the aisle towards the bride, her eyes never leaving His face. Crash! Crash! Crash! His arms continued to commanded the boulders to crumble and fall! Down with Pride! Down with Fear! Down with Hate! Down with Deception! Down with Doubt! Down with Pain! The bride never stopped walking because He kept obliterating each and every obstacle.

The intensity and passion of the scene overwhelmed me and I began to cry. There was NO STOPPING Jesus. She was His and He wasn't letting her go. He ran faster and faster and finally stopped. He was breathing heavy. The drums let out one last crash and the final boulder that separated them crumbled into powder. There were no more obstacles between Jesus and His beloved. The drums ceased, leaving only their echo as the violins began to sing. Church bells started to ring as if they were proclaiming the freedom of His love for her. Both the bride and Jesus were beaming now. Her eyes filled with joyful tears while He was still standing there catching His breath. They laughed and embraced and their individual lights came together, almost blinding me back into reality.

I opened my eyes and felt like I was waking up from a dream. I was overwhelmed with the love Jesus had for not just me, but for His church, the Bride. His devotion to His Beloved is not passive in any sense. Jesus' love for His Bride is passionate and will stop at nothing to protect her and love her. In fact, Jesus loves His Bride (You) so much that He came to earth and became human to understand our joys and pain. He died for His Bride, wearing her sin so that she may be adorned in white, and rose again in glory proving He is God. THAT IS FIERCE DEVOTION!

"And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Revelation 21:1-5

"Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, 'Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure'— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints." Revelation 19:6-8


Friends, YOU are His Bride. He has adorned us with righteousness and sees us as beautiful. He is fighting for you with fierce devotion. Trust in Him Today to love you well.

I have included a link to the song. May it lead your heart towards grace, and may you fix your eyes upon Jesus.

We Will Run To You

The Shadow of the Almighty

Sunday, as the pastor was praying, I had a vision of God. There He was in all of His glory, this massive figure standing taller than any building or structure I had ever seen. I looked up and up and up, but failed to see the details of His figure because the noon sun was high in the sky, and I was being blinded by its intense light. I had been standing in the scorching sun for years and it's demands took a miserable toll on my fragile body. I was desperate for relief. Just as I was about to fall over from the weight of the sun, something began to spread across the earth behind God; it was His shadow. The shadow stretched for miles and miles both long and wide.

Finally, the shadow stopped growing and there I was, standing at it's edge. I was still positioned in the blazing sun, feeling it's effects on my mind and body. The sun represented deadlines, achievement, success, and perfectionism. It demanded that I stay ahead of the game, work hard at any cost, and make something of myself. The only thing the sun did not burn out of me was my worry, anxiety, anger, and selfishness; but, God had casted a gift before me which stirred new hope deep inside my heart. He was offering the gift of relief, peace, and sincere rest.

For years I stood under the weight of the sun, but now I was presented with a choice. I could stay in the sun and eventually die from it's vicious demands, or I could step over into His shadow. "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." Psalm 91:1. Never before had I viewed rest as a choice, or as a necessary part of fulfillment for my bones and soul. The only rest I had experienced was the collapse of utter exhaustion or the guilty rest of "should haves." People before me had said rest was for those who could no longer keep up or carry on.

There I stood on the brink of crossing over into peace and rest, holding my breath. I decided to step over into the shadow of the Almighty, and I instantly felt a cool breeze. My dry skin began to replenish with moisture and my aching, stiff bones began to move with ease. I said with a sigh of relief, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Psalm 91:1. I began to sing in the shadow of His wings. Psalm 63:7

I looked up and around and saw that the shadow offered me clearer vision. I could feel my anxiety and worry flake off of my mind and I watched it disappear in the wind. A warmth then filled my mind with assurance and peace. I had never before felt so rested, so whole. Life in the shadow of His wings saved me from the distress of the sun. Joy overflowed in my soul and then I looked beyond His shadow where I once stood. People on the outside of the shadow were either fainting from exhaustion or falling to their death. My mended heart began to break, my rested eyes filled with tears, and my clear mind began to think, "please come rest in the shadow."

Journey By Faith

Hebrews 11 is a fantastic chapter in Scripture for me to read at any point in my spiritual journey. Each time I read it, new lessons and life applications are drawn out and I feel inspired, motivated, and/or convicted to examine my trust and reliance on God's Sovereignty. "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1
This chapter starts us off with a definition of faith so that we are all on the same page as the author lists a bunch of ordinary people living out extraordinary faith. A few weeks ago when I read this passage again, my focus drifted to the ways in which faith manifested itself within the lives of each person listed. It is pretty remarkable.

1. "By faith we understand . . ." (v.3)
2. "By faith Abel offered . . ." (v.4)
3. "By faith he was commended. . ." (v.4)
4. "By faith he still speaks . . ." (v.4)
5. "By faith Enoch was taken . . ." (v.5) - God calls us home through faith
6. "Without faith, it is impossible to please God . . ." (v.6) "Anyone who comes to Him must believe He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him earnestly."
7. "By faith Noah built . . ." (v.7)
8. "By faith Abraham obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going" (v.8)
9. "By faith he made his home in the promised land"
10. "By faith Abraham was enabled . . ." (v.11)
11. "By faith Abraham offered sacrifice . . ." (v.17)
12. "By faith Isaac blessed . . ." (v.20)
13. "By faith Jacob blessed his sons . . ." (v.20)
14. "By faith Joseph spoke . . ." (v.22)
15. "By faith Moses' parents hid him . . ." (v.23)
16. "By faith Moses left Egypt . . ." (v.27)
17. "By faith the people passed through the Red Sea . . ." (v.27)
18. "By faith walls fell . . ." (v.30)
19. "By faith Rahab welcomed . . ." (v.31)
20. "By faith Gideon conquered . . ." (v.33)

It is then recorded that none of these faithful ones received what they were promised, but only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. (v.13-14 and v.39). Does this mean that they were, that we are, faithful in vain? The answer is simply, no. "They admitted they were strangers on earth . . .they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them." (v.13 &16). It is a lie to think that God is unfaithful to His followers because they do not always receive the blessings of their faith first hand. The truth is, God is MORE faithful because He knows He has prepared a Kingdom far greater than any earthly blessing. "God had planned something better for us. . ." (v.40). Do we trust in His promises? Do we trust in His unfailing love?

"In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling." Exodus 15:13

"But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation." Psalm 13:5

"For I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness." Psalm 26:3

"Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind" Psalm 107:15


The faithful followers mentioned in Hebrews 11 were Kingdom minded. Their faith in God's unfailing love is made evident through their obedience and trust in His promises. If you are in a place of hopelessness, desperate to be faithful, then read Hebrews 11. After you read it, obey it. This is always easier said than done, but the beauty of it is that God's grace, through His Son Jesus Christ, extends to each of us along the "journey by faith." I am learning that even when I fail to be faithful, God's faithfulness is unwavering and His love is unfailing. May your heart find rest and peace in the Truth of His Word.

The Way To Grace Is Humility

It has been a while, a long while, since I’ve shared my heart on this blog. My last blog was right before I began my first and last year of grad school. That is right friends! I am cramming a 2-3 year Masters of Social Work Program into 1 year. Needless to say, I have been doing a lot of writing, but it has been in the form of APA style research papers. Sometimes I feel crazy for doing this, but most of the time I feel humbled. It was strange how at peace I was to leave a job, friends, and a church I adored to explore this next chapter of life. I am certain God’s hand has been, and continues to pave the way, for learning.

I came to Asbury University to further my social work education and to learn more about Jesus along the way. It seemed like a great plan. There were a few minor hiccups along the way, but for the most part everything worked out well to get down here. I got lucky with a great roommate, wonderful classmates who quickly became friends, intelligent professors, and the beautiful Kentucky landscape. (I even got to bring my cat, Stinky! For those of you who don’t know, I named my cat Stinky which is another blog in itself.) I came to Asbury to learn and to figure out life. Ha! Figure out life!?

Since I have been here God has been wrecking me. Absolutely destroying me actually. It has been undeniably necessary for God to humble me so that I would sincerely find Him and experience healing from my secrets. I knew I had a lot to learn, but I have quickly realized that I will not find worth in knowledge. I will not find self-validation in perfect grades. I will not find acceptance in service and good works alone. It is only by GRACE that I live and breathe. It is ONLY by the Grace of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God that I find restoration and hope for myself and for this world. He has chosen to humble me by convicting me to confess my deepest sins, not only to Him, but to the people closest to me as well. “Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. . . If he has sinned, he WILL be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” James 5:13 & 15-16

Jesus said to Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Never will you feel more humbled and weak as to when you are confessing that “hush hush sin” to God, and to a trusted friend, but never will you feel more free. My hands shook, my throat went dry, and I wanted to hide my face. I wanted to shrivel up and die. I couldn’t believe I was sharing my secret shame and guilt, sharing the past I always swore to keep stuffed down inside of me. I was verbally acknowledging and admitting my detestable secrets to another person! I thought, “Will I be accepted? Will I still be beautiful? Will my life of following Jesus be irrelevant to others now that I have made known these secrets? Will they see me as a liar and a hypocrite?” But, as I spoke those words that described my darkest shame, a flood of truth and grace poured over my body and anointed me. I was exposing the ugly truth, but instead of dying, the healing power of Jesus breathed new life into me. My trusted friend, who also happens to be my wonderful boyfriend Matthew, looked at me and said, “You are still and will always be the most beautiful woman I have known on both the outside and most importantly the inside. This doesn’t change the way I see you. I love you.” As my devoted Matthew spoke those words of grace to me I sensed Jesus saying, “If another human can extend grace and love, how much more am I reaching out to you? I love you. Come to me.” Jesus says in the Bible, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:7-11

With tears of joy and humility I ran. I ran to Him. I am running to Him. He has loved me into His arms, and I am never turning back. I am so thankful God has called me to this place to prepare my heart for Him in these humbling days. If you are longing for freedom from that dark place of shame in your heart, it is available. Find a trusted friend who walks with the Lord and share with them your entire heart. The good, the bad, the ugly. Confession of my sins to God and fellow believers has wrecked me, but with the purpose of being put back together so I can FINALLY be whole. I promise you it is worth every tear and pain. I am out of breath from the run, but I am breathing in grace.

Broken Heart

I couldn’t take it anymore. Last night my heart broke into pieces for this world. Tears poured out of my eyes and there was no use in trying to stop. I don’t think I could have stopped even if I wanted. Something inside of me awakened, and I had no choice but to cry and scream out to God. “God, how do you stand it? If I feel this incredible pain and deep disgust with the way this world is, how much more do you feel? Please, please Lord, what can I do?” This heart break was triggered from watching a portion of The Pianist, a movie depicting the realities of the Holocaust. After 40 minutes I began crying uncontrollably. I asked my friend to turn it off. I had seen enough. My heart was beating wildly in my chest and my stomach was twisting in knots. The horrors of those images burned in my mind like hot coals. How could such extreme hate exist? What power came over people to make them think that lives are indispensable? The confusion, sorrow, and anger I felt was indescribable and so strong. You may say, “Lindsey, it is just a movie,” but it isn’t just a movie. Genocide and hatred are not a thing of the past. To tell me that what I saw is “just a movie” makes me angry because it simply isn’t true.

How is it that we have become so desensitized? It is so bizarre to me that our culture craves movies that evoke strong emotions and inspiration, like an addict craves his next fix, but in actuality we don’t feel anything. We want to experience emotion because it reminds us we are alive, but our emotions are often in vain. We consume emotions and think that their purpose is to make us feel, but there purpose is to make us act. Emotions, when surrendered to Jesus Christ, are a way for us to connect to Him and His Holy Spirit. Emotions move us to action. My question is, “Where is the action? Where is the change?” We are either numb to emotions all together and have fallen into the sin of apathy, or we are addicted to feelings and “feel” is all we ever do.

Anger is just one way to express heart break and that is where I find myself in this moment. I wish my tears could anoint the soil we walk on and heal the ground. I wish my arms were big enough to wrap around all the hurting people and assure them of hope. I wish I was brave enough to look into the eyes of the hurting and into the eyes of my enemies and truly love. Last night while I was driving home, I wondered how I have contributed to the love in this world, and then I reluctantly wondered how I have contributed to the hate. I am so incredibly thankful for God’s absolute grace. Thank you, God, for the promise of life through your grace, Jesus Christ. You are the Savior, not me. Amen.

Perhaps the most awful and wonderful realization I came to last night was that I am selfish. No one likes to be told or recognize that they are selfish, so it was awful. However, in a sense, it was wonderful to identify and I thanked God for those moments of clarity. Why would I want to be oblivious to the ways in which I’m contributing to our fallen world if being aware means changing for the better? I can have no other response but joy when I see my shortcomings because I know that is when I have a choice to surrender and watch God’s redemption unfold.

Another self discovery was that I do not have a solid grasp on love. Paul, who wrote most of the new testament and was transformed radically by the power of love through Jesus, wrote, “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I posses to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Wow . . . honesty says that I have fallen short of love. Here is the deal, people look at my life and see a life of service. I have been told time and time again that I am doing great things for the Kingdom and that my heart for service is commendable and beautiful. Those things are encouraging, but what does God say about my heart? “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 Where is my heart? My heart has been craving glory, self-indulgence, and approval. I am not saying it is always like that, but there are definitely seasons where that has been the case.

Bottom line, I want to love and in order to do that I must be filled with it too. I do not want to contribute to the hate and disconnect in this world any longer. God, may you continue breaking our hearts so that we can step out of our own way, step out of our selfishness, and experience the love you have been lavishing upon us. May our emotions move us to action, may our apathy move us to your throne, and may all of these things lead us to Love.

Amen.

I Like Fruit

If there is one thing that brings me great joy in life over everything else it is learning. Whether it is in the classroom, through an experience, or through relationships, I soak up all I can. This has gotten me called a nerd in the past, but who cares! All joking aside, learning is the spice of life. Learning how to live, who to be, and who to live for is really exciting, especially if you have a Good Teacher. While all of the things I just said are completely true, there is another truth in my life that sits just beneath the surface. It is so subtle that it took me a while to recognize it. Allow me to explain.

I believe God gave me a deep desire to learn and grow, and in return, share those lessons with others in creative and practical ways. I find immense purpose and joy in sharing about Jesus and how He is changing me. I find purpose in this because I know in sharing my struggles, sins, pains, and weaknesses, someone else will find the freedom to do the same. As a result, how can Satan have any power over us through shame and guilt? The deepest shame and most hidden secrets are brought to light, and we suddenly realize that they do not have power in the light like they did in the dark. Confession paired with the will to change through grace equals freedom in Christ. Satan’s power is diminished all because we are not ashamed to learn and grow out loud. Interestingly enough, today in my daily devotions I realized that each time I learn something about myself that needs to be refined or redeemed, I feel the pang of guilt and then I focus on it. I think, “Oh my goodness, how could I have this sin in my life after all this time? How could I still be giving in to self indulgence and pride?” Then, instead of rejoicing in the fact that God loves me enough to instruct me, I feel the weight of self pity settle on my shoulders the way dust settles on the top of a shelf. Be warned that self pity is the complete opposite of gratitude and it will absolutely destroy you. It will escalade the inevitable guilt we feel when we realize we are wrong, and it will distract us from our growth in Christ. We must remember that there is no condemnation in Christ and that His instruction is meant to give us life! I’m not saying all guilt is bad because we should feel guilt if we’ve done something wrong, but it isn’t designed to stay with us. Guilt is designed to guide us to grace. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.” Romans 8:1-3

Today the Holy Spirit taught me that I have not fully grasped the truth in these verses. Satan is trying to deceive me. He wants me to feel crippled by God’s loving rebukes, so that I can crawl into self-pity feeling alone and defeated; away from God’s protection. Satan discretely laces the heaviest of chains into the most joyful places of my heart, so I might forget that learning is a process. “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:6-8 I have been made alert today, and I am thankful.

God does not expect me, or you, to know everything the moment we ask Him to guide our lives. He wants us to enjoy the learning process and receive hope from His loving instruction. Yes, we will feel pain, but let’s be real here for a second. We both know that neither of us can truly grow to be like Christ if we don’t acknowledge and get rid of our sin. Jesus says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” John 15:1-2 Pruning hurts. Learning hurts. The result is sweet goodness from fruit in our lives, and I like fruit. I pray that as you read the Word today, God will continue to teach you and give you the courage to share with others. I will continue to do the same.

He Loves You,

Lindsey

Living with Anticipation

It has been a while since I’ve written a new blog. It isn’t for lack of inspiration or thought, but because I have too many thoughts! In these next few paragraphs I want to proclaim the reasons my soul celebrates today. Ironically, most of the reasons to rejoice blossomed from struggle, pain, and sorrow. I am learning that in order for my heart to truly know joy, I must experience sorrow and embrace it. God hold us in the dark times, so we come out of it looking more like you.

First, we just celebrated and continue to celebrate the most incredible and awe inspiring season of all time. Easter! We now can be reconciled to God through His Son Jesus Christ, and not only have life, but have it abundantly! We can know and experience grace through a relationship with the Creator God and find liberty from our selfishness. Can I get an AMEN? Amen. The expectancy of Easter‘s promise makes my heart glad and I pray that I can live in its truth all year long. Plus, I got to spend time laughing and worshipping with my amazing family. =0) The anticipation of Easter. . .

Second, I am moving to Kentucky in June. Yes, Kentucky! I will be completing a graduate program to receive my Masters in Social Work from Asbury University. No, I don’t know what I want to do with the degree. No, I don’t know anyone in Kentucky. Yes, I will be living on student loans, again. Yes, I am excited and yes, I am insecure all at the same time. I decided just to answer the questions I know you might be thinking. The anticipation of adventure. . .

Third, I am enjoying the company and conversation of a new and unexpected person in my life. I have been encouraged, I have been challenged, and I have been happy. Don’t you just love how God blesses you through people?! His design for relationship and community is an incredible gift. The anticipation of relationship . . .

Fourth, I am hearing God say through His Word and through His people to not bury my talents just because I don’t know what to do with them, or because I'm not "the best." Oswald Chambers says, “We must never measure our spiritual capacity on the basis of our education or our intellect; our capacity in spiritual things is measured on the basis of the promises of God. . . When it is a question of God’s Almighty Spirit, never say, ‘I can’t.’ Never allow the limitation of your own natural ability to enter into the matter. If we have received the Holy Spirit, God expects the work of the Holy Spirit to be exhibited in us.” Just as we have a spirit of anticipation and expectancy through Christ, God Himself expects to display His power through His children. Wow. . . wow is all I can say to that. I encourage you to read Matthew 25:14-30 and dig deep into how God desires to use your talents. Are we putting limitations on what God can do through us because we ourselves are limited? “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13 He is God of all and He is everything. He has no limitations. The anticipation of the Holy Spirit. . .

Fifth, and final for now, I joyfully exclaim that I am finding sweet freedom from something that has had a grip on my life for the past year and a half. I cannot go into great detail in order to respect others, but I can say with confidence that God’s grace and healing power is true and real. I am FREE from lies. I am FREE from self pity! I have been rescued from something that was made to destroy and God has made it into something good. Oh how I pray that you find the same freedom from what holds on tight to you and whispers lies into your heart. Believe the truth, and the truth is that Jesus Christ is the Way. “I [Jesus] am the Way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 The anticipation of FREEDOM. . .

Anticipation and excitement build as I praise God in the present and hope for God for the future. May you walk in faith as you love God and love people.

Love,
Lindsey