Restore to Me

I have really been challenged to fight for my joy this week.  Truly, I should have been fighting for some time, but the battle has been in my face this week.  The fight for joy is always a special one for me because I centered my life on joy for so long.  This morning didn't start so great, but I am so refreshed right now.  I am feeling the joy of my salvation restored to me.  How has this happened?

1.)  I have been actively seeking prayer from my girlfriends in Christ.

2.)  I've been swimming around in grace and forgiveness.

3.)  Pop Divas and silly songs.  Yep.  Some Ga-Ga texts from a friend, a little Beyonce reference mixed into my emails, and the fact that I have been singing "I Like Big Butts" for about 2 hours now.  I am smiling a light happy smile and I'm ready to get my dancing on. 

Congratulations, Momma Knowles!

I bet my joy would be super duper returned if I could wear a purple sequin jacket to work and it be totally ok.


Photo from here: MSN wonderwall

I say it's August 28th

Today's scripture on my calendar was the following:

Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone.  Psalm 71:9

I'm not gonna lie, I didn't care for this - and I say that with the utmost Biblical respect.  But, the age 33 monster has been around and asking for a good kick in the face - and I didn't think this scripture was good for my mental health today.

So, it's been August 28th in my office all day long :).

I will rejoice and be glad for thy steadfast love, because thou hast seen my affliction, thou hast taken heed of my adversities.  Psalm 31:7. 

Much better.

A Victory

I had been praying/contemplating about a situation for a while.  I kept telling myself to Be Still - because I tend to not be so hot at that.  Once I've got the guts to do or say something - I do it, and that's not always right.  But, I felt like action was required today and I said what I needed to say.  And I felt peace.  Then, I read this blog post by Ann Voskamp:

"The mind would rather fret about the future or pine over the past — so the mind can cling to its own illusion of control. But the current moment? It cannot be controlled. And what a mind can’t control, it tends to discount. Brush past… over.


It’s the battle plan of the enemy of the soul — to keep us blind to this current moment, the one we can’t control, to keep us blind to Him, the One who controls everything.

There is that: What if instead of discounting the current moment, the uncontrollable, the simply given — what if I counted it — and on the God who controls it all?

What if all our running around is only our trying to run away from God — the great I AM, present in the present moment?


What if I woke to now and refused to hurry because I didn’t want to refuse God?


What if I didn’t discount this moment, but counted it for what it is — God here?


It is only the present moment alone that holds the possibility of coming into the presence of God. Look around, breathe deep, enter into this one moment — Now could be an altar. This time could be a tabernacle."

This was right on time.  It made me stop and realize that I was sitting in a moment of healing.  I was sitting in victory. I used my voice to be true to myself and speak love without fear or regret or shame - and that was a miracle for me.  And it was absent from control or manipulation because I didn't want any of me in it - I only wanted God and what He is going to do with me and my life in it.  In the past, this moment would have caused excessive fear and condemnation - instead it restored joy and I am sitting here smiling.  I'm so thankful that I took the time to read this post just when I did and stop and thank God, or I may have gone without acknowliding a miracle that was just for me and my heart.



Whoops - link ot the blog:  http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/08/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-a-day/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+HolyExperience+%28Holy+Experience%29

If You Need a Good Holy Cry

OK - i clearly don't know how to post a video - but let's try this.

http://vimeo.com/11560198





This was grace - short film from Andrew Laparra on Vimeo.



This was grace - short film from Andrew Laparra on Vimeo.

A Sliver

I just came across this post on my friend Holly's facebook.  It really spoke to me about the mystery and faithfulness that is God.

http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/08/for-the-days-that-seem-to-be-going-bad/

From the lady that wrote this book: