“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:17-18
I am currently at a weeklong debrief in Bucharest, Romania. A week of rest, worship, recharging, and processing before we go to Ethiopia, our fourth continent and ninth country! I am always so thankful for our debrief times, because as I’ve written many times before, the pace of the Race is a lot. We move so quickly and so often, these scheduled times to process and reflect are so necessary and fruitful for our journey on the Race.
As I’ve spent the last few days processing the last month, and looking forward to all that is still to come in Africa, I can’t help but feel an indescribable joy in my bones. I am in a season of my life that is uncharted territory, walking in an intimacy with the Lord like never before. It seems that everyday I’m learning to live in deeper dependence on Him and Him alone.
My word for this past month was OFFERING. And that’s exactly what this month was, what this life I’ve been given is. Every breath of it, every step I take, every country I visit, every milestone made, it’s all an offering to the Lord.
This season I have found myself in feels like standing on the edge of glory. I’ve never been more confident and assured in who I am and where I am going in this life and the next. I’m stepping into glory, not fully there yet, but I can feel that I’m right on the cusp of it. I’m looking at my life, at my current self and finding it all unrecognizable. I’m wondering how it’s possible that one single person could be this joyful, this fulfilled, this in love with life and all that comes with it.
I’m not writing this to draw attention to myself and how great I’m doing. Rather, because my heart is overflowing with a passion and desire for everyone I know to step into and experience this season of glory for themselves. If you’ve followed my journey at all, you know this has been anything but easy. My life before the Race wasn’t easy, and my life after won’t be. But everything in my world has clicked into focus because my eyes are finally and unwaveringly fixed on my Father, so certain of His goodness and drowning, drenched to the core in His love.
If you’re reading this, I encourage you to wrestle with God. I encourage you to lean into the pain and the hurt you’ve been running from. Ask the questions you don’t want to ask. Go to the places in your heart and mind that terrify you. It’s going to hurt like hell, I’ll be the first to tell you that. But what will come of it cannot be described. He wants to take you there, from glory to glory.
“when I thought I lost me
You knew where I left me
You reintroduced me to Your love
and You picked up all my pieces
put me back together
You are the defender of my heart
Hallelujah, You have saved me
so much better Your way
Hallelujah, Great Defender
so much better Your way”
On repeat this month:
United Pursuit- Let It Happen (Live)
Taylor Swift feat. Brendon Urie- ME!
UPPERROOM- Defender (Live)
The Head and the Heart- People Need A Melody
The Head and the Heart- Living Mirage
Elevation Worship- With You (Paradoxology)
