“You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.� Isaiah 55:12
Lately, I have been getting the question “are you ready?� asked of me. Up until a few days ago, my go to answer was: nervous laughter, throwing out a few things that still needed to be done and “ready as I’ll ever be�. The other night though, when that question was asked of me, all that came out of my mouth was “Yes�. I instantly felt peace rush through my body and felt the Spirit affirm my answer. While I may not have all the necessary items or know as much scripture as I would like to, with God, I have absolutely everything I need.
I feel like my heart has truly been awakened in this past year. I know what makes my heart leap and flutter and it’s so beautiful. I see little African children covering me, so that not a speck of my white skin is shown. I envision investing in prostitutes and pouring into them the truth of their beauty and value. I imagine waking every day, sweaty, dirty and tired, but feeling at home. It makes perfect sense to me that these thoughts are what get me passionate; this is what I was made for. I know my heart will be grown, stretched and wrecked more than I can ever fathom in this next year and I can’t wait. I don’t want to seem ignorant of the reality and gravity of this next year; I wholly see that it will be incredibly trying and difficult. I will most definitely experience every emotion possible, three times over. There will be days where I want nothing more than to be home, safe and comfortable. I know this.
But,
I’m so ready to go. I’m so ready to be where my heart is stirring for. I’m ready to have my heart and soul even further awakened to my Holy ambition. I’m ready to “preach good news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom to the captives, to comfort all those who mourn.� (Isaiah 61:1,2a) I am ready to “bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.� (Isaiah 61:3)
“Awake, my soul! Awake harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.� Psalm 57:8-11
Amen.
