God continues to work and move in me. He has shown me a storm and I’m out in it. He then shows me a small shack of refuge. I can hide, but not become a conqueror. And He says, you can run there as the storm grows more intense, as the lightning hits all around you, as the rains pour and the sky grows darker and darker. Or you can stay, stay out in the storm and eventually you will find the storm doesn’t defeat you or terrify you any longer, but you defeat it and find you’re at peace. And the storm is just a storm and you rather enjoy being out in it. It becomes beautiful to you. It becomes a place where you dance in the midst of it. And come to love it. That is what I’m going for. What storm do you need to endure and eventually be free of? This picture is one I took in Nigeria, there was a lightning storm and a fire occuring at the same time.
Fire. Fire burns. Flames grow larger and hotter.
Find yourself becoming smaller and the flames larger.
You can no longer peer out above the flames and find safety.
Now it just seems you alone in the flames.
You cry for it to be let up, to ease.
But, your heart knows it must continue.
For the sake of your life, your future.
For love. If the flames didn’t grow higher and hotter
the things that once endured a previous flame couldn’t be perfected.
The heat is turned up for a deeper encounter.
A deeper transformation. Staying. Enduring. Pushing in.
How foreign as you are skyrocketed out of your comfort zone.
Jumping out how natural as your flesh is dying and walls are falling.
You stay because you know deep down THIS IS THE WAY.
THE FLAMES ARE YOURS, FROM GOD.
You stay even when you can’t see.
Even when you think you just can’t make it anymore.
You stay because you know YOU WILL NOT BE DESTROYED.
YOU WILL NOT BE BURNED.
Only the things that no longer need to be there.
The doubts, the hardness, the fear.
THOSE WILL BE DESTROYED.
THOSE WILL BE BURNED.
BUT, NOT YOU. You endure. You cry out.
He doesn’t remove you, BUT YOU DO SEE HIM THROUGH THE FLAMES.
You look, the flames part for one moment.
You see him still standing by your side. He’s there.
Watching with eyes of love, like a father watching his daughter have surgery.
Knowing it must be done, but having compassion and love.
He’s there. He’s ordained it all.
IT’S FOR YOU. HIS EYES. HIS LOVE.
The glimpse of him you needed. DEEP BREATH.
Encouragement. Flames come back together.
Surrounding you. All around. You’re consumed.
BUT, HE’S THERE.
Find yourself becoming smaller and the flames larger.
You can no longer peer out above the flames and find safety.
Now it just seems you alone in the flames.
You cry for it to be let up, to ease.
But, your heart knows it must continue.
For the sake of your life, your future.
For love. If the flames didn’t grow higher and hotter
the things that once endured a previous flame couldn’t be perfected.
The heat is turned up for a deeper encounter.
A deeper transformation. Staying. Enduring. Pushing in.
How foreign as you are skyrocketed out of your comfort zone.
Jumping out how natural as your flesh is dying and walls are falling.
You stay because you know deep down THIS IS THE WAY.
THE FLAMES ARE YOURS, FROM GOD.
You stay even when you can’t see.
Even when you think you just can’t make it anymore.
You stay because you know YOU WILL NOT BE DESTROYED.
YOU WILL NOT BE BURNED.
Only the things that no longer need to be there.
The doubts, the hardness, the fear.
THOSE WILL BE DESTROYED.
THOSE WILL BE BURNED.
BUT, NOT YOU. You endure. You cry out.
He doesn’t remove you, BUT YOU DO SEE HIM THROUGH THE FLAMES.
You look, the flames part for one moment.
You see him still standing by your side. He’s there.
Watching with eyes of love, like a father watching his daughter have surgery.
Knowing it must be done, but having compassion and love.
He’s there. He’s ordained it all.
IT’S FOR YOU. HIS EYES. HIS LOVE.
The glimpse of him you needed. DEEP BREATH.
Encouragement. Flames come back together.
Surrounding you. All around. You’re consumed.
BUT, HE’S THERE.
Pray for me, the heat is on! I’m so grateful for your support!! God bless you.
