M.O.S.A.I.C. (Making Our Souls Acceptable In Christ) – another way of looking at life through the beautifully broken fragments called self in Him…
Mosaic : Of or pertaining to the style of work called mosaic; formed by uniting pieces of different colors; variegated; tessellated; also, composed of various materials or ingredients.
I’ve heard it said that it’s the small things in life that make life worth living. I have to believe that description applied to both the good and bad side of these small things we either refer to as blessings or problems. Big or small they make the world go round.
Kinda like the simplicity of pollen. “One great big small thing, like pollen, in this vast universe.”
Over the last couple months my team and I have grown tremendously. And as we all know growth can be tough sometimes.
I’ve heard it said…”life is change, growth is optional, choose wisely.” Fundamentally, it’s the in the choosing that destiny’s are encountered and the true character of a man is shaped.
“There are always two choices, two paths to take, one is easy, and it’s only reward is that it’s easy.”
I discovered I always have choices and sometimes it’s only by a choice of in change of attitude(trust) that affect not only the outcome, but the route in getting there.
So we’ve chosen to stop trying and start trusting. Stop trying to make things work, stop trying to love, stop trying to be loved, stop trying to be more than He’s created us to be and just Trust that the things that are happening in our lives, individually and as a community, are for our benefit of the kingdom.
We truly need each other to claim all of our lives and to live them to the fullest. We need each other to move beyond our guilt and shame and to become grateful, not just for our success and accomplishments but also for our failures and short comings.
“We need to be able to let our tears flow freely. Tears of sorrow as well as tears of joy, tears that are as rain on dry ground. As we thus lift our lives for each other, we can truly say “To life,” because all we have lived now becomes the fertile soul for the future.
But lifting our cup to life is much more than saying good things about each other. It is much more than offering good wishes. It means that we take all we have ever lived and bring it to the present moment as a gift for others, a gift to celebrate.
Mostly we are willing to look back to our lives and say: ” I am grateful for the good things that brought me to this place. But when we lift our cup to life, we must dare to say: I am grateful for all that has happened to me and led me to this moment.
This attitude which embraces all of our past is what make our life a true gift for others, because this gratitude erases bitterness, resentment, regret and revenge as all as all jealousies and rivalries.
It transforms our past into a fruitful gift for the future, and makes our life, all of it, into a life that gives life.” – Henri J.M. Nouwen
(John 10:10) “He is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above everything we could ever want or ask.” But in order for this promise to be fully realized in our lives we must exchange our truth for His Truth.
When we truly believe this our lives take on a different core purpose. Refocusing from our love for Him to His love for us and in that we have the capacity to love others – fully.
Consciously it may not be initially apparent, but the more one Trusts in the love of the Father the more we are able to embrace the differences in each other with a deeper compassion that more resembles the Source of His presence in us.
“The way of trust is a movement into obscurity, into the #ff0000, into ambiguity, not into some predetermined, clearly delineated plan for the future. The next step discloses itself only out of a discernment of God acting in the desert of the present moment. The reality of naked trust is the life of the pilgrim who leaves what is nailed down, obvious, and secure, and walks into the unknown without any rational explanation to justify the decision or guarantee the future. Why? Because God has signaled the movement and offered it his presence and his promise.” — Brennan Manning (Ruthless Trust: The Ragamuffin’s Path to God)
This growth did not come without painful moments of being completely perfect broken shards of beautifully painted imperfect glass. Refracting Christ’s light from inside us and revealing the beauty that can only be fully appreciated in the presence of others.
Sometimes when we go through the refining phases of life a painful process of unlearning worldly structures, renewing inner-spirits and re-indentification of souls occurs that brings us back into right-standing with Him. Repentance of sins met with acceptance of Christ equals salvation.
We all handle feelings the same way, we miss handle them. And that’s ok..becuase guess who’s there to pick up the broken pieces and clean up the mess? That’s right, the Janitor himself!
I’ve heard it said that “When a man or woman is truly honest, it is virtually impossible to insult them personally. ” — Brennan Manning
How often do we find the truth that others are speaking into our lives as offensive and painful to not only hear, but listen to. In listening a choice has to be made. Will I allow this to impact my life and make changes as needed to get to a better place, or will I just hear it and say – ah sounds good, but that’s not for me?
Will we ever get to a place of full transparency and complete vulnerability? Yes! That’s for sure. How do we get there..? Continue to show up in life for these breaking sessions and someday, somehow and some way…we will be broken enough to be used in His masterful artwork of rebuilding His bride.
My deepest desire is that everyone on the planet experiences benefits of community listening, community loving and community life for themselves.
There is so much to be had from a community of people who care enough to tell you the truth, when the world will fill you with less. Lies about who you are, who you’ve become and who your going to be. All lies.
We truly need each other to claim all of our lives and to live them to the fullest. We need each other to move beyond our guilt and shame and to become grateful, not just for our successes and accomplishments but also for our failures and shortcomings.
We need to be able to let our teas flow freely, tears of sorry as well as tears of joy, tears that are as rain on dry ground. Bringing life to the foundation of broken places in hearts minds and souls. As we thus lift our cup for each other, we can truly say: To life, because all we have lived now becomes the fertile soul for the future.
But lifting our cup to life is much more than saying a few things about each other. it is much more than offering good wishes. It means hat we take all we have ever lived and bring it to the present moment as a fit for others, a time to celebrate.
Instead if in our brokenness, we focus on His love and His plan and His identity for us in His kingdom as heirs to the throne.
Life’s challenges would become life’s pleasures. And the opportunity to not only shine His light, but bring life in the form of color to a situation, to an environment, to a nation will be the color that best reflects His plan based on the shade of gifts He’s given each and everyone of us.
May your cup runneth over and encourage you to empty yourself again only to be filled by Him. In this process brokenness will come and pain will follow. That is when you have a choice of beautification and understanding as the world defines it, or will you choose to go through the refining process of being used by Him?
One road leads to the death of a soul, mind and body and the other leads to eternal life in color. Which color will you choose?
As for me in my house, we will serve the Lord ( Joshua 24: 15).
