The Father's Heart and Mine ~ TRUST

TRUST.

A 5-letter word with a BIG calling.  A word that is a bit easy to say, but harder to live out.  A word that in all reality calls us to abandonment.

Abandonment of self. of pride. of control.

What does TRUST mean??
- a firm belief or confidence in the honesty, integrity, reliability or justice of another person or thing. - confident expectation, anticipation, hope

What keeps us from trusting our Heavenly Father??

The opposite of trust is fear and I believe fear is one area that keeps us from trusting the heart of our Father.

Fear of the unknown.  Fear of what may happen.  It's out of our hands, out of our control and we pull back.  We hang on to what is familiar, for the safety of what we know.  We don't want to exchange familiar for the thrill of unknown.  We want control.

Trust is a letting go and placing our confidence in the hand of the One to whom we let go.

So, how do we live in the reality of trust?  How can we move beyond familiar to ride the roller coaster of the unknown?

If I believe that someone is big enough, strong enough, and capable; I can rest, I can let go.

So, anytime I am struggling with resting, trusting, entering into the unknown; it's a stop light for me to stop and check what I am wanting control of or even to ask myself the question, "Do I believe God's heart is good towards me?

Often the answer is "no".  I find myself knowing that God's heart is good, but sometimes it takes a bit for my heart to catch up and believe it firmly.

I John 4:18  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear;

Jesus is that Perfect Love and when we believe it, when we place our firm belief in His love; we will trust.

There is 'safety' in familiar, but there is a thrill in leaning into the unknown. There is a stretching, a growing when we take the leap into what is not so familiar.

There is a constant in familiar, but no learning or growing.

There is known in familiar, but an exhilaration in finding something new.

An exhilaration of 'I survived', I did it. It doesn't always turn out the way we think it should or what we think it will look like, but we took the risk and found freedom.

And most of all our knowledge of God deepens.  We learn more of Him and Who He is. I want that, don't you?!?

Yes, I believe we want more of God, but to walk the path that leads to more of Him, we must have a FIRM BELIEF in the ONE WHO IS LEADING.  And that person is Jesus Christ, God, our Heavenly Father.  He is leading and we must firmly believe His heart is good towards us or we will draw back, hang on to what's familiar when something 'looks' scary for us.

Fear is always connected to trust.  We have a choice... FEAR or TRUST...  And when God calls us to trust, He tells us not to fear.

Courage is doing something, even when afraid.

Here are just a few verses that I found on trust/fear...

Exodus 14:13  fear ye not, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD...
Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and salvation whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid. v.3 though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this I will be confident.
Isaiah 35:4  Be strong, fear not, Behold your God will come... and save you.
Isaiah 41:10  fear thou not, for I am with you...

To rise above.  To trust.  We must allow God to save us.  We at times need to stand still and see...  We most of all need to believe Him.  We must believe His TRUTH, not our lies or what we believe to be true.

We need to allow His Truth to be trump.  To be Greater than our reality.  We bring our belief system to Him and ask for His Truth to be heard and then we replace what is false.

Lies feel 'comfortable', it's what has worked; maybe falteringly, but we make it work.
Replacing those false beliefs enters an unknown.

Matthew 10:39 If I find my life (my saving methods) I will lose it;  If I lose my life for Jesus' sake, I will find it. (His life and salvation)

Are you willing to take the leap?  To ride the roller coaster?  To put your hand in the Hand of the Heavenly Father who loves you so?

It really is the only way to freedom.  To living alive.  To living full and at rest.

Learning to trust is a journey, not a destination.  It is a life habit and a learning of it again and again.  It is learning to believe God is good again, in this situation, in this moment.

And the more we 'practice' something, the more comfortable it becomes.  Practice trusting.  Practice believing and that will become more comfortable than our own control.

It's that first step.  That first choice to believe something different, that takes a huge amount of courage.  Take it.  You won't regret it.

Only a Person who Risks is Free�

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.

To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.

To reach for another is to risk involvement.

To expose your ideas, your dreams,

before a crowd is to risk their loss.

To love is to risk not being loved in return.

To live is to risk dying.

To believe is to risk despair.

To try is to risk failure.

But risks must be taken, because the

greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.

The people who risk nothing, do nothing,

have nothing, are nothing.

They may avoid suffering and sorrow,

but they cannot learn, feel, change,

grow, love, live.

Chained by their attitudes they are slaves;

they have forfeited their freedom.

Only a person who risks is free.

- anonymous

What are you fearing right now?

Join hands with God, believing His heart IS good towards us.  Bring to Him what you are struggling with, He will bring His Truth and set you free.  Ask Him, in your moments of unbelief, to help you believe.

He wants to.  He came to set the captives free, to bring deliverance.

He LOVES you.  He LOVES me.

~ I'd love to hear your fears and your risks.  Write a comment, send an email to jelsymphony@gmail.com. 
There is a burden-sharing when we are willing to face our fears and we share the journey when we share it with another.  So, call a friend, send a text for prayer, for we know then, we're not alone.

El-Roi, the God Who Sees

Something I often think about on a typical school morning as a number of us ladies are transporting our dear young ones to school... why do we wave?  Why take the moment to lift your hand and shake it back and forth a little? :)
What does a hand shake or a wave or a smile say, anyway?

One thing I believe it says is, "I see you."

We all like to be noticed for something.  We want to know we matter enough to be seen.
We all like when someone sees we are hurting and ventures to reach out to us.  It tells us they care and we gain a sense of significance.
When someone affirms us, we gain a sense of 'I matter' to the world around me.
A simple smile is heartwarming.

But, one thing we all know well is moments of being alone, unnoticed by physical presence around us.
Someone walks on by and doesn't 'see' us, there is a let down, don't I matter, don't they care???

We want to be 'seen'. Longing to be seen beyond the surface.  Valued beyond what we do or did or didn't do.  We want to know we matter beyond the good or mess-ups we've done.

When life throws and hurls us into hard moments, sometimes we are missed.  Sometimes we are alone for a moment to wrestle ...

Hagar learned that one day when she was in despair, kicked out and left to wander.  She sat down by a spring of water in the wilderness, and GOD FINDS HER.  He asked her a question.  He cared.  She ends up naming the well, Beerlahai-roi meaning, the well of the Living One who SEES ME.  El-Roi, the name for God that means, the God who Sees.

Those hard moments are moments God wants to find us.  They are reminders that God must be our Source of water (Life), finding Him at the well, just like Hagar experienced.  People are NOT meant to fill all our voids, bandage all our aches and hurts.  That is GOD'S job and He wants to do it.

When I reflect on Jesus' life, He sought out and noticed many people.  Beggars, blind men, children, women, lepers, Zacchaeus in the tree and more.

He sees, but there are times He waits.  Like when Lazarus was sick and died.  Or when God turned His face away as Jesus died.  There are times when He is silent.  But He never leaves.

Hard times. death.  and the ones left behind are left to wonder and question for  a bit.  But God came.  He did show up.  Just not right away.

Why??
Those moments hurt when someone walks by and does little or no acknowledging.  we wonder.  we feel insignificant.
When God is quiet or silent, we struggle.  We feel alone and maybe even abandoned.

We feel 'unseen'.

Those moments are part of a bigger picture.  A plan for God to be seen and glorified.  Like in Lazarus' death, many believed.

God wants to be seen and sometimes the only way for that to happen, is through hard times.  They grip our attention and remind us of our need for our Heavenly Father.  We are so prone to forget...

I have told my Heavenly Father that I think I could go through anything as long as I feel He is near.  As long as I feel His Presence surrounding me.  There's been a situation where over the past few years God has seemed silent.  I didn't feel forsaken, it was simply quiet.  No inspiration, no direction, just silent and quiet.  It makes the struggle, hard.

I've grappled with 'why'?  I've heard a number of times that God doesn't move, so if you don't feel Him then guess what?... you moved.  Well, I didn't feel like I did.

One morning as I again came before my Heavenly Father I asked Him my 'why' again.  I felt His whispering thought and He gave me a picture ---

(As a parent don't you sometimes stand by and watch your child struggle through something?  whether it would be learning to walk, or putting legos together?  whether it would be trying to figure out how something works?  You're there.  just not stepping in.  If you would always step in, would your child learn or feel like he has mastered something?
So it is with Me.  Learning comes through wrestling and struggling through something.  I am right here.  I SEE YOU.  It's just that learning more of Me comes through wrestlings, trying to figure something out.  and guess what  NEITHER OF US MOVED.  I was only standing nearby, watching you learn more of Me and you are right here trying to figure out something again.)

Wow.  Yes, Lord.  that makes sense.  You ARE right HERE.  Watching, and maybe even delighting in the fact that we are wrestling, clinging and wanting to find You again, in this time and this moment.
It brings a smile to my face when my child wrestles  and conquers or masters something... I wonder if it does to Yours??

El-Roi, the God who Sees.  He notices, even when silent.
His promise is true... "I will never leave you or forsake you."
He just may be silently standing there BESIDE YOU, waiting for the moment when you and I rise victorious over the hard moments.  Waiting as we wrestle to experience our 'aha' moment.  I can just imagine how that may just warm the heart of God to know we did not give up, but wrestled to find His Truth. today.  in this moment.  And when we didn't get it, yet, we cling to His hand, trusting His heart.

In those moments when life seems silent and you find yourself feeling alone, it is your call from God to bring your hurt, your sorrow, your grief to Him.  Sometimes He wants to be ALL FOR US.

That does not mean we shirk our responsibility to care for each other, it only means that we are prone to forget God and that He is All-Sufficient and we need reminders.  And I believe He reminds us through those times we feel forsaken and are sitting in the wilderness and even, maybe, by a well where there is nourishment, but it's not enough.  God comes at some point and speaks Truth and Life to our souls.

The people who cross your path today need to be seen.

And remember, most of all, He sees us.  El-Roi.

But He also wants to be seen...  In the moments when we're cared for by another and in the moments we find ourselves 'alone'.

El-Roi.

Carpe Diem

Morning sun's glow!!

Storytime by Brandon.

The morning sun cast a glow on life
around it.  I love the colours of
a rainy, grey sky and the golden glow of the sun.

Worship the One who is behind all this beauty.  The One who loves and wants us to see Him.  The One who wants our worship as we enjoy His creation.

My heart found rest and delight in these few miracles. Go. Find your miracles...

Have a blessed day touched by His grace and love.
Carpe Diem - enjoy the moment of today!!

Some of the Realities of Life

Sometimes one has more questions than inspirations on this journey of life.  Sometimes making sense of it all eludes the heart, even though the mind knows.

Some of the questions my heart is struggling with... (and should one even share them? I doubt I'm the only one who struggles... and now you know that even the one who writes words, is without at times.  And just because one writes does not mean they have it all together :).  It means we only share our thoughts through words.)

Community.  What makes one a part of a community?  How does one feel a belonging to the community?

Prayer.  What do you do with the verses like, "If you abide in Me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it shall be done for you."
"My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither My ways your ways"... Is one a pawn in the Hand of God?  When praying for years and over and over hopes come because maybe, just maybe we can conquer this bedwetting and then boom, no success.  Does bringing our voice and requests even make a difference?

How does one keep their heart alive and soft in the middle of silence and questions?  In the middle of disappointments?

My head knows that God is good and that His heart is good towards me... my heart is disconnected from that reality and Truth.

So, today, I choose to believe.
And this song comes to my mind...

Bigger than all my problems; Bigger than all my fears;

God is bigger than mountain that I can or cannot see.

Bigger than all my questions, Bigger than anything

God is bigger than any mountain that I can or cannot see.

Bigger than all the shadows that fall across my path;

God is bigger than any mountain that I can or cannot see;

Bigger than all my confusion, Bigger than anything

God is bigger than any mountain that I can or cannot see.

Bigger than all the giants of fear and unbelief;

God is bigger than any mountain that I can or cannot see;

Bigger than all my hang ups, Bigger than anything;

God is bigger than any mountain that I can or cannot see.

So until my heart connects, I want to cling.  To cling to His Hand even though in reaction I want to let go.

Why?  Because I want to believe Him even in the middle of the dark and stormy moment.

Maybe today your heart has more questions than understanding?  Maybe you want to let go as well?  Let's cling together --- remembering what we know in the light is the same in the night.

THE GREATER TRUTHS!!!

- God does not change or leave us.

- He loves us.

- My plans are of good and not evil.
- We all have something to offer, because God doesn't make anything or anyone worthless.
- I am my Beloveds and He is mine.
and there are more...

Will you pray for me?  I'll pray for you. :)  And together carry each other to the Throne of Grace.  His Throne.  Where intercession takes place.

May we find Him.  Today.

God's Hand

"Hold my hand, for I am weak and helpless
I dare not take one step without Your aid.
Hold my hand, sovereign, loving Savior.
In Your grip, I shall not be afraid.

Hold my hand, Jesus, draw me nearer,
To Yourself as this hard road I trod.
Hold my hand, for I am prone to wander,
& in my wandering, prone to leave my God.

Hold my hand, You who hold the heavens.
Hold my hand, You who hold the stars.
Hold my hand through this weary land.
Hold my hand, You who hold my heart.

Hold my hand, the way is dark before me.
Left alone, doubt obscures my view.
Hold my hand, and that hand I’ll follow
For the darkness is as light to You.

Hold my hand, You who hold the heavens.
Hold my hand, You who hold the stars.
Hold my hand through this weary land.
Hold my hand, You who hold my heart.


Hold my hand, when I reach the margin
Of the River you once crossed for me.
Hold my hand and lead me through death’s waters
Where that Hand at last my eyes shall see!

Hold my hand, You who hold the heavens.
Hold my hand, You who hold the stars.
Hold my hand through this barren land.
Hold my hand, You who hold my heart.


Words: Fanny Crosby & Lori Sealy
Music: Lori Sealy
www.lorisealy.com

I recently came across these words of this song and they comforted my heart.  When someone holds our hand they are with us, going right through the moment with us and we experience comfort.

Psalm 63:8  My soul CLINGS  to Thee, Thy right hand UPHOLDS me.
Isaiah 42:6  I am the Lord... I will also hold you by the hand and watch over you,
Psalm 73:23  ... I am continually with Thee, Thou hast taken hold of my right hand.
Isaiah 41:13  For I the Lord will hold thy right hand... Fear not I will help thee.

When going through hard times, we like the presence of someone with us.
Even if they don't say much, their presence comforts, encourages our hearts.

As I think of this Easter season, isn't that what the life Jesus was all about.  God personified.  God with us.  Jesus.  To show us the way.  To show us that He wants to identify with us, to bridge God and humanity.  To show love in spite of the wrong choices we make and that He isn't going to leave us.  Pursuit.

My heart takes a deep breath.  It is comforted.  There is Someone who knows and loves.  Comfort.
Jesus.  Jesus is always with us.
Emmanuel.  God with us.

In Hebrews 13:5  Jesus has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Thank You, Lord, for Your Presence.

The Presence that surrounds us,

even when we are not aware of it.

Thank You, Lord, for being with us.

In the midst.

In the middle of our mess.

In the middle of our struggle.
Even in the middle of victories and joys.

This Easter weekend, we remember.

We remember how You entered this

broken and sinful, cursed world.

To become broken for me.  for all of us.

To take on the curse that we might be set free.

Free, from the curse and bondage

that grips our soul.

Free, from the lies that the Deceiver

so badly wants us to believe.

Free.  Free.

You aren't afraid of broken and messy.

You entered it many years ago.

And today You want to enter our broken and messy

and breathe life.

Life.  Freedom.  Hope.

Resurrection.

God's hand is with us.

God's hand orchestrates and runs through the tapestry of life.  I see the underside.  He sees the upper.

God's hand works with purpose.  Nothing is lost or wasted.  His hand redeems.

God's hand guides.

God's hand bears a scar.

God's hand loves.

Many years ago Jesus trusted His Father's heart and hand guiding Him to the Cross.  

Today we have that same Father guiding us.

God with us.  Emmanuel.

Lord of lords and King of kings.

Jesus knows what it's like to be alone.

Take His hand.  Keep a hold of it.  Grip it when doubts and fears assail.

His hand bears the scar of a nail piercing, that day, many years ago.

For you.  For me.  Because of His love.

Transformation

Transformation.

March.

Spring.

Transformation takes time.

It's hard to wait,

But wait we must.

Transformation is glorious.

And worth the wait.

I must tell my heart this glorious truth

over and over, again and again.

Change is happening.

Warm will come.

The final transformation

will happen in the 

blink of an eye.

In a moment.

We shall all be changed.

I Corinthians 15:52-53

I can't wait for that final transformation... 

In the meantime, I will wait.  rest.  trust Him as He transforms my heart to be more and more like Him.  II Corinthians 3:17-18

As He again transforms dry, brown, and bareness to be green and flowing with colour once again.

Enjoy today.  For that is all we have.  

In this moment, trust His heart and inhale His love.

Fragrant like the blooming flowers we await to enjoy this spring season.

Love to you, today!

Where Does Your Price Tag Hang?

You may think I will talk about money, not this time.

Life is valuable we say. We tell others.  We believe it for them. Until it comes to ourselves and then we feel worthless.

Why do we feel worthless??
For me, I realize it comes on the heels of a time when I don't feel accepted by another.  Or when my prayer to God goes unanswered for several years.  Or when I 'miss the mark', I mess up.  I realized this morning, that I have hung my worth or value on 'whether or not' according to what happens in a given situation.

Whether or not, my voice is heard.
Whether or not, my idea is taken.
Whether or not, I am noticed and enjoyed.
Whether or not, I get it right.
Whether or not...

We hang our price tag on whether I am accepted by others.
We hang it on whether God hears and answers our heart's cry.

Right now I am struggling not to hang mine on a prayer and heart's cry that seemingly has been unheard.  Bedwetting is a huge issue and struggle in this household.  I have pled, cried, and longed for healing.  But no...

On that basis I have struggled with God and want to say "You don't love me... You don't care" and it struck my heart how I am putting my value tag on whether God heals or not.

He LOVES NO MATTER WHAT!
We ARE VALUABLE NO MATTER WHAT!

In that moment my heart shifted and I paused for a moment to repent and let go.  I found as a result that I could actually hold out my longings to Him without the resentment.  Yes, it still hurt.  Yes, I longed and felt some sadness.  But I also felt peace.  I felt a rest, a release.

For ye are bought with a price:  I Corinthians 6:20a

For ye are of more value than the sparrows,  Matthew 10:31

We have these words from the mouth of Jesus, why are they so hard to believe???  Lord, help my unbelief.

In the same way what we do or don't do is NOT hinged on whether God loves us; so our worth is NOT hinged on whether God answers our desires the way we want or whether another person validates us, or I get it right!

There is nothing wrong with enjoying the feeling of acceptance or even the desire to be enjoyed.  Or having our desires recognized.  It gives us a sense of significance.  But it must not define us.  It does not define us.  Our true significance comes from Jesus and the love He has for us.  When we pin our value or identity on something tangible it will, at some point, change or be lost and then we become angry or disillusioned, etc.

When we pin our value tag on God's love, it doesn't change.  It's a solid foundation.  God has told us that He loves us with an everlasting love. That makes my heart smile.  Ahhhh... do you feel your heart relaxing??

Yes, it hurts when rejection strikes our heart.  Or someone else's idea is preferred above mine.  But you know what?  No one can destroy the love of God for me!!!  Only I can refuse to live into that.  Only I can refuse the gift, and then I will pin my value on something tangible and still be hurt.

Let that pound into your head and heart.  Say it over and over.  Ask the Lord for His Greater Truth to be absorbed and believed.

Take the value tag off of your heart's desire and pin it on the love Jesus has for you, and you just may find your heart shift a bit closer to God and may be able to hold on to your desires without the resentment of unmet longings.

My value is in Him and Him alone.  Your value is in Him and Him alone.
Ahhhh....

Inhale that truth.  Take it in.  Absorb His Truth.  Let it change your heart.


... thanks for 'stopping by' :)  May your day be touched by Him who loves you!