Tag Archives: Journey

By Another Way…

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By Another Way…

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Another sign the Wise Men saw and followed was advice given through a dream.

To Go Another Way…

Perhaps the Wise Men after finding Him who their heart desired would have wanted to stay and continue to offer praise and homage, but they had responsibility to get back to.

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How easy it would have been to go back the path they had forged in the coming…

But we can never go back to the familiar, the old way, after meeting Christ.

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Our lives become the Other Way..

always new…exploring new territory…unkown to us whilst living in and of the world.

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My Lord, may we be given the grace to see the signs and follow the direction you ask us to take, always docile to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in whatever way they may come.  Heal us of any fear in pressing forward on the “other way” which is the new way, deeper in communion with You. Amen

Signs Seen and Followed…

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The Sign of a Star…

Led Wise Men to search for a King.

To Leave behind their ways of the world…their parts of the world…

Onwards on their search.

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Not the pretty picture of a pristine desert with camels carrying gifts and kings all in a neat tidy row.

The truth of the journey?

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Arduous..an exertion of will…across countryside of no roads or modern conveniences…extended travels far from the familiar…hopes mixed with doubts…

Where will this journey take us?

We are all “Wise Men” enroute in this life to find the True King, the True Ruler of our Hearts so that we may offer Him praise and homage with our lives.

For to offer true worship to Him who is our Creator, is sewn deeply within the fabric of who we are.

These Wise Men saw a sign that splashed light on their journey from the world to Christ.

What signs are in our lives?

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Are we following the signs that lead us to be people of praise and thanksgiving?

“Wise Men and Women” may we be given the grace to see the signs He leaves us daily and the courage and the perseverance to follow them home to Him.

“Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; The rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country a broad valley.  Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all mankind shall see it together.” Is 40:4-5

Mission Impossible?….Not At All!

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“God has created me to do Him some definite service:  He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another.  I have my mission – I may never know it in this life, but I will be told it in the next. “

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“I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons.  He has not created me for naught.  I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it –if I do but keep His commandments.  Therefore I shall trust Him,  Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away.  If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him.  If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him.  He does nothing in vain.  He knows what He is about.  He may take away my friends.  He may throw me among strangers.  He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me — still He knows what He is about. ”  Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

“Lord you have probed me,  you know me:  you know when I sit and stand; you understand my thoughts from afar.  My travels and my rest you mark;  with all my ways you are familiar.  Even before a word is on my tongue, Lord, you  know it all.  Behind and before you encircle me and rest your hand upon me.  Such knowledge is beyond me, far too lofty for me to reach.” Ps 139:1-6

May you walk in your mission this day….grounded in the love of God.

My readers…you are in my prayers, fromtheheartof j

fromtheheartofj

 

One Step at a Time….

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Baby stands holding side of table.  Mama gently calls, “Baby, come to Mama.”

She extends her hands and Baby slowly takes one step.

Mama smiles and with arms still outstretched steps backward just a bit and gently calls, “Baby come to Mama.”

littlebabysteps.ca

Awkwardly Baby takes another step reaching out to Mama’s hand.

A third time Mama extends her hands, backs up and gently calls, “Baby, come to Mama.”

Baby takes one more step and begins to fall but ….

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Mama embraces her smiling and together they rejoice.

One step at a time…

God gently calls our name, extends His hands and says, “Come to me.”

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 As we steady our feet we see His outstretched hand and hear His gentle call,

“Beloved, come to me.”

Hesitantly we take a step tottering as we go.

A third time we hear His voice, “My friend, come to me.”

As we take a step we begin to stumble.

And His arms surround us and pull us into His powerful embrace.

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 Whispering to our soul His words of love.

One step at a time…The Lord encourages us.

One step at a time…The Lord calls our name.

One step at a time..His arms outstretched.

One step at a time…He catches us when we fall.

One step at a time…He fills our hearts with the truth of His love.

One step at a time….He is forever near.

“Which of you would hand his son a stone when he asks for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asks for a fish? If you then, who are wicked,  know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.” Matthew 7: 9-11

Head, Heart, Hands, Feet…

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May your HEAD know the truth of His Love…

May your HEART beat with the vibrancy of His Love…

May your HANDS reach out in compassion with His Love…

May your FEET carry His Love into the love sick world.

Through Him, With Him, In Him….

LIVE + JESUS

“Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.  Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love…No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us. ” 1 John 4:7-8, 12

Winged living….

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The caterpillar grows, then hides itself within the confines of silken thread.

In the darkness of the cocoon a metamorphosis takes place.

Chemically disassembled and reconstructed.

New life begins to burst forth…

Fluid pumped from body into crumpled wings…

Beating against the cocoon to dry off.

Kicking, pushing away the silken threads of the old existence.

If one could watch, the process of “coming to be” painful to watch…

seems almost the struggle of death.

If one were to take pity and alleviate the struggle to become

by ever so carefully cutting open the cocoon.

The emerging butterfly would quickly die.

Without the struggle ….the butterfly is unable to dry its wings.

You see the butterfly needs the struggle…

It is part of the becoming.

If you take away the struggle, you take away life…you take away becoming the beauty meant to be….you take away the metamorphosis.

Give thanks for the struggle.  Your Heavenly Father loves you so much He is drawing you to Him.  And in the drawing you are becoming something new, beautiful, with wings to fly.

“People do not put new wine into old wineskins.  Otherwise the the skins burst, the wine spills out and the skins are ruined.  rather they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.” Matt 9:17

Life is not a flat line….

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Life is full of ups and downs….

Mountain tops to valleys…

Flying high….to flat on our face

Quickened heart beat when we run…

Slower beat when we rest.

Fast breathing in a hurry…

Peaceful breathing when we sleep.

Yes, Life is full of ups and downs.

Our hearts tell this story.

Our hearts live this story.

Sometimes we wish the ups and downs didn’t have to happen.

That life could be even keel….perfectly balanced.

But, ups and down….such is the way of life.

Ups and downs….such IS life.

For we all know that a flat line announces death.

“The God of all grace who called you to His eternal glory through Christ Jesus will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you after you have suffered a little. ” 1 Reter 5:10

Suitcases…

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What’s in your suitcase?

Regrets about the past, Anxiety about the future, To- do lists for the present?

Fear, Anger, Unforgiveness, Sadness, Apathy, Disappointments?

Cast away dreams, Broken promises, I can’ts and No’s?

The burdens in our suitcases tempt us to look for shortcuts.

Or to avoid big hills, rocky ground, and people.

Hands occupied, no longer able to lift heavenward in thanksgiving.

Eyes cast downward, backs aching from the strain.

If traveling to a foreign land, wouldn’t you enlist a guide?

There would be no fear in the capable hands of the one who knows the way.

The Heavenly Father is guiding us on this journey of the  heart.

Walk toward the dawn. Home is ahead.

Check your luggage. You don’t need it. It will only weigh you down.

Leave it at the foot of the cross.

Your Father will provide.

Trust in Him. Do not fear.

“He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic” Luke 9:3

Let my YES wear combat boots…..

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Combat Boots

YES…three letters that can so quickly spring forth from our mouths. But what happens between the saying and the doing? Between the head and the heart? All kinds of distractions…and busy-ness…and second thoughts….and forgetfulness…and etc, etc etc. I want my YES to MOVE….yes MOVE, I want my YES  to wear combat boots, stomping through all the mush of my brokenness that shows forth through the dragging of feet. I’m not interested in going through life with stiletto heels that get stuck in the mud and slow down the pace. Today I say boldly, “Let me lace up the combat boots. May the YESes of my heart march forward!” Am I ready to truly walk this walk of RECEIVE, BELIEVE, ADORE?