When the Holy Spirit Gives a Heads Up

    I never imagined that eight words from a loved one could pierce my heart like a sword. The eight words were said, with the last one carrying a majority of the weight. This sentence is one that I will not repeat at any point in this post. In all honesty, in a certain sense, the message that was the sum of the eight words  came at no surprise to my shattering heart. The message that was conveyed verbally was one that the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to. The Holy Spirit had given me a heads up. Since January the Lord had been putting this loved one on my heart, specifically to be in prayer for and to be in prayer over a future conversation. The Holy Spirit also whispered a little bit about where my loved one's heart was, where their focus was several weeks before we had the conversation.
    The word says, "For God is not a God of disorder but of peace," in 1st Corinthians 14:33. God had already been preparing my heart and my spirit for what was to come and this gave me great peace.
     This is one of the most remarkable lessons and moments that I have had with God. Its amazing to reflect on the fact that He had been speaking to my heart five months prior to the difficult conversation I had with this loved one. He had put prayers in my heart that He answered five months later and that truly impacted the way that He was healed me through the aftermath of the conversation. And through these events I have been encouraged and challenged. I believe that one of the reasons that the Holy Spirit gives us a heads up is so that we can be in prayer over a person, or an event, a situation, a pain, a heart....whatever it may be. I believe with all of my heart that the Holy Spirit often gives us a heads up so that we can turn to the Father and press in through prayer.

Giving Christ the Key

     Jesus pursues us. He pursues his those who believe and follow Him and those that do not. 
    He wants to and can use the pain, brokenness, tarnished, hurtful, and joyful parts of our lives that we've hidden deep withing our hearts. In Romans 8:28 the word says: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." He wants to use all things for good! This is amazing! Not one part of my broken past will He not use for good, it all has a purpose!
    I have lots of pain and brokenness that God has healed and mended me of and a lot more to bring to His feet.
    I know that events and circumstances in my life God can use to bring others closer to Him. I don't want to stuff even the areas of my life He is healing away in my heart, locked up, and throw away the key. I want to give Jesus the key to my heart that He may in turn come into the broken places, heal me, and embrace me so that I can in turn share what He has done in me. I know that what He has done in me, He can also do in you! In giving Jesus access to my heart I can begin living more with A Fully Committed Heart.
     Is there an area of your life that you could give Christ the key to?

Lesson From a Five Year Old Beauty

    She had both feet on the first step with her little toes hanging, yet hugging the edge of the first step. On her ankles the water and chlorine mix of the pool touched her tan skin. The air was warm and the sun shining down on her small frame. The five year old beauty stood facing ahead, her gaze fixed before her. Her sweet yet gentle shriek left others surrounding her assured that she was excited, a little nervous, yet completely safe. She was safe and she knew it. She stood with outstretched arms toward her place of refuge. Her father stood at the bottom of the the pool with outstretched arms, his words beckoning her softly. She jumped into His arms because she knew she would be safe.
    Maybe in the weeks to come Jesus is beckoning you into a new season with Him. Maybe in the next few weeks He wants you to just jump into His arms and find a refuge in Him in a way that you never have before.