we are the branches

"Every branch tells a story, whispers of memories, of lives come and gone, leaves of heart ache, storms of doubt, roots clung tight traveling through time, digging deeper only to stand taller..."

Hold on to truth, what you know to be true

I am learning, that it is in isolation when we usually start to believe the thoughts we were meant to reject. Thoughts of cynicism, doubt, fear, insecurity. 
Thoughts that get filtered more easily, when surrounded by life giving people, reminding us of truth through words and example. 

And as the sun remains high in the sky, day in day out, giving us heat and light all the way onto our little Earth, so does God remain day to day, warming out hearts and revealing His presence. 
There are seasons, within seasons. Today might be good, tomorrow perhaps unsure? But the Son never stops burning forth light, warmth, love. 
Reaching into our very own individual lives, understanding beyond, beyond, through having experienced it with us long before...

Giving us, anew, life
But fuller
Wherever I look, there He is

our present past

What is a memory? How can we understand, experience, express and live aware of God's presence better?

If a memory is a past present... Then maybe Jesus' presence can be seen as our present past, His memory with us always... but in a present tense, because He is with us still. Not at all meaning to undermine the presence of the Holy Spirit or to minimise Jesus and His authority into a mere memory. However, if it makes it easier and helps us to accept what it means to be aware of His presence, then I think we are allowed to play with the idea; to live with the memory of who we know Him to be, awareness of who we remember Him to be, from past personal stories, past revelations, stories of the Bible, past 'good times'... into today. A present memory.

An example would be, "I may feel like this situation is unfair, but then I remember Jesus' situation was even more unfair but He kept on loving - willingly. So I try to continue to love, and thus the memory of Jesus becomes present in my reality" His memory becomes present tense as we live with this awareness that the Jesus of the Bible days, is the Jesus we try to live out to others. 

The Jesus we love and represent is closer than we sometimes think or feel. Our mind and memory has greater power than we realise, to bring into our personal reality God's presence in our every day.

amateur at love

If you've never been in love, and are still waiting for that one who will cause your heart to open as well as to grow strong. Can I tell you that its worth more than you know, to wait and choose wisely... 

I think we can all agree, that whats the fastest option isn't always the best. Whats the easiest choice isn't always right. It's interesting how we all try and avoid hard decisions as best possible, and reflect on difficulty as being so absurd and not how it should be. When so often the best decisions were made in the hardest times. Don't avoid difficulty by making rash steps in what seems to be easiest or most natural at the time.

Also, what you think you want or need, is definitely not always who is right for you. 

Take time to get to know a person. Because who you think someone is however well you know them, is most definitely not ALL they are. And though you'll spend your life getting to know someone, I think there is a level of knowing you can achieve that is enough to help you live at peace with your decision. Don't make that choice out of force, ignorance, or guilt. Take the time you both need. 

And last of all, it is definitely a great idea to get a sense of God's approval. I don't think He necessarily always tells you the answer. Though, I do think that when it comes to making these BIG decisions, He certainly (as always) cares most about you than anyone else and will do everything to help you on the journey. So yes, ask God for peace and direction, but don't wait forever for a yes or no because whoever it is you will spend the rest of your life with, it must be your choice too. Popular belief tells us that there will be hard times, and when they come, we shouldn't feel like we have the right to blame God for something we chose ourselves. But we can trust that just like all the other times He guided us and was there for us, so He always will be. As long as we place our hope in Him, and as long as our desires are His, our choices whether right or wrong, will never tear us away from His love or the life we can have in Him. 

Wait for the one you feel you can commit to choosing everyday. 

But also, take time to really "get to know" people

before you dismiss them or give in to them. 

What do you think? 

P.S. I love Jason Lessels

I also love Messina

This is not a hint 

It's just a random fact 

Emmanuel

In the silence, He speaks

Through the silence, He speaks

When our hearts are still and our minds at rest, He speaks and reminds us of His beauty, grace, and strength.

Patience ever lingering, unceasing, waiting for our choices to be Him. 

At times the silence carries more weight and worth than words.

It is often through silence that we gain and absorb what is 

revealed to us in the most peculiar places.

In silence we can hear the sighs of our hearts and are reminded that our very breath comes from God alone.

If you feel like you haven't heard Him in a while, my hope and trust is that He is surely whispering, "I'm here". His very presence is just that, here with us. 

Emmanuel. 

breaking point

What if when we met people, all we saw was their heart, how would that change the way we relate to those we pass by everyday. How different would the world look?

… breaking point

not sure how to keep going

the days seem to be taking longer

time feels like its irrelevant

winter are you coming or going?

there is no more reason, yet there is every reason

how to stay, when nothings changed in so long

You are so close, yet I'm out of reach

aware of You near, though I admit I ignore You still

sometimes it feels easier to turn away

my face goes numb, my heart grows still

I'd crumble if I heard You say my name

I've tried to give up, but my heart is caught

I can't walk away, I have no where else to go,

but I don't know how to stay anymore

I'm stuck

rolling down a hill, 

people passing by

no one looks up, I'm not wearing the right frame of expectation

wherever I turn, oblivion

I close my eyes  to find I'm still not alone

but I'm not ready to acknowledge that You were there all along

that part must still be coming, 

this story cant be done… 

I ask myself, does my life scream my heart's ache, or does this life scream into my heart? 

I can't answer that right now, but as long as my heart aches for love, freedom and justice…

I'll stay

Obedience of Creation

Relentless is a word we are using a lot these days.

Though its meaning is not necessarily beautifully packaged, with it's harsh connotation. But strangely I kind of like the thought of God's love being a bit "messy", even more so than if it was all sweet and manicured all the time. It gives the impression that His love is strong, it is deep, it is extreme, it is hooked from within, it is constant, it can be inconvenient, it is confronting, but it is necessary. We need it, He knows it, and He won't deny its existence. He Loves us.  

Feel the warmth of the sun. Like the fierceness of God's love. 

We stand amazed at man-made wonders, like the pyramids in Giza and how on earth they got stacked on. Don't get me wrong, it is something to behold! Yet not at the expense of disregarding God's workmanship, which includes PEOPLE. We so easily forget that at His Word and by His voice planets swung into place, mountains emerged from the ground and oceans erupted out of the drains of the earth.

Just listen to the sounds of the waves crashing against the rocks. Beware the sharpness of thunder following the whip of lighting in the sky. Hear the sweet chirping of the birds or the soft meow of a kitten. All these come from His imagination, from His command. Everything we have, everything we create, comes firstly from His hand. We can't bring what we don't have, but out of the "nothingness" He brought forth. It came from within Him. He didn't need something to start something. Everything He has created was in Him. Not like a magician doing magic tricks we can't figure out, but rather like a King who encompasses sovereignty and authority. Out of His Word the earth and universe came forth like obedience to His call… 

where love resides

Who is allowed inside your heart? 

Who has the ability to cause you great pain as well as great joy? 

Have you ever abandoned your own heart? 

Have you ever given up on whats important to you? 

Have you forgotten what it is to believe and to hope? 

To anticipate something wonderful, to wait for something life changing, to trust in a promise given? 

Have you ever deafened your thoughts in sound waves of music? 

Have you ever numbed your fears and feelings to that mute setting in your brain? 

Have you ever cried unexpectedly in the most inconvenient of moments?

Have you ever been told you had a choice, but felt like it didn't apply to you? 

Have you ever felt trapped in the intensity of your own mind?  

Have you ever dismissed what's good in your life to highlight what seems to be wrong? 

Have you ever wanted to dance but have no rhythm? 

Have you ever embarrassed yourself in the presence of no one? 

Have you ever laughed uncontrollably, while everyone else seems to have missed the funny? 

Have you ever been misunderstood? 

Have you ever allowed someone to love you unconditionally? 

Have you ever looked in the mirror and liked what you saw? 

Has a stranger ever smiled at you? 

Have you ever said something you didn't mean?

Do you say thank you when someone compliments you? 

Have you ever reserved negative judgment on someone you barely know? 

Have you ever forgotten to tell someone you liked their top, that they looked pretty, that they have an amazing voice, that they have a great smile, or that you were thinking of them? 

Has anyone ever told you exactly what you were thinking? 

Have you ever had shivers listening to a song? 

Have you ever nearly fallen asleep in a crowded and loud place? 

Have you heard the laugh of everyone you love? 

Have you ever read a book more than once?

Have you ever been wrong and admitted to it? 

Do you find it hard to say sorry? 

Have you ever told a lie? 

Have you ever cried yourself to sleep? 

Have you ever heard something your whole life, but now it finally makes sense? 

Have you ever had a great idea, and then completely forgot what it was? 

Have you ever felt the enormity and fierceness of the Eternal One's unreserved love towards you and then within a day felt completely alone? 

Have you ever had a coincidence that changed the course of your life? 

Do you have people in your world that you couldn't live without? 

Have you ever chosen to love when all you could feel was hate?

Have you ever had any regrets? 

Do you live with a sense of purpose?

Are you different now then you were a year ago?  

Have you ever wondered where love came from?

I believe the heart is eternal

Take care of yours and others

Bring meaning to your life by embracing it, allowing yourself to really feel and express love 

Choose to love even when you don't want to, and never stop believing or hoping even when you don't understand why. 

Love can change lives.

So can a smile.