I heard this song for the first time yesterday and haven’t been able to stop listening. There is so much truth in the words of this song. God is our healer, refuge, fortress, and strength.
Lifting my hands to believe again. I hope you enjoy the song.
What is your favorite worship song?
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyYWWKJt-Hs&feature=autoplay&list=PL665C59FFE17C5182&index=28&playnext=7]
Ten months ago I met this bamboo plant for the first time. That very same day I met Leah. They both have an interesting story.
Let’s start with “Bamboo”. When the plant made it’s home on the breakfast table in the nook of the Table Rock Freedom Center, it was just an ordinary plant. It was a bit dry, needed some attention, but it had a lot of potential. It was setting in a perfect place for the sun to give it life.
Now there’s Leah. There was an emptiness about her, she needed some attention, but she had so much potential. She was sitting in the perfect place for the son to give her life.
Today I sit back in admiration, both at the flourishing bamboo plant and Leah. God has done a mighty work in both of them. There were days the leaves of the plant turned brown, but she offered it nourishment. There were days Leah wasn’t sure if she had the strength to endure anymore hardships, but through prayer and spiritual nourishment the branches of her trees continued to bloom.
When you walk into the kitchen, “Bamboo” is one the first things you see. It has gotten so tall in the last few months. It
brings so much color to the room.
When you walk into any room that Leah’s in, you see Jesus in her. You see a beautiful woman who is no longer tied to her addiction. You see life. You see colors. You see love.
The Bamboo plant symbolizes luck and success because of its ability to grow quickly, strength and resilience. I don’t know about the whole “luck” thing. We are creations in Christ Jesus, we don’t need luck. But I completely believe in its resilience and strength – not just in the plant, but in Leah as well.
It is my honor to call her friend. The last ten months of walking by her side and seeing the transformation of Jesus in her fills my heart with joy.
Never forget the potential God has created for you. It’s up to you to go out and get it!
In his book DNA of Relationships, Garry Smalley says, “Behind every all we find a person who feels unsafe. That person doesn’t want to stay closed and offended, but because the environment feels unsafe, he or she builds the wall for protection and self-preservation.” What do your walls look like?
I know this woman who has not only built four walls around her heart, she has created a fortress. Behind that fortress is a little girl who has felt too unsafe to come out. For over twenty years that little girl has been me.
For a while now two of her most popular games have been hide-and-go-seek and peek-a-boo. She slowly moves her head out from behind the wall. Here eyes move left to right. It looks clear. She eases one foot out. It appears safe to come out.
I see a small glimpse of her. I had forgotten what she looked like. I watch her as she tip toes very cautiously. Her fingers slide across the bricks as she hesitantly lets go. Then she hears a voice. “Come to me.” It sounds so calming and deep. She’s never heard anything like it. She smiles and waits to hear again.
“You don’t belong! Give up now!” That’s not the same angelic voice she heard moments ago. It’s loud and harsh and sounds so familiar. Could it be her own voice? Where does she go? What does she do? Run! Run! She jets toward the wall and hides again. I so desperately want her to come back. I want to see her again. I want to tell her she is safe. I want to hear her laugh. I want to dry her tears.
Days come and go and I see no trace of her. Wait, there she is. I watch her try again. Her steps increase. She holds her head higher. But then she runs again. Each time, however, she walks a little further. I watch her as she begins to recognize that wretched voice telling her she doesn’t belong. It is hers! It’s her voice, filled with lies that have haunted her for what seems like forever. She finds herself confused. Can she face that voice or will her fears send her back to the fortress?
She’s been hiding for so long. I’m starting to recognize her more. I’m starting to enjoy her beauty. I can find myself loving her. I begin to see her in a new light – God’s light. Why? Bricks are missing. The walls around her are crumbling. The fortress is slowly tumbling to the ground. She can breathe. She’s finally breathing fresh air.
Today I find myself wanting to grab her hand and snatch her out of that dark place she’s been hiding. But I can’t. She must feel safe first. This time I must protect her the right way.
I have been a master architect. I have built walls with the heaviest bricks. I have made sure no crack existed in those walls. My design was perfect; so I thought. I was wrong. I didn’t’ include an escape plan. My masterpiece is being torn down. My work of art, twenty years in the making will soon be nothing! Praise God! The fortress I have built has never protected – it’s only harmed. Inside those walls has lived a helpless little girl, crying out. I couldn’t hear her cries. I didn’t want to hear her cries. Each time a tear would start to fall I added another brick.
You’ll be happy to know she’s finally flourishing. She’s a work in progress, but she’s finally being se free. Around my heart lays a mess full of concrete. But someday it will be swept away. Someday I will grab that little girl by the hand and we will walk as one. Someday.
Stay tuned…………it’s gonna be BIG!
I feel so grateful to be holding my head up and writing this blog today. For the past four days that hasn’t been the case. I’ve spent the weekend in and out of the ER, with doctors telling me they had no diagnosis. Finally, I’m on the right path to wellness.
I’m making a list of things to be grateful for, despite what’s happened to me in the past week.
I was visiting a friend yesterday and we decided to put together one of her wedding presents, an AeroGarden Space Saver 6. For any of you that have never seen or heard of one, they’re pretty amazing. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous.
How does it work? It uses a unique method of hydroponics called Aeroponics that allow the plants to grow significantly faster.
As we began assembly, I began to think about my faith. What if it could grow as fast as the herbs in this garden could? What if in 5-7 days my faith could be as beautiful and green as the parsley will be? If only it was that easy.