this is what You do. [part 2]

You restore joy. 
[true, everlasting joy]

You dissolve cancer cells into powerless nothingness. 
[do it again]
[and again]
[and again]
[and...]

This is what You do.

You take away headaches and give deep rest.
[this causes dancing in the driveway at work]
  
 You change our countenance.
[it's noticeable]

You wake us up and get us outta bed.
[the snooze button has lost its appeal]

You make us dance and jump around with no reservations.
[it's FUN]

This is what You do.     

You freely extend hope to us...whole cities...nations...all generations...
[receive, receive, receive]
  
You speak to us.
[You have outstanding things to say]

This is what You do.

You love. 
[like, for real love...that changes everything]

You turn hearts back to You.
[not forcibly, but by an indescribable compelling presence]

You dig wells that spring up fountains that never run dry.
[once we drink of what you offer, there's no settling for backwash any longer]
  
This is what You do.

You make life worth living.
[fully]
[now]

and so we wait for the Sons and Daughters.

"And so we wait, and so we wait, for you to come..."
  
A couple weeks ago at Friday Night Worship we were singing "St. Francis". It was written as a song of Hope for San Francisco. It's a genuine cry out for a city to hold on to the promise that God will bring freedom, healing, and restoration to a wounded town.

We have been singing it often on Friday nights and the words have become a prayer for Bemidji. It's awesome.

But while singing it that night, something felt different. 

As we sang, "And so we wait, so we wait, for the sun to shine. And so we wait, so we wait for You to come," God interrupted my singing and said, "You don't have to wait for me. I'm here."

Suddenly, it wasn't us singing those words to God.

We were actually being sung to.

Father God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, and His angel armies were singing those words over us and over Bemidji. They were crying out for the city to not lose hope. 

They were crying out, "And so We wait, and so We wait, for the Sons and Daughters to shine. And so We wait, and so We wait, for you to come."

We are being beckoned. We are being called to come!

Sons and Daughters, come awake! Arise! Walk in Truth of who were created to be! Shine. Shine My glory! For the sake of this city, I burn in you. For the sake of the world, I burn in you. For the sake of the ones who've yet to taste and see, I burn like a fire in you, my Sons and Daughters!

Now is the time to press in and answer the call!

  
This is totally a re-emerging theme from this summer. The following was written June 10, 2011:

My heart is being stirred...it's like something is missing. I'm at worship...and there was a call to move with God. [This word was so right on! Then shortly after that we started singing another song with the words, "I am Yours, I am Your, I am forever Yours." Totally great song...but this is what I sensed the Lord saying back as the words were being sung...] We're singing "I am Yours" and God's like, "Yes, this is Truth! And I love you. But there is a city full of people who don't embrace this yet. And I am wanting to use YOU to bring light, truth and revival..are you going to stay in your safe zone or step out onto the water? Don't just talk about it!
You cry out for me [God] to move. I'm moving! I'm crying out for the same for my people." 
The Holy Spirit is urging us, "Come on, Holy people!" 
"All the things you pray for me to do...to move...to sweep across this city...to transform lives...to see revival...You are the answers to your own prayers, my people! When I said to ask the Lord of the harvest to send out more workers in the fields as the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few, what happened next? (Luke 10) I sent the disciples out in my authority.
They didn't just pray for it. They didn't just talk about it it. They want. They moved.

Shortly after this was written, some of us started to spend a lot of time downtown. We met a lot of amazing people this summer while we'd worship, hang out and chat with and pray for people as the walked from bar to bar. One night a man named Larry stopped by the corner we were chilling at. Some people prayed with him that night. He started coming to Friday Night Worship and going to church. This fall, he was baptized in Lake Bemidji. Long story short in the midst of those things, God got a hold of his heart and now he's a new man in Christ! Larry's heart is now to see a ripple effect of God's movement in this city.


COME.ON.


He recently shared these words:

hey everyone i was just thinking about life and stuff lol.....and i realized that the best thing that ever happend to me was meeting u all that friday night downtown.. if it was not for that i would not have been saved, i would not have jesus in my life and i would not have great friends like u all..........praise god..i love u all and god bless...

Press into God's presence. Grow in intimacy with Him and you will shine His glory. People are waiting all over this city. Downtown. In your neighborhood. At your job. When you're in the grocery store. When you're buying stamps at the post office. When you're grabbing a burger at McDonalds. Or sipping coffee at The Cabin. 

Every day, no matter where you're at, ask God what He's doing and move alongside Him. And see what kind of crazy-awesome, powerful things happen.

Then release the testimony and do it again... 

Arise, Sons and Daughters! LET'S GO.

this is what You do.

You invite me to run through the rain until I'm drenched.

You make me laugh...super hard.

You heal me.

You pull me up off the ground to stand in the greatest strength I have ever known.
You compel me to dance so much that I'm sore the next morning.
You make me love.

You make me smile...lots.

You cause me to fall to my knees in awe.

You catch my tears.

You make me tremble in Your power.

You infuse me with joy overflowing.

You cut off death to bring me life.

You call me to the magnificent waterfall.

You name me.

You touch my skin.

You permeate my very being.

You captivate me.

You whisper in my ears until they burn for Your words.

You compel me stay up all night long with You.

You make me shine like the dawn.

You challenge me.

You grow me.

You give me purpose and vision.

You soak me in courage.

You grow my expectancy on the shoreline.

You pursue my heart.

You engage my mind.

You free my soul.

You make me long for You more and more and more and more...

You make me come ALIVE.

shallal.

I feel like making up a new word.
  
One that would perfectly describe the last few days...

Hmmmm....

Malazzical.

Shallal.

Okay, I guess two words.

They both have red, squiggly lines underneath. Spell check clearly doesn't recognize them. Malazzical stumped Google, so I think we're good to go on that one. It's just fun to say.

Fitting.

These last few days have been "fun" but in a new layer and dimension kind of way that extends far beyond what we typically think of as fun...it's fun completely intertwined with big time, legitimate joy. I guess I'll call that kind of intertwined fun and joy "malazzical" for now. Ha!

Okay, about shallal...whoa.

I kid you not, I was just sitting here and those are those two combination of letters are what I typed. I did not sketch out what this blog post was going to look like beforehand. This is just coming out right now...

Something felt different with "shallal". When I Googled it, there actually were some results.

It's a Muslim name meaning, "waterfalls". 

Hmm. WOW.

My "WOW" requires some backdrop.

I wrote a little bit about waterfalls a couple months ago. The theme of water always strikes a chord in me. Specifically in recent months, it's waterfalls and shorelines that get me. Shorelines tend to come up more when it's just me and God spending time together. When others have been speaking and sharing words and images with me while they pray for me, waterfalls have been a part of these words and images definitely more than once in the last few months.

The other day, I went to the Cabin Coffeehouse to read.

As I was driving there, I told myself that if this one particular loveseat was open, I'd stay there and read. But if someone was already sitting there, I really felt like finding another place in town to chill. That loveseat area is totally my favorite spot in the whole place. I've read and journaled there numerous times. To my delight, the spot was wide open.

After sitting there for a couple hours, I started to really notice the artwork all around.

Yes, I was there for a couple of hours before really noticing the specifics of what was around me.

See, when I walk into a room, I don't really see details (generally speaking). I take in the bigger picture and notice themes, colors and the overall "feel" of the space. Unless I'm very, very, very intentional about observing it or it's not hi-lighted for some reason, I typically won't be able to tell you much about the details. True story.

I started to take in more of the details around me and I was enjoying some captivating pictures and painting near the fireplace. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw blue...which is my favorite color. Any shade of blue. I'll take it. This blue was on the painting directly above the loveseat I was sprawled out on. I looked up to my right and there hung a large painting of...shallal...a magnificent waterfall. 

I was sitting right underneath it.

Which is where I feel like I have been dwelling in this new season of life.

I'm either underneath/near a waterfall or I'm hanging out on a shoreline while the waves splash on my feel and I watch mighty waves forming out on the horizon. They are coming soon.

I know I'll have much more to share about this journey with joyfilled, powerful waves and joyfilled, roaring shallal in the days ahead.

Malazzical shallal. I'm claiming that phrase right now.

And I'm expectant. Very, very expectant. 

let it come, let it come, let it come.

I think the answer might be snow.

Umm, okay? Sooo...what's the question?

I'll get there.

First, I gotta say that this summer I acquired a new found love of rain. Now that it started snowing in beautiful Northern Minnesota and winter is truly upon us, I acquired a new found love of snow.
  

This is a strange comment for me.

Summer has always been my best buddy when it comes to seasons. Winter and snow...I don't not like these things. However, my spirit has never had such a response to the snow like it has during the first snowfalls this season.

Something's different this year.

  

And it's snowing again tonight.

Gently.

Powerfully.

Steadily.

When you look up, it seems never ending. Pure, white flakes just keep falling from sky, filling the air and landing on this city. A fresh blanket of snow rests upon the streets. On rooftops. Over fields. It traces the tops of fences and makes it's home on the tops of tree branches.

Everything out in the open has a new covering.

It's awesome.

When I got off work tonight, I spent time outside by the lake simply enjoying the snow. 

I can't help but desire to be surrounded by it. I genuinely want it to fall upon me. I can't stop gazing into it. It's captivating. It carries such peace and hope.

After I got home, I started listening to this song.

  

"What does it sound like when you sing heaven's song? 

What does it feel like when heaven comes down? 

What does it look like when God is all around?

Let it come."

That's the question: What does it look like when God is all around?

What do I think the answer is?

Snow.

I think it looks like snow, at least in part.

Something inside knows it's a lot more than just the snow. But this is one of the tangible ways God is showing me the awesomeness of His presence right now...through the snow.

And it doesn't show signs of stopping.

So let it snow.

Let it come.

Let Your presence come and fall.

Let it be a new covering here.

90° corner back.

I took my drivers test twice in high school.

During my first attempt, the 90 degree corner back got me. My parent's Buick got a little too acquainted with those bright orange cones.  

It wasn't the Buick's fault. Or the cones. The driver just hadn't quite mastered the move yet.  

But as a 15 year old hoping to walk away with my farmer's license that day, I allowed it to be a pretty big bummer. As a 29 year old looking back on it all, it makes me chuckle.  

Especially when I think about an image that God gave me the other day as I thought about all the stretching and growing I am in the midst of right now.  

I saw myself in my car with Jesus and he was teaching me to drive. And guess what we were working on?  

Yep, 90 degree corner backs.

He certainly has a sense of humor, don't you think? 

In this vision, Bertha, my Pontiac, was getting acquainted with those bright orange cones. I wasn't exactly thrilled about it right away.  

Until I realized Jesus wasn't freaking out about it. He wasn't upset with me. He didn't think I was incapable of getting it. He wasn't disappointed. In fact, he was kind of laughing. Not at me. Just at the situation. He was delighted in the whole deal. And he released a whole bunch of grace and joy in the learning process. I lightened up and laughed, too. And kept pressing in and trying.

In life lately, I'm learning how to do 90 degree corner backs. Things with relationships. Confrontation. Stewarding time. Forgiveness. Honor. Leadership...

As I learn, I am hitting some cones. Each time it happens, I'm realizing more and more that I have a choice. I can choose to give attention to the pain and lean into the disappointment of the situation. Or I can choose to press into God, praise Him, and receive healing and courage to keep going.

I'm not suggesting we need to deny the hits and shove them under the rug. But we certainly don't need to glorify and feed them either! The pain of "hitting cones" will happen in life. As Becky said last night, "Put it on your planner!" 

It's what we do when we're faced with the challenges. I think how we react or respond is the true test of revealing in whom or what we're placing our identity.

...phew, that's hitting my heart big time in the last couple of weeks.

It always comes back to identity. Wow. 
    
... this seems like a good pause point ...

Alright, now jump back to my drivers test for a second. If I didn't go back and take the test for the second time in high school, I'd still be getting around on a bike today.
  
I'm not knocking bikes here. But seriously, why ride around on a bike when there is something far greater and more powerful as your inheritance?

If I don't press into these current challenges, before I know it, I'll be 89 and still avoiding the corner backs of life and will have strayed away from my purpose and inheritance.

No thanks! I choose to press in and leave an imprint in my Daddy...

What are your corner backs of life right now? What would it look like for you to press into God and courageously move forward...or backward, that is, if you're doing a corner back.

Friends, I declare right now an outpouring of grace, healing, and courage to take ownership in our lives!

thank·ful [thangk-fuhl]

Tonight, I choose thankfulness.
     
It's been a week of living in tensions. Fighting to remind myself of the truth of who I am. Sifting through many thoughts and emotions with Dad. I sense so much rising up in me. New revelations. Healing. Destiny. It's gotta break soon. Until then, I press into Him and choose to remain thankful. Praise and thanksgiving alter the condition of our spirit and our atmosphere.
       
So, tonight, I declare my gratitude for...
      
::time today to rest and be still in God's presence.
::spending time with friends I haven't seen for awhile.
::sleeping in.
::a new winter hat. Let the winter hat wearing commence.
::a Daddy who catches our tears and draws in near to His children.
::Branch Court.
::my family. I miss them so very much.
::going deeper.
::(I can't believe I'm saying this) but the snow. It's a quiet night as I look out my bedroom window and see it accumulating on the grass and on the porch. It's peaceful.
::the fact that "elf yourself" is back. If you know what elf yourself is, you are probably thankful as well.
::unexpected provisions.
::cozy coffeeshops and hot chocolate.
::journals.
::ibethel.tv
::the city of Bemidji.
::psalms.
::Bemidji Area School of Transformation.
::new life. (A friend is in labor right now...they will be welcoming to the world a precious little one soon!)
::healing.
::discovering new music.
::words of encouragement.
::friendship.
::the way all this makes me smile.