know how to live

have you ever baked banana bread? or scones? any baked good?!

baking requires exact measurements for it to come out great, so using a recipe is wise if you want a moist bread or gooey cookies.

in a recipe, there is an ingredient list complete with measurements for each ingredient, and a numbered list of directions of what to do when with those exact measurements, including the number to preheat the oven to & the amount of minutes to put the tray in the oven for. it’s all there.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”

Psalms 23:1

when the Lord is our shepherd, we shall not want. we lack nothing. there is nothing missing. though it can feel like we lack, the truth is we have everything.

so, what is the recipe in your life? you already have every ingredient available in the Holy Spirit, but what is the *how* and the *when*  in applying what God has given you? what do we do with what God gave us & how do we do it?

God wants to give each of His children their recipe. the Bible says to ask for wisdom.

“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all without hesitation and without reproach; and it will be given to him.”

James 1:5 TLV

ask God for your recipe.

He’s given you EVERYTHING. now you must partner with Him to produce fruit. like a recipe, ask for the directions. ask to know what to do with what you’re given!

God longs for His kids to pursue Him.

our instructions from the Lord can differ season to season, but just ask Him, right now, what to do when.

God wants to give you instruction.

just receive.

Matthew 11:29 says—to be taught by God. God The Giver, The Maker, The Author, The Creator! just come to Him, cleave, be with Him, Enjoy His Presence. He’ll do the rest.

infinite / finite \ infinite

my elbows & thought balloons, my cell smiles & hair slides, every heart flicker & each blink—they all fit inside Your palm.

so there they’ll stay—every piece of me.

& as You eclipse my mondays & decembers, i’m fine to be found in You. my little bits contained in Your eternal embrace.

Infinite Friend, You know no end.

i want to lose my drops in Your endless ocean!

teach me to stay in Your hug.

the unknowing

going forward in God is a lot like a squirrel with hundreds of hidden nuts. the closer you get to God, the more quiet you become, the more you live in the secret place, He whispers things to you & you no longer feel the need to tell another human, instead you hide it in your heart.

 there are things we think we know. but really we need to unknow what we think we know, so we can actually know. anything we think we know, we do not. & until we’re willing to admit & recognize we don’t know, we can’t receive a thing. but when our eyes are opened to see we know nothing, then we can begin to truly receive.

 what do you have that you did not receive? 1 Corinthians 4:7

go be His, Rest. know you are loved & let that love fill you to full.

 stars sparkle & shine in sync with Jesus. we’re called to shine too, but this light comes from being, not trying. rest & receive. then you will become, in Him.

know Abba. get undressed, take off, drop everything you were never given, so you can receive true knowledge.

bless, reflect the sunrise & live like light Himself dwells inside you

go, become in Him

this, is life. to know God.

but first we need to l o s e all we claim to know, all we think we have, so we can gain true. become in Him by submitting to Him & you will never lack, never fear, never be the same again. do you want strange, new, different? are you tired of thinking you know? then just fall down, where you are, & let Him strip you of gunk, so you can receive grace. it’s all gift!

this is what we need—to lose ourselves in Someone who desires to consume us completely like a fire, a fire of love. let Him have you.

 what do we have that we have not received?

every thought a step

our brains contain roads, thoughts the feet patterns. the more you walk down a road by thinking that thought, the more cemented, used, familiar, real that road becomes.

the neat thing is our roads can change.

“do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2

what a gift! to think new thoughts and pioneer new paths!

the more we think those different thoughts, the easier it will be to believe them. it might feel strange or difficult at first to believe new pathways of thinking. but that’s just because the old feels familiar. you’ve been in that before mindset your whole life! the reality is you’re a new creation in Christ. now for our minds to catch up to truth!!

what a gift—to think new thoughts. what an opportunity, to be changed by them! yes Lord! help our minds change. help us align our brains with You, by grace.

“set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

Colossians 3:2

our brains are created to think happy thoughts!

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

find one happy thought! hold onto it. then simply find your next happy thought. adopt an attitude of gratitude. because the truth is you are loved. the truth is you are enough in Him. the truth is Jesus! so fall down & be loved. be found where you are. & by His grace, may your mind catch up! 🩷

seek Father

Light up cave—lantern burn

No

Salt air whips hair as I sail

Churning waves—eyes set on quest

No

Rocket to stars, singing in weightless velvet

No

Wood waiting, roots hiding

Sunlight sifts through

Canopy maze

Shadows waltz, a content quiet

A heavenly soup

Here?

A whisper—yes.

Pause—rest.

Be a moment, as love overcomes.

Seek God!

He promises—

 if we seek Him, we Will find Him!!

 Happy are those who keep his decrees and seek him with all their heart

Psalms 119:2

“You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:13

Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice spoke

1 Kings 19:11-13

Seek & you WILL find! Can it really be true? Can it be that simple? That good? Did you hear?! We can Find God! He’s Available to us!!! Not aloof, not impossible to know. But Here. Now. With us. Take a deep breath, & WOW!!! Let it sink in. Sit in the love.

It  is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.”

Proverbs 25:2

God wants us to look for Him like He’s looked for us! His mad, relentless pursuit of us—choosing to come to earth in infant & die to forgive us—(what love is this!) chases us over hilltop & mountain side, up creek & down river, around our excuses & excusing our sin in Him. We’re forgiven so we can fear Him through humble obedience. Do you see? Then be filled with Him & live differently.

“There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment. He was a devout man and feared God along with his whole household. He did many charitable deeds for the Jewish people and always prayed to God. About three in the afternoon he distinctly saw in a vision an angel of God who came in and said to him, “Cornelius.” Staring at him in awe, he said, “What is it, Lord?” The angel told him, “Your prayers and your acts of charity have ascended as a memorial offering before God.”

Acts 10:1-4

Seek God through obeying Him. No act of obedience is ever in vain. God sees. God hears! God rewards those who seek Him!!

“Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

Hebrews 11:6

Trust God. Rest. Look. FIND. Be found. Fall down. Be. Repeat!

fill this mold with jell-o!

Your Fire tickles my toes, flames lick each tip, lighting me to dance

don’t stop telling me secrets—whisper it all

I want to Know—the  flowers’ dress sizes the stars’  names & where the wooly mammoths used to find You in the morning. I want to know what the volcanoes know, and where is the rain stored? I want to know. I want to know You More. come close, I can’t breathe without You. everything else is mannequin mirage, crumbs & vapour, coming to nothing. The earth waits, for You. so make me pregnant—expectant of You. like Moses met with You, FACE to FACE — I want FULL communion! I can’t unsee You, i’m wrecked for anything anyone else But You. I’ve met the most beautiful One ever& now Only You will do. You Sparkle You outdress everything else. nothing here comes close, nothing even brushes the surface of Your glory! I wanna be Your house, live here, move in, tear down all the walls & barriers (especially the kitchen island) renovate, flip, wreck, remove even the memory of before. Eclipse it all Lord. break this house! though I feel so inadequate, You whisper: I can work with this. SO go to work! Demolition!! like an HGTV house flip, let the end result be so far from the beginning that people wonder. make me so beautiful, new, & different that only You can get the credit. I Love You God & I just want MORE!!! come here! Come Near! do not be far! when You renovate my house, can You build a dance floor first? when You fix my insides to be Your home, please, make a space for this, because all I wanna do is slow dance with You—the rest of my life until time expires & eternity.

Your Fire tickles my toes, flames lick each tip, lighting me

to dance

field to french toast

eggy & sweet, spongy & tasty to eat—french toast breakfast delicacy delivers cinnamon-y & syrup-y goodness!

from flour milled to bread baked, French toast requires time, care, & work, to eventually produce this delightful morning time sweet—a process!

like cooking French toast, our lives are process. we don’t wake up to insta-sweetness. we wade through grief. we battle sickness or even the fight to believe. but when we submit to Jesus, trusting His process, we will find goodness in the end. it won’t always be sweet in the moment, but we can look ahead to the glorious, good ending, & be encouraged.

french toast starts with bread.

bread starts with flour.

flour starts with grains, seeds or roots.

making flour is a process. wheat flour comes from wheat berry undergoing cleaning, soaking, separating, milling, sifting, maturing & packaging.

like the flour creating process, the book of Ruth in the Bible contains some great wisdom concerning waiting, trusting, & being in God’s will & timing. when Naomi returned to her homeland, with no husband & no sons, she was so devestated that she changed her name to Mara, meaning bitter. what if the story stopped there? her debilitating grief would have been a tragic ending. maybe in the moment, that was all she saw. but it was not the end.

it was the middle.

you are in the middle. it could feel like the end. it could feel like life will never get better. but when we surrender & put our trust in Jesus, the best is yet to come.

what if we stopped when french toast was flour dust? would that taste very good? yuck, how bitter! wait, keep going. it gets sweeter.

once flour is made, it needs a person to purchase it.

then, the next step is baking bread.

baking bread involves gathering ingredients, adding proper amounts of flour & its friends, kneading, rising, waiting, shaping, rising again, preheating, baking, cooling. another process.

remember Naomi? her life seemed hopeless, but wait. watch. she may have felt it was over but it was not done yet. her daughter in law began to glean. her daughter in law went to the threshing floor of Boaz, Kinsman Redeemer. there was yet story to tell.

if there’s breath in your lungs, God’s not done. it’s not done yet!

once bread is baked, we need to make French toast!

step one: wait. french toast tastes best with stale bread! so wait for that bread to become stale. wait. i’ll say that again—part of the process is waiting!

Naomi, after quite the rollercoaster, eventually became the grandmother of Obed—one of the descendants of Christ! her waiting was worth it. & yours will be, too!

next in french toast saga: beat a bowl of eggs till the yolks are broken & blended, & be broken yourself, open & humble. add cinnamon. milk. vanilla. then soak the stale bread. soak, rest, be. fry the bread, both sides, till it becomes rich breakfast dessert! lather in butter, drench in syrup & Walla! ENJOY the fruit of the PROCESS. (& ENJOY the process, too!!!)

so, from field to French toast, from Ruth to Boaz, from your birth to your death, it’s all PROCESS. learn to submit to Jesus & trust Him in the middle. don’t bemoan where you are or despair because you can’t see beyond. but choose to rejoice because the Process Maker is Good! then enjoy where you are when you are, rest.

the best is yet to come.

know + go

For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength, like one set loose among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, like those whom you remember no more, for they are cut off from your hand. You have put me in the depths of the pit, in the regions dark and deep. Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves. Selah You have caused my companions to shun me; you have made me a horror to them. I am shut in so that I cannot escape; my eye grows dim through sorrow. Every day I call upon you, O Lord; I spread out my hands to you. Do you work wonders for the dead? Do the departed rise up to praise you? Selah Is your steadfast love declared in the grave, or your faithfulness in Abaddon? Are your wonders known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? But I, O Lord, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you. O Lord, why do you cast my soul away? Why do you hide your face from me? Afflicted and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors; I am helpless. Your wrath has swept over me; your dreadful assaults destroy me. They surround me like a flood all day long; they close in on me together. You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me; my companions have become darkness.”

Psalm 88 ESV

Do you know how you need healed?

“Yahweh claims the world as his. Everything and everyone belong to him! He’s the one who pushed back oceans to let the dry ground appear, planting firm foundations for the earth. Who, then, is allowed to ascend the mountain of Yahweh? And who has the privilege of entering into God’s Holy Place? Those who are clean—whose works and ways are pure, whose hearts are true and sealed by the truth, those who never deceive, whose words are sure. They will receive Yahweh’s blessing and righteousness given by the Savior-God. They will stand before God, for they seek the pleasure of God’s face, the God of Jacob. Pause in his presence So wake up, you living gateways! Lift up your heads, you doorways of eternity! Welcome the King of Glory, for he is about to come through you. You ask, “Who is this King of Glory?” Yahweh, armed and ready for battle, Yahweh, invincible in every way! So wake up, you living gateways, and rejoice! Fling wide, you eternal doors! Here he comes; the King of Glory is ready to come in. You ask, “Who is this King of Glory?” He is Yahweh, armed and ready for battle, the Mighty One, the invincible commander of heaven’s hosts! Yes, he is the King of Glory! Pause in his presence”

Psalms 24

Do you know Him who fills? When you feel the broken, do you try to paste the pieces together yourself? Do you pretend you’re okay? Or do you go to God? Just fallapart at His feet!  He will touch you & you will be well.

Know the Lord. Become. Belong. Believe. Partake of Real.

What is the food of God?

“Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.””

John 6:27-40, 47-51, 53-58 ESV

What is God saying here in John 6? Ask Him. Receive from Him for yourself. Know. Go. & all out of Be-ing. This, is the life of God.

lily pad well

the sweet repose of a water lily paints a picture of stillness & rest.

a refuge, for frogs & dragonflies, insects of all families, to pause.

the green leaf only a glimpse of the plant, as long stems wind down to pond bottom where roots nestle, a hidden network. it’s through secret connection the flower floats & flourishes, through this abiding deep below the water, all things flow.

rest is enjoyed, by many, because the water lily is planted, tucked in & secure in a deep place only it knows.

because of this, it grows & it provides a place of refreshment for the world around it.

in all this, its quiet strength is an invitation to you & to me to come & be.

another picture of abiding like the architecture of the lily pad, is a well. A string connected to a bucket pulleys down, drawing on the depths of the springs of water.

like the water lily, may we have secret hidden stems that sweep down, anchoring & connecting us to Life Himself, apart from whom we can do no thing. & from this place of abiding, we enjoy rest & are made into rest for those around us to be refreshed to be renewed, to pause & be a while.

 may the life hidden in us become a living spring, welling up to water the world around us with beauty, rest, & love.

 may we lily pad & draw on Jesus well—today, & each day.

go forward by guide

rollercoaster.

we get on—for thrill & for fun—& all we know is we’re sitting down, strapping in, in for the ride. then, as we’re uplifted, we drop, fly, roar! wherever the tracks guide. we’re completely out of control, all we can do is sit, go with the flow, & laugh.

isn’t this true—life in God is a little like a rollercoaster. whooosh! we’re going forward in Him, by trust & rest, & it is fun. Joy. Freedom! we don’t have to figure it out. we just need to trust. The Life Engineer made the thing, & on Him we depend!

we only need Oil for the track & no fear. but if our roller coaster car gets stuck in the muck of afraid, we must get oil—by going to Secret Place, where Abba Father Friend will strengthen us, again.

so go.

Trust.

Fly! Free.

The Guide has a plan. sit down in Him. hold fast, buckle. Rest.

& don’t forget to smile.

help’s here!

the first step to not drowning is to acknowledge you are drowning.

this seems silly. but imagine you’re in the ocean with no boat & no buoy. head barely bobbing above water as icy dark water chops threaten to swallow life, muscles screaming —exahausted from treading. hungry, hopeless, helpless.

wouldn’t your reality be desperation??

*sploosh!* a white ring splashes in cold water—a lifesaver tossed from above. will you grab it? or will you choose to drown?

 this picture just painted is all of us! we’re all drowning without saving, until we realize our need.

rescue requires humility.

the point is, the moment you start to feel the water, the moment you notice the black, cold waves slicing over your head, hang on to that realization! it may feel like a death sentence. so uncomfortable and painful. like something you just want to shut out. but the alternative is to die from comfort, falling asleep in familiarity (which is truly death). when  you are woken up, I beg you, don’t ignore the freezing karate chop waves. that awareness is mercy. we cannot be rescued unless we know we need help.

& all you need is a cry.

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

you don’t have to learn how to swim.

you don’t even need to hold your breath.

all it takes is one word—help. spoken genuinely. true repentance.

God delights to show mercy.

we can’t get ourselves out. no amount of money or “fulfillment” from things here on earth will ever satisfy or save.

help is otherworldly.

for many this past year or so has revealed the hungry sea, bodies freezing, nearly underwater. now that you know—how will you respond: a raw HELP, or choosing to go under?

I pray over every person reading this word now, that a spirit of humility comes over us. may we see accurately and interpret rightly. may we give ourselves up, not to the sea, but to the Seer of our souls! to the Rescuer. the ship is there. will you allow Him your hand?

God gives grace to the humble

James 4.6

touch my ugly

touch my ugly

let Your love light up my coffin

be with me & the cobwebs

 wisp away, my heart remembers

its song

again

& everything new—

from my piano key toes

 to garden brain.

I want to walk with You in the

cool of the day, going forward

together

that’s all I desire:

together.

have my ugly. I let

You in—to my basement

of dark & spiders & dust

fix me. find me.

only You can

make it better

the pain like cabooses crushing

my chest

yet normal

because it’s all i’ve known

yet You

yet, You

touch my ugly

wash my wounds

i’m ready

100% seen

all the way

known

I welcome

You

I’m done

hiding

behind my leaf loin

 cloth

find me

have me

i’m Yours

pocket

what’s in your pocket?

I don’t mean your jeans or purse, but the space available. we’re all, in a sense, pockets, in that we hold finite, numerable amounts. pockets.

what’s in your pocket? what’s in your heart, your mind, what occupies your space & time? what’s in you?

 the Bible says out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. what’s in you will come out. what’s coming out of you, & therefore what’s inside? if you’re saying some not nice things, like complaining, worrying, gossiping, being mean with your mouth, go to God. because that is an indicator of an area of your heart that needs touched by Yeshua. out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks it says. be aware.

 what’s in your pocket? if in your literal pocket, you have, say a phone & keys, would there be space for sunglasses? probably not. what is there—the phone & keys—occupy the available area, not allowing something else like sunglasses in. in the same sense, we have limited heart real estate. you can’t have space for it all. if your heart is occupied by clutter—worldly noise & the din & chaos of here— you won’t have space inside for Heaven.

we must empty ourselves, to make room for Him.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3

heaven belongs to those who recognize their need to be emptied.

for every lie there is a truth. for every piece of junk occupying room in our hearts, there is a treasure longing to take its place.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2 ESV

we must identify the lies & in their place, look for that which is true.

we must allow ourselves to be undone, unraveled & start completely over. square one. only then can we be full of good & God.

 “Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:3-8

take some time to inventory. what’s within? pray—talk to God. listen. seek. ask. see & let the Lord deal with your interior. let Him empty out those pockets of earth trash wrappers & manmade things, so you can have room for Him to make His Home within.

Lord, would You empty us. flip us upside down & empty our pocket of everything crammed in there! please! all the lollipop wrappers & lipstick, old gum wads & crumbs… the junk, trash, trauma, sin, flesh, evil, me-me-me-me-me… empty us so we can have space to receive anew. we want heaven—YOU! get all the room in us. become our home. be our heart. we just want You.

dancer of my dreams

flush fresh air

lungs gasp flowers—

first time!

lily tulip rose tune

music erupt

toe smile

I know you

this hug home—

my best Friend,

God!

each inside joke

between us

secret laughter

sparkle sprinkle confetti

the salt to my soup

rain to my fields

my gills in ocean

bread to my sandwich

oh! You!

I can’t explain love

but love’s my life

my reality

I experience You every second—

knight rescue,

dragon drooling last breath

because You

came

delighted in me

dream too good to be true

fairy tale realized

You’re the snow globe I’m never gonna leave

my safe space my husband and security

I LOVE YOU

You don’t get in accidents

You don’t spill or change

the only One i’ll never have to forgive

my Lover is perfect

Hallelujah, earth friend! find your gold with me—the live forever hidden treasure box, it exists!!

 the only thing—treasure is a person not a thing. make Him your one thing & life will change. daily puking will disappear. you’ll never need to walk on your elbows again—no more orphaning

you’ll be safe for first time. from drowning to dancing, that’s what King does, who King is

let’s get lost in the maze of His gaze

escape to other space

there’s nothing like being loved by the universe breather

FUN 🎉

tummy blender hill bender hair dryer screaming higher, rollercoaster adrenaline. black & white abc’s absorb tea steam bathes in afternoon sunlight cat on lap, book lover dream. tall friends of brown & green lead eyes up with their branches waving in breeze fresh air canyon view flowerswild & sparkly dew, hikers paradise. board game night camaraderie around the table laugh till snort, pee—the gang’s all here. travel high flying jet to new everything exotic cuisine like cuy bright geometric patterned shawl funky music hola que tal? adventure junkie delight.

what’s your idea of fun?

have you thought of the Presence of God, as fun?

the bible says in psalm 16 that in His presence is fullness of joy. better than the most desirable & enjoyable thing imaginable, is Jesus.

God is fun.

He wants to have fun with us.

have you ever spent more than a half hour around a young child? If so you’ll know their world is quite different from ours! Their world revolves around laughter & play. Good Dads love to wrestle with their children, chase them & be the tickle monster, make blanket forts, & pretend.

a childs entire existence can be summed up into the word FUN.

so if we’re the children of God, we are waking up to playing with our Dad.

He rescues us because He delights in us (psalm 18:19)!

 “Yahweh your God is in your midst, A mighty one who will save. He will be joyful over you with gladness; He will be quiet in His love; He will rejoice over you with joyful singing.”

Zephaniah 3:17

“in the wilderness you saw how Yahweh your God carried you, just as a man carries his son, in all the way which you have walked until you came to this place.’”

Deuteronomy 1:31

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

John 1:12-13

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!”

Philippians 4:4

He loves to play with His kids. when we’re resting, we’re enjoying Jesus. when we’re enjoying Jesus, we’re resting. there is rest available today. it’s in the eyes of love. in the arms that carry you & the laughter—oh it’s in the laughter!

enjoy Jesus today, as Jesus enjoys you

today cascade

life is one breath,

one blink.

so let's embrace, even cubicle space. after all, life is now; this is it! there is no rehearsal, we are here, performance fit!

let's embark on a quest for the good. find the joy in all things and you will never be without in the drought. enjoy Yeshua.

& never underestimate the power of the small—pollen, seeds, a yes.

& may that seed given to you from heaven find a yes in your heart, like how fuzzy yellow pollen dot, carried by a busy bumble bee travels to populate earth with beauty. or a teeny vesselseed of new life finds its way underground, nestled in soil particles, ready to sprout and birth a habitat, an oxygen fountain, a branch dance in wind.

this all happens as that ache resonating in your veins, echoing on the stars, testifies: there is More! 

there's a reason the money's a void, the coins never change enough. 

there's a reason earth searches for her husband. 

we're not meant to be alone. 

so when your heart throbs, let the longing draw you up, out, to the arms of Father.

He is the More our hearts long for. there is a Love drawing us all. 

so belong to God in Christ. rest in His arms.

He's already holding you. Already Loves you completely. 

Love says yes to you today.

Love Himself invites you to dance, to be married, to sing a duet. give up your walls and your defenses.

Love says yes to you!

& even in the junk there's joy. we can laugh and dance! in the midst of mud puddles, Splash. in the midst of depression, Sing! because the God of Grace Loves: you.

today! we can look at the One who is looking at us. we can be seen & understood.

today is a day of rest. resting in Him.

you may be shuffling deadlines or chauffeuring kids, but there is still rest.

you may be hustling or homemaking, but there is still rest.

you may be flying airplanes, running with dogs, typing homework, changing dirty diapers. you may be commuting, headbanging, baking, mowing.

wherever, whatever the day brings, there is rest.

deep in our hearts, we can have peace with God in Yeshua. 

remember what He did—the work done. so we can rest, in Him 💙

pillow talk

You’re not like the others. You’re not like the sand, shifting and eroding, ebbing and flowing as tide comes and leaves. or star—born, sparkle, implode. breath, comes, goes. there’s grace laced throughout Your royal robes and burning eyes, leaving no trace of former scars or lies. You love to forgive, You love to forget—You don’t count my mistakes, or look at my forsaken state of mind. but call me beloved, found, Yours… all along. this false reality—me me me—ice melting beneath, nowhere to go but sink, is taken in a blink. when You look at me.

and taken, I am. Your gaze undoing every corner and crevice of things I thought I knew. unraveled, a puddle of yarn and knelt knees. I can barely stand that You would look at me. this love, so intense. I feel like rowing away. yet I’m drawn ever sweetly, stayed. can’t make sense of this, don’t even wanna. i’m this beckoning fits my longing like a gloved hand. here we are, together. I never knew I missed You till we met. this Sun never stops shining. this Guide never stops giving. this God never stops pursuing. i can’t get away from You, why, why would i want to? nowhere else to go. even if I leave, You love.

You don’t leave. day 693, still. the same. unchanged. unmoved. like gazing at fire licking air on crisp night, I stare, at You. You don’t get old and You’re never boring. like Christmas morning or my wedding day, how can this elation stay? yet You elaborate, showing me more, then more, somehow more love. right here, so present. how do You be this way? so unlike all the other lovers, who left, never stayed. who left me hungry, wanting. chip bags full of empty, air. staring into vacant stands. reaching for green paper to buy another new, same disappointment. an island of misery. why did no one ever tell me I could be free, for free? given everything—You.

*this is an excerpt from my book, Microwave the Moon. i hope it blesses you! Available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/040vdod

comparison kills

sometimes, we compare.

maybe you love to paint but… you can’t paint like that guy over there. so you devalue what you have based on that guy.

noooooo!

since when have other people been the measure?!

God’s the plumbline, & He’s crazy about your abilities in Him!

many people are waiting to use what God’s given them. waiting until they’re exceptionally-up-to-expectations-excellent. there’s nothing wrong with desiring excellence. but, in reality, we need to just step out in faith and do the thing. momentum begets momentum. just doing it is the way forward. start!

we often feel like what God’s given us to share with the world is nothing special. We think— it’s normal to me, so why would anyone else think it special?

…

dear child of God,

you don’t see what you have as important, when, in reality, you’re the only person on earth who can do it like you can. no one else. no one can do it like you.

if you are funny, tell jokes—make people smile! if you can bake, make pies! if you are a singer, sing. teachers teach, athletes train and sewers sew!

just do the thing.

that is how you will get better anyways—by practice! by actually engaging that unique part of the image of God in you, the beauty the goodness, the special talent or skill!

whatever excuses or lies you’ve heard about why you’re not writing, not singing, not cooking, not painting, not starting a business or whatever that special ability God’s gifted to you, tell it to shut up!

stop looking around!

 & instead believe—i am created on purpose, with a purpose. I am here to know and make God known. no one can reflect Him in the exact, unique way He made me to! I get to shine my own specific rainbow in earth. so I shine! I must do the thing i’m made to do! otherwise the world will be missing a ray of light, as no one can shine the way I am created to!

so create! sing! make music & paint & build websites, landscape, & fix cars!! write books & teach children & pole vault! whatever the thing you’re given to do, your gift, do it well, for Him!!

what will you do with what you’re given?

God gave you gifts and abilities and talents for a reason!

what will you do with what you’re given?

liquid prayer

Closets of souvenirs—the trinkets we stuff the baggage we hide. Trashbags of teddies from ex’s, flesh chards from that internal forest fire in ’05, vial of the water coughed up from drowning, and our own urn. That’s what we hide. The ugly. The things we think if someone saw, they wouldn’t want us. Yet, that hidden scarlet letter is our passage point to the heart of God. To connect with the God of caring and kindness, let your wounds find air. Expose them to Him in open cries. Find the water in the weeping. As we let go—salty droplets, closets unhinged, downpours from drowning soul…He meets. He hears. He responds. He comes. He loves. He cries with you in rain. That flood of love waterfalling us in those heartbreaking soulaching screams… that flood of love overcomes. All the pain eclipsed by His love.

Those cries—the 911 of the soul—move the heart of God.

There’s some wounds only tears can find.

gift thanks

everybody's writing stories

let yours be a 'thank you' book—through every breath and bone

let your eyeblinks, heartbeats, footsteps, lungsongs, give thanks

for pollen dust and leaf spines

for the cells that compose music like you and me

tiny thank you’s

thank!

big thanks, like for rainforest soup--steamy and diverse

or for star map, sky pokes who light our path

big thanks like for your best relationship, a friend or a sister, a spouse or a child. thank for that relationship without which you may not be alive

thank!

don't forget the things we forget to notice

the warm sunlight hugging kitchen counter in late afternoon

the dew dotting grass blade in first day click

ocean waving

the constant symphony composed by birds in backyard (don't let them be without an audience!)

thank!

don't forget the things we take for granted

health, home, clothes, food, friends, family, oxygen, sleep, running water, indoor plumbing, electricity, technology, cars, rain

thank!

what about the things that hurt, the splinters and the S shaped spine, the grief and the sneezes, mold and mosquitoes--the things that don't feel good

give thanks in all circumstances, no matter what, always

the spring shines because of months of snow

and who are we to thank for the good and not the hard

thank…

count one, two... six hundred four! oh the blessings we have!

number your gifts and you will never be dry

thank!

we're all writing a story

let it be a dance of gratitude

a movie showing every gift

there is always something to be grateful for

the little

the big

the things that go unnoticed

the things taken for granted

take a moment and list what you have

write it down

paste it somewhere you see

thank, count, smile

BURST with thanks!

truly, there are too many gifts to number

choose, to see the good, in all

thank God!

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

Proverbs 17:22