Broken

Today is Good Friday and I am participating in Five Minute Friday - writing with no over-thinking, no backtracking, no editing - on the subject of 'Broken'- with Lisa-Jo Baker and friends.

Start the clock...

Broken

Remembering Your body crushed for us, blood poured out as libation, drink offering to save us from our brokenness.

We are undone by Your grace, broken anew by Your forgiveness.

Daily giving over of lives in a fresh crushing of self.

Like bread, we are crumbs broken to be offering,

manna to others.

Nothing is wasted.

All of our experiences and circumstances used 

to help, heal, minister to one another.

Not a crumb left.

Giving of ourselves as You gave so generously for us.

We are the fragile, broken clay pots,

allowing Your light to shine all the brighter

through flaws and cracks.

Help us to stay pliable clay in Your hands,

flexible and ready to be shaped

into vessels of Your choice and design.

Not those You have to break.

Keep reminding us 

of Your body broken,

blood shed.

Our brokenness,

our offering back to You

as shattered lives made new.

Thank you, Lord, for bearing the burden,

being broken for us.

Amen.

Stop.

Linking here with Lisa-Jo at Five Minute Friday.

Do hop over and join in the fun.

You can also keep in touch with my posts by signing up for e-mail or liking my Facebook page.

Thirsty

During the run up to Easter I find myself feeling adrift. I haven't been well enough (as usual) this year to attend any church services, spend special time with family or friends, nor to engage with all the usual paraphernalia such as buying cards, eggs, flowers, and celebration food.

Even my good intentions over Lent have fallen foul of my frailty.

No observance fully kept, no meditation continued, no readings completed. 

I have failed in every way to observe Easter.

Or have I?

Is it about the special services, the trappings around the edges, or something else?

As I read the biblical accounts of the crucifixion recently, I came to three words that stopped me in my tracks:

"I am thirsty"

Jesus speaks these words in John's gospel (John 19:28). 

In order to address the perceived physical need - unsurprising with outstretched limbs impaled to a cross in the heat of the day - He is offered a sponge soaked in sour wine (vinegar) to sip from. What seems like a generous gesture is both inadequate and insulting.

With thirst left unquenched, the Son of God is made to partake more of humanity's bitterness and gall as He hangs dying on the cross, poured out like a drink offering for our sake.

This act is preceded by Jesus calling out, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabacthani?" which is translated as "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34 - 36)

Which suggests Jesus had not only an understandable physical thirst, but also an emotional and relational one. For the first time ever, as He took upon Himself the sin of the whole world, His holy, righteous Father could not look upon or be in fellowship with Him. 

Their intimate, loving union and communion was broken. And I think that must have broken Jesus' heart. I believe He thirsted, even in that relatively short time, for all that He had known before.

Instead of the personal intimacy of 'Abba, Father', Jesus now addresses His Father as 'God', indicating the temporary loss of what He had always experienced - unending closeness and intimacy.

In taking on humanity's sin, Jesus endured that painful separation so that we could become reconciled to God and able to be in relationship with Him as our loving heavenly Father.

I have thirsted for many things in my life:approval, great relationships, fulfilment and comfort, good career prospects and material success.

These days, the thing I tend to thirst for most is greater health and strength.

All of the things mentioned above are fleeting and subject to change.

The fundamentals of life we require above all - Acceptance, Love, Security and Safety -  are, however, fully met in relationship with God.

I think of Jesus coming out of the river Jordan after He has been baptised by John, and continue to link Him inextricably with a river of life, hope and faith, that runs through us now by His Spirit.

We see Him offering Living Water to the Samaritan woman in John 4:1 - 26  (you can read the full account by clicking on the link). 

At the start of their conversation, Jesus requests a drink from her as she is at the well drawing water. Do we ever stop to think how Jesus, our Living Water, may thirst now?

Perhaps He is thirsting for:

Our time

Our attention

Our company

Our love

This Easter, as we ponder the deep meaning of the cross, empty tomb and Resurrection Morn, maybe enjoying church and family celebrations, let us take a moment to consider what ways Jesus may be desiring us to be in relationship with Him.

Even if we know Him now.

Even if we follow Him.

Even as we read His word.

Even as we fellowship together.

Is He our main focus?

Is His presence the one thing we are thirsting for above anything else?

A Prayer

Dear Lord, 
We have no difficulty seeing our need of the things you offer us;
Your mercy, grace and forgiveness are what we long for
and our souls require daily watering by Your word and Spirit.

Yet our hearts can fail and quail at the thought of you wanting something in return.

What can we give to You that You do not already possess?

We offer our hearts,

we offer our lives,

we offer our thanksgiving,

adoration, prayer and praise,

service and sentiments.

Then we hear you saying,

"I miss you. Come and be with Me"

"I love you. Come and lean on Me"

"I desire to help and heal you. Come and rest in Me"

"I have much to teach you. Learn from Me"

"I long to hear your voice. Speak with Me"
For in our busyness we can fail to spend time in Your Presence.

Whatever You are saying, Lord,

give us ears to hear,

hearts to respond,

spirits that are willing

and souls that delight to be with You - always.

Amen.

Points to ponder:

What does Easter symbolise for you?

Is there a way you can make it more meaningful and special?

I'd love you to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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One Day

This week's God-sized dream assignment gave me cause for concern.

I've been asked to describe what 'a typical day in my life looks like right now'

I baulked at the idea because I live a Life Less Ordinary as an M.E and chronic illness sufferer for over 20 years, and describing my day As Is felt a bit too raw and close to home.

There is a certain degree of guilt and shame associated with not being a fully functioning member of society. Sadly, those with long-term physical or mental health problems are often misunderstood, marginalised, stigmatised and unfairly treated.

Dark thoughts rose unbidden, like excreta from a cesspool, polluting my mind with their stench:"What will people think?"  What will people say?"  "I can't do this"  "It's too hard"

Those old insecurities, low self-esteem and people-approval issues reared their ugly heads again.

Courage to speak comes from a Source outside of myself.

This isn't all about me. It's about being faithful in sharing, continuing on the journey, having confidence in the voice and story God has given me, being open, transparent and honest.

So I share, in a prayer to The One who knows me inside out and doesn't judge, criticise or condemn.

Be with me today, God, as I seek to be with You in Quietness and Peace

Image courtesy of Lauren: Life and Breath and Everything Else

Dear Lord, 
I wake for real, insomnia morphing into daylight-stirring, pinned in place by profound fatigue 
and pain invading every pore, a soreness-stabbed and stiffened form 
resisting all attempts to peel off covers and exit from the bed.

Holding on to banister, I inch down slow in my sleep-befuddled, brain-fogged state, 
careful to avoid repetition of the fall I had some months ago when weaker than today. 

Now, struggling to gather whatever wits I possess, as I gather cereal into bowl,
 green tea and lemon teabag, lemon squeeze and a slice, 
manuka honey dipped into mug at the ready (try to start the day healthy);
 I seek to spend some time with You. Not at my best at all, 
(though don't know when I am)
  I come to possess Your best for me this day
Asking for grace, strength, wisdom, guidance and clarity to read Your word, 
spend time in Your presence and be fortified for what lies ahead.

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped" ~ Psalm:28:7

Opening 'Jesus Calling', Bible and Prayer Journal, pen at hand, 
I read and absorb the words before me 
and I wait as I pour out to You and You reply. 
Sometimes it's words I scribble down, eager not to miss a thing, 
or a peace, resting grace, healing joy, quiet balm for a wounded soul.
These days I hurry to the Throne before the phone. 
The urge to hear from and communicate with You
 exceeds the urge to let the noisy world in. 
I come because I must. I come because You invite us to.
I come empty, dry and weary, in need of filling and refuelling.
I come disabled, resting in Your capability.

"..they who wait for the Lord will renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint" ~ Isaiah 40:31 

 I want to linger longer, though other things shout for attention.
 You alone can sustain me. 
 Nothing else matters so much as these moments with You. 
From this space I can find grace to be available,
 eyes wide open to the needs around me, 
with a heart to reach and touch lives with words that You alone can give.
 Awareness, as I move into the day, that I can pray as you direct me to for those 
who are hurting, lost, in pain, weak, weary, discouraged - for I know how it feels.

"Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the valley of Baca (weeping), they make it a place of springs..They go from strength to strength.." ~ Psalm 84: 5 - 7  

Now breakfast eaten, drink made with usual slosh-splash 
spills from joint-swollen hands unsteady; 
plethora of pills, supplements - supporting a body out of kilter, immunity messed up, 
pervaded by ball and chain of persistent pain - washed down, with more to come.
 Connecting with others through social media - welcome distraction, friendship, support, 
fellowship of believers world-wide to meet in blogs, groups and prayer.

This is church for me now as illness keeps me captive to the house.
I join in, ready to help, pray and support where I can. 
Sit nursing coffee, speak to spouse, read, reflect, and try to wake up.
Consider it a good day if out of pyjamas by lunchtime, 
even better if showered and better still if hair can be washed,
though it renders me pole-axed for hours.
Never thought life would reduce to this. 
Going with the ebb and flow or burn and crash.

Image Courtesy of DigitalPhotos.Net

Potter and pace a bit with minor, manageable tasks at hand - some paperwork,
 e-mails, a phone call or two if voice and hands hold out.
Life slips by on screen large and small and I am grateful to join in at all,
remembering days confined to bed when Dark and Quiet companion me instead.
 If inspiration and energy flow, I write and write some more if able, 
for here I come alive, energised inside for a while
as You give me words to share and bless.

Mountain-scale those stairs, one slow crawl at a time, seeking rest, 
sleep, more rest; eat, bread baked and dinner made by my beloved.
Consider myself blessed to have him beside me,
cooking meals, tacking multiple tasks I cannot do;
his the physical effort, mine the emotional ballast, keeping all barely afloat,
caring and sharing, being strength, being grace, being light to one another.

"Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find?" ~ Proverbs 20:6

Image Courtesy of DigitalPhotos.Net

I'm a tortoise in this race for life
a snail in the pace of life
a Slow Lane dweller.
Grateful that my grown-up sons require a listening ear
rather than practical care.
I am asked, how do I see Your hand in the middle
of the 'small' and ordinary too?
Well, all is minutiae, all is small, all is ordinary,
until You render it great, Extraordinary, 
impossible made Possible.

And You are all in all and here throughout it all,
Your love the constant that I rely on,
Your presence energy for my soul,
Your grace is manna for today.
"Goodnight, Lord",
I whisper quiet as I read again
Your words of Hope and Faith;
watch over me as I sleep fitful
for You neither sleep nor slumber, 
and protect me from harm
until I rise again - Tomorrow.

Amen.

In all our struggles we have hope if we have God.

He doesn't promise freedom from sickness, weakness, pain or problems in this lifetime.

He does promise to be with us in and through it all.

And in time, One glorious Day to come, we have this reassurance:

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" ~ Revelation 21:4 

Linking here with Holley Gerth and the rest of the God-sized dream team.

Do join us each week as we share the journey.

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Remember

Being bold and brave again today as I join forces with Lisa-Jo Baker and take part in Five Minute Friday.

The challenge is to write for 5 minutes on a subject of her choosing, no backtracking, no editing, just letting it flow.

Before I tackle the subject of remembering I want to share how this is a very special day for me as I remember the arrival in the world of my youngest son. 

Please indulge me a moment while I say, "Happy Birthday, sweetheart" to him. 

Thank you!

OK. Here we go..start the clock...

'Remember'

Many of us find life very challenging as we fight through memories from our past. It helps us in general to remember good times instead of the bad.

Here I am remembering God's constant goodness to help us feel stronger in the present.

God says:

Before you were born I knew you

You are precious in My sight

You are deeply loved

Nothing is impossible for Me

I will never leave you or forsake you

Nothing can separate you from My love

I died to set you free from sin and shame

I cover your disgrace with a mantle of grace

You cannot hide from Me

I am with you always

My greatest desire is to be in relationship with you

I delight in showering blessings on you

You can have Love, Joy and Peace as you walk with Me

This is the day I have made, rejoice and be glad in it

Come to Me - I will satisfy all your needs

I fill your emptiness

I have a great plan for your life

Walk with Me in surrender and I will walk with you

Stop the clock..time's up!

Although I have been unable to give chapter and verse here, many of these 'God says' words are in His Word - the bible. It is our greatest resource for remembering how much God loves us and desires us to be in relationship with Him.

Sometimes, God asks us to forget:

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland" ~ Isaiah 43: 18 - 19

When He is ready, He asks us to be prepared to move with Him. 

Maybe He is whispering to someone today, "Remember my goodness" or maybe He is urging someone, "This is a new day, a new time, a new thing I want to do in your life".

Whatever God may be saying to us, the important thing is to listen attentively, heed, obey and respond.

May you be blessed by His grace, comforted by His word, and at peace through His presence in the week ahead.

Linking here with Lisa-Jo Baker and Five Minute Friday

Do join in the challenge!

Joy-bringers

There are many joy-bringers in my life.

For instance, I love...curling up with a good book, drinking coffee with friends, reading and writing poetry, watching the sun set, sniffing sea air, laughter, company, solitude, connecting, meals with friends and family. Some of these are easily achievable now, others must wait for the right timing.

What it comes down to is that while I derive great satisfaction and pleasure from many little things, and enjoy tremendously having a creative writing outlet, it is relationships that provide me with the greatest joy and pleasure.

I delight most in family and friends, knowing and being known, loving and being loved. God's purpose is for us to be in relationship with one another and primarily with Him.

In thinking about Holley's question this week:"What brings you joy, especially when it comes to your God-sized dream?" I have been considering an aspect of joy that doesn't easily come to mind. Like this verse:

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing" ~ James 1:2 - 4  

Really? in trials? How is that possible? We can be so downcast by our concerns that despair takes over instead. The natural reaction is to be upset, discouraged, angry even.

God may be in control but we feel anything but. Too much pain to even think straight.

This is joy - but not as we know it. It is evidence of Holy Spirit's presence in our hearts

"Joy is not gush. Joy is not mere jolly-ness. Joy is perfect acquiescence - acceptance, rest - in God's will, whatever comes. And that is so, only for the soul that delights in God" ~ Amy Carmichael

God-shaped joy transcends circumstances - it is mysterious, wonderful and liberating.

When our circumstances are far from joyful, we can discover it afresh in recognising how we are held, kept, strengthened and comforted in our hour of need. 

His presence is what stabilises our see-saw emotions and gives grace to cope just one more day, then the next, and so on, and provides the means to endure or overcome.

"Some of God's best gifts must be unwrapped in the darkness. Think of your last major trial. What "good thing" did the Lord slip into your hands in those difficult days?" ~ Joni Eareckson Tada 'Daily Devotionals'

The joy we have is in casting our cares and burdens on the Lord, safe in the knowledge He is dealing with them and granting us grace to rest easy.

The prayer below is written to celebrate what brings me joy on my God-sized Dream journey and life in general. 

Joy Is..walking with Him

Dear Father,

It seems strange to think that our afflictions can be joy-bringers. 

Yet I know, that without mine I would lead a selfish, disconnected life and be all the poorer for losing such deep, need-driven, daily dependence on your grace and mercy.

For, in love, You have given us joy in knowing You, joy in living with Your constant presence, and joy in the persevering, enduring and overcoming of our pain and sorrow.

We are made to dream big dreams, to believe for the impossible, 

to see Your hand at work bringing life from what seems dead.

This year, a dream was laid on my heart. I have dared to hope for a life beyond the everyday and ordinary. 

A seed of hope has been sown, liberally watered by the encouragement of those who accompany me on this journey. Their interest and support have helped the fragile seed to grow.

You knew I lacked the courage to walk this path alone.

You knew I would give up without a word to cheer me on.

You knew my fears and failings would make me falter.

My weakness would make me wilt.

My pain would bring a halt to participating.

And You gave...as You always do... liberally, freely, graciously.

You gave me sisters in solidarity, 

hope in hearing their own hearts beat to a tune of Your choosing,

peace in pursuing purpose,

strength in sharing,

courage in creativity,

all helping me to be here now -

still walking in faith, still writing, 

still living and believing for great things to come. 

For You are a Rewarder of those who diligently seek You.
And that's my goal, day after day, week after week, month after month;
 for the Giver of all good gifts does not disappoint us.
You created this journey, set us on the path, walk with us every step of the way,
 and hold out hands to guide toward the finishing line where a great crowd of witnesses will greet and cheer. For all these things and Your many mercies we thank you.

Amen.

"When large numbers of people share their joy in common, the happiness of each is greater because it adds fuel to the other's flame" ~ St Augustine

My fellow God-sized dreamers have brought me joy in the sharing, caring, encouraging and supporting. With Holley setting us a weekly task I have been able to get into a rhythm of regular blogging on a specific subject and that's been a great discipline and challenge. 

Linking up here with Holley Gerth and the rest of the God-sized dream team

We would love you to join us and share your own journey with God this year.

What brings you the most joy in your life?

Are there positive steps you could take to increase your joy levels?

Rest

In place of the usual offerings here, I am starting a new venture for me as I link up for the first time with Five Minute Friday.

This is a real challenge of grit and courage as I am a perfectionist (working on that one) who normally writes and writes, edits and edits...writes... until I am happy with something and ready to publish it. 

Even then, it goes our with heart-in-mouth concern and angst, heavily dosed with prayer.

Now, I have to write for 5 minutes flat on the subject of 'Rest' - no editing, no over-thinking, no backtracking. Deep breath..you can do this..here goes..start the clock..

In a life constrained by chronic sickness it may seem that resting is all I do.

Though my body may be still and inactive for long periods, my mind is an ever-whirring clock ticking on relentlessly.

Times of real rest and refreshment only come when I pause to soak in God's presence.

With His Spirit hovering within and without me I find my thoughts calmed and stilled.

He becomes my focus. 

Other concerns fade and pale into insignificance for those few moments of connection.

During the day I snatch hungrily at little seconds of conversation. 

Our souls need the restful watering of His love and grace that He desires to pour upon us.

We are dry, empty, thirsty vessels without it. 

The world's cacophony, noise and chaos only serve to drain us of peace and rest.

Come away - sit with Him and learn to be still and know that He is God. 

You won't regret finding an oasis of calm in the midst of busyness...

Phew! Clock stopped. Adrenaline subsiding. Doesn't the time go quickly? Five minutes feels so short. Nevertheless, something is written and I hope it will bless you.

Linking up here with Lisa-Jo Baker and Five Minute Friday blog hop.

Do hop over and join in the fun!'

I'll tell you what I want..

Never have peace and quiet been more highly sought after than now. We are living next door to a building site as our neighbour's house requires extensive renovation work. The continual pound, thump, whirr, drrriiilll...are enough to make escape seem a necessity.

My immediate response to Holley's question: "What do you really want more of in your life?" would be:  Peace, please, at any price!

I relish a scene like this one:

No noise, no crowds, no distractions

Though other things run a close second. How about more...Energy, Strength, Health, Security? How great would that be? 

I could certainly do with less...Fatigue, Weakness, Pain, Uncertainty..couldn't we all?

In fact, being a woman of certain tastes, perhaps more...books, shoes, chocolate, fruit, etc..

Though it must be said that we are often notoriously bad at deciding what is a want or a need. It is very easy to confuse the two as each are natural desires. 

Needs tend to be life's fundamental physical necessities we cannot function well without such as air, food, drink, warmth and shelter; and the basic psychological needs of safety, love and belonging, esteem and recognition.

Wants are usually the more tangible things we can see, taste and touch. The media shower us with images of stuff they try to persuade us we need, which essentially feed into our greed.

Perhaps I've got this skewed? God's word reminds us that He fully supplies all our needs:

Photo Credit:photosforsouls.com

Perhaps the secret to having Godly 'wants' is to tune into what God wants us to have.

That being the case, I think I want, above all, to be:

Photo Credit: FreeChristianImages.com

"You have made known to me the path of life; you fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand" ~ Psalm 16:11

Earthly things are transitory and fleeting, needful and necessary as they may be. There is no deep, lasting satisfaction to be had outside of relationship with Him.

So, if this is what I long to have more of, then what needs to be reduced to make it possible?

Peace isn't possible without resting to some extent (both mentally and physically), which calls for a greater awareness of the value of each activity and deciding where the best focus should be.

"You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you." ~ Isaiah 26:3 

Spending time in God's presence to hear His voice requires active listening and less distractions (builders take note!). 

Occasionally, God has blessed me with peace falling down like a warm comfort blanket from heaven just when I needed it. Such grace-filled moments are to be treasured.

More often than not, it is hard fought for as I have to earnestly seek and pursue it. For peace itself is not dependent on our circumstances being calm, easy or comfortable. 

Such comfort-driven peace can lull us into a false sense of security where we expect to feel at peace before we realise it is ours to experience through seeking and finding by faith. Our peace is found in having an inner resting confidence in God's character and Word.

Seeking His Presence calls for actively cutting back on what hinders it. So much can clutter up our lives without us even noticing it. Awareness, rescheduling and prioritising are vital.

The benefits are huge:

"The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace" ~ Psalm 29:11

Isn't that just what I want, what I really, really want, anyway? (Apologies to The Spice Girls)

Over to you:

What are you seeking to have more or less of in your life?

What is your highest need/want right now?

Linking here with Holley Gerth and the rest of the God-sized Dream Team

We would love you to share the dream God has planted in your heart this year. Do join in with the comments below.

A lot of bottle

On the Bottle

Breast may be best

though bottle is better

for bonding-sharing

with any willing 

hands to hold 

these rabbit-skinned

imitations of infants

mewling beyond caring

Lukewarm liquid

vitamin-infused

warmth and welfare

oozing into tiny

lips and tums

that ache

'til hunger satiates

as feeding comes

Glass left in sun

heats a daily dose

devoured by little ones

of nursery nourishment

nanny state provides

or lumped with ice 

at times to chill

our young insides

Clinking, lifted high

amber or clear froth

to wash away 

cares holding sway

Cheers, chin, chin,

down the hatch

drown our sorrows

for another day

Parents on the bottle

so we sit as children do

crisp munching

fizzy drink slurping

sweet crunching

drain the dregs

save the empties

for a coin or two

©JoyLenton2013


********

Our lives can be subject to bottle-necks as narrowing, constricting circumstances cause a busy traffic of thoughts, words and deeds to congest uncomfortably and make us feel confined and trapped.

They won't go down easily. We choke over them. I did just that for years over my past.

Our choice is to have a lot of bottle - in other words, to display courage in the face of adversity, have firm intention, confidence and resolve to meet the challenges of difficult or frightening past and present situations.

It takes real nerve and determination to walk through hard times.

My courage is all God-given. Left to my own devices I'm a coward hiding in the corner until the storms pass. As I lean harder into Him then His strength infuses into me. The harder I lean, the more He gives grace to cope.

OR we can bottle out - lose our nerve and withdraw, put off the ordeal of confronting those issues and put off facing the problems for another day. Swallow them down somehow. That was how I dealt with problems for many years. 

Only they refuse to go away, get stuck in our throat, and end up constricting our very breath.

I have learnt, from seeing the results of doing so, not to bottle up my pain and problems, but to face them head-on, gulping heavily as I do so. Tears swell and fall as I pour them out.

My past was painful.

Shadows linger on.

The cup I drink from has a bitter taste at times. Who wants to swallow this?

I am learning to choose not to hold back or refrain from sharing (as God directs me to) about the areas that have wounded me; not if it means another soul can say "You too?" and feel they are not alone. 

Not if a cup of sorrow shared means a cup of joy to share too in the overcoming.

Our faith can be stretched taut as elastic and we feel it may snap and collapse.  

Insecurity and fear can make us fall apart or shut down when problems come. Denial may help us to go on for a while. Pain and problems kept suppressed can be like a bottle of pop waiting to explode one day and leak messily all over our lives.

Now, I can reminisce - as in the poem above - about my childhood, and do so with a degree of detachment and nostalgia for my early years.

For God is helping me to find courage in confession, relief from releasing, freedom in letting go of fears, resolve in refusing to give up on His best for me as I hand it all over to Him..For it is only in letting go of the bad that we have arms empty to receive the good.

And that's His goal for you too. As we heal we can start to focus on the life ahead of us.

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland" ~ Isaiah 43:18 -19

Take courage, friends, for God is as close as your next breath and He wants very much to help and heal you. Sometimes counselling helps too, or sharing with a wise and trusted friend or family member.

Whatever it takes, won't you join me on the journey towards greater freedom and joy?

Linking here with Tanya as she currently hosts the Concrete Words series.