Letter to tuck in your pocket

Receiving hand-written letters in the mail is a rarity these days. 

When we are eagerly waiting to hear from a loved one, then it is even more special.

Words are devoured. Sentences savoured. Lines linger in our minds.

And we read them over and over again, unwilling to put them down or away.

So we tuck the letter in a secret place away from prying eyes, ready to return to at our leisure and enjoy it all over again.

Have you ever thought about God's word being like a personal letter to our souls?

We benefit from seeing it as such.

The Bible is His love letter to reassure, comfort, speak truth, grace and light into our darkness.

Words of affirmation, encouragement, help, healing, hope, forgiveness and mercy.

Words that change lives, restore, transform, teach, guide, give wisdom, strength and peace.

Who wouldn't want such a letter?

And as we make our journey of faith, God continues to pour forth words we can tuck away into our pockets, hearts and minds. 

They may be direct from the Bible as words seem to come alive for us as we read them. Or they may be words He whispers close any time when we are receptive or have paused specifically to listen to Him.

God's love and ability to express Himself are inexhaustible.

During this year, I've been greatly blessed by hearing personal words from God that have helped me tremendously. I sense they're not all meant for me alone.

Maybe my slow, tortoise-like life has equipped me to be still long enough to hear them, or maybe He has opened my ears to listen better to His voice than I could before.

I call them 'Prayer Whispers' and I'd like to share some with you here. They are words I have tucked into my Prayer Journal and my heart and mind.

Prayer Whisper:Change and renewal

"Change and renewal also require a mourning process. Until you can let go of the old ways of doing, thinking and believing, your arms and heart are too burdened and weighed down to receive the new.

It is a process of trust and faith. Relinquishing the old can make you feel empty, lost and confused because you cannot yet see the things I have in mind to replace what you have surrendered.

In the Divine Exchange I will pour more of Myself into you as you make space for me to do so. You won't be left empty-handed. Rather, you will be set free to receive and have an abundance to give out to others.

Listen to what My Spirit is saying to you. Heed My voice. My desire is to bless you, not to harm you, to give you hope and a future."

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Prayer Whisper:Living with challenging circumstances

"Take courage. Though your circumstances may not be as you want them to be, trust that I am working in and through them to produce fruit and a harvest of righteousness in your life.

To step away from the crowd and live differently can feel scary, but I never intended for you to follow everyone else. My plan for your life is individual and personal. It is uniquely tailored for what I want to accomplish in your life, who I desire to reach and impact by your example and testimony.

Though it can feel as if you are wearing clothes that don't fit or chafe you, trust that this is all part of My plan. In time you will begin to notice more and more how I am using the very things you fight against to shape you as my precious child.

The cracks and imperfections in your life enable the Light of my glory to shine all the brighter through them. Keep surrendering yourself and every aspect of your life to Me and it will become beautiful in the process."

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Prayer Whisper:When you are in a waiting period

"Great patience is needed in the waiting period. Though it may feel like a dark night of the soul where you cannot perceive any light, keep on trusting and believing that I am already acting on your behalf.

However long the night is, remember that joy comes in the morning. In due time you will experience the joy of needs and expectations met as you surrender them to My refining process.

My best work cannot be hurried. Impatience will spoil what I am achieving in you through the waiting process. Do not lose heart or become discouraged.

Seek My presence; rest in confident, child-like trust and faith; stay rooted and grounded in My Word and refreshed and enabled by My Spirit.

Continue to look for the glimmers of grace which remind you I am at work in your life.

My hand is never taken off you for a second.

I watch you as a mother hen broods over her chicks. Nothing escapes My attention either, so be wise how you act and react.

Allow Me to decide when things happen for you and how they happen.

I will always, always love and keep you safe."

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My hope and prayer is that these words will bless and encourage you as they did me when I first received them.

If you want to see more 'Prayer Whispers' on the blog then please let me know. They may become a feature here, or even find their way into a book one day!

Meanwhile, you may like to try reading 'Jesus Calling' by Sarah Young, or 'My Dear Child' by Colin Urquhart to see how God spoke personally to them. 

Or you could watch 'Father's Love Letter' DVD - a beautiful depiction of several Bible verses which speak of God's love for us.

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Linking here with the lovely Ruth Povey for the 'Letter to' series. This week's prompt is:'Letter to tuck in your pocket'. 

Over to you:

What letters/words do you treasure up in your heart?

How has God spoken in ways that have blessed and surprised you?

Figment

A bit of light-hearted relief in our God-sized dream journey this week as this comes to you by power of my (Spirit and faith-filled) imagination.

No deep soul-searching. Instead of a life described As Is, this is life 'As I wish it could be' as I challenge and confront fear head-on.

I know that no matter how boldly I may proclaim it, the fear monster has a way of creeping and sneaking back into my life to kill, steal and destroy.

Hopefully, the confidence and courage I have displayed here will rub off on me and on you too as you read!

"For God has not given us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but He has given us a spirit of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control" ~ 2 Timothy 1:7

So when the fear monster knocks at the door of our hearts we can:

Let Faith answer the door - and send him packing

Holley has asked us to "have a little talk with the fear in your life" by writing a letter to it.

So here goes:

Dear Chihuahua of Fear,

I have some things I'd like to say to you. 
You've had too much attention from me 
and it's gonna stop.
 For far too long you have held me captive...
 but no longer.
So sit up and pay attention to Me instead!

Though you may snarl and threaten like a doberman,
 bare teeth, bark like crazy, jump up with menace, ready to rip apart,
or lay down with innocent-guised slobbering, ball and bone playful, 
  looking intelligently placid, while you plan the next move - on your laptop,

I know you are really only a handbag-size, carry-around pet I have no further use for.
Though you primp and preen with self-importance, 
bigging yourself up larger than you are, flouncing in your finery, 
snappy-yappy to all who challenge,
when you know you have No Power Whatsoever to do more
 than run scared - tail between legs.

You are all noise and no substance

Or maybe you see yourself as a moose 
with horns outstretched, body proud and noble,
weighty killing machine, monarch of all you survey;
 head lifted high to scent for danger,ears and nose a-twitch,
 snuffling for food in the wild, aware of your prowess.

You are nothing more than a pipsqueak mouse.

Long tail thrashing and chasing,

cat escaping, soft-claw scuttling

 back into the hole where you belong.

A cheese gatherer, 

A maiden aunt frightener,

A means to scare

but nothing's really there

to be afraid of

Yes, I remember you appearing in friendly guise to my forebears.
Your rattle, hissing, and poisonous venom I have swallowed blind 
over years without number, without thinking.
Now, I choose to ignore the slither 
and 'come hither' of you creeping close.

Now, I want to kick you into grass
I've had enough of you invading my space

For, Serpent of Old,
you are dead in my eyes.
Just a dried-out husk of skin

I no longer seek to be wrapped up in

Image Courtesy of DigitalPhotos.Net

For, I'm a wily old bird,
wise to your ways.
Now, I can pick you up as the slimy,
weedy little worm you are,
and toss you aside.

Creeping black cat-like into our thoughts,
scratching around in our psyches
claws outstretched, back arched in anticipation 
of sinking teeth into hopes and dreams.
You think you're huge and roaring
but you're only tiny, shadow-boxing.

Get ready to run scared.
The battle cry is due.

The Lion of Judah is on the move
His roar The One to run from

He'll swipe you aside with ease
and already has devoured you.
His the courage we need,
His the strength to resist,
His the faith to protect us.

Only we believe the lies,
 give you room to play your games,
little seeing you for what you really are -
mist, myth, mischief and mayhem-maker,
dream-stealer, dark shadow,
form without substance

just.....False Evidence Appearing Real

You're a Figment,
no more, no less.

So, what are you waiting for?

Get Outta Here!

"There is no fear in love (dread does not exist), but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment and (so) he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love (is not yet grown into love's complete perfection)." ~ 1 John 4:18

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

Do join us for the journey as we share together each week.

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A letter to the God-sized Dreamers

"Dreams are the seeds of creative reality" ~ Anon

Dreams

It began...

with vague ideas swimming through clouded, crowded thoughts

misted heavy with scepticism and soft-whisper in our hearts that we hear, 
though we hesitate: This? Me? Now? Really?

Until it pulses strong, a throb in tune with every beat
 of our being that we can no longer ignore.

Circulating in mind, soul and spirit, this germinating seed 

wants to take root in fertile soil of faith and hope.

This fragile, tiny speck teeming with life and potential 
now captured and held, watered and fed with encouragement,

supported and staked round by Sisterly Sharing,

a calling out of dreams as confidence swells and seeds take root.

Surrounded by voices of faith who cajole and carry 

these tender shoots nurtured in hearts united in purpose.

Watch them grow with grace-filled words

with leaves of love, stems of gratitude, hope-filled centres

unfurling and blooming before our very eyes

as we marvel at what we are creating...

Together.

It continues...

as winds of adversity blow and threaten, weeds surround to choke and stifle, waves of weariness and ditches of discouragement seek to drown out 
the very life of what has already come and appeared to be thriving.

Storms pass and we cling on, secure in knowing we hold each other firm, pushing out strong canes of confidence to stabilise one another, plant leaning against plant - our dreams survive for another day.

Finally...

It is God Himself who gave this seed to us.

He will protect it with all His might.

We have no need of fear 

when drought sucks us dry 

or we flail in overwhelming floods. 

For dreams are meant to be fulfilled 

and they will be

one tiny inch at a time,

one shoot,

one bud,

one flower

one petal,

one leaf.

Bit by bit a plant grows 

and so will your dreams...

Just keep trusting.

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This is written to encourage and support my fellow travellers on the God-sized Dream journey as a way of showing why we all need one another and our dreams, especially through the hard times which stretch and challenge us.

Your dreams matter. You matter. Be brave in the telling. Sharing is caring.

"It takes a lot of courage to show your dream to somebody else" ~ Erma Bombeck

Each one of us brings a fresh vision of God's purposes. Each one of us brings a gift of grace to help and encourage others.

"Friends...They cherish one another's hopes. They are kind to one another's dreams" ~ Henry David Thoreau

And for all fellow travellers on this journey of life and faith,  this is true, particularly in the tough times: Together we are Stronger

I am linking here with Holley Gerth and the rest of the God-sized Dream Team. 

Find out more about how God gifts us with dreams and how to pursue them in this great new resource -

 Holley's latest book:'You're made for a God-sized Dream' is available from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

All of us can have a God-sized Dream. It starts with surrender to God's will and His way for our lives. As we learn to listen to His voice speaking to us, He implants His desires in our hearts:

"Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart" ~ Psalm 37:4

We would love you to join us in exploring the dream God has laid on your heart. Do feel free to leave a comment and let me know how your journey is going.

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