Just moments after hitting the "publish" button on my last post... God started reaching down and being very personal... intentional... in getting my attention. He started knocking. I knew I was in a spiritual battle, but I had not an ounce of strength or even desire to fight.
I am so thankful my God, my Father... is not content to leave me there... in a heap of ridiculous mess at the bottom of the hole... or actually flat on my back on the kitchen floor.
The first "knock" was a phone call less than ten minutes after posting. It was from a friend who had no idea what was going on and she bathed me with truth in love. I felt something loosen.
The second was a photo I saw on a new friend's facebook page...
6 dogs that had just been pulled from a shelter before being killed. Six little faces looking out of the back of an SUV... life... life saved and ready to be restored. I felt a glimmer of strength stir inside me.
The third "knock" was my mom checking in on me... a follow up to her " I was led to call you" phone call last night. She loved me and made me laugh.
And then the forth "knock" was loud and clear. It beckoned me to open the door back up to Him. I have this horrible problem of pulling away when I am wounded. I close up. And it comes with the inability to pray. I feel I am so angry and raw and flesh like/human that I can not even make myself approach the throne. Satan knows this and he drags me away hard sometimes... or he simply whispers lies that I believe and I walk off on my own will... rebellion.
As the fourth knock invited me to open the door... the words sounded a little familiar. This fourth knock was an email I received from a friend who also had no idea what I was wrestling with. She is having a hard time and this is what she sent me...
Struggling hardcore these last few days and pulled these emails
back up. It seems that this really is an ongoing struggle of mine. Even
in the last two emails asking the question if you've ever fallen too far
for him to not pick you back up again. That's where I'm at. Again.
Thank
you for always speaking truth into my life (and that it's saved in
email form so I can pull it back up over and over again) and for always
calling me out when I need to be called out.
Love you...
Sent from my iPhone
On Sep 23, 2010, at 2:03 AM, allfromhim <allfromhim@bellsouth.net> wrote:
Good Morning Sweet one....
You are ALWAYS IN A POSITION for God to come rescue you... you are His child. You are always in a position for God to love you and show Himself to you.... He loves you, adores you, longs to be with you.
You are always on the heart of God, He is always calling to you,
gently speaking to you, waiting for you... you have to go, you have to
want to be with Him, you have to listen... and He is there... waiting
with open arms!
The enemy wants you to think you are not in a position. Then you
won't approach Him. Sweet one... this is all about the enemy trying to
steal, kill, and destroy your joy. Where does "joy" come from? Joy comes from the Lord.
AND THERE IS NEVER A POINT WHERE GOD SAYS ENOUGH! Denounce that lie!
You have not "fallen away"... you are in a MAJOR battle for your heart
and your faith. In scripture, someone asks the Lord how many times he
has to forgive his brother and the Lord says, 7 x 777 or something like
that. (I'll look it up!) But the point is... over and over and over and
over and over and over... that is what the blood of Christ is for.
My heart hurts that you are in this battle baby. I so want to
love on you and hug you and pray with you. Please come "home" this
weekend if you can. You can hole up here and get loved on. Consider
it.
Take the things you told me to the Lord today.
You are at a crucial place right now but the great news is the
Lord of Lord and King of Kings is on your side! HE IS YOUR WARRIOR!
I have to go shower and get ready for Mom to Mom. I'll write you
more later. I love you so so so so so so much. You make my heart
smile. Your pain breaks my heart to the deepest points. I am in prayer
for you today. You are in the Father's arms... claim that. HE WILL
NEVER LET YOU GO!!!!!!!!!
Dawn
As I read those words, it hit me, they were mine. And all of the sudden I heard God say, "THIS IS WHO YOU ARE. THIS IS WHO YOU ARE IN ME. THIS IS WHAT YOU KNOW TO BE TRUE. THIS. THIS. LISTEN TO THIS. THIS IS YOUR HEART! I AM CALLING TO YOU!" I was smacked. He reached down and gave me that. I was floored... humbled... amazed... and oh so thankful.
I wrote those words in Sept. of 2010 and God sent them back to me over two years later and they were exactly what I needed to hear. As I stood there in the grocery store... reading words over my phone... all the anger melted away. The pain is still there. The sorrow of missing her is still very heavy. But there is hope. She is back. And strength... His strength... brought down for me.
I am deeply humbled by how intimate God is... how He can come and knock on my door and reach down in ways meant to stir and rescue my heart. I am humbled at how His love can come in so quickly and despair has no option but to leave. I am humbled He loves me that much... this much.
I am so very glad I posted my last post. I will say it again, because I really mean it... I am just like any other girl. I am far from perfect. I have moments... ugly moments... days even... when I want to quit... when I listen to the lies of the enemy and start walking off the path of life. I fall. And I often fall hard... face deep in the mud... and I maybe even inhale a little... muddy water clogging up the very breath of my life... leaving me spewing and gasping for air. I might even throw some of that mud... leaving me in position to ask for forgiveness and a good washing. And my Father is there... in the midst of my mud party... and He waits. He offers living water, cleansing, and robes white as snow with His righteousness. He offers me grace and forgiveness and life... One Beautiful Life with Him. I just have to hear and accept His offer.
I spoke the words, "I hate my life," several times over the past 48 hours. I repent of those words and the heart behind them. I hate moments in my life, yes. But my life... no. I was agreeing with the one who wants to kill, steal, and destroy me. I am so heartbroken I gave him such territory in my life... in my heart.
Direction. The only direction worth going is forward in faith... eyes on Him at all times. That is what I choose. That is what I speak over my life today.
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts!