A Face to Remember

Think with me for a second, how many people did you see today that you cannot remember their face?Difficult to recall, huh. Now, think about the people you are closest to, such as your family or close friends. Can you see their face? If you have a spouse, can you see all of the little details of their face like dimples or scars? My guess says yes, you can. As humans, we are designed as visual beings. I've wondered though, why is it that we cannot remember every face we meet? Why don't they download to our memory log? What I understand, is that we do not tend to remember information given quickly, but we remember things and people that have been given significant attention.

Psalm 27:8 says, "My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, Lord, I will seek." 

Seeking is a journey. It requires focus, commitment, and perseverance. Many times you have to remember why you sought out something/someone in the first place. So, why are we urged to seek His face? Allow me to give just a few reasons why it is worth significant and crucial attention. 

1. HIS EYES SEE WHAT WE CANNOT

-Proverbs 15:3 says, "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good."  

While on this earth, our hearts can grow overwhelmed when we become weighed down with what is temporary. When we ask Him to lead us to the rock that is higher than us, His perspective will bring peace and clarity. 

2. HIS EARS ARE SHARP

Isaiah 59:1 says, "Behold, the Lord's hand is not so short that is cannot save; Nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear."

The Father understands it's a desire of our heart to be heard. Friend, when you are doing His will and worshipping Him, you can rest knowing that He hears your cry, He hears your supplication, He hears your praise, and He answers. 

3. HIS LIPS UTTER TRUTH 

 Psalm 89:34 says, "My covenant I will not violate, Nor will I alter the utterance of My lips." 

You know what the enemy's native language is? Lying. We can easily believe the lies, even if we have formerly been presented the truth. God's voice may not be loud or audible, but when You're close enough to His face, you hear the whispers of truth crystal clear flow from His very lips. 

4. HIS FACE REPRESENTS HOLINESS

-Exodus 33:20-23 says, "But He said, "You cannot see My face, for no man can see me and live!" Then the Lord said, "Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand there on the rock; and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen." 

The face of God holds far more glory than our human bodies can bear. He is holy. As a believer, we are called to live a life of holiness that reflects Him. Christ had to BECOME our holiness, and by seeing Him we see the Father. 

There is a condition called Prosopagnosic's that is caused by damage to or around the fusiform face area. It causes direct damage to facial recognition in your brain. Often times, people can recognize normal objects, like a phone or tree. However, they cannot recognize a face, which includes loved ones or even themselves. Many people become so hardened towards God. Damage has been inflicted by others or even self-inflicted to the point where intimacy is feared. They aren't sure who they are, and the name of God sounds like a foreign stranger. They seek what is seen (objects) because it requires little effort and vulnerability. If this sounds like you, please hear this. Christ allowed nails to be driven through His hands so that He could take hold of yours and invite you as His guest to His Father's house. He is forever your "Plus 1" once you accept the invitation, and He promises to never leave you. Loving Jesus isn't scary, it is life-giving. It is peace perfected. 

Intimacy with the Father has got to be one of my favorite parts of the Gospel. Then again, every woven detail of it is miraculous and purely beautiful, isn't it? Today I encourage you, along with myself, to seek His face because it's the one worth looking to and remembering.

Hemmed In Jesus

Psalm 139:5
  You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.


  I touched on this in my last post, but the Lord had more to share on this topic. I know I'm not alone in that a common lie we hear is that past battles or pain will play some kind of determining role of our future. Sometimes we can be so devoted to trying to clean up our past and not repeating mistakes that we aren't devoted to loving God where we are at. Sometimes we can even let this lie actually become a likeness of truth. How sneaky is it that all of a sudden a lie from the enemy about your PAST is now your PRESENT idea of reality? One lie left without combat from the Word of God can cripple you from stepping into greater things and intimacy He has planned from the beginning.

  Throughout Psalm, David pleaded that the Lord would not hide His face from Him. This plea was coupled with realization that we desperately need the graciousness of God. My idea of seeing Him face to face, was always something in front of me, like on the day I come home to Him. However, in a moment of worshipping Him, He revealed that not only when I look ahead am I able to see His face, but even if I choose to look behind me for a moment, His face is there also, because He hems us in.

  Typically in sewing, hemming is a craft that finishes a piece of work. It is done in such a way to prevent unraveling. In the same way, God took His time to carefully craft you. By the blood of Jesus, He then clothed you in garments that were washed white. He doesn't just clothe the front (future) side of you, and leave the back (past) crimson until you can get your act straight. He finished the work, and He will not let you unravel.

  Remember friend, our shortcomings can't stop His glory from piercing through. We can offend His grace by looking back and only seeing regret, shame, weakness, etc., or we can see spotless blood covering us and a torn veil that allows us to meet Him face to face. Where will you focus?

The Rise of Kindness

  Do you ever have those moments when you hear God speaking something to you or showing you a certain vision, only to actually read it in the Bible months, weeks, or days later? I sure do, and I am so grateful for them.
  A few days ago, I was getting ready in the morning and wrestling with some thoughts, thoughts that I'm sure have crept in many of your minds as well. Has my past really left me? Will people really accept and love me for despite words and actions I may regret? OH and especially whoever I marry, will they want to dig into that hot mess? Those thoughts were beginning to weigh on me until God's voice broke through like light clearing the fog. I heard Him say, "I made a way so that your past never has to be resurrected." Shew, really Lord? Yes, really beloved. The resurrection of Jesus Christ TOOK THE PLACE OF the resurrection of our past. Christ rose so that our past could forever remain buried. Grace has the power to release the fear that we won't ever be good enough for something or someone. Aren't you glad we don't have to strive to achieve such a false status? Being "good enough" has never been nor will be our calling. But by His blood and faithfulness, we are made righteous. We were given peace with God and a genuine opportunity to be His friend, His lover, His son/daughter, an heir to His kingdom, etc. In Him, the old things are GONE, and the new is here! How could news get any better?
  As I'm sitting here now, the kindness of God is just hitting me. I know I've definitely had moments in my life where I knew good and well my actions or words were hurting my Father, but I cared more about my own feelings/desires at the time. Holy Spirit would gently nudge me to choose differently, but I was stubborn and terribly selfish. Once the consequences and the heart aches came, God could have easily looked at me and said "I tried to tell you" or "Well, that's what you get." But that's not His nature. When our flesh tells us to turn away from those who hurt us, God's love actually chooses to draw even closer. He doesn't withhold discipline, but He doesn't withhold His kindness either. He continues to intercede on our behalf. He is slow to anger, quick to forgive, and faithful to comfort. He's a kind Father, and that's what leads us to repentance.
  Everything He has been speaking to my heart lately can be summed up in what I just opened my Bible to. God's so cool :)

 Titus 3:3-7
"For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

Ahhh, this just stirs my heart like a bowl full of honey. Sweet to my soul, healthy to my body.

Hungry? Why Wait?

  All my life I've been a softie for strays. Today was no different. I was driving home and see this tiny dog scavenging around. Naturally, I pull my car over to see if I can help it. I get closer and see that it's backbone is pretty visible. This dog was starving. I randomly had a can of cat food in my car so I open it up to see if the scent will bring the dog closer. It took awhile, but I managed to get it to come to me. The dog was eating sticks, so I figured I'd give it some cat food on a stick. It took it from my hand and ran as fast as it could into the woods. Little did it know, I had a whole can I was going to give it, and then some. My sole desire was to take care of this little guy and find him a home.

 One thing that may have motivated him to run from me was fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of getting hurt, fear of not surviving, etc.  Haven't we done this with God? He sees us, comes to us, waits patiently with extended hands, and we might acknowledge Him for a moment, but then we run away again. God's perfect love will not co-exist with fear, He wants to drive that out of us so we can experience the fulness of His love.  We have to KNOW that literally everything we need He is delighted to provide. He wants nothing more than to bring us home, hold us in His loving embrace, and strengthen us for the narrow path that leads to abundant life.
 
  Maybe there was pride thrown in there too. "Yeah, I got this, I don't need your help. What do you have that I can't go find on my own?" Pride is basically a synonym for weight. It brings you down EVERY time. It's also very deceiving, making you think that you won't take a tumble. We can give this life our best shot but still come up empty-hearted. That's because nothing was made to satisfy you deeply other than the Love of your Maker. Let Him do it! Why wait? We can only go around gnawing on sticks for so long. It's exhausting, it's lonely, and it's unhealthy. God is over here with a table set with your name on a place card just waiting for you to come, sit, and be with Him. I don't' know about you, but a feast sounds a WHOLE lot more satisfying than sticks.

Psalm 23:5 

"You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings."

Isaiah 58:11

"The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail."

Unveiled Value

  Now I don't know about ya'll, but I get downright fired up at the enemy when I see and hear about girls thinking they are worthless, ugly, forgettable, stupid, you name it. We choose to listen to the silliest sources. Our self-esteem gets kicked around with every break up, every look at a magazine ad/tv show parading an absurd standard of "beauty," every "like" we hope to get on our selfies, every step on the scale, etc. Now, I haven't mastered the art of self-confidence, in fact, I struggled with it growing up....but that's not really what I'm talking about anyway. Self-confidence has to do with my opinion of myself which, as a moody human, can be all over the place. It's kind of like shakeable faith. Our faith may be weak one day, and we're on fire the next. Regardless, God is still God always and can literally do anything He wants whether we feel like that's true at the moment or not. Just the same, our value doesn't waiver. It is as constant as the cross. 

  Tis the season of life where friends are getting married. It leaves me sometimes literally dreaming of my wedding day. Dressed in white, surrounded by my loved ones, gazing into the eyes of the one my heart loves, vowing all my devotion, all while resting in the security that I'm fully accepted, I'm solely chosen. There was something in me worth pursuing, worth committing a lifetime to. Oh....but the moment that really makes my heart leap, is when my soon-to-be husband lifts my veil and sees my face for the first time. There's something about it that seems so special and significant to me. It's a "leave you breathless" kind of moment. 

 In scripture, a veil is used to cover something powerful and holy. Here are some examples:

First, in Exodus 26 the Lord gave Moses instructions about how to build the tabernacle. Moses was instructed that a veil should be hung around the Holy of Holies, in order to separate it from the rest of the tabernacle. Later in Leviticus 16: 2, 15 we learn that the Holy of Holies possessed sacred power and that anyone who entered into it without the proper authority, or without an atoning sacrifice, would die. The veil was to protect those outside from the power within.

Second, in Exodus 34:33-34 we read how when Moses came down from the mount, after speaking face to face with God, his face shone so brightly that the children of Israel were afraid to be in his presence. He had to veil his face while he was talking to them because they couldn't look upon him. Yet Moses didn't veil when he talked to God, only when he spoke in front of the congregation. Verse 34 says,

“But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded."

   As children of God, WE ARE the bride with something so powerful in us that we are able to speak life/truth into situations, be filled to overflow, be anointed for ministry, be washed and renewed, walk in freedom, and be transformed into the image of Christ. He's called the Holy Spirit, and in Him we find our identity, which is just the thing satan does all he can to keep you from knowing. Some of us go throughout our days using our veil as a security blanket. We stay hidden, because we think if we were ever seen for who we really are, that we won't be wanted or loved. So, we never really open up to anyone, let alone God. Or maybe we are too open. We take peeks from behind the veil at the world's teaching and let that shape our value, reaching at man's thoughts towards us. Since when did man's opinion have the right to take the place of God's Word? Hmm, never! It's up to us to walk down the aisle towards our true bridegroom, who is Jesus. Only He holds the honor of lifting the veil and exposing what nobody else can, a value that cannot be measured by anything other than His blood. The most beautiful part about it, is that He sees His light reflecting from our face when He looks at us, and we see that our value is hidden in His glory. One glance of Him, and we want more. A bride doesn't just get married, then never spend time with her groom again. She's with him day in and day out, growing in intimacy and resting in the protection of his love.  We should also seek this daily intimacy so that we are protecting our knowledge of the truth that's been revealed to us. 

  Here's the thing...knowing our value isn't actually just for us to go "Oh how He loves me"....I believe the lyric goes, "Oh how He loves US." Our ministry starts here. Jesus said in Matthew 28:18-19 "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." When we know we were raised up with Christ, with His authority is in us, then we are ready to carry it to the nations, teaching of His love, the extravagant love that proclaims "You're worth everything to me, no cost was too great!" 

I asked of my Father, can I have you
and He said "you must die for her, 
take on all the burdens that she should bare"
I loved her so much that I decided I will  
I came down from my heavenly glory
and I took all of my love and gave it to you 
By this, You'll know my love 
The scars in my hand, the scar in my side, in my feet, and my brow
The lashes on me are my signature of my love for You 
It was my vow, It was my gift to you 
Now you can be with me 
My bride, you can be with me

Verses to look up:

Psalms 40:5, Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:1, Psalm 138:8, 1 Cor. 6:20, Eph 1:6, Rom 8:16-17, Eph 2:4-6

Alvis

  I love how everyone at one point was a stranger to you until an introduction was made, then they had the potential to become a friend. I used to be the most shy little girl in the world. I wouldn't look strangers in the eye. I let my mom talk for me. My how I've changed! 

  

  I mainly want to write this post to remember a man I met tonight and what an impact he made on me. His name is Alvis. I was in downtown Nashville shooting a music video with a friend. On our way to eat afterwards, we passed a man asking for a quarter. A quarter? Can you even buy gum for a quarter these days? This was so intriguing to me. I kept walking and heard him saying to people "I know you have a quarter" in this harsh tone. Though I didn't actually have a quarter specifically, the Lord led me to give what I did have. God wanted to take it further though, because I really felt an ache (a good one) in my heart to just find somebody to love on, and it wouldn't leave me alone. We ended up walking back by this man and Holy Spirit just took over as I asked the man how I could pray for him. I adore his honesty, as he said he was trying to get off of drugs and needed help. Now, ya'll gotta know I don't typically walk around just asking people how I can pray for them, but like I mentioned in my last post, I keep asking God to stretch me in how I love others and He's answering. So God used my friends and I to just pour truth over him about who he is, speak blessings over his life, and pray for his deliverance from substance abuse. We got to know each other. What our passions are, what kind of music we like, etc. Al was so shocked that we were just a bunch of youngsters out on a Friday night loving on a stranger. This shouldn't be shocking, it should be expected. He told us he liked to dance, so naturally I ask him to show us his best dance move. Ya'll, he was GETTIN IT! I'll definitely be doing the "Al" next time I go dancing. I saw him go from a seemingly bitter man, to a man whose mourning was literally turned into dancing, all because of a little love. We sang his favorite song to him, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." Isn't that amazing? Even though he was in the midst of struggle, he is so drawn to a song that is full of wonder and hope. He's a dreamer, as we all are. The thing that I love most about what he said in his story is that it really was up to him to change. It doesn't matter how far we fall, whether we are in the valley or the mountaintop, we all have a natural awareness that we are broken people who simply have to choose God's strength. I'm excited about what God will do in his life.

 I just encourage you guys to look for ways to let God do His thing through you. I used to always pray for boldness to do stuff like this...then when I complimented a friend on his boldness recently, he said he doesn't have "boldness," he's just "dead." Meaning, he no longer lives for himself, but for God. It's kind of ironic how much more fully alive we become in doing so :) 

Love to Carry

Love...mmm how I love that word! How I love that Person! I enjoy asking God to just give me fresh revelations of His love, and tonight He revealed just a little more of it's depth.

  I was just pickin' around on the ol' guitar and worshipping God this evening. I was simply singing the words "I love you." He must really enjoy hearing this from His children, because the next thing you know I have tears running down my face (no it's not just because I'm a girl with emotions.) Holy Spirit took over and moved me. I knew He was singing it back to me in a beautiful, intimate way. I realized in that moment that no person, achievement, etc has ever brought me more joy than Abba, He just makes me smile! Get this...He feels the same about us, but in the most grandiose, magnificent way possible!  We are His world, His treasure, His beloved. This literally leaves me in awe the further He takes me into that thought. Love is so important because it's the greatest message we have been assigned to deliver to this world.

  So a thought randomly popped in my head...carrier pigeons (doves). Historically, these pigeons were used in war times before the advent of radio to deliver important messages. They were a primary means of the head quarters communicating with the soldiers. Obviously, this was a dangerous job, since the pigeons were often shot at. Yet, these birds saved hundreds of thousands of lives because of their invaluable information. They couldn't just go out there and hope for the best though. They had to be trained over time. There was a season of preparation before they were able to successfully complete their mission.

  Like the carrier pigeons, we have been sent by God to deliver the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His love across the nations. We are the primary means of delivering the good news. Even though this is typically safe in America, there are many parts of the world where you risk your life to do so, and I have BEYOND respect for those doing so. We face spiritual warfare, because the enemy knows what we carry (but we know that greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world, amen?!) Our love call isn't comfortable, convenient, or easy. It stretches us, takes us out of our comfort zone. These pigeons went under extreme circumstances, and we should be willing to do the same to show love. God's so super creative that it will constantly be manifesting itself in different ways to us and through us. It's exciting! Yet before we embark on some of these adventures, there's a growth and preparation that must happen. He has us wait on Him and develop faith, hope, and most importantly love. As Bethany Dillon sings, "You can do more in my waiting than in my doing I could do." The word of our testimony has to be built by HIS doing and our obedience in the waiting. If I don't know how much He loves me and the ways he demonstrates it, I'd be telling a story of someone else's life (Bible) without knowing what it's like to be radically changed by it. Loving people doesn't just come naturally to us in this fallen world. I often fail at it, but when I let His love come, it never fails.

  I always looked at 1 Corinthians 13 and was like...hold up, if you give all you have to the poor, isn't that loving? If you'd give over your body to hardship, isn't that loving? Obviously it goes deeper than that or the Bible wouldn't say we still "gain nothing without love." I realize now that I can still give from a heart that says "look at this awesome thing I did," or I can give over my body to hardship and complain about how "hard" it is. We do it all the time! This is why we have to keep asking God to search our hearts and try us for any grievous way in us. A healthy core is a healthy everything!

  It's easy to marvel at His gifts (peace, joy, provision, favor, etc) and earnestly ask for those things. These things are amazing, but we can't give them to others. I think the real gift we have to gain in this life is a genuine, continuous heart knowledge of our First Love's love. It lives like a person inside of us and introduces itself to everyone we meet. You encounter people everyday who have been waiting to meet Love. Let them.

Carry on love doves :)