the prison walls...

walls: (as a verb, from dictionary.reference.com)

* to enclose, shut off, divide, protect, border, etc...

* to seal or entomb (someone or something) within a wall

walls keep out the cold and rain, keep the light at bay and the hum of life is dulled to a pur in this place of solece. walls secure our countries and kingdom from predators and onlookers, alike. provided a way in and out, the wall appears to provide strength and confidence, a respit for peace on long, weary days.... free to come and go... until the wall becomes the crutch, the hiding place, no longer a place of renewal and communion with Him...

the wall is no longer there to temporary protect from the pains of life, but brick by brick our shield has now imprisoned our heart....

what happens when we refuse to tear down the stones and live in His freedom? when we no longer step outside the doors in our wall and our role in His Body is empty and dying?

the way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don't, the parts we see and the parts we don't. if one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. if one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance. 1 Corinthians 12.25-26 (MSG)

the wall in theory was excellent defense: using the hurled stones of pain, anger, loss, betrayal and creating the barricade with which to kneel behind, where the healing from Him could begin....

as the wall hardened steadfast strong, an eery pride joins in and the mission to go it alone with no need for others creeps along, forgeting His command... simple safeguard for the heart, right? love hurts deep and long, pouring it out over and over without allowing His love to refill and flow through brings drought and famine. going it alone behind the walls breeds dullness, when love runs dry we forget the Master's command

"Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples--when they see the love you have for each other." John 13.34-35 (MSG)

selfish wants to buffer love and fellowship with thick walls.... but then how will they see Him?!

you use steel to sharpen steel,and one friend sharpens another.proverbs 27.17

must chose-- His path: to love, sacrifice, endless compassion.... a growing love affair with the original Lover of our soul... OR the fortress of walls: emptiness, aching lonliness, separation and hardening...

by His Spirit the stones of the armament crumble bit by bit... as Light exposes our hurts, our fears...the wombly first steps to serve, to love, to live life bare and unearthed without walls

faith and trust the only real Strength needed, all that will save the soul....

you are Christ's body--that's who you are! you must never forget this. only as you accept your part of that body does your "part" mean anything. 1 Corinthians 12.27

only when the wall breaks apart can His will truly be done...

as i step out, i have failed and pulled back, ducked behind the barrier of my heart....it's quiet, i'm alone and the fear blurs my vision of Him

i stand up, knock away more stones by His beautiful grace, i will not lose my joy for prideful disobedience....

heart cries out "make me more like you" and His courage to love, to serve, to host, to dream streams through my heart

i still fail, sometimes i cower, scrabble towards the walls, but stopping short, on bended knee and arms lifted heavenward.... i believe, i know He is greater than all the pain, the hurts, the betrayals, my sins

His love is abundant and fresh, radiant sweet

if we desire to be like Him, to be the Voice of love to the grotesque blackness of the world, be the hands He uses to break the chains of sin by reaching out, out of our comfortable places, the prison walls must come down

He is greater, marvelous, glorious and bigger than my inadequecy

make us like you, Oh Lord!!! take me where you need me, break my heart for your Kingdom's calling

is He calling you to leave your fortress and trust that He will sustain you heart?

calling all my Sisters!!!

i enjoy planning and organizing events, well really anything in general: i find it fun to organize my grocery lists, my photos, make sure my cupboards have all the labels showing... ahem, okay i didn't mean to reveal all of my overly compulsive habits, but all of this to say that i love planning an event!

however i am not always the most hospitable. i love the planning, the decorating, but i struggle with the hostessing... not that i'm a bad hostess but i struggle in the department of having deeper, more meaningful relationships, even with people in my own family (not my Man or kiddos but extended fam). those reading this that know me, even just on an acquintance basis, probably don't believe a lick of what i've just written. it is in me to be social and i have no fear of talking up a storm about any & all things and i am the first to want to jump in & help whoever needs it. i have to be a 'people-lover' and a chatty lady simply by the career i have chosen in marketing/sales, no one wants to be sold by a grumpy, uncommunicative advertising executive. but i digress.... allowing family, friends, acquintances and random strangers (okay not all random strangers) into my heart and to show them the love of Jesus can be difficult for me, opening up my own heart and revealing the good, the bad and all the stuff in between makes me uncomfortable and if i'm being totally honest with you, i get a little sick feeling in my stomach when i think about letting others truly know me...









i don't have skeletons waiting to climb out of my closet and divulge random, embarrassing moments or the choices made with little thought, we all have those and if you are curious about if i've ever bounced a check or told a lie, then just leave me a comment and i'll fill you in :) oh and yes i have done both in my life....









i do want to have better friendships, i want to encourage others with my words and my actions, i want to live out Titus 2 in mentoring younger women in loving their family & serving God with all they are, i want to learn from other women and be mentored by them as well! so as the Lord has laid these desires, obviously not my own, on my heart and mind i've taken the step of obedience and started with hosting a Sisters Party!!









this has been so much fun for me!! all these desires loving placed in my heart from the Lord have become my plans & goals.... cool how just following God with my actions gives Him the opportunity to change my heart... love planning the wonderful Christmas ornament craft, making the yummy cake and my sister-in-law, ms.M, and i had the best time creating the invitations for all of our most amazing Sisters!! it is exciting for me to have this chance to bring together a group of splendid women to fellowship around a cup of coffee & a cup of glitter and hot glue, and allow the each other into our lives and hearts. it doesn't happen at the first party or maybe even the second, but as our group expands and as i allow the Lord to work in His way, this will be a blessing for all of us. i will have the opportunity to let others pray for me as i let them see my emotional scars and be ever so blessed because of it, and lift them up as i share the victory of God's work in those trials that left a mark....











what i've learned as i've wrestled with God over this new ministry He's handed to me, is it is simply prideful of me to think that i can do it all on my own. while He has gifted me in many things, i need a word from a fellow Sister to pick me up or a hand planning a school event, it doesn't mean i'm less because i need someone, right?! and on the flip-side, it is totally selfish to not socialize with my Sisters, because God has given me talents & gifts & insight, just like He' probably given to you, and He just might want to use me to bless another girl if i spent some time with her!!!









we had a great time last weekend, and i'm so excited about our next Sisters Gathering in late January.... can you say cookie exchange?!! would you like to join us? yeah!!! i totally want to see you there, so if you weren't on the mailing list before, i am so sorry i overlooked you, but give me a shout at floodedbygrace@gmail.com and i'll fill you in on all the details.









i love socializing with everyone in the blog world, and just looking forward to growing the Flooded By Grace crowd as well as my group of Sisters (& some Brothers out there) here in Fly Over Country!!!