There are some reasons why I truly can't wait to get to Blacksburg, VA.
OK .. There are a ton of reasons...
But as the days draw near leaving Charlotte is getting harder and harder.
Except this one thing, the first time I slept at our new home in Blacksburg, I had this moment with the Lord. I won't go into details here about the encounter except to say after which, I felt the Lord shared with me that I hadn't seen anything yet. The promise that life at the new house was going to bring me into a time of exploration with the Lord in regards to things of His kingdom and deeper into the unseen reality of when Heaven touches earth.
That night was astounding to me as He walked me through some moments and began to instruct me anew in ways that are full of life and beauty.
These last few days as I have stepped into this invite into "Taking All Thoughts Captive," I have been made ever further aware of how beautiful and powerful the written expression of the Lord is in His Word. I have seen how accustomed I was to seeing and hearing and it has been an incredible time being oriented to His word. More full and firm than any experience. It has flowed into my being as if it were a blood transfusion. Filling my being with strength and under girding. A refreshed handling of the Word of God.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this place with Father. And yet as I write this a huge smile forms upon my face and delight pulsates through my being. He stretches us, absolutely He does, except He also remembers us and knows us thoroughly, intimately.
What am I saying?
This afternoon a friend and I went to Starbucks with my daughter, Elizabeth. We were almost there when all of a sudden right in front of us I saw an angel, a huge angel and as it stood in the middle of the road I exploded with joy. The angel was wearing this bright red t-shirt, and was smiling as huge as I began to.
I have to admit that while completely relishing in the journey, of taking every thought captive, I was concentrating so hard and wanting to appreciate the truth of scripture so much and allow it to impact me so thoroughly that I was being very serious. This red t-shirted angel with a huge grin would change that all up.
What do you think the t-shirt said?
It was in big white letters. Red t-shirt, big white letters? Life saver! Even as I write this I want to burst out loud in laughter. The letters formed the words, "WAIT! STOP! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!?"
The thing is this morning I could feel the Lord saying to me from Psalm 91:11," For He will give His angels charge concerning you. To guard you in all your ways." I had spent the day asking the Lord the questions I have learned to ask Him, "What does that practically mean?" "How does that practically happen?" "What does that truly look like?" I knew the Lord was telling me that His resources are set up to protect and guard, early in Psalm 91, it is written; "If you have made the Lord, my refuge, even the Most High your dwelling place...."
This call to know Him and be set into safe places, places of refuge, place of protection.... I have taken these things to heart. But the truth about me is I am truly a visual learner. And I can guarantee you the lessons of this afternoon have so thoroughly filled my heart in ways that none of my own labor could have ever... Yes, we are called to be diligent, taking every thought captive, takes work and effort. BUT... The joy of the Lord is our strength. And He who began a good work within us will bring it to completion. It is a love relationship full of affection, passion and a drawing to the truth of what life is truly and really about.
So this afternoon, this angel with the red t-shirt... will forever be embedded upon my mind... to wait, to stop... to ask myself what are you thinking! But what once felt more solemn and an important task now feels infused with life and liberty and joy and laughter.
Upon seeing the angel, I heard the Father's whisper as He expressed that He knows how He made me and He knows what delights my soul. For me it IS interactions with Him, with all of Him, with the place from where my truest citizenship is derived from... How can I be an ambassador if I am not familiar with the place from which I originate from? Philippians 3:20.. My citizenship is in Heaven!
He calls us... He originates.. He walks with us, He never leaves nor forsakes.. He doesn't assign a task and then cause us to walk it out without relationship with Him and others. There is no real drudgery in the work of the Kingdom. JUST DELIGHT! The joy of the Lord is my strength. Walking alongside my God, my Father, is full of the most interesting components, if you will allow me the liberty of saying such a thing about the Lord of lords and King of kings...
All I know is that in an instant He brought laughter, joy and fun .. He exploded upon the scene and revolutionized the way I was going about this thing of taking all thoughts captive. It now feels more infused with life...
Let grace abound unto you! Let peace, joy and the expression of such things pour out upon you! May you be full of His delight... because as you are it will become a natural overflow that your thoughts are set upon things above... You will be so thoroughly enamored... and wooed into truth, it will erupt upon you like a flood of joy and a dispersion of laughter...
God is soooooooo very full of LIFE, LOVE, JOY... LIBERTY and FREEDOM!
Oh my this journey is such a crazy one... but WOW! What a mighty God we serve, and love!!!
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