Being Open

I have waited all week for my book club to meet. We read "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp. I was hooked on her descriptive, poetically authentic writing style. I was able to fall quickly in step and relate well to her story. Coming from a recovering pessimistic, control-freak, I feel I am quite sensitive to critical spirits. They come from a very dark, isolated place. Is it a "Pollyanna" type attitude that wants deep wounds healed? People who seek spiritual wellness not only want the healing for themselves, but mentally begin to make "lists" of possible candidates for healing, as well. You want to share all you learn and are willing to help however you can. I know I am here. It is an assumption that people who suffer illness want to be well. My healing goes beyond mere restoration. I neither need, nor desire, restoration, I need a root transplant. The idols of entertainment, hobbies and mere busyness need to be plucked at the epicenter, and replaced with Christ and authentic application of His ministry and teachings. I am finding joy in simply exercising faith and becoming spiritually fit. I am open. Open to change and am truly enjoying a heightened sensitivity to all things promoting wellness. I am a spiritual scavenger ready to feast at every opportunity afforded me. For once in my life I am able to ask others to join me at the table, but need to be okay if they decline. All in His time. My eyes, heart, mind and hands are open. Lord, please open my understanding and promote my healing.

A Call to Arms 1 Pet. 4:17

I have been experiencing exponential spiritual growth in the last year and it truly causes me to be quite sensitive to the enemy and his attacks. When reaping a harvest of spiritual growth, you will be misunderstood, alienated and may have to look up (to God) for ALL of your strength, because the enemy will pull the very people you love dearly into some serious spiritual warfare, but it's okay. We know who wins in the end. I guess what my family has experienced lately is a rapid, drop-down list of "Labels" in attempts to define, stereotype and simply try to negotiate how to handle us. I am going to hone in on Church Folk in general only because these are the people who are supposed to be moving in the same direction as me and my family. We are an unusual bunch with a set of core principles and values that don't ring typical. What is typical? Must be whatever we aren't because we constantly hear that. I am starting to wonder if typical is a small can of smelly sardines. If it's not, then it must be close to it when I think about just how little thought goes into imitating others and not embracing the authentic people God truly calls us to be. We are no different than any Christian you may find today. We are trying to look more like Jesus, but sometimes fall short. In our walk, we sometimes stumble, but this year, we have gleaned a hallmark of lessons in the realm of forgiveness, redemption and restoration. I will make it my duty to ask you to consider for a moment the importance of helping a sister or brother in Christ as you would a soldier wounded on the spiritual battlefield. Can we do that for one another? If we truly realize that we are standing on the battlefield, and we get our military mind-set going for a moment, our bearings, the things we would say and do would be vital to either our advancement against the enemy or him claiming victory in our spiritual demise. This is the worst thing that can happen. We must have it all confused because some of us are drawing the sword and our weaponry, designed to do battle with satan and his evil dominion, against our spiritual sisters and brethren because we cannot tell them apart from the secular world anymore. Hence, awareness becomes paramount. I plan to share my thoughts on our particular journey through a dark, land-mine ridden, enemy territory. Folks, we are at war and the first part of any military operation becoming a success is gleaning information (intelligience) on the enemy. What he looks like, his main objective, and not compromising any alliances. I am afraid that this calls for some practical application of authenticity for us spiritual folk. We either look like Christ or we look more like the enemy. The line has been drawn in the sand and not even the four hours we typically spend a week at church two days a week can be enough to sustain you spiritually on this battlefield if you are not doing some serious contemplating of scripture and life application of God-breathed training at the house. Yes, at your home. Measuring every thought, word and deed by the living Word seems the best route. I'm simply not interested in taking this side of eternity lightly. For years I played church. The question never is "Are you in the church?" rather "Is the church in YOU?" We need an alter call for Authenticity.