Before you begin reading this post, click on the link below to listen to
“Spirit Break Out” while you read.
This weekend I attended a Women of Faith Conference. I have already unpacked my clothes, but now I need to unpack the spiritual truths I learned. It is my heart that needs to be unpacked. Actually, my heart needs to break out!
In my pajamas I sipped coffee and began to rewrite the notes I jotted down from the conference. (Yes, I’m one of those people, the note-taking-with-different-colors-of-pens person.) Since the conference was held under low lights I couldn’t see the page and my handwriting was all over the place. With different colored pens, I rewrote my notes and scripture adding doodles and underlining words for emphasis.
I thought about what speaker Shelia Walsh said:
“My history does not dictate my destiny!”
Joshua, sold into slavery by his brothers, continued to follow the Lord even after a series of tragic events. God’s hand was upon him and led him to a place of position and prosperity. Decades later those same brothers returned, needing food and resources and this was Joshua’s response:
“God will redeem your story. Your best days are yet to come!”- Shelia Walsh
At the arena, we parked next to a mini-van with a bumper sticker that read:
Wag more
Bark less
Those words pierced my heart. I know I need to wag more, relax, be light hearted and carefree. I wish I could be more like my daughter Rachel who is such a free-spirit. Rachel glides through life as if on a cloud, gracefully moving from rainbow to rainbow. She doesn’t just stop to smell the roses, she photographs the roses, and sprinkles rose petals all over the house. (If I were to be honest, at times her free-spirit self-drives me crazy. She is never in hurry nor can ever find her hairbrush or shoes.) This is my child who takes a baton to Andrew’s soccer games. She is not interested in watching the game. She wants to twirl!
“Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed. His mercies are NEW every morning! Great is His faithfulness!” Lamentations 3:22-23
As I rewrote “His mercies are new every morning,” I pondered at the thought of God giving a fresh batch of mercy every morning, a fresh batch. I poured out yesterday’s coffee still in the pot and I filled the coffee pot with fresh water and fresh coffee grounds to brew. If I brew a fresh pot of coffee every morning, why would I dare think God is going to serve me leftover mercy every morning? I’ve decided that a fresh pot of hazelnut coffee tastes great with a fresh batch of new mercy!
While waiting for the coffee to percolate, I played a new song I heard at the conference, “Spirit Break Out” by Kim Walker-Smith. The lyrics “Can you hear it? The sound of heaven touching earth.” grabbed my attention. After sending my love and the kiddos out the door this morning, I listened to this song over and over. Again, here is the link for your listening pleasure:
Alone, I cranked up the stereo, and sang these lyrics to the top of my lungs (a joyful noise I assure you). Something broke out of my heart. What erupted was a girl who wanted to twirl! Still in my fleece sheep-printed pajamas and fuzzy socks, I glided across the hardwood floors. I danced! I glided into Rachel’s room and found her baton.
I danced!
I twirled!
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
(1 Thessalonians 5:11, ESV)
On this cold and rainy November day we’ve been given a fresh batch of mercy!
That’s reason enough to
TWIRL!
~April
redchairmoments.gmail.com
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