January 26, 2010....a post from the past.

"I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love..."

As I felt God whispering these words to me, it was totally without condemnation. In fact, it was more of an encouragement, a recognition that I have gone through tough stuff and not wavered, faced boatloads of uncertainty and felt deep, excruciating pain, yet I'm still here, trusting, hoping, leaning on Him.....but now, now He is wanting to take me further, back to that deeper place, to renew the passion, to reignite the holy fire deep within...a place from which to launch into the "much more" that He has prepared for me, a place where I can experience Him in all of His fullness, taste of His glory and majesty, and rest in His amazing love and grace.

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love (not just about it...) that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

I pray that we all will experience a revelation of His extravagant love, and His heart toward us. Only then are we free to really love Him, only then CAN we live the abundant life He died to give us!!