It had been a long week of ministry with no end in sight and I still had energy and joy to keep going. I was talking on my phone in the back yard when I heard what sounded like a blow torch. My first thought was, "what is my neighbor doing over there?". I heard the noise again and I looked up and there in the sunset sky was a beautiful yellow hot air balloon. The longer I watched it the more I started laughing...the balloon kept getting closer like it was trying to land on my roof. As it hit the tree line I began realizing how low it was so I walked out to the street as a giant hot air balloon made an emergency landing on my street. Standing right there I began to laugh....it was so beautiful and yet so unexpected.
I think life brings us things sometimes that we don't expect and they can open our eyes to beauty we had been missing along the way. We think we are living life to the full until God reveals another layer of healing he wants us to walk through or another trial to endure. Sometimes God brings us to places where there are all new colors to be seen around us and we realize the life we had been living was a little colorless. That is how I feel the past weeks have been for me since meeting my Father...like my eyes have been opened to a new chapter. I guess I expected some epiphany to happen but really the week I had with Juan felt more like an act of obedience and something I knew I just had to do. It wasn't magical and it didn't seem lifechanging.
However, I can't even put into words the overall change I feel about life. It's like each day just seems to get brighter and lighter. I'm so happy about everything. Ministry doors are opening in front of me and I'm excited about this message of "Identity in Christ". I wonder deep down if this message is what my story and journey has all been about. I'm like the poster child to be talking to women about this topic...and it's deep and personal and a "still in process" kind of message. But my overall life of ministry and relationships is starting to take on a new look (but still with old flavors). Tonite I was asked to be a prayer partner at the end of our service and I got to pray with 4 girls...I knew 3 of them well and didn't really need to know how to pray. Each time I felt an almost prophetic prayer from deep within saying, "pray for them to know that Jesus is enough". I really stand in awe tonight of his blessings and his work in my life. I can say without a doubt that he is enough for me and he always will be. I think it all comes down to that core belief!
These past months have been some of the hardest of my life but seasons like this remind me of his grandeur purpose. He is crafting a work of art in each of us...a Picaso of sorts that people will brush against and stop and say, "Look at that". Everything in life right now looks brighter like I've had my eyes closed to the beauty around me.....my friends, creation, the cool air against my face. All of it pointing to my creator who is the master painter...and I am his work of art on display for the world to see.
I guess the moral of the story is that obedience to God brings blessing. We don't have to understand it or analyze it we just get to hold onto his hand and walk forward trusting that it's all leading to somewhere.
I love Chris Rice's old song "Deep Enough to Dream"
Deep enough to dream in brilliant colors
I have never seen
Deep enough to join a billion people
For a wedding feast
Deep enough to reach out and touch
The face of the One who made me
And oh, the love I feel, and oh the peace
Do I ever have to wake up...do I ever have to wake up?
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