Lost in the Dance...

Beloved Followers,
I don't think I will call you that anymore, for that sounds cultish. I like to avoid giving off that vibe if possible. Thankfully you all understand my motives (I hope).
I hope you all are well! Please update me on you when possible.
I am glad to finally post a whole season later! This summer was a wonderful one to be sure, and incredibly full. Other than the fact that I didn't make time to post, being without my handy lil ACER Netbook was a great hinderance to blogging. Those are my main reasons for not being on here, for those who need to know WHY?!
Currently I am sitting on the couch in my basement room at home feeling incredibly blessed. Papa God has been filling me up all day with His word and His love, and I just drank a cup of warmed water with chia seeds. Very nice. He has been so kind to my heart as usual and I am continually blown away by Him. I don't want to sound like a broken record but WE HAVE A GOOD FATHER. His heart toward us is good, don't let what happens in this sin-sick world deceive you. Don't let hurts and hurting people deceive you. Just because people are suffering does not mean this is what God wants for the world. If you want to know what is good in God's eyes and what HE wants for the world look at Eden. The cross was Him reconciling the world to Himself so that we could be restored to a beautiful relationship with Him and ultimately get back to the "way things was" in Eden. Unhindered communion. Oh, and a beautiful earth I might add.
As I have been increasingly inviting Him into my thought life and coming to Him with what is going on in my heart He has been transforming me and speaking truth that changes everything. Life is EASY when I let Him carry my burdens. When He said, "Come to Me all who are wearied and heavy laden and I will give you rest." He truly meant it! I thought grandma's silly "Life is hard and then you die" quote was somewhat reasonable. Sure seems that way when you look around these days. But Jesus...He changes everything! His yoke really is easy and His burden light. If we find things are difficult we may just be carrying stuff He never wanted us to carry in the first place. We may just be carrying extra junk for security or whatnot. He doesn't just want us to cope, He wants us to hope. He wants us to let go so we can be free. He wants us to be in His Kingdom which is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit! This is His heart for all of us. Some of us would love to do this...but can't find freedom and can't free ourselves. We feel conquered with no way out. It is in this place we need to cry out. We need an invasion of His presence.
A beautiful analogy the Lord gave me while praying is France before the Allied DDay invasion. Germany took advantage of France's weakness and captured it, and set up a whole barricade to keep out anyone who might try to rescue France. These mines and defenses along the coast were daunting, but miraculously on June 6th, 1944*checks google to be sure of historical accuracy, lol* the Allied forces broke through and began their campaign to liberate France, heading straight for its heart. That my friend is what we need. We need the Holy Spirit to invade our lives and dismantle the enemy's fortresses of lies and defenses that keep us "safe"...but only safe from our Rescuer. If you feel stuck and not free, cry out to Him tonight. He wants to go after your heart and free you. Only He can overpower your enemy, you just need to cry out to Him and cooperate. Say yes! Hallelujah, that was my preach and sure enough it came on!
Back to what is going on in my life:
Last night a dear friend of mine was praying for me(thanks Anna!)and she saw the Lord dancing with me. It was such a meaningful analogy for what I am learning to do right now. Not trying to lead my life, but follow my Partner's lead. Keep my eyes on Him and enjoy Him. Not thinking so much, but leaning on Him! Trusting Him(Proverbs 3:5,6--see previous posts for more on that) and therefore getting LOST in His love. We were laughing in His presence so much during prayer. He was so sweet I was starting to get lost! That is my hope for all of you tonight: that you lose your lives and find them in Him. That you find Him and find life! That you call on Him and He delivers you from whatever holds you back and you get lost in the dance of your life with your Lover. Jesus Christ. Oh, and if you happen to be a single lady out there wondering where your man is, I hope you find him. Or more accurately I hope that while you are so lost in God's intoxicating presence that the Lord dances you right into the arms of a fine warrior poet dude. From there I hope you become excellent partners and bring much applause to your Lover/Father and have a large family that displays the love of God to a badly lost world. I am sorry, you probably were having a good day until I brought all of that up that you didn't want to remember and thought you were over singleness or whats-his-face again. But there is the longing. Bring it to Jesus AGAIN my friends. He can take it, believe me, He has lots of practice with yours truly. He loves you beyond what you can imagine.
It is time for me to go. Thanks for reading this!
May His presence invade you tonight!
PS Comments are desired...let me know what Father is up to in your lives.

When Daddy speaks...

I am back in my Minnesota dwelling! Most of my family is healthy, some are under the weather with headaches and fevers and sore throats. Dad is working in Ohio. Rachel, Paige, Nate and Emilee began a large paint job at the Courthouse in SF today. I am one of the recovering peoples, at home with a headache taking it easy today. That was somewhat hard for me to do. It is hard for me to humble myself and rest when there is work to be done, though of course part of me enjoys sleeping, relaxing and just listening to music talking to my Father...
You see, when I am not doing anything "significant" for a time, I can easily begin to wrestle with my worth and identity. So the past two days I have been wrestling with the familiar fear of missing God and not doing enough for His Kingdom. Being afraid of resting too much. This was part of my false theology of God: that He frowns upon my resting and is constantly prodding me to do more, because after all, there is a world to save. Today He spoke again to my heart though, and I would like to copy and paste the exchange we had as recorded in my computor-journal. I love it when He speaks--there is nothing like His Voice and His presence and Him in all the universe!
So I was lying on the floor, asking Him to give me His desires for my weekend, week, future, life, etc...and I wanted to “look and see” like Ezekiel did. As I turned my spritual eyes to heaven, I saw Jesus (this is like very shady and blurry, and not like a clear picture, but there nonetheless) beckoning me and a group of others up higher. We saw the world as if from space, though it seemed we were just above the clouds maybe. It was as if He was showing us our inheritance. I then asked Him what I needed to do to get the inheritance (just because I could ask *smile*) He said kindly, “Brooke, just wait.” that is so cool. Humbling. It lines up with everything He has been saying in Psalm 37, especially verse 34 “Wait for the LORD and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land…” It was a "duh" moment, but an incredibly joyful one. I mean, really? The meek do inherit the earth, huh?
So Father, (I asked as usual) cast vision for my life I ask…put it in my heart and not just in my head.
Father says-
Brooke,
You are loved and cherished. Just like you are. I planned you to be this way. I knew all along and I loved you. Can you just rest in this? Once again laying down your prideful striving to have something to show for your life. Your building/work must be of the Spirit or it will burn down. I will show you what is necessary, don’t be afraid. I am not afraid. Stay above that spirit. It will try to poison your thinking, especially about other people then you will not see clearly.
Me-Father! I want to do Your work, Your will in this world. Either change the way I see that, or get me involved I ask.
Father-Why do you want to do My work?
Me-Because it is so rewarding and I want to see results of change and see things going the way they were designed to go. I want to see your will be done and Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven. I want people to know You, and Your goodness. I love being a part of Your Kingdom!
Father-Those things will not change as a result of your work, but MY Spirit. For by grace you were saved through faith, and that not of yourselves it is the GIFT of God, NOT of WORKS so that no one could boast. Your rest declares to the world My Glory. I am the one who calls and exalts and leads you in the way you should go. Ministry is Mine to give and not to be pursued, but entered into.
Me-What am I to do now, then? I don’t want to be lazy! That can’t be glorifying to You.
Father-be still for a time and know that I am God. Your heart MUST rest in Me or you will be overwhelmed. I didn’t create you to save the world, but to BE. To follow Me. I am your reward, your heart needs rest from chaotic striving. I am the Savior, you are My Daughter. Be consumed by My love. I will lead you in the way you should go. Your heart will rejoice!
What a Father! Let us let our hearts rest in trust of this Lover of our souls. I hope this makes you hungry to listen and hear what He would say to your heart.
He wants to speak to you!


Other verses I found delightful in Psalm 37

23The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
when he delights in his way;
24though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the LORD upholds his hand.