D's Alabaster Jar: a Pouring Out

"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession-to the praise of his glory." Ephesians 1:13-14 Recently, I was talking with a friend. My heart became burdened as she doesn't know who she is. Life's rocky path has confined her to a small cave of fear where she peeps her head every once in awhile. The Enemy has told her she is safe there. She has been there so long it is familiar. As we talked, my spirit reminded me that we all have that 'cave'. There are times when I need a reminder of who I am, too. So, I asked her some questions. "Do you believe in God?" (Yes.) "Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God?" (Yes.) "Do you believe that He died for your sins, paid a debt you owed but couldn't p...

"When I was a child, I acted like a child..." this verse goes on to say that when we are mature, we put away childish ways. Can I be completely honest? Sometimes, I want to be a child. I want to scream, yell, cry, run with abandon. I want to hide in my blanket fort with my Snugglies and read a book or take a nap. Yet, I am an adult; so I will smile politely even if I disagree, sit still so not to offend those around me, hold it in so I won't 'make a scene', be respectable as deemed appropriate from the generations that have gone before me. There was a time when I didn't care who heard me sing at the top of my lungs or saw me dance however the music moved me. The times I actually wanted to be heard. Forced people to hear me. That was before. Before the 'rips', the tears, the 'earthquakes' of life.When I was young, and had all the answers. All the bravado of youth. Face to face with myself, in the presence of God, as I entered adulthood, ...

I have to wear glasses to make out the individual leaves in the trees across the street. I need them to read the signs on the highway so I know when to exit today's insane high speed freeways. You might need glasses to see close up. We should all wear sunglasses to protect our eyes. Glasses have many different designs. They make fashion statements. The frames can be unique. Yet, the whole reason you are spending hours trying on every pair they hand you; listening to the salesclerk as they tell you how good that pair looks on you- "No, wait, this pair. No, how about this pair..." while they pull frames from each case, going up in cost; is all for what sits inside them-the lense. The lens will dictate whether you can see the squirrel in the road, the words on the page of your favorite book or the smile in a child's eye. When you wear the correct glasses, your world opens up. Your confidence kicks in. Everything IS coming up roses, now that you can see them! There ...

I am so thankful that God is merciful. His mercies are new every morning. We may lay our head on the pillow at night so convinced that our life will be forever in darkness-then morning comes. The sun's rays reach through the window and into our senses, filling us with light. Suddenly, Hope fills the cracks. A new day has begun. Have you ever set out on a path with extreme determination? Only to find yourself off it at some point down the road? Stuck in a rut, wondering why you just keep spinning in the hamster wheel with all your projects stuck to the outside of the wire ball, staring you in the face? (Yes, I am 'odd'. I'll take 'strange and peculiar' that AbbaFather gave me, thank you.haha) This blog has been that to me. God gave it a name. He gave me a direction; then I added a 'little of this' and 'some of that'. I didn't want to be too preachy so I watered the mission down. I didn't want to offend so I wrapped it in 'soft flow...