From one little perspective to another

I recently visited my favorite guy in the world, Avery.  He's three.

He's funny, engaging and knows how to dance.  He's cute, curious and says some hilarious things.

I love how kids will say the funniest things in innocence.  If they only knew what they were asking, or wanting to know they wouldn't say so much.

Avery is a non-stop "why" chatterbox.  He entertains adults with stuff like this:

"Let's take care of that craaaazzzzzy face."

"I'm gonna kiss your head."

"Donuts make me go nuts."

"Maybe we should pray about this mom."  (When he's in trouble)

"I like sausage, it's a meat cookie."

"Sorry, I was texting."  (He's has his daddy's old iPhone.)

Living in Avery's curious world it reminds me of my own curious nature with my Father.

It was in his three-year-old conversations and questions that I saw myself.  Practically every conversation with another adult had these phrases:

"Mommy, I need you!" and "'Cause why?"

In his life in-between 3 and 30, I saw my life in-between my three and now.  Those moments of in-between, I have innocently riddled my Father with questions and injected daily my own "Cause why?" and "I need you!" pleas.  

It's from my curious perspective that makes me ask.  From my Father's perspective though, not everything is beneficial for me to know.

I have been a bit silent these days to listen to my Daddy's answers.

There's great wisdom to be had when you stop and take life in from the in-between scenes, authority to be trusted, faith to be exercised and greatness to be enjoyed, plus many great sunrises and sunsets reminders of God's grace.  

In my in-between questions about my life, God's voice has brought new beginnings, a new fresh wholeness to my spirit that was lifeless and curious.

A newness, a transformation, some closure, some fresh shoots of faith.

I found out the number eight is significant and means new beginnings.  Did you know that I prayed over the number eight all last year?

God saw my in-between place all last year.  He sees our questions, our longings, our wondering.  He sees our conversations to others and to ourselves.  He sees our faith, He knows our trust.

He sees my eyes of longing for my dreams.  He knows and sees what steps in-between I am making.  He sees the in-between.  And I have peace in times of in-between.

Peace and joy.  I dropped my long list of questions and will just plug into the silence of listening for His stillness in the in-between.  Because in my Father Presence, there is great wisdom to be had in the places where he causes your dreams to pause.  

Greatness for His greater plans are at work too.  

He sees and knows that I am still.  I am not forgotten, nor are you.

Psalm 46:10  "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." 

He sees you and knows you.  He longs for us to be still and know Him.  To know Him for who He is and not what He does for us.

God knows where to find us, when He wants to use us, for what He's put inside us.  ~ Steven Furtick

Why I love my Pastor & my last Tweet

Photo Credit:  Llima

If someone asked you if you loved your Pastor...what would you say?  Do you ever think about that? 

Do you ever pray for the man who is serving in one of the loneliest jobs in the church today?

Think about how he has to spend time studying truth to teach you the Truth?

How about the countless times he is available for those who need prayer?  

Who do you talk to about those huge spiritual topics that weigh your heart so heavy?  

Where does a pastor's family fit into his availability picture?  

What kind of life outside of ministry of the church does the guy actually have?  

Being on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week is a bigger job than I would sign up for.

And always having the right verse or advice at the right time?  How does he do it all?

But why I love my pastor:

....because he teaches me how to stay close to God by his living example of walking with God.

If I had one last tweet on this earth, right before I my last breath, and all the gumption my texting fingers could muster, I would tweet this...

"I walked humbly with my God, finally going Home where I belong."

What an honor to be known as one who did, and be recorded in all of the history blogging books as being one who had a daily walk with the One Great Master Storyteller.

To follow in the footsteps of others like:

Enoch:  "After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters." ~ Genesis 5:22

Noah:  "This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God." ~ Genesis 6:9

Micah:  "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." ~ Micah 6:8

David:  "For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life." ~ Psalm 56:13

Isaiah:  "The vision concerning"....everything from start to finish, all 66 chapters and all his words in-between, ending with "to all mankind."  ~ Isaiah 1 - 66.

And my spiritual leader in the human flesh, who leads in Spirit and Truth with such impacting and inspirational messages that it's beyond obvious that he walks with God...daily and often.

"Dear God, may I ever stay close to your Light, not only to be inspired but to absorb as much Light for my path as possible, to worship and walk close, hand in hand with You at all times, until the end of time."

The only Light source I know that consistently shines Truth is known as the Light of the world, and is found in the shadow of the cross.  

I am a writer, and I walk with God.  

As Jesus is writing His story through me I am sticking close to the One who Inspires.