Well, Day 3 of this blogging thing; not going so well. I’ve already started in on God, somewhat venting…”this blogging thing isn’t for me.”
Honestly, I have argued with God for over 12 years about this. “I don’t want to do this. It’s way bigger than me!” His nudge only becomes stronger. “I’M The Blogger, remember?”
I reflect awhile on my frustration and feeling of this heavy burden to try and accomplish such a large task. ” This world isn’t ready for stillness,” I say to Him.
I pray awhile…
I text a friend…
Should I do this? The second guessing comes…
Do people need The Gap?
I realize…
There have been those before me offered a similar challenge, way bigger than themselves, and they took on the task out of their love and gratitude to a God that simply showed up! The Apostle Paul was given new eyes to see and a new life. His response? Sharing the message of Christ’s amazing work in him, with the world. I felt a similar conversion; very unexpected, out of nowhere; God presented me with a whisper; “Be still, know that I am God and show others the way towards stillness with me.”
Once you have been captured with such Awe, Power and Light, it’s hard to turn away, because with it comes a message to pass it forward. Though it may seem my story, it’s His telling of it.
Plain and simple, when you experience what is Real and you can live to tell it, then tell it!
My feeling is I can’t leave this world without sharing what I know deep within my heart and the refuge, strength and comfort that comes from that deep space. Twelve years of quiet time, a sacred, sharing routine of 2 hours every morning; shared divine dialog… to NOT share when it includes a message to all of you would be selfish. I’ve been given the task to join forces with Him to help reach every lost soul and I just can’t walk away from that role.
I have to realize the task isn’t always going to be easy and not all ears will hear; however, I am honored and blessed to be His side-kick and if it helps others to Know Him and to recognize that their value and identity is good, then I’m all in!
My prayer alongside my Partner is this:
- to “assist” others towards discovering a much needed time of stillness, rest and reflection. We can’t come to know His still, quiet voice inside the constant noise of the world. We have to step away, be still so to KNOW Him and through knowing him we come to know our true worth and value separate from the world’s expectations.
- to provide a space ( The Gap) to just “be” for awhile; to simply show up and know that it is okay to be confused, uncertain, fearful or frustrated; to be able to stand in the gap and be okay in the “in between” moments of life. The Gap’s creation is to be solely that space of grace for all ages and stages.
I have an ironic story to share as I woke up this morning feeling somewhat burdened. When conversing with God, my “eternal friend” came to mind. So I texted him…
About a year ago, I met a man who has become my “eternal friend”. He named our friendship after we parted ways and I love it! He listens to my venting. He understands where I become stuck. We never see each other but we text occasionally. I had the opportunity to meet him through a fundraiser last March. His name is Paul Young and he wrote a book called The Shack. This book was never intended to be published. He wrote it for his kids so that they may somehow grasp this God that he had come to know so intimately.
I read The Shack in 2008 just as I was coming out of cancer. What attracted me to this book, was this God He knew was the same God that showed up in the midst of my chaos and confusion. My life had been turned upside down in 2008 in more ways than just cancer.
Paul wrote a story for his kids. He will tell you, his story did all that he ever wanted it to do when he delivered all 14 copies from Office Depot to his friends and family one Christmas as a gift for them. What started out to be a beautiful faith-story for his kids has since sold over 20 million copies and turned into a major motion picture! The fact this story has become such a God -phenomenon is witness to what the Holy Spirit can do; moving within the heart of an ordinary man, manifesting words of wisdom which has in turn spread hope and healing all over the world.
It’s no coincidence that this story collided with my story at the exact time that I needed affirmation. I needed to know I wasn’t just going crazy. Was this really the Voice of the Divine as I had experienced? The Shack confirmed everything I knew in my heart was real. I am one of Paul Young’s greatest advocates. He is a large part of my spiritual community and he has supported me in ways that I have needed. We share a similar heartbeat to somehow express This message of pure love and grace offered to all of us. The thing is… this common Love/Grace story that Paul and I share in common is not a complicated one; yet the world has tried to make it so.
This is where The Gap comes in… it’s that space where there are no rules or expectations. People can come and explore and express their hearts and what it is that is moving within them without judgment or criticism. We need to open up more communities where we can experience grace in the in between places. We need to provide more room for hearts to explore and discover what is Real.
I believe we have lost sight of real faith and what that means. Faith is not needing to have all the answers. Faith is not something we have to prove. It is space and time unseen where trust is the key component.
It is evident youth are growing weary; adults and young alike are tired, worn out and burned out.
Jesus’ message is simple.
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me- watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11: 28-30 ~The Message
Learn the “unforced” rhythms of grace…. how perfect are those words.
Paul Young has always shared, “coincidence has a Name”. I LOVE that! It’s no coincidence that I felt this burden this morning, feeling as though I was too inadequate for this job. This isn’t MY job to do, it’s the Holy Spirit’s. It’s not MY burden to carry. God’s only invited me to participate in His unforced rhythms of grace inviting others along. I trust He’ll take care of the rest…
Take time to Listen… the Whispers are Real
Be STILL and KNOW
The Gap 