At the Top of My Lungs

Ever feel like shouting? The kind of shout that shakes the doubt. The kind that wakes from sleeping slumber. The kind that sends vocal waves through the valley and resonates with hearts who hear.

A simple phrase I shout today with pen and ink. Take a deep breath, God given breath of life. Molded dirt forever changed with the breath of life. Breath fuels our praise. Our words. Our sighs. Our prayers. Without breath we cannot say much can we?

At the top of my lungs, I shout for all to hear today. GOD IS GOOD!

You smile at the simplicity. My heart does as well. Yet I need to shout it loud.

In the past, I walked in a daze so many stumble in. A haze of doubting with the confusion the enemy sent to muddle my heart. I see the same haze hovering over His body in some places and all I can do is shout from the mountain.

Words spoken. Beliefs lodged deep into hearts in the midst of pain. 'God gave me this cancer to teach me a lesson.' 'I guess God wanted this precious little one home in heaven so he took her home.' 'This sickness is a gift.' And my own mutterings of my heart in the past I could add. The list is long.

I shout today. GOD IS GOOD! My eyes opened to the truth. Seriously, open eyes wide to see .... The pain of cancer, the sorrow, the misery, can that be from my Abba? Would he send misery and death? Would the same God who gave His own son that I might have life, force me to open a package of pain with his name attached? Does He delight in tears of sorrow and create them for us to taste? He cannot. God is love. And love never wraps itself as such.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." - John 10:10

I look around, slightly winded from shouting over my own life. The icky, the pain, the disease, leave thief fingerprints. Anything that attempts to steal my joy, destroy my health, kill the full life that Jesus gives me ... I recognize the source. Simply put, my Jesus only gives life abundant. If there's any destroying, killing, and stealing I know from which camp it comes.

I have yet to understand it all. The whys, the uncertain pleas, the wonderings. I understand that the Word of God is true, always. I see that my loving God can take the sludge heaped on and somehow, bring His good into the situation. I know the sludge never comes from Him.

Today, I unwrap His gifts and they are always good.

"Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

-James 1:16-17

Seeds of Humility

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3: 5-6

I am honored and humbled to pour into a group of people seeking after God with their whole hearts. For an entire week, God is allowing me to shape them through His Word and help them up onto the potter's wheel. Still in awe that God delights to use broken pots like myself.

Teaching and learning this week.

Learning what it means to hear His voice. I'm such a simple sheep, but what joy that my shepherd can teach me to clearly hear his voice. I can rest in in John 10:27 and wrap His promises around me, snug and tight, keeping out the chill of doubt.

God longs to reveal His plans to those who will walk in humility, have the faith to ask, be still and wait upon Him, and walk in obedience when he speaks.

Humility, being willing to be known for who I am, no more, no less. I'm learning and cultivating it in my life right along with my students this week. This plant still needs to grow a bit more in my heart.

Today, something I wanted, selfish desires, pride, lurked in my heart. What I wanted was given to someone else and disappointment evolved into tears of sadness. Wiping away a tear, my Shepherds voice gently called to me.

Prefer your brother, Sarah Dawn. I should know, I just taught this yesterday, simple ways to cultivate humility. Time to take out the trowel and dust off my gardening gloves.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 2: 3-4

I made a choice. I chose humility, deciding in my heart that I wanted them to have the special treasure. And instantly, the pain fled. I heard my Shepherd's voice, I rejoiced, I planted a new seed.