I just finished "She's out of Control" by Kristen Billerbeck. Yes, I read a "chick lit" book. It's about this 31 year old girl Ashley who is a lawyer in California and her crazy life as a single lawyer, her singles Sunday school class (they call themselves the Reasons... hahaha) and her crazy love life... As a wonderful man comes after her heart she feels herself starting to fall and is afraid but she finally surrenders and says this:
...I'm still thinking about life. I'm thinking that living out loud means living truthfully. Not just in my faith and deeds but in my emotions. We live in a world where it's safer to protect your heart from disasters... but you know what? The Bible also says to live free of fear, that fear doesn't come from the Lord. I look it up in 1 John, just to make sure, and there is is: 'There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear...the one who fears is not made perfect in love"
[and we all know that emotions spawn from what we are believing... I think she's saying bring your emotions to truth... For example if you are feeling fear,(p.s. I think fear causes us to miss out), investigate that and receive the truth that the Lord is in control...]
So you're free to take that leap of faith: the reality is you ARE out of control it's just a matter of if you acknowledge it or not. It's just a matter of if you acknowledge that God IS in control and you yield to His guidance. He does love you! And as Ashley lets her heart go...
Jumping off the cliff is how you feel the hand of God underneath you.
Moses himself said: "the eternal God is a dwelling place and underneath are the everlasting arms." What are we afraid of? Who better to trust our hearts and lives to than the Everlasting Arms... strong and dependable and eternal. Powerful and loving. We have nothing to hide and our shame does not define us: Jesus Christ does!
It's a vulnerable spot to be in, jumping off a cliff. Maybe crazy to some, in fact, only a fool in love would do it. But oh to love and be loved so much that you can trust Him enough to take the plunge, believing fully that His outstretched arms were there all along. It may look crazy to the world but no one knows us better than our Creator. We have our little secrets, you know. We know each other. I can trust Him because I know His character and boy does He know mine.
This life can hurt and sometimes we try to stop it for fear of failure or just plain fear. We withdraw because we think the 'ouch' is just around the corner. Perfect love drives OUT fear! "...many of life's mysteries are beyond our understanding. God's grace equips us to trust in His sovereign control. Our faith then frees us from wallowing in constant frustration, confusion and self doubt. We can walk in His faithfulness and trust His ways even when they aren't our way" (Steve mcvey)
I pray that God continues to open my heart to Him to the point that I ask no questions but simply follow Him... let Him carry me in fact. No fear because why? Perfect love! I want to continue to fall deeply in love with Him- how fulfilling is that to yield control to the One who is deeply in love with me?! I hope your heart leaps like mine at this pursuit of which we are the recipients!!
i'm leaping, i'm leaping.
i can borrow that book??
KTB that is perfectly what I needed to hear. Love you!
Your heart! Words just cannot express it.
interesting stuff, just thought i'd drop in...you're one of a few devout believers whom i've bookmarked... you're right next to some fundamentalist who scares the living beejeezus otta' me...
fyi...i especially liked your piece about forgiveness a bit back...i'm a spiritual wanderer personally and tend to refuse the label "christian," because i tend to believe most christians don't really understand that christ's message was about forgiveness and love, not revenge and righteousness...
know you give your religion a better name and image with your blog...
peace out!
sean