A Dream

I'd like to share a post I wrote years ago when I'd spent some time considering the very breadth and depth of God in every moment of my life. Reading it now, I see a vulnerability and freshness that I fear I may have lost through the years. This was the heart of what I hoped to contribute to the publishing world. And it still is.

I have been given a dream. A very low level of my consciousness knows it. Day and night it calls to me in whispers. Words I can't quite make out that make more sense than the things I can hear and see. Wanting so much to see the end result, to really know where this journey will lead.

But I am instructed to be still, to wait and simply be.

I return to the world of blogging for many reasons. Documenting my encounters with a God who has captured my heart seems like a good use of time. The practice posting affords, keeps ideas fresh and fingers flying. But more than anything I find a need to get what is inside, out. Like a dam about to burst, my heart longs to be seen.

In my last post, I spoke of taking steps toward the writing industry. The last couple of months have proven to be more than getting that next paragraph written. Embracing truth becomes necessary for anybody who aspires to become an artist. 

Facing truth ensures death. Death of self.

If you are still with me, I hope you will stick around. I aspire to inspire, much like the griot in Freedom's Pen, by Wendy Lawton. Every gifted storyteller began with one idea - a seed. Every seed must succumb to terrible conditions and surrender to death before the transformation can begin. 

What kind of seed has God handed you? This is your ministry to the world! God needs your voice, your ambition, your heart.

I am just finishing up a book that has stirred the dreamer inside. I would recommend it to anybody who loves to get lost in a good story. Sweet Janxa, with incredible talent, would not have been able to blossom without the Wheatley's. 

You've heard the old saying, "Timing is everything." I'd like to throw in my two cents this morning. God's timing is everything. It can mean the difference between spinning your wheels and reaching the stars.

My dear readers, I hold a special place in my heart for you. I hope to deliver a story to you, through the posts in this blog that will challenge you to embrace truth.

A mighty oak waits to break past that dirt. Patience dear one . . . God's timing is well worth the wait.

The Secret of Independence

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. ~ Philippians 4:12-13

This 4th of July, I thought it would be fun to settle on the word independence for a bit. Merriam-Webster defines it this way:

•  freedom from outside control or support
•  not requiring or relying on something else
•  showing a desire for freedom

On July 4, 1776 our country claimed independence from Britain and democracy was born. As a result, people from all over of the world ventured this way for the sake of pursuing the American Dream. From this, we find a vast variety of innovation and ethnicity among us. And every year we celebrate with family gatherings that often times include a barbecue pit and showers of fireworks. 

As our country celebrates this concept of freedom, I ponder what it means for me. The past decade and a half, I've longed for independence concerning my time. With the desire to write, I've wanted to quit my day job and step into the shoes of a full-time novelist. But due to a handful of employment opportunities and a "not yet" from God, I've learned to wait. This time of testing has carved a deep and painful groove in my heart. It is in this secret place that patience has has begun to bud. It gets watered every day by silent tears that only God can see.

Because of this season of waiting, I've discovered the kind of freedom that does not depend on my circumstances, just like Paul talks about in the book of Philippians. When I am able to see my circumstances through the eyes of faith, I can see that I already have everything I need in order to feel happy and fulfilled. 

I've got Jesus. 

Now I know this might sound like a pat answer, or something preachy that you hear in the heat of a televangelist sermon. But please don't miss this. There is so much truth to this statement. Jesus Christ, God's very own Son, has proven to be all my heart will ever need.

While I'd still very much like to give my current job notice, I've learned that my writing career and my happiness is not dependent on such. I am taking steps that will eventually lead me to a place of freedom, where I will spend most of my waking hours writing. But until then, I can rest knowing He will rescue me when the moment is right.

Is there something you long to be free from? And how would a change in perspective help you see things differently?