It's a Beautiful Day in Paradise

I'm sitting in my kitchen in metro-Phoenix, Arizona, looking out at sunshine and green, sipping some coffee, sending and receiving some "let's schedule this today" texts, and answering company emails. It's the beginning part of my day - where I relax, remember I'm Abba's child, and drink some much-needed caffeine. I have a penchant for sleeping as little as possible. Something I'd like to change.


It's been an exciting summer. Running all the way home, away from a haboob that was chasing me at 15 miles an hour (yeah, look that one up on Wikipedia - "haboob"). Reconnecting with high school and college buddies and making some new memories to add to our treasure chest of old ones. Drinking in the lushness of the Wisconsin and Michigan countryside, watching pink and purple sunsets whilst digging my feet into the coolness of a sandy beach, straightening a stunning bride's dress, and making sure her make-up was still picture-perfect, canoeing it up at Youth and College & Career camp, and this time, being the crazy one who splashed others and wasn't so afraid to tip after all. *Grin* I'm also stepping out a lot more, almost as if it were second nature, during ministry times. This is significant for me because every time someone calls for ministry teams, and every time they look over at me to be part of them, I just want to dig a hole and crawl into it. Or disappear altogether. Spiritually, something inside of me wants to NOT pray for ANYONE. And for a long time I was directly fighting this, trying to break past that feeling, knowing I had to push through in order to bless others. But I think there's just been so much grace this season to step out without even having to have this huge argument inside myself. Things are clicking. The more I push through, the easier it gets.

Combined with a personal three-day retreat to the White Mountains, alone with God and nature, jamming with my friends Emily and Jesse, cooking a lot of Asian food, especially on family dinner nights, and going running 4 miles three times a week - this summer has just been excellent. Most excellent.

All this while gobbling up revivalist books. And dreaming big. And joining a revivalist networking website. And holding and/or attending prayer meetings with all sorts of wonderful sons and daughters of God from other parts of the Valley. And starting up an intercession prayer meeting the 3rd Friday of every month. And being hardcore with my little bro (I won't tell you what that entails, but it's awesome). I'm journaling any thought as it comes to me. I'm experiencing a new level of creativity, and I'm loving it. It's good. It's SO good. :)

We were created for union with God, in the simple activities of just being, of just living. We were created to love him and be loved by him. Our primary purpose of existing.

I'm grabbing a hold of this truth in a whole new way.

The sound of waves. The wind in the trees. The brightness of White-Mountain star-filled night skies. The pluck of a guitar string. The smell of an old book.

Making my bed. Cleaning the bathroom. Washing the floors.

I can find Him anywhere, while doing anything. In the simplest, most mundane activity...in the simplest of interactions with a stranger. In the deepest of conversations with a bosom friend. Or in the silence of an empty building.

There He is, and there am I.

And I'm never alone.

I'm always known, always loved, and I have a 24/7 direct line to God.

It's pretty rad. :)