A long time ago, I started this blog to journal my thoughts, learnings, growth and challenges. I started it to encourage the broken and wounded even though I myself was yet broken and wounded. However, it was a season I was in to choose JOY. I desired to be a wellspring of life and draw people to Jesus. This blog would be a place where people could come to and get refreshed and be strengthened and uplifted.
Well, years have gone by, kids have grown, smart phones have bombarded, Facebook has stolen, life is full and I still long and desire to find a place to sit and recharge, so I'm coming back to rest and put thoughts into words as The Lord continues to build on what was started years ago. I do believe some things need to die before new things can come. So here I am.......
"Come to me, all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your soul. My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30
I come to Jesus thirsty, hungry, dependent, broken, sinful, tired, burdened, and I trade my weaknesses for His rest. I used to think that I had to clean myself up before I came to Him. Big lie! No need to work any harder or preform religious duties to feel qualified to come. I now remember, He choose me first, when I was not in a place to choose Him! Love won! God wins! Grace abounds and I find rest in His love as I come. This is where I belong, close to my Lord. Safe and secure in His arms. My weak glance toward Him ravishes a His heart.
The burden brought me to a Him. It was the invitation to come! As I extend my heaviness towards Him, He replaces it with His yoke. His yoke is easy. That sounds nice...... EASY! Sometimes, I think life is hard. Oh! Another lie. I want the fullness, but if I'm thinking life is hard then I am stuck. What's hard is my sin. Keeping it is burdensome. It's time to come.... Coming sounds like an action word. Move to Jesus! Get up and come! He gave me the burden to COME! He brought me here, He intends to fill me. Maybe I wouldn't have come if I never had the burden?
Growth: I do understand now, that I am a magnet for burdens. People dump on me. I actually feel weight on people the minute I get close to them. They unload their weight and tell me their heaviness. I used to carry these burdens from others as if it were my job. I would then unload on my family, friends, whoever to get the weight off. That did not work. It only left me feeling terrible about my reactions and lead me to apologizing and regretting. Once I realized this cycle, I began to have a clear picture of my responsibility. People saw me as a safe place to unload their burdens. I was Jesus to them. So after they shared their heaviness, I lifted it up in prayer and gave it back to God. He then took it from me and I was FREE! Some people just don't know how to go to Jesus themselves, so they come to me and I take them to Jesus or I just take the burden to Jesus. Maybe this is what it means to "learn from me?" Do what Jesus would do.
Over the past year, The Lord has opened up a new door for me to release my burden.
DANCE!
Dancing with The Lord has released freedom from all heaviness. Every Friday night at the beginning of Shabbat, it is time to dance off all the burdens. As I move, the weight falls off and the lightness of the yoke is easy. Before dance, I sang and poured out my heart through songs. Before singing, I prayed and cried. There are many doors to bring freedom.
Dance just happens to be the one open right now.
The most important thing is to come. Open the door to the invitation of the burden and come to the one who is faithful to help you. Bring your sin, bring your burden and be set free!
