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burden bearing, empath, encouragement, spirituality

DEPRESSURALIZATIONAL BEARINGS

How do we de-pressure life? A wildly large topic to just leap off the bridge into the icy waters with, I know, but it is one I have been chewing on for some time. It’s a Wednesday night after Survivor and my wife and I will catch the show called Seal before we fade out (wrote a few years ago). It brings me to the point early on here, both shows revolve around pressure in and of themselves. Survivor is the ultimate social pressure game and being special ops military is as we know ‘life altering pressure’. It is plain to me that we all have gifted to us a different level of capabilities in handling pressure naturally. I don’t know about most of you, but this guy already knows if he took his wife on Amazing Race our episode ends with us driving off the cliff after making a tragic wrong turn Thelma and Louise style!!!

If you’ve ever read a single thing I’ve shared, you can probably guess what the other side of the coin is: supernatural! What then is the complex make up of supernatural pressure? I shared in one of the R.W.B. Pearls once about our pressures related to the function of a water heater. The water flows in, it is heated in a tank built for pressurization, and flows on to source out hot water. The main thing you will notice on a standard water heater is the Pressure Relief Valve (I think some call it a T&P also). The pressure from within builds up and basically needs an outlet so the tank doesn’t explode or whatever it would do in failure. The pressure hits a point where it pushes the valve open, but only when that pressure is released.

Our life is similar to that water heater. We are just good ol’ cold water flowin’ chill like the underside of the pillow. We would love to say in this cool state without putting so much hot pressure on us to keep up with all the pressures of life. There are a myriad of pressures: our problems, others problems, our work, our dreams, our attempts to help others, and hello…relationships in general!! The good news is I have found something that has helped me no matter the pressure. There are times I am just wide awake at 2 or 3 in the morning. I can feel when there is pressure going on and what I need to do. I have learned that Jesus wants to take these pressures from me because He has a pressure-less tank! I am able to tell Him my problems, issues, and He gives me peace. Who doesn’t want peace?

This isn’t by any means an easy process! Words cannot describe all I feel at times. There are days I just have to wrestle it out a lot…but if I don’t learn to do that, the pressure just increases. We can all think of someone we know that shows signs of the pressure affecting their lives significantly. If you’ve ever met someone who has faced some serious battles in their lives, how they dealt with (or didn’t) the pressure shaped their path going forward. It all comes to a tipping point: what is your foundation of life set upon? For me personally, I can only see Jesus helping me…I simply can’t see anything else. There are days it takes some time to sort things out, but in that process I learn trust and it leads to peace. I do believe anyone can have the same peace. It doesn’t make thing perfect and off the chain, but it will de-pressurize a lot of the weight you carry.

I do invite you to share what helps you. It’s ok if it’s a little different or you don’t understand Jesus at all (many do not). I know there have been a lot of poor reps for Jesus out there, but I also know Truth is not relative!

Part 2:

How do we process the mental pressures of daily life? There is so much just flying at us daily! Do we even realize the sheer amount of compartmentalizing we do mentally on a daily basis? We have all met people who struggle to accurately deal with it…I mean you can tell they have a broken processor! I don’t want to have too many A.D.D. moments here, I will leave the counseling topics to the man who counseled me through some dark places (he can explain these far better than I). These are questions that make me marvel about myself and other people too. I think our Dr. friends will tell you some things work and some do not!

This isn’t easy processing, so forgive me if things fly out clunky and a little funky. Where I feel pressures the most is in unresolved situations or the anticipation of ‘what might happen’. It begins to fill and clutter my thought process with worry, concerns, and angst. One can feel stuck or feel the need to find results to a problem or situation. How do I not get bogged down in the malaise of it all until things get resolved or end? When do I apply effort and when do I just breathe out?

Self-evaluation can be a prison or the key to the lock of it. What measure we apply to ourselves affects more than the moment. I want to use a word that is both spiritual and everyday useful. This word has broad meanings and variations, but all that said it is simply grace. Healthy grace will grant me the space to function toward myself and others. Is there anyone who grates on you more than someone who holds a ridiculous standard over you that they truly don’t apply in their own lives? I have found that grace will bring more light to a situation than tight control. How can you extend grace when you don’t allow someone space to live in the first place? I further apply that to my approach to my own processing. Some people have beaten themselves up so much, they can’t receive grace from anyone else!

Art, Bible, encouragement, prophecy, spirituality

DEATHBLOW

The deepest cavern of darkness smothered her daily, distressing her spirit day and night. The gloom hung like blackened clouds, a miserable reminder of how He lightly esteemed Zebulun and how she wished that even Naphtali were a haven of rest!

The oppression afterward, well…all the more heavily along the sea. Entrapped even here beyond the Jordan! Tears would be welcome as a relief from the doom that is Galilee. The Shadow of Death is king here, ruling with pain, torture, and despair for dessert! For her, what is the hope of God? What can even He do in this hour? How did He leave the land nearest His heart of Creation?

Alas she walks the way of the sea, her head downcast amongst the perpetuality of blackness. Suddenly, a flash of great light! She, with all the people are drawn as a moth to a flame. Powerful Light that destroys this Shadow of Death! The shadows run in fear away from this coming Light! A rescuer is here, our joy is multiplied.

The harvest is overwhelming, we divide the spoil with abundant gratitude and joy. Our dark burdens now gone because of the power of the Light. The rod of the oppressor lay broken on the ground. We can only bring the bloodied clothes and sandals from the warriors to burn and fuel a great fire. We are in awe of all we see and feel in our spirits! But, what does all this mean?

A Strong One speaks: “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

She asks, “What of the increase of His government and peace?” A Strong One: “There will be NO end! Of the throne of David and His Kingdom ordered, established with judgment and justice from now and forever. The Lord of Hosts in His zeal will do it!”

H.S. Narrative version of Is 9:1-7

Art, empath, encouragement, poetry, prophetic words, spirituality

Wound Sharp

The razor gleams amidst the shadows as a light shines forth from beyond. The intensity blocks this brightness from my vision. Even in the partial darkness I strain to visualize, an object appears to teeter on this razor’s edge. The object sways from one side to the other slightly, which way will it go? My eyes adjust to see what this is above the edge, it appears first circular. The light increases in its direction, occasionally shining from the side now. Each time it flashes across to reveal what the front looks like.

The front became apparent after a few flashes as a clock front with ancient looking Roman numerals and appearance. I can’t say how I understood the ancient look I saw exactly aside from the numerals. ‘A point in time’ I heard from beyond. ‘A point in time’ I heard even louder! ‘Grace has a cut off point, stiff necks break eventually.’ In the teetering I sense that the clock cannot go back anymore. It must fall forward, and you must go with it or be left behind.

I hear a phrase, ‘geo-positioning is taking place, align with it and set your future properly. The past is being cut off, a fresh clock is wound and being released in this season. I hear, ‘find the spot and release the clock.’

Uncategorized

A-Bombs

The year is 1800 BC and you are amongst one of the tribes of Israel (if the year is wrong historically go with it!). Not too far away is the land of Canaan and your #1 enemy the Canaanites. Like many “ites” they are known for their brand of brutality and carnality. God is the Almighty and when He says it is time to wipe out a people, you had best obey His word! The enemies of Israel all had distinct things that were a bad aroma before God continually. I want Christendom to consider this juxtaposed the Father of the Lamb imagery most see today. That imagery is not untrue, but a little unbalanced at times.
Every man is made in God’s image that we have settled. The only thing I wonder is did Jesus take away all that God had to deal with in wiping out entire groups of people? Have you ever had the thought as I have…”this is why God took out entire populations, there was a whole tribe of people like George over here!” Let’s face it…we have all dealt with someone at our work place that we are staying a step or two back from. We still wonder in our mind when the lightning is going to strike them and want to be prepared! We feel connected to God in that thinking ‘you know I can imagine it would be tough to have a whole population of that’. I do not want to explore this premise far, more of an intro to our inner life battles.
The challenge for us as individuals is what do we do with the anger that others can bring? I know every verse you just conjured up in your Word filled minds, trust me they get me through! God today can eliminate a population and be justified, but we His children cannot. When anger arises in us from the actions of others, why is it so hard? Why does it seem to help to have an enemy? When is our sense of justice truly justified? He is perfect, so He does vengeance, righteousness, and justice without partiality. The fairest among us cannot perform any of it without partiality.
The fires of anger can burn hotly in short bursts. I have experienced entire days that I was pumped full of fire, only to find out the next day my facts were not accurate! The enemy is crafty enough to mask the truth so we see things in a particular light.

Every man is made in God’s image, but we have settled. The only thing I wonder is did Jesus take away all that God had to deal with in wiping out entire groups of people? Have you ever had the thought as I have…”this is why God took out entire populations, there was a whole tribe of people like George over here!” Let’s face it…we have all dealt with someone at our work place that we are staying a step or two back from. We still wonder in our mind when the lightning is going to strike them and want to be prepared! We feel connected to God in that thinking ‘you know I can imagine it would be tough to have a whole population of that’. I do not want to explore this premise far, more of an intro to our inner life battles.

The challenge for us as individuals is what do we do with the anger that others can bring? I know every verse you just conjured up in your Word filled minds, trust me they get me through! God today can eliminate a population and be justified, but we His children cannot. When anger arises in us from the actions of others, why is it so hard? Why does it seem to help to have an enemy? When is our sense of justice truly justified? He is perfect, so He does vengeance, righteousness, and justice without partiality. The fairest among us cannot perform any of it without partiality.

The fires of anger can burn hotly in short bursts. I have experienced entire days that I was pumped full of fire, only to find out the next day my facts were not accurate! The enemy is crafty enough to mask the truth so we see things in a particular light.

Art, love, poetry, spirituality

But first…LOVE A peek outside reminds us the throes of winter are still here. Winter is an essential part of the life cycle here in a Northern spot. It rebirths life each spring. In true love relationships such seasons may come and go also. We regularly seek to renew our first love with each other and Him. We are not automatic renewal beings. There will come a ‘winter time’ from which we must arise and come back to our first love (for a husband/wife and in Him).

My love, the essence of this home is foundational in our love for each other. Each day we beat our brains out accomplishing huge list of things for just that cause. We don’t do them just “because we have to”, but because it is foundational to the whole family. Our parents didn’t do it for any different reasons, they just may not have been as fully aware of the why’s and how’s of it all. We know well the issues of the homes we grew up in…the strengths and weaknesses, everything as a whole.

My beloved, the essence of My Church is built in a foundation of love in Me and to each other. Don’t kill yourself in My Name for the cause! You don’t just obey because you “have to”, but because you love Me. This is a house built on the Rock! I love you in all your strengths and weaknesses and I brought you up in a way to train you to hear Me.

I remember the earliest days of courtship how we were both caught up in wonder…knowing He really was bringing us together. From the outside it may not have looked as obvious, but we knew pretty quickly what He was bringing together. It will soon be 25 years since that first Memorial Day weekend. I won’t call it all a breeze, but I will say it is all cherished as great experience!

I remember the early days of accepting Him. I wasn’t one in awe and wonder. Rather, I was just wondering! He did give me a desire to follow Him and learn His Word. It was almost 20 years later He taught me about relationship with Holy Spirit! It isn’t far from another 20 and I cherish the years and seasons.

I came home from a conference one year a changed man. Certainly has not been without a rollercoaster ride or two, but He keeps bringing back to a renewed sense of His Holy Spirit explosion from there. That experience reset love in me. I believe it was a melding of my first loves….salvation and baptism of Holy Spirit. A renewal and new anointing to boot! It further allows me to write, which is of course the very foundation of my gifts. He has been busy on my poor heart, removing clutter, unbelief, and (non)essential cargo. He is showing me there is no reason to be distraught, angry, despondent, depressed, or any of the rest!! I just have to walk in it. “I create my world and walk in it!” is a quote I relate to. He has been showing me that in spite of myself, I can walk in it!!

He is calling us to come together in a big way (and we have been) for the kids, our marriage, and supporters of each other’s destinies. My love…I love back and look at how it all just makes sense why He chose us as partners. We are called to be great loving counterbalances to each other. As He puts renewal to my first loves for Him, He also increases them for us!!

He is calling US to come together in big ways for the Body, our betrothal to Him, and to support each other’s destinies. My beloved, I love you back as I chose you to partner with Me!

He is my truest love. I see why He has placed us in Him and with each other. He calls us to love Him above all else. He created mankind to love Him, a balance that no one can counter.