Thoughts on Joy.

Thoughts on this everyday morn.... When did we forget how to dance?

I was six years old when I learned how to dance. To really dance. Breaking free from any insecurities and realizing that we could rejoice until giddy under the praises of a loving God. No one shamed us, no parent stopped us- in fact they joined us. In a church whose identity became confused after throwing off all boxed-in legalistic ideologies. A church who through prayer, prophetic, and praise lost their denominational rights. What a thought, and one that gives me joy- to be so wrapped up in Jesus that no one can label you by a regulation.
Anyways, in that church (that sought the Lord) I learned how to freely dance. In my home sometimes I still freely dance. But, in the church we have lost our joy. It is so infrequent that every prophecy spoken out seems to be reminding us that God really loves us. He loves us. We cling to these songs of the same, but we are once again bound up with insecurities about who we are and how we come across. We are so worried about looking loving enough from the outside, that we have forgotten that we are loved wholly inside. We dance out of joy and we rejoice when we feel loved. When our souls are fueled by love and secure creativity. When did we stop being creative? When did we stop being expressive? When did we lose our ability to dance?
I learned to dance again when I was sixteen. In a church that drew in all types from all different walks of life. It ended in a mess of human chaos but it was not all for nothing and I refuse to forget that anymore. It was a time that reminded us to dance together. A human or two, or three, they failed us, but God in our midst, He caused us to dance.
I long for a place that facilitates the joy that brings us to dance. We have spent so long pleading on our knees, and God has heard us over again. I pray that this year we will hear the songs sung over us and it frees us to openly and physically rejoice. I hesitantly say this as my body is tired but I know that this year is already marked with joy. There are some good promises in the works.... and God never fails.

Ridiculously Refreshing

Sometimes a fire of writing-it-down comes quickly to me. I will be worshipping or prayerful and need to stop and write, right now. Sometimes a thought sticks and I need to pass it on. Sometimes I see a beautiful metaphoric picture. I cannot reproduce these instances and I am seeing more and more that I need to share them. They are not for my benefit but for exhortation, encouragement, or confirmation.
Here is one of these instances from this evening as I was worshipping and cleaning my kitchen, in awe of what God is doing....

I am so excited for what is going on (in a little town) not far from here. He has answered the prayers of the middle generation and brought back their grown children, even the ones on the edge are bending in this year, or will be. You watch! It is a season of breakthrough and restoration, which will lead to a season of new revival.
Two years ago was the most painful for me and many alongside me too. It was more painful to go through and be in the church than 1997. And, if you were there, you know the wave of destruction and division that followed then. But, this time the children now grown, who went through that time, were already praying. And, God was in it.
Instead of division and conflict bringing chaos, it has instead been a Holy shaking that is working even backwards to expose and restore old battle scars and vices used to cope. It is drawing in the ones who know the history and even those who don't but are praying through, to say we will uphold and rebuild and we choose to fight for the promises God gave those before us.
 It has been twenty years exactly to the year 1997, for me. God is working in this moment, even backwards to restore people who are not even in the immediate situation anymore. He will heal the wounded and tossed aside. Roots are coming up. Spirits/hearts are being ignited again. We are seeing visions. These days will change for our children. We will not follow the old struggles into the next generation. We will pray intentionally, with open eyes, shackles off, for our children's children. Bring on the new wall!

Overcoming

We need new songs. David sang new songs. We need songs of worship. We need songs of declaration of God's glory, of His grace. We need songs of warfare. We need to cry. We need to shout and stomp. We need to stretch our arms. Songs are attached to our spirits, our hearts. They bring memories and are stories of our churches. We need the times of softening hearts. We need the times of joy after the overcoming ends. We really need to sing more freely. It breaks the darkness .We don't need constant sameness. We need realness. We need scripture declaration. We need "O, my soul" calls. We need to break the heaviness.
I love a new word. I love a new picture of God's love. I love a fresh encouragement. I love a new story of God's goodness. I love a creative melody of scripture poured out. Our God is creative. We are created. I love when I can't resist to stretch my arms wide in agreement from the inside of myself. Great are you LORD. I am not singing just words. I am worshipping. I feel the wind rushing in my spirit. An intimate encounter with the Holy Spirit. You know He is renewing you as you lean into Jesus himself. Seriously, we need to let each other be free. We need to let each other be real. We need new songs.