Please Come Home

So I have been thinking a lot about the parable of the lost son, found in Luke 15:11-31. There is a song about it by Dustin Kensrue called "Please Come Home."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yjq8YrftfTk

Now, I've listened to this song a ton, but it struck me in a new way today. There are so many parts of this story that speak to me. Today, however, I was thinking how I am the lost son. I gather up all the good things God has given me and then I don't use them to further His Kingdom. I go off and do what I want to do, even if I know it is not what God would have me do.

A very wise friend pointed out to me recently that, in the parable, the father waits for his son. He doesn't chase after him, although I'm sure at times he wanted to. He probably wanted to race after his son, to send out search parties for him, to go find him himself and beg him to come home; and yet he doesn't do any of these things. He waits.

I know this is what God does with me. He lets me go off and make my own choices. He lets me wander. He lets me try to figure out all the junk I'm going through on my own. And He waits for me to come back to Him. And when I do, it is always with the sense of the homecoming; the sense that I'm finally back where I belong. And it doesn't matter to God if I've been gone for a day, a month or a year. Nothing I could ever do could seperate me from His love.

God waits for me. My Daddy waits for me. I learn so much more about God everytime I come into His presence. And if God can, and does, wait on me with unfailing love, then I can wait on others as well. If I want other people to see the Father's love through me, I must be willing to wait on them, and be a living example that God's light and love wait at the end of whatever long and windy road they have been traveling on.

Thanksgiving Eve

I haven't blogged in a couple weeks. I think I've been feeling kind of bleh. You know the feeling? The feeling of not feeling anything... Anyway, I was thinking now was the time to start blogging again = )

Here is what I've been thinking: God is amazing. He meets me where I'm at, you know? I haven't been praying as much as usual, and I realized how much this affects my daily life. I missed God. I now He didn't leave or anything, but I've missed the constant communication. What God has been showing me is so cool. Through not praying, I've learned that praying for me is like coming home. God also keeps reminding me that I am HIS. It's so beautiful and such a blessing to be His. It makes me what to cry and smile for joy all at the same time. My heart overflows with joy.

God keeps His promises. Isaiah 26:3 is on my heart. It says, "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you." I know as long as I trust God, He will keep me in His peace, and I'm so thankful. I'm learning surrender and trust often go hand and hand, and that surrender often brings pain, but I've seen God walking through my pain with me.

I'm learning how to be honest with God; to tell Him when I hurt, to tell Him when I'm frustrated, to tell Him when I need help, to tell Him when I'm thankful. Which brings me to say, on this Thanksgiving Eve, that I'm so thankful to be His, and I'm so thankful for the beautiful people He has surrounded me with with, people to encourage a me in my walk with the Lord, and to love me in the process. If you could please pray that God would fill my heart with thankfulness and encouraging words for those around me I would really appreciate it.

I love you all. Thank you for your constant prayers and support. I am so blessed.

Discouraged, but not defeated

Today I'm feeling super discouraged. I want to be God's love and light in the world, but I feel people are not responding to it. I just never realized loving people could be so hard...I want to love the people who are mean to me, the people who hurt me, the people who seem unlovable. I know I cannot love them with my own love, but with God's love I can love them. It will only be through His strength that I will be able to.

Romans 12:12 has been on my heart.

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." It's so simple, and yet so so hard. I want to hope in the Lord, be patient through the hard stuff, and be faithful to lift everything up to God.

My soul feels so heavy. Prayer would be much appreciated.