Let it go.

While these pictures are from my trip to San Antonio with my dear parents (in October), my words are from the present. :)

We have recently finished Beth Moore's Psalms of Ascent study, which was fabulous, and so, so, so convicting. That lady's joy for the Lord is incredibly contagious! She talked about the importance of letting things go, and to shake off the burdens that weigh us down.

God has been bringing thoughts, fears, desires, items, and even time into my focus, and asking me this: "Let Me have them." 

 Like the fear of losing my parents before they see my first baby. Or my fear of failing people. Or needing my brother to spend time with me every single night. Or my desire to tell that mother that her sons acted like spoiled brats the whole morning. Or my treasured necklace from my sisters that has disappeared. Or my grand piano. {another story for another time}

Or many other sinful cares that God has gently asked me to give up.

He has asked me to give up many things, some of which are my greatest dreams and desires.

But I know God has heard them, knows them better than I do myself, and is just weeding out what takes away from His calling and purpose for my life. 

Sometimes I picture God as jumping up and down in heaven, waving His arms as He shakes my life up, and yelling, "Look at ME!!" Sometimes a good shaking is just the thing to cause me to look up. But it shouldn't have to take that. It is so easy to look down again, dwell upon the discouragements, the heartaches, the frustrations, the details, the entertainment, and miss the Word of the Father.

"He has by His own action given us everything that is necessary for living the truly good life, in allowing us to know the One who has called us to Him, through His own glorious goodness. It is through Him that God’s greatest and most precious promises have become available to us men, making it possible for you to escape the inevitable disintegration that lust produces in the world and to share in God’s essential nature. For this very reason you must do your utmost from your side, and see that your faith carries with it real goodness of life....set your minds, then, on endorsing by your conduct the fact that God has called and chosen you."

{2 Peter.1:3-7. 10 ~ Phillips}

I have some things I need to let go. Things that are prohibiting my conduct from endorsing that beautiful fact. 

Sometimes I think I can feel God smiling on my face as I look up!

Kaytra