“Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?
Who may stand in His holy place?
You possess clean hands and a pure heart.
…I see in you such a tremendous
capacity to love!”
Darla Marfia,
an intercessor and prayer warrior at our church,
spoke these words over me
as she lovingly cupped my hands in her own
and with a fingertip tenderly applied
olive oil to my palms.
Something inside me stirred at her prayer.
No one had ever spoken to me that way.
No one had ever anointed me with oil.
And at the time my entire existence
seemed to be the exact opposite!
Even so,
I longed for a special place
and to receive a good part
that couldn’t ever be taken away
even when all I could feel was the weight
of my own bitterness and unforgiveness,
crushing anxiety,
and deep, dark depression.
I was aware of two things:
I desperately needed GOD
and I desperately longed for and needed
Healing and Change.
Time passed by,
perhaps a few years.
Then an encounter with Aesha,
a beautiful little girl with an extraordinary gift
for creating prophetic artwork.
Completed, its central theme looked like this.
You’ll note a somewhat surprising addition.
While I don’t generally adhere to words
tucked inside a fortune cookie
I am ever increasingly aware that:
“The whole earth belongs to the Lord!”
It happened that after church that very same day
my husband and I went out for lunch as was our way
and this tiny slip of paper…
well…
didn’t feel like a joke
because I heard a soft whisper,
”Pair this with your picture.”
“Everybody who lives in the world
and all the things in it belong to Him!
The Lord built the foundation of the earth.
He built it on the seas and the rivers.”
Psalms 24:1-2 EASY
It takes a goodly amount of quality time,
being willing to seek GOD’S ways
while laying aside mine,
to embrace Godly maturity and spiritual growth.
LORD, You so clearly see me as I am
and You, alone, entirely know
and completely understand
exactly how impossible the process is
in my own flesh!
“and [that you may come] to know
[practically, through personal experience]
the love of Christ which far surpasses
[mere] knowledge [without experience],
that you may be filled up [throughout your being]
to all the fullness of God [so that you may have
the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives…
completely filled and flooded with God Himself].”
Ephesians 3:19 AMP
My greatest need only ever was, is,
and continues to be
the matchless grace of this profound Love
washing over me!
Oh the wonder of just sitting and soaking in it!
Now that Your Great Light has shone
I can see what I was blind to all along,
a great fear when it comes to paying
it forward!
People misunderstand,
abuse, twist; pervert.
But now, JESUS,
I see now to such extent that
I am run out of excuses!
My heart is rent!
I no longer wish to build walls
to hide behind!
🎶 You can have it all, LORD;
You can have it all!
You can have it all, LORD;
You can have it all!
You can have it all, LORD;
You can have it all!
You can have it all!
You can have it all!
(Lyrics from “We Ask, We seek, We Pray”
River Valley AGES)
The most recent event,
fast forward another number of years.
I’ve simply been amazed
by so many encouragements!
None of which did I deserve!
It’s only because GOD’S so GOOD!
A gift given, a surprise on Christmas Eve.
Enclosed in my hand with care-filled instruction
after fishing a bit in his side jacket pocket
by an elderly gentleman at our church.
Jay Devries.
What GREAT JOY to receive in childlike faith,
with a heart full of the God of Hope
for by His grace
I’ve come to a Love that has no end
all because Jesus invited me to be His Friend.
“Love bears all things
[regardless of what comes],
believes all things
[looking for the best in each one]
hopes all things
[remaining steadfast during difficult times]
endures all things [without weakening].
Love never fails!
1 Corinthians 13:7 AMP