May 23, 2015

In This Place by Lynn J Simpson


A breathing of my heart at 16 yrs old;
Hope is not the closing of our eyes of risk, difficultly or failure. It is the trust that if I fail now, I will not fail forever; that if I am hurt, I shall be healed; that life is good and love is powerful; and I shall find myself, and others, and God.

 And 30 years later;

 Friends draw my eyes to the abundant skies. So often I fill my plate with a heap of doing but what gives me more nutrition is a mountain of being. Friends keep me centred on the journey, vividly colouring my skies daily. Friends are true treasures and blessings from God!

 And six month ago;
 
Jesus, help me to love as You call me to love and not to cause breaking of the unity of the oneness You call us for. For I know my heart longs for that unity, that oneness is how you made us. But my sinfulness, my un-forgiveness destroys that unity. Help me to extend graciousness because You call me to, not for my own expectations of what I think is 'right.' Help me be righteous as You call me to be, not self-righteous which only breaks the unity. And continue to heal my heart Lord as You are my healer and redeemer. Amen

 And today;

 Even in the dryness of this place, separated from the crowd, where words do not form but instead, I feel only the rising of my chest with each breath and the beats of my heart with each step.  Even in this solitary place You have led me, where pleasures do not form, where human comfort does not exist, where I can’t find You in the song, in the worship, and can only sit in church and cry. Even in this silent place, I know that life is good and love is powerful; that You are refining me, correcting me, leading me to living Waters.  And I keep my eyes open in hope of You turning this desert into a fruitful garden. Even in this place, I breathe in; I look up to the abundant sky. And my heart beats.

 

4 comments:

  1. Thank you Lynn for sharing these breaths of heart ... breaths that can delight and those that leave us gasping for air. As we declare that He is still with us, "even in this silent place," we can trust that the breathing will not always be desert. I love the line to "look up to the abundant sky. And my heart beats."

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  2. Your words at 16 were very deep for one so young. Today your 'breathings' are raw and real. Thanks you for sharing this insightful and beautiful post. Your willingness to be vulnerable makes the post even more powerful

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  3. Lynn, I have reread your post a few times, and feel the underlying rawness, and commitment to declaring your faith in God, because He is faithful. I sense a powerful underlying story. Blessings

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  4. What a sweet experience to read your words, Lynn. The imagery is beautiful and what a poet's heart you have. I hope you DO keep writing of your personal experiences, the world needs these messages!

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