Tis the season

shadow of potential

I was on a walk and the sun was setting behind me. It was so funny because the shadow in front of me looked about 9 ft tall. I started kind of laughing because myself as a 9 ft tall person is kind of funny and awkward looking. Then I started thinking... this is probably how the Lord sees us. He sees our potential as being so far greater than we see ourselves. I look at myself walking and all I can see as my feet but when I look at my shadow I see this 9 ft giant ahead of me that doesn't look what I think I should look like at all. He doesn't see limitation in me. He doesn't see where He has fallen or fallen short. He sees His Son. He sees greatness and far more abundantly than I could ever imagine or deserve. He sees the things coated with grace that He is going to do through me and the things He wants to develop in me. Then the thought arose in me, what if I saw people I met like that or the people I live life with? What if I saw the potential in them and what the Lord wanted to do in and through them rather than just what and where they were right then. I think this is a lot of how the Lord wants us to love people. To see where they are headed and what they are capable of and speak into that! To love them forward kind of. To encourage them to reach their potential. It would be an incredible picture of the Gospel if we saw the shadow of potential in everyone, the shadow of Christ - Christ in us, the hope of glory. I bet we'd love people a lot better.

"Now to Him who is able to do FAR MORE ABUNDANTLY than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

love, it's a powerful thing. it is.

This morning I had to leave super duper early, even before the sun to make it to Georgia for work. I secretly love these times because everything is so unbelievably quiet and still. So therefore, I had a full day by 10AM. I was so humbled and felt so blessed when I got out of the hospital to all the messages I had received from my sweet and treasured friends for my birthday. Just felt so overwhelmed in a sweet sweet way by their love. Thankfulness overflowed my heart.

Then, when I was driving back to Alabama I passed this man standing on the side of the road, trying to get a ride, with just a small bag, not much with him. I started thinking... I have this cellphone that people have called this morning to tell me they love me and I have a car to take me to those friends and am so blessed to be around them often -- but here this guy stood, with no one and not much of anything. Tears started rolling down my face. It truly broke my heart. As loved as I feel, so many people feel so alone.

We have no idea what the power of love does in someone. I know many times how it has completely changed me. Let us be on the look out for the ones that may feel unloved today - even a simple smile or wave. Love is an incredibly powerful thing.

 Let people know us by our love.

reCreate: Women's Conference 2012

Last weekend was such an incredibly blessed time. We jotted off Friday afternoon to reCreate Women's Conference in Birmingham, AL. It is one of my most favorite weekends of the year. The teaching is always so rich and worship is splendid. Of course this weekend proved again to be just that! With Darlene Zschech leading unbelievable worship, teaching and Holly Wagner bringing the Word, it all just left my heart so so incredibly full. Even the last night was such honoring time being a part of the live recording of Darlene Zschech new album with Israel Houghton and Kari Jobe. I learned so much and just soaked up everything like a sponge. Here's a few snapshots from the weekend!!