A New Precedent

Beloved, there is a battle raging - refuse to give up hard-won ground! When you done all you can do, stand! Fix your eyes on Me - get your eyes off your pain and onto Me. This is part of the process of Me breaking the power of fear off your life! In pain, you react out of fear - all you can think about is escaping the pain!

Beloved, I have a higher way. I want to reach through your pain and lift your eyes to Me. I want you to be so transfixed by My beauty and glory that you no longer notice your pain! I want My voice to be louder to you than the screaming of your pain! Refuse to give attention to your pain and focus all your concentration on gazing on My face and listening to My voice. Here I will unfold the mysteries that you have been longing to understand! 

 Take the issue of "on earth as it is in heaven" - the reality is, sin and sickness are on earth, and I delight in robbing the enemy of his tools and using them for My purposes! They make good teachers. You are learning deep abiding through this sickness, and conquering your feelings (not letting them boss you around), that you would not have learned this week if you had received miraculous healing. 

You are learning to contend - not necessarily for miracles at this stage - but for mastery over sin, which is more important by far at this stage of the journey. The lessons you are learning in taking and holding ground will serve you well when we move into miracles. Stand firm and refuse to give an inch of ground to fear, self-pity, discouragement, disappointment or bitterness. 

Thank and praise Me for all I am doing in you at this time. Let My joy rise in your spirit throughout this day. Your cheerful heart will be good medicine to your infected body (Prov 17:22)! Believe it, Beloved! 

You are setting a new precendent, My Precious One! A whole new approach to sickness in your home - one that leads you deeper into joy and victory in Me! While you will not look forward to sickness in the future, you will not fear and dread it like you previously did! "We know the secrets of the fireswamp...we can live there quite happily for some time, so whenever you feel like dying, feel free to visit!" (The Princess Bride movie)

via GIPHY

A Son's Obedience

Rest into wellness today, Beloved - rest and rejoice, even before you feel well. Sing and declare healing over yourself and your family. Embrace the lovely rest day in My Presence. Refuse to be disappointed or discouraged - just rest in Me and enjoy My Presence. 

You are moving into friendship wtih Me, but you are also My Beloved Child. Just as there is an element of friendship between grown child and parent, yet there is still a parental relationship. As you grow up in Me, there are times I need to discipline you, yet there are also times of genuine sharing heart-to-heart. 

As you grow in revelation of who you are in Me, you will see just how much I love you - your personality, likes, dislikes, preferences, talents, hobbies, pursuits and your will. Yes, I will share secrets with you and allow you to influence Me. We parter together - I gave you your unique personality and I love it! I do not want you to give that up - just to give up all expressions of sin nature that is already dead. That is the pruning of the branch - as you give yourself up to the process, I can activate aspects of your personality that have lain dormant. You can discover whole new personality traits that you never knew you had! This is Me giving you a new name and calling out things I see in you that you cannot see yourself. There would be no space for these aspects to grow if I was not pruning you. 

My obedience to My Father is not a slave's obedience, but a son's obedience, flowing from Love and intimacy. My Father does not threaten Me or intimidate Me into obedience - it gives Me joy to humble Myself and do what He wills. The greater your level of intimacy with Me, the more I can share My reasons behind what I ask of you. In coming to earth, I knew what the Father wanted Me to do...but I also knew why. It was this that enabled Me to suffer immense pain adn torture - for the joy set before Me! I understood why My Father asked this "impossible" task, and yielded Myself to His will out of Love for Him and Love for you! 

As you can see, it's all about Love! Growing in Love for Me, as you spend time soaking in My Word and in My Presence, and gazing on Me throughout the day...this Love will naturally overflow to others. The more you gaze on Me, the less you gaze on yourself. I want to release you into new levels of freedom and power, but this comes with less thinking about yourself, not more! These changes began in earnest as you let Me show you how I see you - perfectly loved and perfectly righteous! The beauty of this new identity is that it is founded entirely upon grace - how I see you, through no goodness or work of your own! Yet it is so much more amazing than you could dream up or believe on your own. As you really believe all I say about you, you are released to live more freely and fruitfully than ever before. Self-promotion is not an issue, as you know you are what you are entirely by God's grace.

 

Come Play With Me!

Beloved, come play with Me! It is just as important to make time in your day to play with Me, as it is to commune with Me in a more serious way. Come laugh with Me, do some swing dancing, slide down the waterfall then relax into complete rest, floating in the River of Life.

Yes and Amen

How beautifully different and glorious it is to wake on the day of a big event after a calm night's sleep with a peaceful heart - no stress at all! To run into your Daddy's arms, climb up on His lap, and kiss Him all over His face. You take His face in your hands and ask with complete confidence, "Please can I have Your peace dwell in me all day? And Love that overflows and fills this house and spills on everyone who comes through that door? Thank you, Daddy!"

You have good parents but you were often afraid to ask them for things because you thought there was never enough to go around. But you have let go of the pauper's rags and poverty mindset, and you now know you belong to the King of kings who has all supply! 

Ask and you will receive as you ask "in My name" - that is, as you live in union withMe, it is I within you who asks on your behalf, though you speak the words, and My Father's response is "Yes! And amen!"

How I Love You!

"The shepherd laughed too. 'I love doing preposterous things,' He replied. 'Why, I don't know anything more exhilerating and delightful than turning weakness into strength, and fear into faith, and that which has been marred into perfection.'" (Hinds Feet on High Places)

"You awaken us to delight in Your praise, for You made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You." (St Augustine)

Beloved, how I love you! Your beauty is beyond compare! The tender love you show Me, by your yielded life, thrills My heart and captivates Me. I am  yours and you are Mine. Beloved, come dance with Me this morning, upon the grassy hills of the secret garden. 

You twirl and spin with your garment of praise - such beauty and grace delights and enraptures Me. To see the laid-down love in your eyes as you dance for My delight gives Me joy unspeakable! Your joyful confidence in My Goodness is a beautiful thing! 

I called you awake and out of bed early this morning for this - to pour out My Love and My delight upon you! Not for a word of admonishment or warning - just to Love on you and remind you who you are...One Loved By Me! Embrace this mysterious and delicious Truth today, My Precious One. 

The love you pour out on others flows from this place. Continue to be a channel of My Love, My Darling.  

*****

"Don't yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts - instead, be courageous!" (John 14:27)

There is a constant battle raging for influence over you. You are the one who has power to turn the tide. In every situation, you yield to something - either fear, self-pity, discouragement, fear of man, etc.; or to Me, to My will and to My Love. You get to choose to what you yield. Isn't that exciting? You don't have to let a "discouraging situation" discourage you, if you choose to yield to joyful trust in Me!

The Place of True Heart-Rest

Love is growing in your heart, Beloved. It really is! I can taste the fruit in your heart garden already. 

Beloved, as you are faithful in listening to My voice, yielding your will and obeying joyfully, there will still be things that don't go the way that you expect them to. This does not mean that you heard wrong. Do not second guess - when I call you to a life of obedience; walking with the Spirit; "moving by the impulses of the Spirit"; "moving to the unforced rhythm  of My Grace" - I call you to follow without questioning and second guessing. Do not let doubt in, even for a moment! If you think you are doubting yourself and whether or not you heard correctly, reject this as a lie of the deceiver, the father of lies; for when you yield to Me, you are trusting that I will show you what to do. Go forward, let the past go, even the past of five miutes ago, and press forward in joyful trust and obedience. Trust that I will show you if there is something that you need to follow up on or make right! 

I call you to rest as a lifestyle! My way is to energise you through My Presence, which is best found in the place of true heart-rest. You are learnign to live from this place of rest. It will become a habit, like breathing!

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how i do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Matt 11:28-30 The Msg)

Shed a Greater Light Abroad

Beloved, My Love is not an ulterior motive. I love you, and I want to be with you always, every moment! 

My Love in you is not an ulterior motive, either! You need not feel guilty for wanting to introduce others to me! When you first met and fell in love with your husband, you could not wait for your friends and family to meet him! How much more for Me, who can save them from themselves?!

If you keep gazing on Me, I will open your eyes to needs all around. My Love transforms your vision. Serving need not be a chore! You get the privilege of pouring My Love on others, partnering with Me. It is a joy and a delight! 

Having children will not stop you from serving - in fact, it is imperative that they see your love in action where I send you. Share with them the joy of secret giving, also. 

The world will see Me by your love for one another. This is how I draw people. This Love is genuine, not exclusive. There is always room for another to be welcomed into the embrace. In a world full of insincere "care" with secret hatred, as well as blatant outright hatred, My Lovers will stand out as stars in the universe by their extravagant Love for each other and others. 

Your hearts burn with My all-consuming fire of Love. As you gather together, the flames join as one in Me, and shed a greater light abroad. Others are drawn to this light and the warmth it offers freely to all who would receive it. As you bring others into your cirlce, they are warmed and heartened by the fire, and the longer they spend with you, the more likely their hearts will also be set ablaze. But even before they are, they will benefit from just being near you. As you go about living life with them, they can see more clearly by the light you shine, and feel cared for and warm by the heat your fire gives. Every act of love counts. Not one is wasted.

Let Rushing Cease

There are so many things I am teaching you. Do not fret that you will forget it if you do not get a chance to write it down. Trust that I who gave it to you the first time can tell you again when you are ready to write it down. 

Relax into My Love. Breathe Me in deeply. Let all the rushing cease. You have been longing from the moment you woke to come away with Me, and have been searching for an opportunity. Well, here we are! 

There is refreshing in My Presence! Fresh joy for a fresh day, Beloved! My resurrection Life is alive in You! Flesh died, Spirit raised to Life! Rejoice, Beloved!

Your Unique Talents

"Your lives light up the world. Let others see your light from a distance, for how can you hide a city that stands on a hilltop? And who would light a lamp and then hide it in an obscure place? Instead, it's placed where everyone in the house can benefit from its light. So don't hide your light! Let it shine brightly before others, so that the commendable things that you do will shine as light upon them, and then they will give praise to their Father in heaven." (Matt 5:14-16, TPT)

"How enriched you are when you crave righteousness! For you will be surrounded with fruitfulness." (Matt 5:6, TPT)

Beloved, I see you are so hungry to see fruit - real, salvation fruit! You do not want this new way of living to only benefit yourself. You know your own weakness and you are longing to see Me use you to draw others to myself. 

Relax into My Presence, Dear One! I am going to do it in My Way, and My time. Just keep listening! I am going to use your own unique talents and skills and giftings to bless others and show them Love. Craft nights, prophetic embroidery, short stories, words for people, handwritten letters, handmade chocolates, care packages...joy, joy, joy!!  

Things you love to do, when poured out onto other people, increase the joy exponentially! Joy unspeakable, Beloved! Partnering with Me is such you for you and for Me!

Training in Weapons of Warfare-Worship

What will you bear for Love, Beloved? You tell Me you will bear anything for Love, but at times I hear you say, "I can't bear this!" At these times, you are declaring your lack, rather than My ability to supply! In the moments of your awareness of your need, declare to your spirit, "Spring up, O well! Rivers of Living Water flow out to cover this situation!" 

Beloved, you have not because you ask not. As  you connect spirit-to-Spirit with Me, you have access to all that Christ has access to. Dare to believe this ridiculously good Truth! 

***

In her sickness, your precious daughter is teaching you. I am teaching you through her...

She is not content to be anywhere that you are not. She craves your presence more than food, more than sleep, more than anything! She refuses to sleep except in your arms, and when she wakes, she searches frantically for your face. Your presence gives her peace. When she finds she is still in your arms, she immediately relaxes again. In the midst of her trouble, her unfamiliar surroundings, her pain and sickness, it is enough just to be held by you, and comforted by your presence. 

Learn from this, Beloved. 

***

As your shoulders, arms, back and legs ache from holding this unexpected load for so long, listen to My voice. I am conditioning your faith muscles (as well as your physical ones!), but not in the way that you expected or hoped for. I am training you, but not in the way you anticipated. Rise to the challenge, Beloved. Lean into My training. Embrace the process. Joy, Dear One! 

"You've trained me with the weapons of warfare-worship, now I'll descend down into battle with power, to chase and conquer my foes. You empower me for victory with your wrap-around presence. Your power within me makes me strong to subdue, and by stooping down in gentleness to strengthen me, you've made me great! You've set me free from captivity and now I'm standing complete, ready to fight some more!" (Psalm 118:34-36)

Patient Endurance

"But that's not all! Even in times of trouble we have a joyful confidence, knowing that our pressures will develop in us patient endurance. And patient endurance will refine our character, and proven character leads us back to hope. And this hope is not a disappointing fantasy, because we can now experience the endless love of God cascading into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who lives in us!" (Romans 5:3-5, TPT)

Let us talk of endurance. Endurance is not so popular a virtue as it once was. In another time:

"Their favourite virtue was endurance. Not to flinch from pain or hardship was their ideal." (Flora Thompson in "Lark Rise to Candleford")

In your culture, you are told "you have to know when to quit" and "don't flog a dead horse." Endurance has gone out of fashion. But not with Me, Beloved! To Me, it is such a rare and precious joy to see My Loved Ones staying the course with patient endurance. I set the example for ultimate endurance on the cross. Look to My example:

"We look away from the natural realm and we fasten our gaze onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith's perfection. His example is this: Because his heart was filled with the joy of knowing that you would be his, he endured the agony of the cross and conquered its humiliation, and now sits exalted at the right hand of the throne of God!" (Hebrews 12:2, TPT)

Oh, Precious One! Fix your eyes upon Me in every moment, just as you have been doing. Keep doing it, over and over, every day, let your heart search for Me in everything. Even, especially in the dull or tiresome moments, the monotonous moments, the achingly difficult moments. As you so often tell your children: "You will get what you are after quicker if you don't stop to have a tantrum on the way." The same goes for you, Beloved. Each time you choose to respond in Love to a situation that is difficult or frustrating, you are developing patient endurance. Each time you react out of your natural human self, you are slowing down that process.

Not every day is going to look the same. I pour My Love on you every day, but My methods as well as My mercies are new every morning. Do not put Me in a box. I love breaking out of boxes -- the tomb could not hold me! I delight in surprising you! Keep on searching for Me in everything. I AM here with you, showing you the way. 

What Is Needful

I want to transform the way you do your planning, Dear One. So often you plan in the natural, from a place of stress. I want you to trust Me so much that you can leave all the details in My hands long enough to come aside with Me. Your planning will be much more efficient and effective if you have been soaking in My manifest Presence. You will have a clearer mind, and I will show you what is needful and what is a waste of your limited time and energy.

When you review your diary and do your planning with Me, you will see your whole week differently. You need not fear a week that"big" on paper. You need not fear a weekend without your husband around to help. When you plan from a place of Rest in My Presence, it comes naturally to trust Me with the details. Your anxiety about the problem is more of a problem than the problem. When you trust Me with the details, even if your circumstances end up being difficult, you will still be so much better off for not having carried that load of stress around in the lead-up!! 

As you go about your day, I will show you what is needful. As you do your daily chores with joy in your heart, everything changes! Such a flow-on effect that you cannot even begin to imagine. Smiling while doing housework will reduce tension in your face and neck, which will mean less headaches, less neck pain, less clenching and grinding at night...and these are just a few of the benefits! 

Joy in Me, Beloved! I am making all things new!

More Fully Alive

I see your disappointment in yourself. How, when you are with Me in this place, it seems so easy, so natural, so necessary! "How could I not do this at least once a day??" But when you are not in this place, it can seem completely impossible! "How could I ever steal away today??"

Search hungrily for opportunities, Beloved! Want it more than everything else! Don't let the foxes eat the buds and blooms! Hunger after Me with all that you are.

Beloved, remember that I celebrate your progress, not "perfection". Please don't hang back in shame when you don't like how you've been acting. You need all the more in these moments to see yourself as I see you...surrendered, Mine, willing, beautiful Bride! You need to keep coming and soaking in this Truth, as you don't yet fully believe it.

The more time you spend soaking in My Presence, the more fully alive you become. Keep coming back, Beloved, as often as you can!

I am opening your eyes to just how much even "harmless" entertainment can cost you, as it serves as a distraction from this place of re-filling. The Life-giving River. The place of Awakening. Reject "entertainment" for nourishment. For soul-restoring, spirit-awakening, life-giving soaking!

Darling, you cannot strive the old man into submission. You are attempting things from completely the wrong angle. Just love on Me, let Me love on you. As you soak in My Presence, My Spirit brings your spirit more fully to life, and to dominance over your old, natural man. You cannot work it into dominance. You can only rest it into dominance, as you connect spirit-to-Spirit with Me.

This is another of My mysteries in My upside-down kingdom. Let's laugh about that together! How fun it is to turn your natural thinking and reasoning on its head!

I am the God of Resurrection. I can bring things to life in you that you feel are lost and gone. I can resurrect motivation, energy, confidence and any number of other aspects of yourself that you miss.

Communion of Our Spirits

I am rooting out the weeds and watering the barren places. I am tending your secret garden with you, so that it is a place that we both love to come to, whenever we get a chance to steal away. 

The enemy has lied to you, telling you that you need entertainment or you will get bored with those mindless tasks on a daily basis. LIE! The TRUTH is that I want to steal away with you at every opportunity, especially during those mindless tasks, as they present a perfect opportunity for communion of our spirits. We never cover all the ground we need to in our time together, so let's grab every chance to speak together. 

This is a revolutionary principle for you, Beloved. It must evoke change.

You Captivate Me!

Beloved, you are Mine and I am yours! You have captivated My heart with your worship, your loving looks steal My Heart. Let this soak in...this is truly how I see you! Not by anything that you do or don't do, but because you are Mine. 

You truly do bring Me bliss! I delight in you! I adore you! I love you in a crazy, abandoned way. You captivate Me and I am lost in your gaze. My equal, My bride, I love you!

"Arise, my darling!

Come quickly, my Beloved. 

Come and be the graceful gazelle with me. 

Come and be like a dancing deer with me.

We will dance in the high places of the sky,

Yes, on the mountains of fragrant spice. 

Forever we shall be 

United as one!" 

(Song of Songs 8:14)

This is what it means to seek first the kingdom. There are so many problems you are seeking answers to, but if you just drop them and focus fully on Me in this moment...nothing else matters. You know that I will bring answers and solutions to you when you need them. 

You  know that this is paramount. You and I, alone. Joy in each others' presence. Grab these moments whenever you can! 

Catch Those Foxes!

You can't force this dance, Beloved. You can't dance on your own. Dancing through your difficulties requires a coming-away with Me. We must be connected, touching, to dance together. 

I know that you treasure this time, but so easily it gets crowded out. Catch those foxes! Let us catch those pesky foxes that would destroy the work I am doing in you. You need to help Me with this, Beloved!

Self-loathing is a weed in your heart-garden. I am rooting it out and replacing it with beautiful flowers of "confidence in My Love" and "inner beauty". I am watering these with My Love. I am changing the way you see yourself. I adore you! It thrills Me to look upon you! 

Your worship captivates My Heart and I am completely undone when I hear your whispers of sweet, trusting Love! 

There is no aspect of your health that I cannot transform as we spend time together. I could do it right now, but I also want you not to miss the lessons I can teach you on the journey. I can increase your physical fitness as you dance before Me. I can heal your emotional pain as you open your heart up to Me more fully. I can change your ingrained wrong thinking and transform your mind as you spend time with Me in My Word. I can increase your capacity to love as you learn to accept more of My Love. I can increase your capacity for laughter as you spend time in My Presence. I love to show you funny things. 

Please, Beloved, I beg you to keep making our precious time a top priority! We need it!

Easy and Joyful

I lead you in this dance, Beloved. You know how good and how easy it is to dance well in the arms of a skilled dancer and gentle leader. Surrender to My leading and all striving will cease. This is your tool for breakthrough, My Precious One! Lean into My arms, and I will sweep you around the floor, and through the difficult moments, with such joy rising in your spirit. 

I can dance you through brain fog. I can dance you through debilitating fatigue. I can dance you through migraines. I can dance you through homework and children's tantrums and fights and whinging. I can dance you through stressful morning routines and double drop-offs so that it feels easy and joyful! 

As you follow My lead, the tension will leave your body, you will relax, and I will show you new things. My dance can turn the drab, grey days into full-colour. It will create opportunities for you to connect with your kids and your husband in ways you long for. 

Dance with Me, Beloved!

Here in the River

Here in the River, your spirit is free to be One with Me! You sense the complete freedom from stress, the utter joy as your spirit dives into the depths of the River of Life, twirling, swimming, leaping and twisting. 

This is rest, Beloved. Rest is not passive, lying around all day. This is active rest. This is the rest that restores your spirit and your body. This is the rest you crave every day. And here it is, constantly available to you. 

I hear you ask Me, "Do you like me?" Yes! Beloved, I delight in your presence! That joy you feel as you dance in the River - My Spirit takes the same joy in you! Yes, really! 

This place of active rest holds the greatest adventures you can imagine. This is the source of your energy and strength, here in My River of Life. My Presence! This is what is missing from your daily routine...diving into the River. 

Moses did not believe what I said about him. He did not trust that I could speak through him. He had thoughts in his head about himself that I did not have about him - he sold himself short of what I had for him, and it cost him later. 

You cannot afford to have thoughts in your head about yourself that I do not think about you. Reject those thoughts as lies from the enemy of your soul!

Your Pillow, Your Blanket, Your Cosy Nook

Do you still trust Me, Beloved? Even though the way ahead is so unknown? Do you still trust Me, though the plan keeps changing at the last minute? Do you still trust Me, even though your body seems to fail you? 

"My heart and my flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever!" (Psalm 73:26)

Beloved, find your place of rest in Me. I am your pillow, your blanket, your cosy nook. You don't need to "hold it together" for Me! Run to me as you used to run to your bed when you were in trouble as a child. Find your safe place in Me, as you used to cocoon yourself in your sheet. I am your safe place of rest, hide yourself in Me. Let your sobs out, don't hold them in. Let your body release the stress and tension of this week and just let go! The longer you stay here with Me, the stronger your conviction of My Strength and My Love will be! 

Rest and soak up My Presence, Beloved!

The Dance of Love

My Darling, you have opened the treasure chest and seen the beauty and joy within. It is time to take out the jewels and WEAR them! Beloved, you are My Princess, but you are walking around in rags! It is time to throw off the rags. I clothe you in robes of righteousness, and it is an insult to My Name to cling to your rags.

Beloved, I have set your precious gems in settings of silver and gold, and it is time to wear these treasures for all to see. Do not keep them shut away any longer!

Let Me take you by the hand and dance with you. Come, let Me lead you around the throne room in the Dance of Love. You are wearing your royal robes and precious jewels. This dance is such a joy and a delight, is it not! Lose yourself in the joy and colour of this moment, Beloved, as I twirl you around the floor.

My Dear One, come with Me. Let Me lead you back into your life. You see it as drab and dreary, but as I dance with you, see how every scene will turn from drab and grey to joyfully brilliant and full-colour! Vibrant, beautiful, full of Life and Joy! Every activity - mundane and enjoyable - will be touched and transformed by the Joy and Life of My Presence as we dance through your day.