Solitude and Love.

I currently am being blessed with a house to myself, thanks to some friends who are off adventuring in France. After returning from a busy 2 weeks of life on SOAR, I am finding myself making the most of this space of peace and solitude.

This is what my space looks like. Journal...Check! Bible...Check! "Your Ears Will Hear"...Check! iTunes...Check! Latte...Check!

My time of solitude has been consisting of a few things. First of all, I am working my way through an awesome devotional book of sorts, entitled, "Your Ears Will Hear" by Steve and Evy Klassen. I had the opportunity while on TREK to connect with this phenomenal couple. They have since written a book on learning to hear the voice of God.
Secondly, I am pouring over the pages of Ephesians. I am attempting to etch the truths of who God is, my identity and authority in Christ and the love of God on my heart. I want to not only know these truths in my head, but also in the inner most part of my heart. If I'm being honest, I will admit that I am very good at loving others, but not so great at the loving and seeing myself in the way that Christ sees me. I'm learning that it's a process and the more I surround myself with those truths, the more natural it will become. This was a huge theme in my life over SOAR. Here I was, going into the program as staff and yet I had a lot of learning to do about the theme of Love in my own life. I found myself being blown away by the love of God, my craving to experience that love in all its fullness, and the reality that love found here on earth will disappoint because we live in an imperfect world.
It sounds so simple right? If only. I have a hunch I will never fully be able to grasp the depth of God's love for me - there will always be a new angle to explore. Sounds like it could be pretty exciting hey? I think so.

"I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit - not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength - that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all people, the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God".

~ Ephesians 3: 16-19

Lastly, I have been meditating this afternoon/evening on a picture/image I received last week from a friend. It was a picture of me as a little girl, wearing a sundress, running freely and carelessly through an open field. The summer sun warms my skin as I run. It isn't long until I stop and take notice that I am only wearing one shoe. I'm missing one. Before I know it, Jesus is standing before me - face to face. He gently tucks my hair, wild and free, behind my ears.

I think it's a beautiful picture. A couple of things stood out to both my friend and I.
1. The carelessness of being a Child of God and the freedom that brings.
2. One shoe is on - the other is missing. Do I attempt to go out and find it or do I enjoy the freedom of going barefoot?
3. Jesus tucks my hair behind my ears, giving me ears to hear.

I am particularly drawn to the barefoot part and I wonder if that piece reflects the desire in me to leave the weight of my past behind and to instead run barefoot - freely and lightly. By running barefoot I am able to feel the earth more intensely. By choosing to go barefoot I have a more accurate idea of what is beneath me and where God wants to lead me and teach me with my feet. Something to note is that when you walk around barefoot, the unevenness of the ground is heightened, but I believe there is a challenge to embrace the freedom, despite the possibility of it being uncomfortable at times. With time, the soles of my feet will grow both tougher and stronger. In choosing to run barefoot, there is an element of risk-taking and the reward is freedom.
I have come to truly love this picture. It is my prayer that I would learn to adopt the posture and the freedom that girl in the picture holds - to know that beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am loved. Oh that my ears would hear.