Zephaniah 3:14-17 have become a favorite. As I recall it to my mind over and over again, it sinks into my bones, but having reread it this afternoon online, I realized I missed some of the verse! Here it is again:

14 Sing, O daughter of Zion!

Shout, O Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!

15 The LORD has taken away your judgments,
He has cast out your enemy.
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;
You shall see disaster no more.

16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“ Do not fear;
Zion, let not your hands be weak.

17 The LORD your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.”

I was walking with my Beloved this morning, and we were discussing my spiritual role in the lives of the women around me, revealing to me that I am a spiritual sister/mother. That each individual is liken to a talent, and that the time I spend with them increases their spiritual value. Of course in the same breathe, He said I can't do this by myself.

It's true. The only way I can reach these women is if I am nourished by my Beloved, spend time with Him, share with Him, reveal to Him my heart, allow Him to pursue me, daily ransom me. He, of course, is becoming more and more beautiful to me, and I can't help but want to spend more and more time with Him - to daily embrace the one Person in my life whose love is tender, passion and compassion is complete!

I am truly blessed, and yet I feel saying this is so minimal. I know that I must share this blessing, share what it is like to be loved by Him! Words are always useless, so to action I am called. May He give me the right motions to share in the lives of the women around me. Amen.

A text I want to share that is impacting my life on a daily basis.

Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice, O daughter of Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away your judgement, He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel is in your midst, you shall not see disaster no more. ~ Zephaniah 3:14-16

A lot has happened in the last 48 hours. My paradigm of Jesus has shifted drastically, and this is so incredibly beautiful to me.

I am understanding my gender in context to my relationship with God. I am a woman and I am going to connect to Him differently than a man would connect with Him and He will speak to me in a way that I can understand as a woman.

I am beginning to read the Word through the eyes of a woman rather than through the "eyes" of a man. Too long I have been using phrases that are masculity based such as being full of His glory (male) rather than being full of His beauty (woman). I now understand!

And He romances me! Not romance in the context of the world but in context to His Standard. As a woman, He will reach me in context to my Original Design, the Pattern He created in all women. As I embrace my Original Design, I am led into an awakening realization that He is Beautiful to me, He pursues me, woos me, cherishes me, guides me, refines me, gently leads me, shows and tells me that I am Most Precious, most Beautiful and Lovely to behold. Wowzers!

How can I say all of this about Him? I am embracing His Design for me, and in the process He is giving me a new eyes, a new mind, a new heart!

Beloved, lead me in losing my heart in Your Heart.

August 31 is my deadline with my Beloved. It's almost exactly 3 months away. My sister also has a deadline: June 28th. Amidst these prayer deadlines where we are asking for His answer in very specific ways, we take comfort in the fact that He says, have faith as small as a mustard seed. We are wanting to grow that mustard seed.

So, deadlines. To focus my mind in prayer, in resting in His assurances I am going the next step: fasting. I will abstain from meat, sugar, and eating late at night, and will drink more water, and walk more each day. This is rather small compared to what my Beloved did when He was on earth during His ministry. The Spirit calls me to a particular committment in questing our specific prayer requests.

I am so EXCITED to what He will reveal when this time has come.  

My Beloved asks me to abandon the self completely so that He may dwell within. This is a topic I am seriously studying in my personal time with Him but as well as trying to see how it impacts the rest of my day. How can He dwell within throughout the day? The greatest challenge that I find to this desire is the world's obession, perhaps even desperate drive to push upon every individual the need for self-glorification. We live in a generation where technology is named iPhone, iPod, iPad, etc. Other's have picked up on it and are now dubbing everything to the "i". I want to die to self daily. I want to slay it, shove it out the room, get rid of it through whatever manner. My identiy will no longer be me, but Him. My Beloved must have everything of me. I want Him front and center, Holder of my thoughts, Mover of my members. This is His sanctuary, but this santuary needs some SERIOUS cleaning. And not just a once or twice cleaning - a daily cleaning, an hourly cleaning. We have to keep cleaning out the corners, sweeping away that black silk, wiping down the dust. It needs to be spotless, and I know I can't do it. I desire for it to be done, but I know I can't do it. Only by dying to self, losing my identity can He, my Beloved move right in. It's the only way, because He is the Way.

Today, I climbed a hill and at the top, I lay down, took off my jacket, took off my shoes, and took off my socks. I absorbed some sun, caught some breeze and toed some grass. It was glorious and I am sure I would have stayed longer but the day called and I answered.