Discovering SunriseDiscovering Sunrise

mundane no longer has a place

Gratitude

rock in between grass and flower

Out of My Hands

by Caroline on category , , , , ,

Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of everything that distracts us from it…

Joshua Becker

Minimalism has taught me the art of letting go. I’ve learned the necessity of release to move towards something better. This outlook has changed every aspect of my life. And now, I am learning the most challenging surrender: my will. Encompassed in my will are all of my “supposed to be’s,” these plans I make, and how I think life should go.

Circumstance

I hadn’t planned for my sweet dog to have an invasive tumor forcing its way through his skin, tight and breaking, slowly stealing his health. I don’t want to be in this place where I feel torn, where I’m trying to determine the best care for him, attempting to plan now for an unknown future. This echoes many circumstances where we run through scenarios and create hypothetical futures trying to make the “right” decision. It becomes paralyzing; we become trapped in analysis and worry.

Compass

As I kept thinking about my dog, praying for God to intervene, I realized how much my mind had spiraled. My heart was troubled—so far removed from the peace I crave (John 14:1, 27). This Peace is my compass. His way is rest and peace; if that’s not how I feel and the way isn’t clear, I am learning to wait for direction (Ps 27:14 and Ps 62:4-8) and rest in Him (Ps 46:10). 

Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. Psalm 31:5

Determining to let go, I discovered Psalm 31:5. I’m learning to let the One who has redeemed me carry my burdens. Each time I begin to worry, I recommit my spirit, will, and everything I hold dear to the One who is greater than me. He is God, and I am not (Hosea 11:9).

Release

This is where the battle for our will is fought. The Enemy knows this and is relentless. He is always there whispering doubt, pressing in, heavy. Therefore, I must learn to surrender control to my Father again and again and again. I must choose to completely surrender my will and rest fully in His embrace, where He promises to hide me in the secret of His Presence (Psalm 31:20), the place the world can’t see (John 14:19,20 and 2 Corinthians 4:18), where we find soul rest. In John 16:33, when Jesus said, “In this world, you will have trouble…” He promised us His peace for these places where everything is spinning around us; our circumstances don’t have to overtake us (John 14:27).

Even Here

Wherever I am, He is, and soul rest is possible (Ps 139:10-12). It’s these ugly-beautiful places where we see God turn ashes to beauty, morning to dancing, praise for heaviness, gray to color, vibrant, we come alive (Isaiah 61:3) and discover joy, as Jesus promised (John 15:11). When we stop clinging to what we think “should be” or “could have been” and accept the place we are, we can find true freedom in surrendering all to Christ. The miracle here may not be that my dog receives healing but that through surrender, I can enjoy the moments I have with him without worrying about what’s next. In the middle of tail-wags and tears flowing, it’s here that I rediscover the blessing of moments right in front of me (Ps 138:3).

Open Hands

This type of surrender cannot coexist with worry. Just as complaining and gratitude cannot share breath, neither can worry and surrender. Let not your heart be troubled, believe (John 14:1). Jesus is giving us His template, His strategy: complete surrender of every thought, ache, desire, worry, and scenario. Jesus taught this to his last breath (Luke 23:46).

And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ ” Having said this, He breathed His last. Luke 23:46

Full Submission

This is where the battle is fought: our will. I can cling to control, or I can surrender to My God—The Almighty Father who says to me, “Fear not for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name: you are Mine…(Isaiah 43:1)…I will go before you… I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places (Isaiah 45:1-3).

God keeps teaching me it’s worth releasing my control to His Sovereignty. Today, if you are in a hard place, lean in. Don’t fight; I’ve learned that it’s in the darkest places we discover who He can be to us. Exchanging worry for that soul peace of Jesus (John 14:27) is worth it every time.

Living Open

by Caroline on category , , , ,

“The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.”

Is 50:4, 5

Discovering Ephphatha

Even though Open the Gate was all I knew, I had to follow the call in my heart. I knew it was unconventional, but I am learning that the deeper I go with God, the more mysterious life becomes while congruently becoming simple and joy-filled. As I continue to read John 14 daily, He is teaching me to Abide. And I’m learning that abiding is related more to being open and receiving Him, than my “doing.”

Following

Initially, as I began to feel His discoveries build, my heart heard, Write, share your story as it unfolds with Me, so I started blogging. And more recently, I felt Him pushing me further out of my comfort zone; Open the Gate. That’s all I knew.

Next, as bizarre as it may sound, God gave me October 15. I committed. With their gracious support, I shared with my family and decided something was happening here on that date. It wasn’t until a couple of days before the 15th that I read a verse that makes me smile every time, “How beautiful are the feet of them who bring the Good News…”. That’s when I saw the alignment of Romans 10:15 and the date 10-15, realizing we were to open the gate to invite others to celebrate the Good News. And as we did, I knew God was stretching me.

Growing

I’m a planner, but I handed this gathering to Him and left the invitation open without RSVPs. I am also an introvert, and I knew inviting others and sharing what I had been discovering would require me to speak to the group, which seemed terrifying. Therefore, I unknowingly began to resort to a survival technique I had developed in college.

To survive college presentations, I learned how to present my information while hiding behind what I call a “presenter persona,” disingenuous at best, but an introvert’s survival. So, once I understood the gist of what we were doing, I began composing my presentation. As I did this, I felt unsettled. The words I wrote were genuine and heartfelt, but sharing them in the manner I was planning, didn’t feel aligned. And then, the morning of our party, God laid on my heart, share your story. 

Where do I even begin? I pondered as I flipped open an old journal and read:

“January 7, 2015 ‘Do not let your heart be troubled. Trust in God; also trust in Me.’ John 14:1” God, this feels aligned. I continued reading, “Trust is the antithesis of stress” (quoted from One Thousand Gifts) and “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow. Romans 15:13”

And then, the subsequent quote I had jotted down from the same book, “Belief is a verb something you do…The work of trusting love. Intentional and focused. Sometimes, too often, I don’t want to muster the energy. Stress and anxiety seem easier…are stress and worry evidences of a soul too lazy, too undisciplined, to keep its gaze fixed on God?… If authentic, saving belief is the act of trusting, then to choose stress is an act of disbelief…atheism. Anything less than gratitude and trust is practical atheism.” Whew. 

I then turned to another entry, written as I was acknowledging how different I was beginning to feel through being intentional with God and spending time in His Presence. He was changing me, and I was craving to authentically share it. On April 15, 2015 I wrote, “…start small. My own heart…like a ripple effect. I want Him to use me…the ‘greats’ in the Bible weren’t all preachers and priests. They were everyday people living out faith in the real world. I want this to be my story.”

As I internalized this that morning, He reminded me, just overflow. He was using this to teach me, maybe more that it did had to do with my sharing with others. He reminded me to stop trying and doing, be. Remain open, trusting, Ephphatha. 

I continue to realize, the more I think I understand what God is trying to teach me, the more He turns it upside down and says, “Now look again, in My Presence.” It’s like doing a headstand, and as the floor morphs into the ceiling, you are transported into a different place. This new perspective, I discover every time.

Celebrating

God knows I have so much growing to do, and He is stretching me again. So in faith and an overflowing of all He has done, we will open the gate again this Saturday (November 12). Providing a place to share our stories and celebrate the beauty and wonder of learning to live a more full life, Abiding in Him. 

(If you would like details, contact me at discoveringsunrise@yahoo.com)

Subscribe

Subscribe to receive more straight to your inbox.

Good News!

by Caroline on category , , , , , , , 
"And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, "How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!"

 Romans 10:15 NLT

Unsettled

I woke up solving tomorrow’s problems and re-living yesterday’s mistakes. Feeling unsettled, I listened to a meditation titled, Be Still My Anxious Heart, attempting to redirect my focus and focus my perspective as I stretched my awakening body. As the words of Jesus, recorded in John 14, filled my ears, I felt my Lord speak to my soul. “Let not your heart be troubled….” I needed this today….” Believe in God, believe also in Me.” I knew I needed more, so settling in with my blanket and coffee, I opened my Bible to John 14:1. “Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in Elohim, believe also in Me.” As I read the verses, letting each sink in, I felt the weight I had picked up that morning lift. 

Connecting

For months, there have been two words that God has been establishing in my heart. Ephphatha—discovering openness (Mark 7:34) and Abide—discovering God’s Presence in our everyday lives (John 14:17). These concepts grew more profound as I realized this chapter in John brought both together. 

“And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever.” John 14:16 KJV. The Comforter to abide with me. I love the designation Jesus uses here. Not only is Jesus teaching me to abide in Him, but I am also learning to remain open so His Spirit, His Comfort, can abide within me. This verse connects Abide to Ephphatha.

I penned my thoughts as this discovery became real that morning, “It’s all connected. Beautifully connected. Father, your freedom floods my soul in the darkness this morning. Your peace covers me like the soft pink rolling over the night sky—the words of Your Holy Son spoken to me. ‘Peace I leave with you…not as the world giveth…Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ John 14:27 KJV”

 My initial contemplation of, What if I read these words daily and take them to heart? Became, I am going to begin every day with these words for a month. As I flipped back through the chapter, I noted that John 14 has 31 verses. Perfect.

Sharing

It’s been seven weeks since I began reading John 14 daily. Each day after reading the chapter, I spend time on the subsequent verse, treasure-hunting for the application for that day. Reading John 14 daily affected me so positively, that when I completed the 31 days, I added John 15 to my daily reading. I have filled pages with so many thoughts and discoveries. I want to share the realness of this discovery with everyone I know; the peace and freedom I have felt from resting at Jesus’ feet. We don’t have to do life alone!

Celebrating

Part of Ephphatha that God is planting in my heart is to open our home to be a place where others can join us in excavating life applications from God’s Word and sharing discoveries. So, we are throwing a Good News Party on October 15th beginning at 10:15am!

Weather permitting, we will gather outside under the trees, and around a campfire. We want to provide a place where we can learn from each other and encourage each other as we discover how to get into God’s presence, remain open, and abide in everyday life. With so much pressing in on all of us daily, we want to provide a respite, a place to reset and recharge. A place to discover or be reminded we have Good News to celebrate! We would love to have you join us this Saturday! Please contact me for details at discoveringsunrise@yahoo.com. 

I am learning that the best adventures begin when I step out into the unknown places where I feel Him leading. Therefore, I choose to obey when God tells my heart to throw a party with an open invitation. (John 14:31)

I look forward to sharing this adventure with all of you! 

Perspective 🎶

The Belly of Hell

by Caroline on category , , , , ,

Recently, as I sat watching someone I love languish in pain, helplessness attempted to creep in. When I arrived home from the hospital for a quick respite, I read Jonah, and the concept of the “belly of hell” became real to me. It refocused me to the place of thanksgiving. I felt helpless, and it’s right there, where we have nothing left; God asks us to lift our hands in a hallelujah. And as gratitude floods the soul, our perception changes; a shift that can only happen in this place.

The belly of hell. Whether physical, circumstantial, relational, or psychological, this place of desperation is never when or where we expect.

“Out of the belly of hell cried I, And thou heardest my voice.” Jonah 2:2 KJV

I was searching for more, something different than the race I’d been living, but I didn’t know what it was. The discontent led me to minimalism, intentionality, and self-awareness. I was making positive changes, but my focus was misplaced. Unaware, I had replaced the noise of consumerism and chasing stuff with the clutter of “being” and “doing” through my own strength and intentionality. I had created empty spaces that were beginning to reveal a more profound emptiness. As I began to use some of my newly discovered free time in stillness, God listened to my cry when I didn’t even know I was crying out (Jonah 2:2). He answered me in the physical interruption of my life. As I battled Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Babesia, I began to hear God’s whisper.

I can still smell the crisp spring air as I recall mustering up the energy to wander the trail to clear my mind. As I forced movement of my broken-down body, the song “Space to Speak” permeated into my soul. In my quest for control, I didn’t yet realize that I was fleeing from God’s presence (Jonah 1:3), but there, in my brokenness, I was learning to make space for Him.

Cultivating a New Perspective

I discovered this thanksgiving concept several years prior as I read “One Thousand Gifts.” I was a master of negativity, even the little things I found to complain about with one barrage of “ugh” after another. This book opened my eyes to how I was looking at life, and I became more intentional in acknowledging blessings and embracing what was before me. Learning to give thanks was a start, but still, I was vomiting tiny particles of negativity over beautiful everyday moments.

Regardless, I began to enact the discipline of giving thanks. I didn’t have illustrations yet like the “belly of hell,” but I learned one choice at a time to give thanksgiving. And the more I practiced, the more I realized that gratitude and negativity can not exist in the same breath. We are given opportunities repeatedly to cultivate this, and practicing is essential to giving thanks when it hurts. I learned that sometimes we give praise because it is an overflowing of the thanks we feel in our hearts, and sometimes we give thanks despite the circumstances because this is what we have learned to do. Either way, there is a peace that comes with giving thanks in all things.

As I recently unpacked the story of Jonah, I discovered the realness of Jonah’s experience. Amid his daily routines and plans, Jonah heard God’s call to “Go” (Jonah 1:1,2), and instead, he ran, attempting to flee from God’s Presence. Fleeing from the presence of God. How many times do we try to do this in a day? Do we flee from His presence with the perpetual motion we insist on keeping? Do we flee from His presence when we lack intentionality? When we finally stop moving at the end of the day and turn on a show, stare at a screen, or grab a drink, numbing our minds? Do we flee when we pick up our phones instead of interacting with the human next to us?

Back to Jonah…

As the storm pressed, waves crashed, and the safety that Jonah had chosen for himself began to dismember; he was forced to acknowledge that God meant what He said when He said, “Go.” Jonah’s attempt at escaping the presence of God was only going to lead to death. “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.” Jonah 2:8 NIV. When he realized the imminent destruction of all those around him, he demanded they throw him into the raging sea. He chose to die instead of fleeing anymore from his Creator.

There in the “belly of hell,” Jonah acknowledged his position and the position of God. When he cried out in his lowest moment, God heard him. In stillness, God saved him, allowing him three days and three nights to contemplate his situation. And amid this janked up circumstance, Jonah chose to praise Jehovah. “…but I will sacrifice unto Thee with the voice of thanksgiving.” Jonah 2:9 KJV

Go

God longs for our stillness and the sacrifice of the voice of thanksgiving. In every circumstance. Like Jonah, once I got to this point of acknowledging my nothingness and need, I had nothing left but a hallelujah. And this beautiful moment of praise changed my heart. Giving thanks changes us, and getting into God’s presence transforms us. Letting go of our worthless idols opens us up to God’s grace and mercy. Every moment matters. If the soul tells you something is off, listen. Be willing to embrace your belly of hell, whatever it might look like, because it might be the very thing that brings you into the life-saving presence of the Life-Giver.

“All my words fall short, I’ve got nothing new, how could I express all my gratitude…So I throw up my hands and praise You again and again ’cause all that I have is a halleleujah…” 🎶Brandon Lake- Gratitude

Treasure Life.

✕