Revival - It's Time to be Well

Reviving: the act of breathing life into something that was once dead, or close to death. To me, revival is an awakening of the heart, of the Spirit within me.  What once was dry and cracked, in a drought; those places that hadn't seen growth now given life - immediate, powerful, indescribably beautiful, abundant, life!  I have experienced revival over the last several days, and it is something that I have thirsted for so long.

We all get so caught up in the busyness of this life - it's inevitable really, since the world runs a million miles an hour (or so it seems).  We get so busy that we forget to take care of ourselves, or maybe we truly just don't have the time or resources to do so.  We run until we can't run anymore,  sometimes that means our bodies are affected and become sick because of the overload.  Our Souls, our Spirits become dry and cracked.  Not only do our Spirits need life, they need a healing balm, because being Spirit-dried and cracked hurts physically, spiritually and emotionally.  This is where I have been.  Spiritually, I will never be dead because I have a new life in Jesus Christ which started the moment I gave my life over to Him.  However, I have been dry and cracked in a desert, longing for water, longing for new life.

My little family made huge sacrifices to send me to  my Auntie Cheryl in Destin, Florida.  I've grown up going to this area and I find immeasurable peace from simply laying eyes on the blue-green water of the Emerald Coast.  Mike and I have taken the children to this spot several times as well; all four of them have experienced the sugar-sand beach that calls my name. Getting away - stepping back from the regular pace of life for a while; even just being in new surroundings can be so refreshing, and each breath I took seemed to slow my heart-rate down and call me to The Word of God.  God drew me to the book of Isaiah; He told me to read it.  And so I began, there on that beach, diving into the Old Testament with great expectation.  I knew in my heart that this time away would be an Ebenezer for me -a markable moment in my life, both physical and spiritual.  God was going to speak to me during my time away. He was saying, "It's time to be well".

Me and Auntie Cheryl

The gorgeous water!

Spending time with our Florida NKH Family, whom I love (don't Aubree and Lucy look alike?)! 

Isaiah - it's "Our Book" as a family, so to speak.  Mike and I believe that God called our family to ministry through Isaiah 43, which has been confirmed to us in so many beautiful ways. This is the book where the Spirit spoke to us about having Henry, with the promise that He would do something new and miraculous, which He so graciously did.  Henry's middle name is Isaiah.  This is a very special book to me, and I knew that God wanted to speak to me this past week, in deep ways and that He had a treasure chest that He wanted to take me through. He HAS been healing me, and it is time for me to allow Him to complete some of that healing; to allow Him to speak to my heart about things that I've been carrying with me, things I don't need to carry anymore and to breathe life into my Soul. 

God spoke to His people through His prophet Isaiah, who wrote this beautiful book.  A good portion of the book is full of God calling out to His Beloved people.  He yearns for them to be close again, but His people have rebelled and run away from Him over and over.  God created them to be in an intimate, loving, living, two-way relationship - He formed us this way, Friends.  And yet the people weren't able to live it out or experience it, because of their own actions.

In Isaiah we see that the people of God have made idols and not only have they made them, they also treasure them above God. In fact, they don't even hide the fact that they are worshiping other gods.  That is the level of disrespect they are showing their God:  even though they have literally seen the works of God on their behalf, in front of their eyes, they STILL choose idols.  God is physically weary of carrying the burden that the idols bring over His Children.  The Lord is calling on His people to repent, to turn away from these idols that do not satisfy.  He is calling them refocus on Him and on Him alone.

I was cut to the core.  I have idols.  I have idols that I put before God.  I have idols that I blatantly put before God - I don't even hide them.  I make excuses for them.  God is jealous for me.  His grace and mercy are unending, and He has outstretched them to me time and time again, and yet I still kept some of those idols.  Some of my personal healing has been blocked by the fact that I've sought healing in the balm of my idols.   NOT ANYMORE.  Let me be clear, separation from God, or feeling separated from God doesn't always come because of something we do or don't do.  Healing isn't based always based on what we do or don't do because God oversees it, in His infinite wisdom.  It's different for everyone; the mysteries of God are deeper than the sea!  God isn't fickle, but our feelings sure are.  If you feel far from the Lord, press in and ask Him why.  Ask Him to show you what is standing in the way.  It may or may not be an idol.  There are many other things that can cause this, but for me at this particular time, I believe the Spirit is telling me that my idols, and those of my family, have caused my relationship with God to be more fuzzy than it was made to be.  

God spoke to me so crystal clearly, there near the water.  You see, I am Jacob.  You are too, if you've given your life to Christ.  He is jealous for us and calls to us lovingly and then sometimes, He calls us aggressively, like a Father calling out to his child who is about to run into the busy street.  He has given us life and formed us for His purpose and to live an abundant life, but when we are so far away from Him, putting idols above Him, we aren't able to experience that full and abundant relationship that we were designed for.  When I put an idol before the Lord, I am not experiencing life the way it was designed for me.  Why would I do that to myself and to those around me (no doubt, your idols affect everyone you are in community with, especially your family)?  I want to live the life I was designed for - I don't want the cheap version; I want the real thing in it's entirety!

Do you feel it, Believer?  Do you feel like there is something more to your life and to your relationship with Christ - a deeper connection that you are longing for?  The idols you have set up in your life, the things you have allowed to take the sacred high place in your heart, the place that belongs to God . . . will you lay them down? 

You see, the Lord has so much more for us; more than what the idols can offer that's for sure, although I know it doesn't always feel that way.  The pull of the idols and the comfort that they bring can be strong, but Oh! The freedom that Christ brings is worth so much more, Friends! And that is what the rest of Isaiah is about . . . the Father wooing His children back.

God tells them of the wondrous, miraculous, tangible, and intangible things He is going to do IN and THROUGH them.  He tells them that He has beautiful plans to unfold for their descendants, for their children.  See, the time of wandering, the times of calling out to God and not hearing Him - those times are coming to an end.  God is about to be closer to them than He has ever been - even better than before they set up those stupid idols.  God is going to defeat Jacob's enemies.  He is going to make Israel a great people and extend their land, giving them more than they thought possible.  THE DESERT TIME IS OVER and the NEW ABUNDANT LIFE IS ABOUT TO BEGIN. 

 He's listening and is actively speaking again, but even more so and also providing above and beyond the needs of the people.  They are obeying and He is moving on their behalf.  Side-note: Let me make it clear, God's movements aren't always based whether or not we are obeying.  Thank the Lord, His love AND His blessings are NOT based on what we do or don't do.  His ways are not our ways - they are mysterious.  But here in the book of Isaiah, God's ear has turned back to His people, and as I see it, His heart has softened . . .  He is communicating like crazy and is tangibly blessing them.  They are refreshed and renewed.  Life where there once was death.  Water for the dry, cracked Souls of the people of Israel.  REVIVAL.

"Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.  Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness

 and rivers in the desert." 

Isaiah 43:18-19

This week, through reading through Isaiah, God confirmed what He has shown me and spoken so sweetly to my Spirit.  God IS doing something new in our family - something that seems impossible to others; something that once seemed impossible to us! We have been in a dry and broken place - a desert.  Like a mirror to my own spiritual walk, we've been waiting and calling out to God.  He has never left us and we haven't been abandoned.  He's been there the entire time, although it hasn't always felt like it.  In fact, most of the time, He has felt far off.  But, God is about to do something new in MY life and that started with me laying down my idols.  And He is doing something new in MY FAMILY'S life!  He is sweeping in even now, and causing new life to grow.  He is breathing life on our mission, our lives, on our future.  New life, abundant life, fresh and renewed life - He is bringing it all to us right now, FOR HIS GLORY.  I believe He is doing something big IN us and also FOR us, which is incredibly exciting - especially when you've been crying out to your Father for new life for so long.

I don't know what the Lord is going to do, although He has given me glimpses through my Spirit.  He is so good to do that.  If you want to see him move right in front of you, in nature or even in your dreams, ask Him, Sweet Friend!  He WILL do it as He has done for me.  I can tell you that I feel completely safe and secure in what God will do.  I can trust Him as I know He has created me and formed me, and He knows our needs and the desires of our hearts.  He is going to fulfill some of those in this upcoming season of life for the McLaughlins and I cannot wait to share with you what He has done!  

Oh, Father!  Thank you for this precious time away with you!  My heart is full of gladness because you have come to me and applied the precious balm of your Word to my dry and broken Spirit.  Thank you for my family and bless them a thousand fold for the many sacrifices they made so that I could get away and focus on my relationship with you.  Thank you for my family who opened their home and hearts and showered me with love while I was away and for allowing me to feel safe, secure and at peace.  I do not take those feelings for granted, Father.  

YOU are so good, God.  Thank you for allowing me to enjoy your beautiful creation and for giving me the time to sit and listen to you.  Continue to speak to my heart, Lord.  I will continue to lay down my idols before your throne because I want YOU and all of the many things you have designed for me.  I want what is best for me and for my family.  I WANT TO BE WELL and I want my family to be well.  Thank you for bringing us safely through to this point, for your endless forgiveness and for your gracious and continuous healing of our hearts.  

Such a warm welcome home!

"But now hear, O Jacob my servant, Israel whom I have chosen! Thus says the Lord who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you: Fear not, O Jacob my servant, whom I have chosen.  For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessings on your descendants.  They shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams.  This one will say, 'I am the Lord's', another will call on the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand, 'The Lord's', and name himself by the name of Israel."  

Isaiah 44:1-5