creating space

view of Wicklow Mountains

 He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction. -job 36:16

view of Howth

jesus created space. i don't mean the great unknown of aliens, planets, & einstein stuff but rather the unseen atmosphere of room, opportunity, possibility...He created space for us to speak our mind, to ask questions, to be joyful, to laugh. a space where we are listened to, cared for, redeemed, healed & transformed. the space to be who we were truly created to be. space to breathe. space for what we need.

view from Howth

throughout the gospels, jesus meets people where they are. He gives water to the thirsty, He heals the paralyzed, He gives sight to the blind, He feeds with the hungry, He leads & teaches those longing to follow. in these spaces, jesus gives people the chance to declare their faith in Him or to ask the tough questions. in these spaces, belief is found. love is seen. joy is embraced. grace is bestowed. mercy is recognized.

Christ Church Cathedral

it is space in our life which allows Him to work. we love to plan, schedule, & know what's going to happen. recently He's been showing me how some of the best things occur in those times we don't plan. it's in this space where He can freely move, plan, & create for us, in us & through us.

Christ Church Cathedral

where do we need to create more space for Him? where do we need to let go? where do we need to schedule less meetings, appointments, or events? where do we already see Him at work? what are the spaces in our lives that are filled with Him?

Howth Head

quotes

• not knowing when the dawn will come, i open every door. -emily dickinson
• when a great moment knocks on the door of your life, it is often no louder than the beating of your heart, & it is very easy to miss it. -boris pasternak
• all the possibilities of your human destiny are sleep in your soul. you are here to realize & honor these possibilities. when love comes in to your life, unrecognized dimension of your destiny awaken & blossom & grow. possibility is the secret heart of time. -john o'donohue
• you do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. what you need is to recognize the possibilities & challenges offered by the present moment, & to embrace them with courage, faith, & hope. -thomas merton
• the creative process is a process of surrender, not control. -julia cameron
• control is never achieved when sought after directly; it is the surprising result of letting go. -james arthur ray
• the reason why many are still troubled, still seeking, still making little forward progress is because they haven't yet come to the end of themselves. we're still trying to give orders, & interfering with God's work within us. -a.w. tozer
• ...it is no trying that is every going to bring us home. all this trying leads up to the vital moment at which you turn to God & say, "You must do this. i can't." -c.s. lewis
• to abandon all is to take our hearts, place them before the One who created them, & dare to believe He can live life powerfully through our surrendered lives. -mary e. demuth