Wild Intimacy

Yeah I thought that title would get your attention!

I wasn't sure what to write about today, and God sort of nudged me and said, Seriously? You've written something like 458 pages in your journal during this 30 day journey and you have NOTHING TO SAY ON YOUR BLOG???

Duly noted.

Perhaps I should share something I've learned?

As I pray each day, one of my prayers is how can I embrace life to the fullest today? And He rarely answers that question the same way twice. One day the answer was write. One day it was enjoy the evening with your friends. One day it was rest. And sometimes, in the middle of something I didn't even know was going to happen, He whispers, Drink this up, Baby Girl. This is from me. Love it.

I read a couple of quotes this week that resonated with me where this full living is concerned.

The first one I read over on Courtney Walsh's blog: "What kind of cardboard characters would any of us be if we didn't have challenges, struggles, things to fight for?" The easy life feels appealing but oh goodness, where is the actual fun in that? Would I want to read a novel with NO suspense? NO conflict? Nothing but perfectly scripted Pleasantville sorts of days? No way! Those are the things that draw me in and keep me turning pages and cheering for characters...

...and so it is with my life.

Then this quote, which I read in Steven James (amazing, in my opinion) book Flirting With the Forbidden: "Christianity is wild. It's intimate. It's heartbreaking and soul-mending. It's the wings to rise above the everyday and the hope of a honeymoon with the God who has loved you forever."

It so is.
These days with the Lord are pure adventure. I have no idea what's coming next. I have no concept of how He'll redeem what's been broken. I don't know how He'll answer the deepest longings. I don't know the surprises He'll throw in because He loves the look of utter delight on my face. I don't know the gut-wrenching setbacks that will hurl me into His lap where He will hold me and cry with me.

It is wild intimacy.

That, in turn, reminded me of this little comedy sketch Mark Lowry did back when he was more like my age. I watched it for the first time in years and discovered I can, in fact, still quote it.

Life...more abundant.