~Add To The Beauty~

" O LORD, be gracious to us; We long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress. Your eyes will see the king in his beauty and view a land that stretches afar."
Isaiah 33:2, 17

What a beautiful weekend I have had! Praise the Lord! The Lord used me to minister to friends and family and renewed my strength to remind me that I can't do it in my own strength.
Saturday night I went Salsa dancing for the first time with some friends. It was in that moment after learning the short introductory lesson that I was face to face with a dance partner and God began to remind me of a longing I have to be submissive to Him and follow instead of always trying to lead. My partner was patient and kind despite me stepping on his toes and resisting his lead. He had his hand gently pressed on my lower back and used his arm with my arm on top to lead me in his steps. I found myself afraid of this intimacy, of looking into his eyes instead of looking at my feet to make sure I was doing it ok on my own. However, he pointed out to me that if I followed his lead it would go more smoothly..... and for brief moments we flowed together to the beats of Latin music. God used this as a reminder of His desire for me to look into His eyes and to not look down at my own strength and circumstances and He will order my steps in Him. I pray that I will dance with God daily, the lover of my soul.

Sunday
I experienced intense grief today for my brother Nathan, but God was so sweet to remind me of His promise for me. " and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor." Isaiah 61:3 God reminded me of what a friend revealed to me that the trees in the midst of valleys of the Blue Ridge Mountains are bigger and stronger than the trees that are on the mountaintops. The metaphor is that the trees in the valley represent us in times of going through the valleys of our life. It is in this time He is nourishing us, making us stronger. God renewed my faith tonight when I talked to Nathan on the phone and He quoted a verse to me about having faith as small as a mustard seed and being able to move mountains...Little did Nathan know that during a concert I attended tonight this verse was in some lyrics to a song by Jars of Clay and I immediately began to interceded for Nathan.

God reminded me of His timing and his special ways He speaks to us as I was watching a commercial that reminds me of a friend, and at that moment, he called me and blessed me by telling me what the Lord was doing in his life at that moment. God reminded me of physical, tangible, love and comfort today as I had one friend call to invite me to her home for Thanksgiving, as she knew I would be alone this year, and in coming home tonight to find a card on my doorstep from another sister in Christ who wanted to encourage me and bless me with a gift of love. God is so sweet to me, can you think of how He was sweet to you today?

At the concert I fell in love with the Holy Spirit's work in Sara Grove's life and ministry. Her newest CD, Add To The Beauty, encourages us to look for ways to add to the beauty of the chaos in this world. On the way home I was listening to track #4, It's Going To Be Alright, as I passed a young female walking in the dark. My flesh said go home, you are tired and have to intercede for your loved ones, but the Spirit said turn the car around. I did, I picked her up, and prayed and ministered to her as she told me of the valley she is walking through in her life.

I close with a plea to all who read this, "How will you Add To The Beauty of this world?"

In Grace,
~Julie Ann