I love that God is outside of time, that He’s not limited in that way like we are.

You may recall “The Wall” post and the heart work (aka hard work) that God started in me a month ago. While I was on that trip, my best friend recommended a book to me. She said it was unlike anything we’ve ever read. (Maybe that’s why I was hesitant, why I didn’t purchase it right away.)

A week or two passed and I had saved up some Amazon no-rush shipping rewards to cut the Kindle price of the book in half. So I decided to get it and jumped right in. Part One spoke so loudly and lovingly to my heart. And then Part Two… I had kind of forgotten what she had said about it being different and was surprised when I remembered that there would be fiction.

I typically only read non-fiction, but I think this book came into my hands at the perfect time. My heart was ready – hungry.

God used this book to reveal to me the wall that I had built around my heart. He showed me that though I was living for Him, I wasn’t living with Him. And He began to call me deeper into a journey, an adventure, from bondage to freedom. From shadows to light. From orphan to daughter.

I believe this is part of why He moved us across the country, to a borough by the name of Liberty… to find a new level of freedom with Him.

It’s my hope and prayer that my writings would reflect our Father’s heart and point to Him… that we would learn to fully embrace this life with Him that we were created to live.

Yesterday was a moment of breakthrough for me, coming to the end of myself and my feeble attempts to perform and impress.

My wall identified: my orphan heart.

Today, I entered into the Father-Daughter Dance, following His lead, twirling with the joy of being with Him.

I’m learning to be fully engaged with my daughter heart. Together, we’re tearing down the wall – even if it’s one brick at a time.

Even now I’m reminded of a word He spoke to me last year… “Dance with the truth that is in Jesus.”

I remember a vision someone had of me years ago – dancing, twirling around in a white dress, bringing pleasure and joy to my Heavenly Father.

As I was reading the Bible this morning, I was able to read through the lens of daughter, learning about the Father’s heart.

Psalm 68:5-6 says, “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, He leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious love in a sun-scorched land.” (NIV)

Here it is in the NASB: “A father to the fatherless and a judge for the widows, is God in His holy habitation. God makes a home for the lonely; He leads out the prisoners into prosperity, only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.”

I have to tell you one of my favorite things about this word, Father. I use the Blue Letter Bible app for my Hebrew & Greek definitions with the NASB. I discovered today that this word for “father” in the Hebrew is (H1) ‘ab. I know it’s alphabetical but out of thousands of words, father is first in the long list of Hebrew definitions.

He is first.

The definitions says “Father is applied to a bringer up, nourisher, as bestowing his benefits like a parent.”

He sees our orphan heart – our loneliness – and He invites us to a relationship with Him. He brings us up, to Himself. To a home, to a family, to a place of freedom where He nourishes us. Where the chains fall off and we can’t help but sing. He leads us out of our prison cell into a lifelong dance with Him.

“You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give You thanks forever.” – Psalm 30:11-12 (NIV)

“You did it: You changed wild lament into whirling dance; You ripped off my black mourning band and decked me with wildflowers. I’m about to burst with song; I can’t keep quiet about You. God, my God, I can’t thank you enough.” – Psalm 30:11-12 (MSG)

The invitation is for all, to enter into a life with Him. The full life, the abundant life. The life that feels more like a beautiful dance, a work of art, a piece of poetry. We weren’t made to live in a parched land, apart from Him.

Where are you on your journey heavenward? I hope these words find you with Him. If you’re heart aches for more, to continue the process from orphan to son or daughter, I highly recommend your Bible and The Story of With by Allen Arnold.

❤️

This Week’s Song Suggestions:

• Sails by Pat Barrett, Steffany Gretzinger & Amanda Cook
• Open Spaces by Housefires
• Good Good Father by Housefires
• I Am No Victim by Kristene DiMarco