The authority of God made all creation. But it was the affection of God that made all His children.
You are made of the dust of this earth, and you are made of the happiness of heaven. You are flesh and you are spirit, and you are of two worlds longing for the home of forever and Him.
No matter your story before, this is your beginning now: you were formed by Love…for love.
– Ann Voskamp
Understanding Nothing
from The Power of Nothing
by Barbara Zerfoss
There are fundamental keys to unlocking the door to success. They are so simple that most people never discover the combination. Why is that?
As we grow, we often leave creativity and simplicity behind and start to look for answers in complexity. However, those who are most successful have discovered a foundational principle of success: there is no genius in complexity.
In fact, Abe Lincoln said this,
“I’m sorry I wrote such a long letter. I did not have the time to write a short one.”
History has proven that…the greatest discoveries often come from the simplest of forms. In fact, most breakthroughs come straight out of “nothing,” coming to light while the inventor was simply being present in the world.
In fact, most people naturally have a fear of “nothing” and feel most comfortable and safe holding on to what they already have or what they already know. No matter what the past holds for them—good or bad—it is where they are most at home. Their box is their security, and the walls around them give them plenty of opportunity to admire barriers.
This is why most people find it easier to stay put or simply change or add on to what exists, rather than creating what could be. It’s why people or businesses stay stuck or simply achieve incremental improvements, rather than breakthroughs. It’s what keeps people from discovering their unique purpose, from seeing a vision of the future and creating a life they were truly meant and desire to live. The past is a powerful force filled with stories. It is constantly working to draw us back into the comfort zone.
New experiences or going out on a limb can make us feel uneasy, often causing a type of paralysis within us. Yet, if we can form a new relationship with “nothing”—if we embrace a blank page as a wonderful opportunity to design what we want our future to be—we will have access to unlimited potential.
I am so tired of waiting,
Aren’t you,
For the world to become good
And beautiful and kind?
-Langston Hughes
Dr. Chuck DeGroat’s blog on Ferguson is so important! Please read it!!! Jesus always challenges us to break the chains that bind. We are never allowed to stay comfortable, but to go!
http://chuckdegroat.net/2014/11/25/ferguson-a-gospel-issue/
In the Breach
Wander wonder restless
Amidst the novels
Autobiographies
Travel and Mystery
Search seek anxious
Through aisles of Philosophy
Religion, Science Fiction
Table nooks filled with laptop fingertips typing
Comfy chairs hold readers’ captivated eyes
Where do I belong?
(Do I belong?)
A solitary empty table, alone, waiting
Waiting for my laptop fingertips and captivated eyes,
Waiting for my restless anxiety
Waiting for dress-up dreams
And therapy themes
The only open space here-
-here with Maya, Rumi, Berry and Bertoldt Brecht, Love Poems.
Poetry, of course,
For (I’ve been told) I am a poet.
I settle scatter my stuff
(Stuff stuff, soul stuff)
Upon this table
Organically absorb the whimsy, truth, courage
Filling all these crisp closed silent
pages, pages, pages….
in book after book after book….
shelf, shelf, shelf… self
Shhh…they whisper nudge, silent
while, in the breach,
Jackson Browne sings.
~ro, 11/18/14
Never say there is nothing beautiful in the world anymore. There is always something to make you wonder in the shape of a tree, the trembling of a leaf. –Albert Schweitzer
Photos by Fisherman Dan @ Branford, CT
You say you have no spirit,
but truthfully ask yourself this—
Would you look into my eyes
and see something beyond color?
You look at my hands,
but do you see beyond their shape to what they create?
When you notice my feet,
would you see beyond perception to
see how I travel through my journey,
or the way I am following after you?
Don’t imitate an eye and only see the object;
Don’t be fooled by the word reality.
When I look into your eyes, I see your spirit.
When I notice your feet,
I see the journey you’re taking,
the compass you follow.
Would you put down your logical way of thinking for just
a moment to see the hidden spirit glowing in you,
the spirit I see living through the truthful, inspirational
things you do,
the spirit that keeps me walking after you?
Beyond Words by Katie Pratt
There are a million beaten paths. And no matter what words people use — everyone is just asking to be loved.
– Ann Voskamp
adventures don’t always lead to a good nights sleep,
I’ve found comfy beds are somewhat a rarity
on the road less traveled.
there’s an occasional soft, fluffy, sweet sinking into soft sheets,
hot water,
and though they appreciate those amenities when they come,
pilgrims don’t get used to such things.
the gifts of adventure are many and varied –
the very best of these gifts is
people!
folks sharing themselves,
sharing whatever they have to give,
blessing you with love,
their food and drink,
their spare beds or sofas,
their conversation and hospitality,
their inmost parts vulnerable and open,
revealed completely
in the intimacy of how they live,
as, mostly unaware, they entertain angels.
no matter how humble, uncomfortable,
or even frightening and shocking at times,
we will find people living uniquely,
creating their own version of what works for them.
every lifestyle carries learning and vast wisdom.
receiving these amazing gifts of hospitality are one of life’s grandest joys and lessons.
I have found it true,
there are many things more important than physical comfort.
some of my most cherished memories,
the most generous gifts I have ever received,
include smelly, stinky, lumpy, hard, sleep-depriving surfaces
on which sleep was just a whimsical wish.
the blessing of adventure opens, within us, all the avenues of grace.
all we must do is be willing to
open our minds and hearts in new ways,
then continue to explore past our need to be comfortable.
💞
ACL 10/29/14
If I had wings
where would I fly?
You can see God from anywhere,
if you’re looking.
There was a time
when I would sing for you
Where will I fly
now you’re not my self appointed sky?
How about…
Second star from sunrise
straight on to myself
We’re all waiting
on the edge of yesterday
birds of red, blue and black
longing
for our time to fly
cause all the little birdies just got to fly
away away up in the sky
Those mamma birds are born to fly
higher higher in the sky
If I had wings
where would I fly?
You can see God from anywhere,
if you’re looking.
ACL 10/20/14
life: acoustic & amplified 
