“I love you James,” I hear God say before my eyes open. For a while, I respond with words of love without even moving my mouth.
“Philemon 4-8” … I read how Paul was making a personal request that he could have sent as a command. The Message version gets to the heart of what other versions just danced around, outright saying: “I wouldn’t hesitate to command this if I thought it necessary, but I’d rather make it a personal request.”
I felt like God is taking time while I sleep to reprogram me as well. I wake up, and hear His voice gently calming me back to sleep.
So, I work. Do a few errands. Then I hear a request, “I would like for you to go pray at the church labyrinth.”
It’s at a fancy church, so I dress up, wearing a collared shirt, even though it’s 75 degrees. I also put some sunscreen on. Since I’m whiter than white, I burn so easily in the sun, despite it being the day after Christmas.
I ask in my heart, “If I decline, will this request become a command?,” Reading between the lines of the scripture I was prompted to read this morning. I hear Him smile and reassure me that He’ll meet me there.
I walk and pray, holding a rosary, while I’m walking the labyrinth. The labyrinth feels like a larger version of the rosary in my hand, just lying on the ground. The rosary is just a simple tool to measure my connection with God. It grounds me in the knowledge that Christ is the light that holds all things together. He’s holding every galaxy together. He’s holding every molecule together. His words are the vibrations that string theory hopes to comprehend. God is in every cell of my body, and in every bead of my rosary. He’s in the space around me, and the landscape around me.
I start by admitting I don’t always know how to pray, as I should, so I ask the Holy Spirit to take control. I’m asking Him to: Teach me how to pray and show me what to say. Soften my heart so I can hear and obey His voice. Help me see and know Him truly, rather than just going through the motions.
I’m telling God that I am a “God Chaser” who is completely dissatisfied with my life at the current level of His presence. I want more than just a memory of Him; I want the real thing.
I admit my pride and put my full dependance on Him. I pray the Novena: Jesus, I surrender. Jesus, you take over. Take care of everything.
I’m praying for a “cherished visitation” of His tangible, unmistakable, and soul-changing presence. I’m asking to see His face and have “face-to-face time” with Him, much like John saw Him in Revelation. I am looking for a 100% full divine exchange where my heart pours into Him and his pours directly into me. I ask to be a worthy host for Christ, I ask that my spirit becomes a mighty fortress of God where Christ may reign over my heart and mind, permanently in my heart.
Ultimately, I am praying to reach a place where only Love remains. I let go of the duality of this world and leap to the singularity of God, the revelation of how the eternal now is Love. I let my race, gender, occupation, and location all melt away. I let my problems, struggles, and even my earthly identity melt away into oneness with “I AM”. I am one in spirit with Him. I dwell in His eternal house forever, beholding His beauty.
I reach the middle of the labyrinth, where my voice strangely echoes back at me. I’m prompted to sing The Garden by Kari Jobe.
As I leave to go back to work, I hear God smiling.
🔥🥹❤️🔥🙌🏾St. James! Every. Word. You are a writer and a God Finder! You are That! And I love you and I’m so blessed to know you! Thank you for sharing this! I will go listen to that song. I love you!!!!
Niki, Can I share my last Fridaywith you?
“I love you James,” I hear God say before my eyes open. For a while, I respond with words of love without even moving my mouth.
“Philemon 4-8” … I read how Paul was making a personal request that he could have sent as a command. The Message version gets to the heart of what other versions just danced around, outright saying: “I wouldn’t hesitate to command this if I thought it necessary, but I’d rather make it a personal request.”
I felt like God is taking time while I sleep to reprogram me as well. I wake up, and hear His voice gently calming me back to sleep.
So, I work. Do a few errands. Then I hear a request, “I would like for you to go pray at the church labyrinth.”
It’s at a fancy church, so I dress up, wearing a collared shirt, even though it’s 75 degrees. I also put some sunscreen on. Since I’m whiter than white, I burn so easily in the sun, despite it being the day after Christmas.
I ask in my heart, “If I decline, will this request become a command?,” Reading between the lines of the scripture I was prompted to read this morning. I hear Him smile and reassure me that He’ll meet me there.
I walk and pray, holding a rosary, while I’m walking the labyrinth. The labyrinth feels like a larger version of the rosary in my hand, just lying on the ground. The rosary is just a simple tool to measure my connection with God. It grounds me in the knowledge that Christ is the light that holds all things together. He’s holding every galaxy together. He’s holding every molecule together. His words are the vibrations that string theory hopes to comprehend. God is in every cell of my body, and in every bead of my rosary. He’s in the space around me, and the landscape around me.
I start by admitting I don’t always know how to pray, as I should, so I ask the Holy Spirit to take control. I’m asking Him to: Teach me how to pray and show me what to say. Soften my heart so I can hear and obey His voice. Help me see and know Him truly, rather than just going through the motions.
I’m telling God that I am a “God Chaser” who is completely dissatisfied with my life at the current level of His presence. I want more than just a memory of Him; I want the real thing.
I admit my pride and put my full dependance on Him. I pray the Novena: Jesus, I surrender. Jesus, you take over. Take care of everything.
I’m praying for a “cherished visitation” of His tangible, unmistakable, and soul-changing presence. I’m asking to see His face and have “face-to-face time” with Him, much like John saw Him in Revelation. I am looking for a 100% full divine exchange where my heart pours into Him and his pours directly into me. I ask to be a worthy host for Christ, I ask that my spirit becomes a mighty fortress of God where Christ may reign over my heart and mind, permanently in my heart.
Ultimately, I am praying to reach a place where only Love remains. I let go of the duality of this world and leap to the singularity of God, the revelation of how the eternal now is Love. I let my race, gender, occupation, and location all melt away. I let my problems, struggles, and even my earthly identity melt away into oneness with “I AM”. I am one in spirit with Him. I dwell in His eternal house forever, beholding His beauty.
I reach the middle of the labyrinth, where my voice strangely echoes back at me. I’m prompted to sing The Garden by Kari Jobe.
As I leave to go back to work, I hear God smiling.
🔥🥹❤️🔥🙌🏾St. James! Every. Word. You are a writer and a God Finder! You are That! And I love you and I’m so blessed to know you! Thank you for sharing this! I will go listen to that song. I love you!!!!