I've always been a student of the road when we're on trips. I study landscape and houses along the way. My interest in every house is the story it tells about the occupant(s). Whether it’s well-kept, run-down, or has a yard full of junk, there’s an individual or family who lives there with high energy, excited for the day, grateful for life, living to the fullest or not. Their unique experiences form their reality, giving the reasons to why they are there, good or bad. I wish I could tell you that I pray for every home along the way, it sounds much more holy and pure. But. I don’t. However, there are some that catch my attention, causing me to pray right then and there. It happened yesterday as we traveled home from the Oregon coast. I saw a home that caught my breath, taking my full attention. The house itself was exquisite with beautiful landscaping. But. It was the barn that I will never forget, not because it was freshly painted and well maintained, which is unusual for where we were, but because what was above it’s doors, high enough to be seen throughout the country-side: a meticulous, painted swastika, the universal symbol of hate.
It made me wonder about the people who owned the property. What caused these meticulous people to hate? Had hurt turned into hate? Were they taught hate? What happened? The thing is . . . their perfection revealed purposefulness . . . in their hate.
At day's end, hate is the loneliest place to be, a place of darkness, a place far from God, where living to the fullest is missed. While displaying hate may seem far from your own life, it’s often closer than most think about. I’m talking about hate for self. Hate is often pushed down, covered up, and denied. Yet. Over the course of time, it comes to the surface, displayed in behaviors, disseminating the gift of life. Hate most often is produced from hurt, weighing an individual down, causing pain for self and others. But. God always makes a way out of the darkness into the light.
Consider:
In their misery they cried out to the Lord,
and he saved them from their troubles.
He brought them out of their gloom and darkness
and broke their chains.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his love
and for the miracles he does for people. (Psalm 107:13-15, New Century Version)
There’s a powerful transformation, which begins when we call out to God. Through a power that changes darkness into the light, hate into love, brokenness into wholeness, we are freed from the chains that prevent us from living fully.
Determine to live fully this New Year.
Call out to God.
Focus on one specific thing in your life, which has constrained you from experiencing the “more” of God.
Intentionally live in the power that will break you free of whatever is weighing you down.
Thank God throughout the day for the miracle of living free, even before you fully experience life.
Learning to Kickstart the day living fully,
Kerrie
(written by Kerrie Carlisle Palmer © 2012 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)
It made me wonder about the people who owned the property. What caused these meticulous people to hate? Had hurt turned into hate? Were they taught hate? What happened? The thing is . . . their perfection revealed purposefulness . . . in their hate.
At day's end, hate is the loneliest place to be, a place of darkness, a place far from God, where living to the fullest is missed. While displaying hate may seem far from your own life, it’s often closer than most think about. I’m talking about hate for self. Hate is often pushed down, covered up, and denied. Yet. Over the course of time, it comes to the surface, displayed in behaviors, disseminating the gift of life. Hate most often is produced from hurt, weighing an individual down, causing pain for self and others. But. God always makes a way out of the darkness into the light.
Consider:
In their misery they cried out to the Lord,
and he saved them from their troubles.
He brought them out of their gloom and darkness
and broke their chains.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his love
and for the miracles he does for people. (Psalm 107:13-15, New Century Version)
There’s a powerful transformation, which begins when we call out to God. Through a power that changes darkness into the light, hate into love, brokenness into wholeness, we are freed from the chains that prevent us from living fully.
Determine to live fully this New Year.
Call out to God.
Focus on one specific thing in your life, which has constrained you from experiencing the “more” of God.
Intentionally live in the power that will break you free of whatever is weighing you down.
Thank God throughout the day for the miracle of living free, even before you fully experience life.
Learning to Kickstart the day living fully,
Kerrie
(written by Kerrie Carlisle Palmer © 2012 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)