Yes - honestly, I more often than not would prefer to just turn on Netflix and zone out, rather than zone in-to the emotions and thoughts I have carried with me through my day, but this practice is cultivating a deep gratitude within me, awakening my spirit to the presence of God throughout my minutes, and opening my eyes to truly see the people that are in front of me. I am recognizing emotions I usually bury, and learning to still and steady this ever wandering heart of mine.

… Do these days between Christmas and New Years have you feeling a little bit weary too?

Sorrow isn’t comfortable, but it can become familiar.
And when hope wells up unbidden within us?
Sometimes fear can quench it before it gets a chance to spill over.
Today?
I dare you to let laughter come unbidden.
We have a reason to Hope again.

As Christians, we sometimes have this strange tendency to just sit back and accept circumstances as if all things that happen to us are specifically ordained by God. The danger in this way of thinking is that we can fall into a victim mentality and we can distort who God is and actually steer away from who He made us to be. We sometimes get the idea that if God wanted us to pursue a dream, or do something specific – that all the doors should just fling wide and we should just end up there. But what if this is incredibly far from the truth?

…Today I want to call out dreams in you that have been sitting dormant. Dreams that have been splattered across asphalt. Dreams that have been crushed. Dreams that have been replaced. Even dreams that we assumed God had said “no” to because we ran into some closed doors.

Can I give you permission to dream again?