A New Start

I have been reading a really interesting and thought provoking book called Downpour by James MacDonald. This book is a study in what it means to really know the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our lives so that we can know continual revival.

How thirsty I am for this type of life. I have lived for so long in the desert of my faith. But, I have been really working through a lot of what I believe has been the problem with moving into a victorious life. I believe that I had grieved the Holy Spirit because my life was not what God would have had for me. And I quenched the Spirit by being disobedient to what He wanted me to do. So for many years, I have wandered about in this dry and arid desert.

But, I have come face-to-face with what I have done. I have confessed all that I know that I have done that grieved the Spirit. And I am praying for the strength to do all that He leads me to in order to not quench the Spirit. I believe that this is a new beginning for me. I am overwhelmed with the grace of God. When I stop to think of the pit that I lived in for such a long time and how He through His mercy brought me back to His side - I am in total awe. How good God is. And how holy. May I never lose sight of that.

This morning as I was reading in Joshua, chapter 23 the 2-1/2 tribes that went back across the Jordan built a large altar upon their return. The tribes on the western side saw this and immediately jumped to the conclusion that their brothers were going to offer sacrifices in a place other than where the Ark was. They were ready to wage war. But.... the truth was - the 2-1/2 tribes were building something to remind them of all that God had done in their lives.

I am determined to build a marker for this time in my life. I want to have a place where I can go to remind myself of where I was and where I have been and start a new beginning. I want to go back to that place now and again to remember God's holiness, His mercy and His love. Perhaps it will be a memorial that someday I will share with my kids to show them and help them to see how big and how great is our God.

My picture above was from when I was a little girl. Innocent and untouched by the sin of this world. I will never again be that little girl. But, I can start anew and fresh and walk as a child with the Holy Spirit as my guide. I have learned a lot and I have grown a lot. And I now know my greatest desire is to walk hand-in-hand with my Lord.