Fully Alive

The sunset was masked behind the silhouetted trees. A thousand colors in one simple masterpiece. My eyes are drawn in by the sight, captured by the glory. I walk slowly away from the crowd of people, and the chatter dies behind me as I near the sunset. Nothing could have stolen me away in that moment. I lift my my camera, focusing on just the right color, the perfect angle.
And He reminds me, "Capture my glory." Oh how much more my camera means to me when I remember it is a gift, and I am using it for the purposes of His heart.
There couldn't be anything better than this. A place where my heart is enthralled, captured, amazed.
This place where my heart is fully alive.
This place where freedom is a lack of fear in my heart, a joy that cannot be quenched.
This place where struggle still exists, but it is no longer hidden behind so many walls, it is voiced, and I can know I am never alone.
This place that love lingers in every hall, in every room, in every soul.
This is what my heart was made for.
Christ didn't save me for the sole purpose of my eternal destination, He came a redeemed me so I could have life, and have it to the full. Never in the gospels did He say, "Do you want to go to heaven when you die?"
He said, "Come, Follow me. I will give you life."
 Everywhere he looked, he saw the brokenness, the death that people were living in, and he gave them life.
Instead of our goal in life being, "The world will burn, Let's get out of here." We must have a kingdom perspective where we fulfill what Jesus was called to do, and we can walk in His footprints.

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

becuse he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor,

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and recovering of sight to the bilind,

to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

And this is what we are called to fulfill! We are called to bring Jesus' love everywhere! He isn't  limited to church, He wants to permeate EVERYWHERE. We are called to bring life to the world. 

I have a gift, the world has a need. I've been given Love, I can't help but return that love. That love compells me to give to the world. To bring them the life, the individuality and the gifts I have been given to a world that is lost and needs to be revived and restored.

An apple has 5 seeds. But how many apples does a seed have? I have no idea where the small things I do will go. And so, in response to the life that God has given me, in response to his walking with me, I will spread life, I will be joy. I will shine light, radiate joy, give love.
Because this freedom is something I cannot keep to myself. This love is something I know others must experience. To feel the assurance of God with me, to know what it's like to hear that tiny voice, that before, I missed because of my constant going. These revelations of himself to me daily through his word, his people, his creation, I cannot keep them to myself!
It is too great. The story my heart has searched for is here. Our speaker this week said "The kingdom of God is anywhere God's will is being done." I want to do his will, His commands, because I have this knowledge of who He is. And because of his Father heart for me, I'll dance for Him. And because of his friendship, I will tell Him everything. Because of who he is, at the end of all this, I know that it will be worth it when I see Him face to face.