COME ON IN...MY HEART IS OPEN

What if we treated GOD like we treated our man? Our best friend? Our children? I was reflecting on that some late tonight. Inviting GOD into our private space and being free to be who we really are. What if we were "waiting" for every moment to talk to GOD? Anxiously waiting with excitement for the conversation because we can talk all night long about any and everything. I grabbed me a cup of unsweetened, hot tea with my box of Cheez-its. :) Went to grab this intimate track via youtube. Special thank you to Lisa for reminding me about that special gift that Rachelle Ferrell has. Here is "Waiting." The vocals, the band-flawless I tell you! lol Let's relax and enjoy here at Christian Envelope. I feel like I'm in the coffee cafe listening to Rachelle live. Excellent! Now that we are relaxed. Let's open our hearts. There is something special about being natural. Being who you are in the unique form that GOD created you to be. Hair flowing freely. Clothing that a summer breeze embraces. Where you can run down the sands of the beach and he is there running right beside you-even carrying you when you are tired. Your glow is anointed because your in love. It's natural, it's real, it's yours-truly yours. You are free to be silly, laugh, or even cry-whatever flows through the filters of your heart. The late night conversations are so intimate because you can talk about anything. No judgment. You are safe here. Most of all you are love unconditionally-flaws and all. Your heart if free. Your heart if finally free to love...and love hard. What if the lover of your soul is GOD? You truly can have intimate love right now tonight-whether you are married or single. Lonely or lost, you can have an intimate relationship with GOD that is sure joy. I used to equate intimacy with sex and I found that not to be true. Intimacy to me is freely speaking your heart without fear and it's returned right back to you double fold. It's a special connection, a bond that can't be broken no matter what mountains have to be moved by faith. Intimacy can fill your heart so that you actually feel the beats of love. It's incredible joy to know you are loved unconditionally. It's incredible joy to know you have someone to run to, to talk to...and they listen...most importantly...they really care. A relationship with GOD is exactly that pure joy. That true, falling in love euphoria that lasts forever-it's not just an emotion passing by. GOD's love has staying power. You can trust GOD with your life. You can trust GOD with your heart. You can trust GOD with your dreams...the desires of your heart. Absolutely beautiful. No shadiness here. GOD got you. GOD got you. Forever. Whether you are laughing or crying open up your heart every day and invite GOD in. Pour your cup of coffee or tea and have some convo. :) You ever wondered where to turn when you are hurting? You ever wondered why you still feel empty when you are not alone? You ever wanted somewhere to run when you did wrong or your hurting? GOD is your safe place. GOD is the hole that has been missing in your heart. The vital, key component that comes first in your life. The life line to your heart and soul. The joy that you seek so desperately. The loneliness cure for anyone. Why don't you open your heart tonight and invite a personal relationship with your LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST? I promise it's the most life changing thing I have ever done. I feel joy and peace unspeakable when things are right and even when they are wrong. You can have this unconditional love. Just pray this prayer. JESUS. I admit that I'm a sinner. I thank you for your unconditional love. I thank you for the most precious gift of dying for me to be my LORD and SAVIOR. I repent of my sins. I humbly ask for Your forgiveness. I submit my life to you. I give you all the honor and the praise. I want to honor you with my life. Show me how to make it pleasing in your sight. Create in me a new heart. Cleanse my heart and soul. Renew my mind Dear LORD. I invite YOUR presence tonight and forever. Amen. That's it. It's done. You are free to be who you are in CHRIST. All old things are washed away and on with the new. The doors of your heart are now open to relationship. Talk to GOD, HE wants to hear from you. No matter what time-day or night-talk. All you have to do is be real-who you already are-and talk to GOD. HE hears and HE knows. GOD cares about you. HIS love is everlasting so there is no need to fear that GOD will leave. Congrats for finding true love and everlasting joy in JESUS! You truly have embarked on the greatest love story of your life. GOD is love. I am a living witness! The love you are feeling right now is GOD. The cleansing of your wounds is GOD's love. The comfort is GOD's presence. You are safe in HIS arms. Talk to GOD. HE's still up. :)

FED UP W/THIS NOW...HERE IS MY MOST INTIMATE BLOG YET!

I'm sitting here in this coffee shop on this beautiful, Sunday afternoon dissecting my life.  All I have to give is my spiral notebook full of dreams and visions and this older laptop.  I keep wondering how do I get from here to there...how?  Is it some magic way to get there faster?  I know what the big goal is.  I see the big picture.  What I didn't plan on was the process of my character.  The breaking down of my spirit until it becomes humble pie.  The steps that can't even see the break of dawn, until I take the baby steps first. Whew!  I love that last line right there because it's so true.  This jazz music gets me.  It gets my funky, cold ways.  It gets my shadiness-no my sun don't always shine.  It don't always shine.  But it's enough within to be a light and a love...love...there's that word again.

Robert Glapser in "Maiden Voyage/Everything in It's Right Place"


How do you get from here to there?  How can Robert Glasper operate in his gift so flawlessly?  How can he step on a stage in front of thousands upon thousands and operate in his GOD given gift?  Where's the fear...the anxiety...the drama to get there...I don't see it.  That's what makes it a GOD given performance surrounded by a gift that can't be bought.  Wouldn't it be easy in our microwave society to go and buy a gift and not only that make a living from it?  How does he operate the keys, the melody of the music, the whole score so poetically without thinking twice?  I want to see the fear!  I want to see the freaking out when things don't go as planned.  I want to see the drama with family and friends who didn't understand how you making a living playing a piano.  That's what I wanna see.  I wanna know how to get from here to there....it's wearing on me...tearing on me.  Weary heart...hope deferred...it makes the heart sick, but what do you do about it.   It's all a journey they say,  I get that.  The process makes you stronger...I'm strong now...dang I have the strength that all my weight can carry.  I want to be like Robert Glasper...and operate in the gift that I love.  Didn't GOD give me a gift too?  Didn't GOD give you a gift too...don't you want it?  Don't you want it baaddd?  I want mine bad.  I want all of mine up and through here.  I'm about to tear this place up, if I don't get a chance to open my gifts...and use them.

The piano keys go high and low...just like life...just like this journey...from here to there.  I know GOD ain't trying to play games with me.  HE ain't feeling the pity party.  I feel the spirit of GOD saying Weariness for your heart, I GOT YOU...I gave you every dream, every vision, for your precious eyes to see.  In due season it will come to fruition...if you faint not.  How powerful is the Word of GOD to still be the truth after so many years?  GOD I feel your love...I feel your presence...but from here to there...here to there...here to there...Process!  I don't like it.   Since you gave it to me LORD...to do a work in me...I LOVE it...now I do, I promise.  My patience need some work.  My character needs some construction.  My heart needs to be created new.  My mind needs renewing.  I need work!  I can't do this without you LORD.  I humbly submit my heart, my mind, my soul.  I submit my life, my gifts, and the people purposely designed full of love in my life.  I submit.  Your way LORD...Your way is the truth, and the life...I need it.  I need your truth and Your life....living on the inside of me.

I see it now GOD.  I see everything that Robert Glasper been through to get to a place of here to there.  I see his drama unfolding before my eyes.  I see his failures, his challenges, his triumphs, his victiories...I see now LORD...even though I don't know him.  It's in my sight now because everything he has ever been through brought him to that stage and the stages across the world.  I see where all things worked together for the good of them who love the LORD and that's why his gift is so flawless on stage.  Preparation, practice, dedication, commitment, ups and downs...it all unfolded before my eyes...because it is me...it is my story too.    Once I do the work you called me to do...the gifts will be evident.  The favor is already equipped for GOD and for man.  Thank you LORD!  I can hold on now...I know I can't quit...I know it's not in the plan to let weariness win my heart over...because in due season...the harvest will come...if you faint not.

Love,
Andrea

Whew!  I hope you enjoyed my open book my loves!  I pray that it somehow blesses you.  Don't give up when you keep looking at your here and wondering when you going to get to your "there."  Don't give up, don't faint...GOD's purpose, HIS gifts are already inside of you.  So get ready!  The gifts will make room for you. :)

THE RESURRECTION OF DEAD THINGS IN YOUR LIFE

What's up peeps?  What's up!  I pray that all is good in your hood.  It has been crazy busy or up and down around here.  Life is good.

I was reading the Good Book here some tonight.  I started to feel the sleepy weepy come on. :)  Then GOD steered me to the story of Lazarus.  I heard of his miracle in church before, but it came to life again for me as I was reading!

What is hitting my spirit as I read this?
Something may be dead in your life, but that doesn't mean that GOD won't resurrect it! :)

I may can shut down the whole blog with that word right there!

I keep hearing this song tonight as I write this.  The lyrics are talking about jail, lol, but I really love the home grown harmonies of K-Ci and JoJo in "Life."



That song makes the toes tap, you hear me? :)

Back to Lazarus!  So, I'm reading this amazing Word in the Book of John.  Everyone was so sad that Lazarus was dead.  Martha was upset that her brother, Lazarus, had died.  She was upset that the JESUS was not there to save him from death.  She even said in John 11:21 if Jesus had been there, her brother would not have died.  That told me she believed in the LORD, but was disappointed and hurt that HE did not save her brother from death.  I was amazed by JESUS response.

23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.  John 11: 23 KJV

JESUS knew this before he even laid eyes on Lazarus in the tomb.  The disciples suggesting that he may be sleep and will be ok.  JESUS shut that down real quick.

14 Then Jesus said unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. John 11

Wow! The people are worried and comforting Mary.  Mary and Martha are deeply saddened and ready to mourn Lazarus death at his grave.  Then the powerful Word of JESUS came shining through again.

25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though here were dead, yet shall he live. John 11
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.  Believest thou this?
John 11 KJV

POWERFUL! What amazes me about these verses is how JESUS questioned her to see where Martha's faith was.  She answered in faith too that CHRIST, is the Son of GOD.

The closer they all got to the grave (which was a cave covered by stone), JESUS witnessed all of them weeping.  If only JESUS would have been there, he wouldn't have died is what Mary is crying out.  I was amazed at how JESUS reacted.

33  When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. John 11

Wait a minute!  Our LORD JESUS was a miracle worker.  HE was sent by GOD to do the work of GOD.  I thought about the miracles performed and the confidence HE had within.  Then I saw how even JESUS, groaned in spirit for the hurting.  Not only that he was troubled by what HE was facing before HIM.  Powerful!  JESUS faith was always there but even HE was troubled and hurt in his spirit.

When JESUS saw Lazarus this is what happened...

35 Jesus wept.
John 11 KJV

That was all that verse said.  WOW...Can you imagine how JESUS loves us sooo much that even HE weeps for us.  HIS love is just that strong!

JESUS entered the cave, even though Lazarus had been dead FOUR days! The Word mentions that JESUS groans again within.  Can you imagine everyone counting on you to perform a miracle and you love them so much that you weep right along with them too?

As the story goes on I'm in awe how JESUS NEVER waivered when speaking life again over Lazarus.  Jesus gave honor to the FATHER GOD for answering HIS prayer.

43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
44 And he that was dead come forth....Loose him, and let him go.
John 11 KJV

WOW!  The miracle is performed once again! Booyah!  Lol  I just love it.  I just had to share with yall the miracle of how JESUS walks in truth.  I had to show you those raw emotions of how JESUS felt before he entered the tomb for where he had to resurrect Lazarus who had been dead for four days!

JESUS got it going on!

I want to encourage you that even though your dream, your marriage, your relationship with your children, your job, your business....any dead thing....JESUS is so powerful that miracles are STILL being performed each and every day.  Ain't nothing dead unless GOD closed the door.  Even when you may think it's over or want to give up, maybe it's been dead for four days or even four years, JESUS said in His Word, "I am the Resurrection, and the life."

If it's GOD's perfect will for your life, for the glory of the MOST HIGH GOD, the dead thing can be resurrected and perfected!

To GOD be the Glory!
Amen

Much love,
Andrea

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