Update #137 - 'Til love arrives

“Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.” Song of Solomon 2:7, 3:5, 8:4

Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA

I think our culture pushes love and relationships. You aren’t complete without a boyfriend / girlfriend or spouse. If you don’t have an “other half” you are somehow not complete, less than whole, and missing. I think this mind-set causes people to rush into and pursue relationships that never should happen in the first place.

I don’t think the true lover of our soul, God, wanted all this relational pain and mess to occur. I don’t think it was in his divine plan to have sixteen year old girls sobbing lakes of tears over a failed relationship, twenty-three year old women vowing never to trust men again, thirty year old women bitter and angry at the male population – or for men to have experienced the pain and brutal reality of rejection, betrayal, and misguided intentions multiple times on multiple levels.

I think God wants us to guard our hearts, actually - to let him guard our hearts, until love arrives. I think he wants us to experience “true love” and find a “soul mate” – I think he is all for romance and passion…but at the right time. If you aren’t ready for marriage, don’t pursue one – and don’t falsely tempt anyone down that path. If you aren’t ready to settle down, have a family and create a home, don’t act like it (i.e. don’t play house).

False actions, even well intended ones, lead to false intimacy – which is a killer. Killer of dreams, killer of hopes, killer of hearts. False intimacy is counterfeit closeness built in one night, one week, one month. Real intimacy is built slowly over time through conversation, consistent action, trust, and revealing of self.

We all want to be known. We all want someone to be looking out for us, loving us, cheering us on. We all want to be loved for who we are – even when we are unlovely. We all want a close connection, a bond, a liaison with someone we respect, admire and are attracted to.

The problem is we want it in a period of a few dates, a few encounters, a few interactions. We want intimacy so badly we rush the process and never find the real thing. Intimacy (into-me-see) takes investment – waiting, building, working, devotion. It takes time.

Our culture doesn’t teach this. Our society doesn’t model it. Our churches, for the most part, don’t speak about it…but the Bible does. God says three times in the Song of Solomon not to arouse love until the time is right. Three times…I think he was trying to get his point across!

What causes your heart to awaken to things it shouldn’t? What causes cravings, desires, longings to ignite when there is no kindling to consume? How do you extinguish the not-now yearnings and fan the flame of filling your minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honorable (Philipians 4:8)?

What does your life reflect? Fast, false and flimsy; tried, true and tested; or a mixture of both? How will you cultivate genuine into-me-see in your life? Seek after the intimacy creator…he will fill you up.

Updates:

Work / Heath – the retreat went fantastic! I was diagnosed with a sinus infection and bronchitis the morning it started but with drugs, extra sleep and incredible co-workers the retreat ran smoothly. Thank you to everyone who stepped up to cover the gap I created!

Travel – we commissioned the India and Indonesia teams Sunday night. It was an incredible time of listening to what God was saying to each one of them and hearing what he had to say to the teams as a whole. I have a great expectation of what he is going to do on and during this trip!

Requests:

Health – After 10 days on an antibiotic, over the counter meds, nasal sprays, etc. I am STILL not feeling quite myself. I started a new regimen yesterday and am feeling better but not 100%. Please pray for full, fast recovery, that my stint on the plane won’t make it worse and that my sinuses won’t react painfully to the increased pressure (had it before and it is not fun!).

Work – Please pray for our time in Indonesia and India. Ask for safety as we travel, for divine connections, and for his transformative power to do a work in business people and couples in those cities.

Travel – I leave today (19th) at 2:00 for Indonesia and return on the 8th. I’ll try and get a few updates posted between now and then. Thanks for supporting me in prayer!

Upcoming – It looks like I’ll be home for about 20 days and then I get to head off to Egypt for a week (delighted squeal!)…I am REALLY excited about this! More details later!

PS Noel…this update was inspired by you.

Update #136b - Two Things

Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA

I forgot to update you on two things:

First:

On September 28th I went to the optometrist to have my eyes checked. I was having increased difficulty transitioning focus from near to far (and in my opinion I am WAY too young to need bi-focals!). I had been praying for a couple of years that God to take away my need for contacts and glasses; two months ago I met a man who had had exactly this happen to him...I asked him to pray for me.

Well, on Tuesday the 28th I was told that I no longer need prescriptive lenses!!!! I was advised to wear them to prevent eye strain while on the computer, reading, driving at night or watching movies - but for everyday events and occurrences I no longer need glasses or contacts!!! Can you say WHOO HOO?

My eyesight hasn't been this good since I was 14 years old! My prescription for the glass lenses is the same for both eyes...that means God changed the shape of my right eye to match the left...HA!

Secondly,

I am travelling to Indonesia on October 19th and am actively raising funds to cover my trip expenses, airfare, insurance, etc. If any of my past blogs have touched your heart, ministered to you, or caused you to pause and think consider giving to my travel fund. Every little donation makes a difference! Go to http://repurposing.biz/contribute/ and follow the instructions if you feel led to help me minister to business leaders in Indonesia.

Happy October,

Dena

Update #136 - Generations

"Jehovah God! Merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and great in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and not leaving entirely unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on sons, and on sons of sons, to the third and to the fourth generation. "Exodus 34:6b-7

San Francisco Trees in the fog

I heard a story related about a speaker at a Christian conference. He was young, he was Asian, and he was known to spend hours and hours and hours in prayer. At dinner one evening another of the young speakers, American in decent, chatted with him; the Asian man asked how he had spent his day and the American responded “Golfing with three of the other speakers. You?”

“Preparing”

“But you aren’t on the docket for three more days – you should have been out golfing with us.”

The Asian man smiled, put his hand on the American’s shoulder and said “Your forefathers did your preparation for you; you are walking in the grace and peace they secured for you and your family. I am a first generation believer and have much more work to do than you before I reach the podium.”

The American nodded, not fully comprehending the meaning behind the Asian mans words and both returned to their meals.

When I was in Cape Town I had a similar dinner. I was seated between two Asian beauties – one a first generation believer, the other the daughter of a pastor and granddaughter of a missionary. Both are known for their radical walks with Christ, for their humor in tense situations, and their faithfulness to their families. The first generation believer is also known for her radical commitment to prayer.

I’ll call her Esther. Esther is from a large family steeped in Asian beliefs and religion. She has a few siblings calling Christ savior, but her parents and extended family still don’t understand, grasp, or realize the gift she and her siblings seized hold of. She prays for them and is cursed in response. She serves them and is criticized in reaction.

The Bible talks about how sin runs through families – usually to the third and fourth generation unless it is repented of and turned away from. Each new age bracket that continues in the sin – whether it be lust, pornography, idolatry, adultery, pride, lying, greed – punishes not only themselves but their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren.

The aforementioned pastor’s daughter had the sin sequence stop way before she was born. Yes, her family occasionally offends God (who doesn’t), but it is repented of and never repeated. Esther’s family, on the other hand, hasn’t repented, hasn’t reconciled with God and the consequence of sin continues. She is one light in a dark place and at times the darkness seems to encroach, engulf, and almost consume her. So she prays – prays for more lights to join her family, prays that the sin encompassing her family to break, prays that the darkness will recede and the light and love of Christ will dominate. She is paving the way for her descendants to live in the peace, in the grace, and in the light and love of the one true God.

What are you doing to ensure your descendants know the light and love of Christ? What sin in your family needs to be reconciled to God? Lust? Pornography? Idolatry? Adultery? Pride? Lying? Greed? Manipulation? Control? Will you take the steps to stop it now so your actions won’t affect your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren? What legacy are you leaving behind?

Updates:

Work – Prepping for next weekend’s retreat…50 or so people coming from all over the US for our bi-annual alumni and trainee gathering. My boss and his wife are currently experiencing God’s abundant favor in Nigeria (not near Abuja and all the ruckus there). We head to Indonesia on the 19th – then they are off to India and I come home!

Health – I have been ill since September 7th. I am feeling MUCH better than at first, but I still have a cough and nasal / chest congestion – I would really like it GONE before next weekend’s retreat. I have had abundant amounts of prayer, sleep and medicine…I don’t think I will EVER be ill again!

Requests:

Work – That the attendee’s hearts would be prepared to meet God at the upcoming weekend away and the speakers hear what God wants them to impart. Also, please pray for our time of preparation before we head out into the field again; we are heading to three cities this round – Bali, Kochi and Chennai.

Travel – For safe travel of my boss and his wife home from Nigeria and our team’s upcoming trips to Indonesia and India.