soul soother

My book arrived in the mail today.  I've been wanting to read it ever since I saw that it had been published and {finally!} it has arrived.  I was first introduced to Ann Voskamp by a friend of mine and I have to tell you that GOD has used her blog A Holy Experience to soothe my soul and rock my world.

Although I wanted to open one thousand gifts immediately and begin to savor GOD through the pages, I couldn't.  There was breakfast to be eaten and dishes to be taken care of, chores to be done, children to be directed and the MainMost to be sent off for a Saturday of work.  But the moment came when the McBlessings and the MainMost were settled and I could spend some time getting to know the book I've so craved to study.

and it has already grabbed my heart . . .

I've only made it to page 21 but already there are tears streaming down my face.  Exactly what GOD knew it would do to me.  Listen to the words that  jumped right off of the page and into my heart on just page 17.  Read them for yourself and let GOD begin to speak to you:

I hunger for filling in a world that is starved.

But from that Garden beginning, GOD has had a different purpose for us.  HIS intent, since HE bent low and breathed HIS life into the dust of our lungs, since HE kissed us into being, has never been to slyly orchestrate our ruin.  And yet, I have found it:  HE does have surprising, secret purposes.  I open a Bible, and HIS plans, startling, lie there barefaced.  It's hard to believe it, when I read it, and I have to come back to it many times, feel long across those words, make sure they are real.  HIS love letter forever silences any doubts:  "HIS secret purpose framed from the very beginning [is] to bring us to our full glory" (1 Corinthians 2:7 NEB).  HE means to rename us---to return us to our true names, our truest selves.  HE means to heal our soul holes.  From the very beginning, that Eden beginning, that has always been and always is, to this day, HIS secret purpose---our return to our full glory.  Appalling---that HE  would!  Us, unworthy.  And yet since we took a bite out of the fruit and tore into our own souls, that drain hole where joy seeps away, GOD's had this wild secretive plan.  HE means to fill us with glory again. With glory and grace.  {bold emphasis mine}

I am simply delighted to be reading this book. I am daring to LIVE FULLY right where I am.  Do yourself a favor and get this book!  Read it along with me.  Let's do this together.  Let's wake up to a thousand blessings.

I'm sure I'll be sharing more of how GOD awakens my soul and takes hold of my heart as I continue to read.  I'd love to hear how HE does the same for you. Pin It Now!