I seem to need confession more and more these days. I have become so aware of my heart’s unlove, anger, judgment, and pride.

For the times I have judged my brothers and sisters, forgive me.
For the times I have withheld my love, forgive me.
For the times I have allowed my anger to incite greater pride in my life, forgive me.
For the ways I try to justify myself to you, forgive me.
For the ways I have held you at arm’s length, forgive me.

Thank you for your cleansing absolution of my sins, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

I love that God intends to strengthen us in our own weakness. When we weary of the journey, we can bring that weariness to him, and he will give us the strength to go on.

Because really, the reason there is not yet a new heaven and a new earth is because God’s kingdom work is not yet fulfilled. And he needs us for that. So we keep going. And he fills us up, thanks be to God.

Thanks for sharing, Lisa. xoxo

It makes me think of that line from your video about this definitely having made your heart more tender, and how that is a good thing. But that tender heart does feel the wounds and losses and griefs of the world so much more acutely. That is the burden and pain of the tender heart, even as it is an incredible gift to carry in the world.

Love you, friend. Thank you for sharing your heart with us here. xoxo

That prayer made me think of this post – of your heart longing for that new world. And somehow, for me, there is deep comfort in the idea of this prayer – that that longing, too, is ours only because of the strength of the Spirit within us. No answers, but a Spirit that cries out within us reminding us that this was not how it was intended to be, and creating that longing for something so much more whole.

And then I considered all the ones I didn’t know about. And all the ones I did know about that don’t come to my doorstep. And I wondered how the world can keep spinning.

You’re right. The intellectual answers are readily available. But they don’t satisfy or salve a heart that hurts like hell.

I’ve known that feeling of being homesick for heaven for a long time. I remember first catching a glimpse of that homesickness about twelve or so years ago.

But this yearning I have right here, because of what’s written here, is more of a longing for the world to exist as it was meant to exist from the beginning: no tears, no suffering, just joy and life and generosity of heart.

And so I found myself feeling so profoundly this question tonight: If that’s how mine feels, what must theirs feel like?

When, oh God, will you allow it to be so? I am so, so ready for that new world.”

Yes and amen. This is beautiful, Christianne. I so relate to these thoughts.

Love you too, friend. xoxo