fire

i'm seeing a theme going with these posts...first we have water, now fire - in faith i'm believing that the next is actually going to be wind and it will be the wind coming from the Holy Spirit breathing on me - and leading me into a new adventure...;)
but really...:) i really didnt plan the water, fire thing...just realized it - but hey, i'll go with it!
anyways.......
i've been thinking about fire a lot lately because God has me walking through an intense one. during the last session of {em-pou-er} Grace had her pottery going and she was talking but God was talking through her and speaking DIRECTLY into my heart. literally - it was like He was standing right in front of my and lifting up my face saying "this is for you...pay attention..."

but she was telling the pitcher she was working on that -
"its ok, darling. you might not know what's happening - but i do. its all for a purpose. so that you can be tall and beautiful and perfect and strong. you are about to go into the fire. its going to be hot, really hot. hotter than you think you can stand but you'll make it. you'll make it through and you know what? you'll come out stronger and more beautiful. so just trust me, darling, trust me that I know exactly what I'm doing. and I won't mess up - just let me."

and i just heard the line "you're about to go into a fire, and its going to be hotter than you think you can stand, but you'll make it and you'll come out stronger and more beautiful than ever before" over and over again in my head.
and that, my friends, is kind of an overwhelming thing to hear God tell you.
but He was preparing me - so i could brace myself a little. i wont go into everything that God is teaching me...haha...just trust me that it does indeed resemble fire and it is indeed quite warm. haha

but He's also given me a couple songs that are just speaking right to me- Gold by beckah shae, Something in His Eyes by shonlock, and Divine Romance by phil wickham.
all so great - and i have them set up to play on my computer so they go in order...haha...(maybe crazy, but this is really how God speaks to me sometimes...) so try to follow the logic... :)
but Gold is all about the refining fire. i'm going in the way i am now - but through the intense fire - i'm being refined. refined by God, He's getting rid of all the impurities that will tarnish after time and weaken my foundation and who knows what else...and making sure that when i come out, i'll be solid gold.
then Something In His Eyes starts playing...and it gives this great picture of how when things get crazy and just get to be too much - He tilts up my chin so i can look Him in the eye and see ALL the love He's got for me in there - and makes sure I know that He's got His girl covered. (gives ya butterflies...;) ) take a second and picture really staring into God's eyes and just seeing His love for you...crazy stuff.
and the last one...oh the last one. this one God uses to just give me rest. every time i hear it, i see Him sitting right next to me, hand on my arm, saying - "i'm here. just lean on me. even though it might seem hard - it's worth it."

cool, huh?
i just wanted to share that - not to give you these songs as a formula to experience God. its not. He gave those songs to me for this moment in my life. so listen to them - they're great...but also make sure to ask God what He wants to show you for your life. so i encourage you to listen for Him, because God is speaking (sometimes in ways you don't expect) but He wants to speak into your heart. and He might call you to tough things (big or small) but He's right there through all of it. He's not going anywhere...
so lean on Him.
listen to what He's waiting to show you.
and let Him love on you.
:)

-ALIVE