More

Do you ever long for an adventure, something new and excited, something uncharted and exotic? I know I do! 

I've been blessed with many adventures in the 24 years of life I've lived so far. I've eaten mangoes off the jungle floor in Panama, lived on a game farm in South Africa-had a baby lion bite my leg once, explored castles in the UK and even saw the Queen. I love traveling, as I'm sure most of you all know by now, and it's so easy to long for the next exciting adventure, to long for something different. Something more. 

The sights, sounds, and smells I've experienced have been an incredible journey so far, but in all of this there really is something more. A different kind of adventure, a different journey, more.

Something more.

This "more" that I'm talking about is something never ending and always new. Exciting, and filled with love. It's something that heals, and also calls you out to something immeasurable. At the same time, we can live our whole lives with this "something more" right in front of us and never see or experience it. It's invisible, but evident in everything.

Simply put. This something more is Jesus.

There is always more to Him! There is, but it's so easy to not see it. The only reason I'm starting to see it now is because He's brought me into a situation where I've basically been forced to become aware of it, which I am thankful for.

I'm so guilty of wanting an earthly adventure. To go someplace new and exciting, when all the time I've got an even greater adventure waiting for me... As I've been spending more time with Jesus this realization of "more" has become real to me. Jesus is a raging river, but we may only experience a slow dripping of who He is if we don't seek and abide in Him... He gave me this visual the other day. Simply knowing who Jesus is or having a casual relationship with Him is like the dripping of this faucet below. A slow, gentle dripping. Just about the only thing this does is become annoying.

 
But Jesus. Jesus unleashed and understood for all He is is as dangerous as a raging river!... Travel with me, if you will, to Victoria Falls Zimbabwe...

We arrived in Victoria Falls late at night, when we crawled out of the car after a 16 hr drive we were greeted with the sound of rushing water, even though the falls were a few miles away. The next morning we could see mist rising in the air from where the water in the Zambezi River was crashing down the falls. As we approached the falls the noise increased and mist began to settle on our faces. The closer and closer we got the louder and wetter it became. Finally we were getting close, the climate turned more tropical and wet, the roar of the river was filling the air... At last, there it was! Gushing forth in all it's power and glory amidst exotic trees and plants. You could only stand in awe of it's power.

As you traveled along it's path you soon became soaked, and I mean soaked. There was no escaping it. Simply being in the presence of the river you became wet, not a dry spot left on you.

This is how I see it with Jesus. The closer you get to Him, the more you explore His path, the more wet you will become with His presence, with His goodness, with His love, and with His courage.

There is so much more to Jesus than a slow dripping of a faucet, He is a mighty river, waiting to be explored!

I feel like I'm just barely getting past the dripping faucet myself. I know that there is more though. I know that the closer I get and the more I explore the greater it will become.... I know there will be ups and downs along the way, and there will be times when I feel like the river has run dry, but it's there. It's waiting to be explored.

This greater journey, greater adventure, something more is waiting for us. Will you go with me? 

How was Your day?

Yesterday was quite an experience. I saw the Queen, you know, like the Queen of England!

She came to visit Llandaff Cathedral, just a few minutes down the road from my house. I got to see her drive into Llandaff Village, and I was right there in front, she was just about 5 feet away from me in her car with Prince Philip. To be honest, it felt kind of surreal, almost fake. Then, I got to see her drive back out of town. I never thought that someday I would be able to say I've seen the Queen.

Last night I was journaling and just telling Jesus about my day, in some ways that almost seems silly because He knows everything that's happened, but I think He likes us to spend time with Him that way. I'd do the same if I came home to my family or friends, so why not Jesus?... As I was telling Him about my day, the thought occurred to me, what was His day like? Does Jesus have good or bad days? He feels our pain and joy, but when there's 6 billion people on the planet, how can He "feel" with all of us at once? And, since He really exists outside of time, does a day even make sense in His life?.... Honestly, I didn't come to any conclusions last night, I just thought it was interesting and that I would share it.

Something else occurred to me... Seeing the Queen was a big deal yesterday, there were ton's of people in the quaint little village to see her come in. There were flags and banners, kids shouting, and a tangible atmosphere or excitement in the air. When she came everyone started shouting and leaning in to get a better photo, I had no shame in leaning in as far as I could!... All of this for the Queen, which is well due I believe...But. What about Jesus? Do we make a big deal about meeting with Him? We have access to Him 24/7, and He's done a lot more than the Queen ever has or will do. Do we get excited about time with Jesus? Do I?... Sadly, for myself anyways, I see it as a duty more than a privilege all too much. I have to have my "Jesus" time. Go through my prayer list, read a few chapters, or something similar. I want my time with Jesus to be a celebration, something worth shouting about, because it is!

These are my thoughts for the day... 

What would a day in the life of Jesus look like?

And.

Why don't we celebrate Him like we would with the Queen or anyone else who is famous?

I don't want to leave...

This morning I've spent a lot of time with Jesus. I love it! Just to be in His presence, I could spend the whole day just being here. I can't wait until the day when He will be made fully known to me, to finally be in His physical presence, it brings me to tears just thinking of it.

When I have those precious times of intimacy with Jesus I never want to leave. I want to rest in His presence forever!

I feel like I'm repeating myself over and over with my posts recently, but I can't help it. Since I've been in Wales Jesus has continually been teaching to be still and rest in Him. It's hard, and so against our culture of work work work! It's a battle, simply to be. To rest. To not worry. To fight for those time of intimacy with Jesus. But when I make myself simply sit and seek, my heart is lifted! I'm filled, and I can't help but want to share some of it with you. When I sit and pray, He speaks to me, He showers His love on me, He brings me back into His joy and peace!

Hallelujah!

I don't want to leave. I want to be in the presence of Jesus, ALL the time! There's nothing better, nothing at all.

Hallelujah!

Jesus is fighting for me, He's fighting for a relationship with me. He's restless and desperate for me, willing to give everything, even His life! What am I willing to give to reach out to Him? A half-hearted prayer and doing my daily read-through-the-bible-in-a-year program isn't quite enough. He wants my love! He wants to be delighted by my presence, by me saying that there is nothing at all more important than simply sitting at His feet and crying out for Him! I want to be taken away by His presence. There's so much more to Jesus than we know. He's a raging river, but we may only be experiencing a slow drip of who He is.

I don't want to leave.

I want more.

Hallelujah!

Oh the sweet presence of my Jesus... I pray that if you know Jesus you will come to know Him in a deeper way, and if you don't know who He is I pray that you will come into a relationship with Him.

He's fighting for you, every second of every day! He wants you so much!

Please take some time to be with Jesus today. He's waiting for you, simply come to Him as you are and start talking, that's all it takes.

I want more of you, Jesus, take me away in Your presence!

 Hallelujah!