Sabbatical blessings chapter 6: Crossing Over

May 2013

I have been in Redding, California for more than a week now. Being here is like a spiritual homecoming of sorts. It was in California that my convictions about living for eternity were forged.

Then I was 21, on an exchange program at Berkeley, and determined to change the world with Jesus.

Now I am a lot older, and hopefully, slightly wiser.

For months, I have celebrated being in a new season as I travel and experience God in brand new ways.

That enthusiasm is now tempered with some soberness as I read an excellent book by Chuck Pierce titled “Interpreting the times: How God intersects with our lives to bring revelation and understanding”

Again and again I find myself pondering the fact that successfully crossing over into a new season is not a given.

“Man was made to recognize the moment and understand the power of choice! The will is an interesting dynamic of man. The will of man must choose the best God has for him.

…we all go through transitions, but you must end one and begin another to keep moving into your next place or else you will remain mired in your present transition, and it will become your future.

At every transition, we cross over…In order to move across to occupy our inheritance, we must come to an ending or death of one phase of our life. We must let go of one thing to embrace something new.

A normal phase of transition is the confusion phase. To move to a new place we must allow our mind to embrace new ways, methods, and understandings. When new revelation is coming into our mind, we seem confused at times because we have not fully replaced our old cognitive processes. Therefore the last season’s ideas are warring with this season’s revelation.”

I can sense a new season coming. But it will take courage to truly cross over and live in it.

Courage is a core value of my life. I gave myself a headache this afternoon just thinking about how important, yet difficult it can be to show courage.

As I write I am listening to Phil Wickham’s “Always Forever”. There is a line that goes, “I will lay down my life, just to be by Your side”. I am wondering why I can sing about dying for Jesus so sincerely but have trouble living courageously in the simple things, like loving people.

At the end of the day, I think I would rather manifest courage, take risks and fail in my endeavors, or end up with a broken heart, than to be emotionally cloistered and “safe” but know I have not lived courageously.

So if you remember me, please pray I will walk in courage always.

As always, I appreciate you for praying and for listening to my stories!

NB: Chapter 5 was a personal note