Deep End of the Pool

Deep End of the Pool

I am SO sure the Lord has finally readied our hearts for this very moment. This very place in our time, when He has revealed our hearts to each other… and allowed US to share His love…. to grow in His love… to simply bask in His love… therein, causing us to share this love with others… and in turn, return the love to Him… What an utterly precious picture of His completed work in US. No longer just taking. No longer just receiving. No longer just hearing. No longer, especially, just being loved… but, So moved by His spirit as to cause us to shout to the heavens… a shout of joy, peace, and complete surrender to His will in our lives… and SO happy to be IN His will… instead of just near it!!

• Just where IS this Deep End of the Pool?

• Just when will we know we are there?

• Just how deep is it?

• Just why does it even matter?

See… I am weak, and unable to swim… to tread water… to keep afloat in the tumultuous waters of my life… and it is all SO overwhelming… somehow, the inner me is begging to go back to the Shallow End… for therein is security, serenity, calm, certainly more fellowship… and lastly… the bottom. Where I can stand on my own… where I find certain stability… where I am SO familiar with the ground on which I stand… and lastly, where the shore is SO close by… allowing me, as needed, to run out of the water – you see, because I too am faint of heart – I am scared – I am so lonely – and I am sure everyone is watching me, and that makes me SO nervous… that they just wouldn’t stare seems like it’d make it all so much easier.

And what better way to begin this story… this discussion, than with THAT very thought.It is through this fear and insecurity that we choose to live at the Shallow End of the Pool… if ever even getting into the pool at all. It is in the depth of uncertainty we fear… it is FROM the reaches of the unknown that we run… and it is from the insecurity of being out there all alone that we hide… needing to be held, to be safe, and certainly to be sure of our every step and every move in our lives… Keeping us from living a deeper, richer, all-senses-tuned kind of life… So full and so thorough… Yet, we are too afraid to even try, sometimes.

The pool, as you can likely see, IS my very life. Certainly, it is the people I come in contact with. It is the family members I have. It is the neighbors around me. It is the people I meet at the various stores, and in the various errands I run… some of them are even standing in line with me… some of them are behind the counter – assisting those of us waiting. It is even the very home I live in; the plants I have; the pets I may have; the very pieces of furniture I have; and even the cars, bicycles, and toys I may have. These are all things that make up my pool.

But, as you know, it is not at all limited to that…

In fact, this pool is SO much bigger than all that… it also engulfs the education I have; the job I have; the hobbies I have; the many movies, music, and cultural activities I may enjoy and prefer; the very talents I have; the passions I have; and even the simple little quirks I have (sure, my socks are all lined up nice and neat in their drawer). This pool also includes the things on the inside of my life, such as; my fear of heights; my appreciation for the many things in nature and the great outdoors; my love and appreciation for technology; my voice; my touch; my own body; even my sleeping habits… see?? All these inner things, and more, are all water drops that make up the pool in my life… the very water that surrounds me… and sometimes, the very water that threatens me. Also, though, this pool is certainly comprised of the many spiritual attributes in my life, such as; my walk with God; my compassion for man; my forgiving heart; my yearn to know more about our creator; my deepest thoughts; my inner-most fears; my inner-most secrets; my desire to be free; my love of the simpler things in our lives. These many attributes, and SO many more… all comprise the water drops, which ultimately surround our lives, and ultimately fill the pool around us…

You see, each one of these attributes of our lives is WHAT makes us who we are. Sure, others have similar characteristics, but not ONE other individual has these attributes the way you and I do… in the arrangement you and I have them… we are SO individual in so many ways. That said… we wonder and amaze at how hard this life is… at how tough and confusing so many things are to us. And they are, because we are SO unique. Sure, we are also SO similar to each other. Yet, in that, we are also SO unique. I’m talking in circles here, I know. Please understand that, though we have so many things similar to each other, we are still so individual, and unique. Keenly devised to work alone, yet together. And, though we may have many loved ones around us, we are still SO alone in our hearts, and in our every attribute. Therein lies the struggle. As Christians, we are instructed to “work out our own salvation, with fear and trembling”, which is to say that God has given us this wonderful gift of His love. Upon it’s acceptance and deliverance to our hearts, a heart that has surrendered to Him, we begin a journey of our salvation… applying this gift of love, mercy, and grace to our every attribute. Learning to touch every piece of our lives with His love, mercy, and grace. Learning to surrender OUR will with these attributes, and their shaping.

And that thought is the very WHY as to what makes me want to run right out of this pool, and back onto the dry land. You see, there are so many, many attributes in my life. And some of them, in fact many of them, I have SO gotten used to having MY way, and having WHEN I want them, and turning them off WHEN I want to… and even hiding from some of them. See that? I am in control of all these little attributes in my life. It is I who decides whether some of them die on the vine of my life, or get nourishment. See that?? It is I who decides which attributes I like best, and work best in my life… and in that feeble dominance, I decide how to shape my own life and my own character. It is I who determines just how intense, too, I will utilize these various attributes. You see, in some cases – as an example, I may decide that gambling is SUCH a wonderful experience… and I enhance the many attributes that will assist me in growing this part of my character… I decide, even, which games titillate me more than others, or which ones I excel at more than others. Take that some thought, and move over into the career arena, and see which attributes you are enhancing more than others. I mean, we seem to have natural abilities towards Math, Law, Medicine, Sports, Child Care, and the such. We get ourselves into training positions and learn to utilize these attributes, which hopefully lead to a career wherein I can use these talents. There is nothing at all wrong with that. The point being, these are all WE things. These are all the toilings over each and every little water droplet around our lives. Each of us has the full potential for as many water droplets as you want… as big a pool as you want. It’s just that, the larger this pool gets, the deeper the water…. and certainly, the tougher to balance it all, let alone face all these water droplets.

You see… we don’t necessarily get to choose which water droplets (attributes) we have in our lives, or need to face at various times in our lives. These attributes are always there, prominent, festering, or lying dormant for a time. Our lives have the utter potential for SUCH a huge and great life… based on the attributes we awaken in our lives… and based on the attributes in our lives that we grow and allow to appear at the surface; not keeping them squelched or hidden… and certainly based on which attributes we allow to dictate and shape our character. All of them are used to become the US in our lives. These comprise the very essence of whom we are. They make up the very details of our personality. Each of these little, individual components are all making up the pool that is around me… the pool of my life.

• How many of these attributes do I need to have a life?

• How many of these attributes are predominant?

• How many of these attributes do I keep in reserve, just for those special occasions?

• How many of these attributes do I pull to the very surface of my life; my pool?

• How many of these attributes are completely useless to me?

• How many of these attributes are useful to God?

• How many of these attributes are completely selfish attributes?

• How many of these attributes are completely selfless attributes?

• And, finally, how many of these attributes are God given?

See… these questions alone… will make you turn and head straight for the shore! I am SO very weak at heart. I am SO completely tired, and I haven’t even started. See… these are some deep questions. These are some very tough components of my life to be facing. And, as I said… I am weak of heart. I am feebly minded. I often yearn for the quite, peaceful rest. I long for the silence. I wait patiently for the time when ignorance is SO bliss. I tend to want less, yet need more. I seem to hide more… yet, in that hiding am exposing myself. You see… running out of the water only helps you stand out (no pun intended!!)… and therein, all of a sudden, you are one of the only ones standing along the shore… All the other people are IN their pools. At least, most of them are. So… we learn to only go in just SO deep…. so-as to be actually in the pool, but not so deep as to cause us to be SO swallowed by these many attributes that seem to be SCREAMING for my attention. See?? I mean, in the shallow end of this pool, I can at least handle the fewer amount of attributes that are nipping at my legs… and I can even become quite adept at shaping these attributes on my behalf. I can even get them all dialed in, so-as to appear to have my life (my pool) quite well figured out…. With such assurance as to allow me to even backstroke around in my pool… casually enjoying the water around me… just enjoying it all… free and lost in this pool of mine. And, the people are watching me from the other pools; none of them can really tell that I am swimming around SO gracefully in just two feet of water!! See… from another perspective, it appears as though I really have it all worked out… And, in fact… this show of assurance even attracts others to maybe even join me in my pool. Afterall, we ALL want to do the backstroke through our lives…. No?? Just calmly stroking through the waters of our lives… looking up to the heavens and enjoying our ability to stay afloat in this pool… with style, grace, and dignity. What a precious sight, in and of itself. But, as you can see… shallow and incomplete.

Regrettably, not so many of us are SO able to get these many attributes under control. No.

Contrarily, we look across all the other pools around us, and we see the other people swimming seemingly easily. And we certainly are teased into trying to get our attributes all under our control. Deciding which ones are easier to tackle than others. But, sometimes, having SOME of them thrust in our faces, and having to work them out, and work them into our lives… Either from bad decisions made, unfortunate circumstances in our live, or even just too much pressure to be like all the other people around us… we face the prospect of our pool with that simple and indifferent look a cat often gets when you are trying to coach it into eating the new food you just got for it! It is at this very point in our lives where our fate takes it’s turns… at this very juncture wherein we decide, if at all, that we will itemize each and every attribute in our pool… and determine how, and when to use them.

And it is at this point; some people decide that it is all just too very complex for them.It is all just too tough, and too much work… and unfortunately, they do not think it is even worth it. And it really isn’t, when you think about it. I mean… who cares?? Who really cares whether you are doing the backstroke within the pool of your life? Who really gives one ounce of concern that you are happy; that you are free; that you are growing; that you are attractive; that you are healthy; that you are smart; that you are wise; that you are able to even teach others how to do this wonderful backstroke through your pool?? Who really cares?? Certainly not any of the other people. They are too busy being concerned with their own pools. Sure, there ARE those who can reach outside their pool, and encourage and appreciate your pool… but, still… Why should we even worry about all this? Why not just live in this pool, accept the water that was filled in my pool, and enjoy it? However bitter, or sweet the water is. Blissfully enjoying my life that was handed to me.

Sure…. We could live a simpler life. Sure… we could live a much more selfish life… and many do. In fact, many, many people have really never awakened to the many riches within their own pools. They have SO accepted their lives in the Shallow End of their Pools, that to even begin to awaken them would take SO much time… and it seems such an impossible fog to break through… Such a dense blindness we have… Such an utterly keen ability we have to NOT see the very truths right in front of us… Such a complete, and appalling absence of brain waves… or more specifically, heartwaves. You see?? Our hearts have just NOT been awakened to these many attributes within our own pools… waiting there to be opened, explored, and certainly brought to the surface to glisten in the sunlight of our lives… enjoying a deeper and richer life (pool), as well as showing others around us just how rich and full their pools can really be. But, again… all that takes SO much work. It takes patience. It takes inward reflection and searching. It takes an open and willing heart. It takes vulnerability. It takes strength. And most importantly, it takes time. See… this pool can take a very long time to be full enough to actually swim in… And enjoy the refreshing waters. It takes so much time.

Just why does it even matter? Why SHOULD we even give time to these thoughts? Our lives will work themselves out on their own, it seems. Why begin to worry about it now?

Simple answer…

To live the life that was taken when Jesus died on that cross. Rich, Full, and Free!You see… His love was presented to us, and His life was presented to us. But we must accept this gift of love, and the gift of life. As if that were not enough, it also matters because we are not alone on this earth. Our children are right behind us. They too will begin to have questions and concerns as to how to handle all these water-drops in their lives, and we must be ready to “give an answer for the hope that is within us”. Sure, you can live your life apart from the Lord. Sure you can even fabricate the happiness and security, as well as the completeness in your own life. But, it is SO temporal. It is SO fragile. And worse, it is man-made. This means that your life has built-in fallibility. It has built-in flaws. It has built-in pockets of brokenness and impurity. But, with enough paint, stucco, and fancy coverings, we can make it appear as though our lives are SO perfect, and pleasant. Like looking across the many bodies of others’ pools, the waters seem safe and deep, and certainly pure. But, they are often just facades. They are often shallow and stagnant. So, it matters because our Father wants us to live a life on purpose. He wants us to live a deep, rich, and full life. He so desires that we “should have life, and have it MORE abundantly”. Not just life… an abundant life. A life rich with mercy, rich with peace, rich with hope, rich with security, rich with love, rich with companionship, rich with success, rich with material things, rich with talents, rich with pictures, rich with fishing trips, rich with memories, rich with family, rich with sharing, rich with career paths, rich with exhilaration, rich with keenly honed skills, rich with writing, rich with reading, rich with speaking, rich with listening, rich with learning, rich with teaching, rich with wisdom, rich with spare time, rich with love for yourself, rich with love for another, rich with giving, rich with receiving, rich with selflessness, rich with beauty, rich with prayer, rich with singing, rich with worship… and most certainly…. rich with the peace that passes all understanding.

So… What the Father wants… and what we want. Seems so far apart from each other. So, unreachable… as far as the east is from the west. And that too helps to keep me from even trying to develop this Deep End of my Pool… Seeing how many attributes I have in my life… how many more attributes I want in my life… how many more attributes the Lord wants me to have in my life… knowing there are SOME attributes that scare me, or leave me feeling to vulnerable… and certainly too close to being found out, as it were. You see, I really like a secret and private life. Not so much because I am a sordid person, or have an alter life… No. In fact, it is solely because it is SO much easier. You see?? I just want rest. I just want peace. I just want serenity. This Shallow End of my Pool affords that. I can go to my work, get involved enough in my job to keep it, yet not SO involved as to cause any real change, or pressure. Just cruising along. The house of my life is the same way. I would like to add on, or rearrange the plants in the backyard, or repaint… any number of things that all take time, and require change… and that’s what is SO hard about all this… about living in that Deep End of the Pool… it certainly denotes change. And I am SO comfortable here. I am SO used to my schedule, and rather like it. I am SO relaxed in the norm of it all… just waiting each week for my ‘sitcoms’, or special shows in TV. Even yearning for the weekend morning when I get to sit at the coffee house… drinking a well deserved Mocha… smoking my pipe… just peaceful, and rested. See… Somehow, considering moving my life into that deep end, just threatens all these tapestries of my life… and it is these very tapestries that help to settle my heart… that help to comfort my soul… that help bring balance to it all… and certainly, that help to allow me to enjoy THIS pool of my life. See… Because all these littler things ARE my life. So.. Why would I consider challenging them? Why would I consider changing them? Why would I consider even disturbing them… I am SO comfortable here… I am SO happy… just where I am… so it seems.

And in THAT very thought, God reaches me, to gently remind me that our lives are not stagnant. They flow. We are but receiving His love for a moment, then needing to pass it along. We can NOT just absorb. We can NOT just receive. We must have growth, and outlets for the love and grace we have received. You see, they call it The Dead Sea for a very good reason. It receives, but has no outlet, except evaporation. There is not any water flowing out of that huge, stagnant body of water. And it has become SO toxic, and filthy, and has settled into being a tourist attraction.

People actually make it a point to go there, to float, and have their picture taken floating in that water. So, it IS serving SOME purpose. But were it your life, it would not be the purpose God had intended. God would never want our lives reduced to being a tourist attraction, and simply allowing others to float in our waters… You see?? These water drops in our lives represent the love God flowed into our pools, and He wanted that water to flow out to someone else, to be a downstream blessing… to enrich another persons life… and certainly to show others that God DOES share His love to all… and wants us ALL to enjoy it’s refreshing vitality!!So… How deep IS this pool?? I mean, I get it… the love God flows down to us comes in the form of many, many attributes in my life, and experiences and circumstances… He allows things to happened to me to cause me to deepen my various pockets, which in turn hold more of His love, and more of His grace… a type of Love Reservoir, if you will. But, how deep are these pockets, and as a collection, how deep is the very pool itself? That answer, regrettably, varies from person to person. See… each of the attributes have their own depth, and have their own element of richness. In other words, God has given you a voice to sing with. And, while there is profound potential for some very wondrous sounds to come from your throat, you are SO apprehensive about sharing this voice… even nervous and insecure. Hence, you sing quietly to yourself, and barely raise your voice in congregational songs. Unsure how others around you will react when they hear your voice, and being so unsure that you are even singing the right notes, let alone the right words. So, this one attribute if yours… a mechanism you can use to proclaim the love He has given to you… you withhold, and almost never explore the possibilities where He might be able to use this voice… to encourage others to also sing out, to bless the hearts of those who don’t have this wonderful gift… to bless the hearts of those around you… You see… this one attribute can be as deep as you will let God let it be. I mean, we have been promised that He was going to give us LIFE, and give it to us MORE abundantly… pressed down, shaken together, and yet… still overflowing!! See that?? God needs you to let go… He needs you to pay attention to these attributes… one at a time, as needed, but certainly listening to His “still small voice” and following His gentle hand of guidance… He will move your life, and your heart to focus on certain areas of your life… to enhance areas and attributes that need enhancing… and along the way, your whole life will become richer, fuller… and, yes, deeper… piece by piece, this life of yours will become more and more intense…. more and more developed… more and more unique… more and more full… more and more, it will become deeper and deeper… little by little… attribute by attribute! But… it requires a surrendered AND willing heart. You see that?? Surrender to His leading… AND willing to follow it!! There’s no such thing as JUST acknowledging His will… you MUST move on it… it MUST move on you… and certainly, it MUST move WITH Him!! You see… “My sheep know my voice, and hear my voice when I call them, and they obey me…”.

That is to say, you must relax your hold and fears and control over certain attributes in your life… and ultimately ALL the attributes in your life… You see that?? Remember the infamous song of calling? “All to Jesus, I surrender… ALL to Him, I freely give” You see that??? The song does NOT suggest “Some to Jesus, I allow some control…. Some to Jesus, I have taken from me”… See that??? Sure you do! You may not want to agree, or completely release YOUR precious will at this point… but THAT is the very thing that is keeping you from living in The Deep End of the Pool. You see… you need to let go of each attribute in your life… one attribute at a time… one piece of each attribute at a time… one level deeper, with each attribute… growing them, steadily… letting God lead you through the struggles and fears of their presence… and nurturing you through the harder times, comforting your soul through the ragged and angry times…. holding you close in the midst of the strain of exposing this (these) attributes…. letting Him take control and grow that for you… and your job, your posture in all this is submission, and obedience. He may say to you (leading your heart) that you need to forgive someone, or you may need to lose a vice, or you may need to “be still and know that I am God” over some other piece of your life that is so ready and waiting to release to Him… to allow Him to guide you through the HOW regarding untying the knot you have tied there… to surrender these little attributes, and even in the attributes, to surrender each piece OF the attribute one component at a time… praying, surrendering, and certainly obeying His leading in your life over that little attribute… See that? That IS the core component to Living a Life in the Deep End of the Pool… that very posture is one that will see you through the pain, fear, and uncertainty of exposing each of these attributes, and putting yourself in a very vulnerable place with these attributes.

That said, please know that your life can be just as deep as you allow God to let it be. See…. He has bestowed upon you talents, characteristics, desires, personality traits, physical features, and even likes and dislikes. Each of these are the attributes, the very fibers that make up the YOU in your life. A life that ignores God, or runs from His leading, is a life that is not all that it COULD be.

Sure, you can have an abundant life…. there is NO refuting that… but, our Bible says “… that we may have life MORE abundantly”… and that the life He gives to us is SO rich, full, and free… others around you will soon be noticing your life, and begin to ask about it, ask about how you became SO rich in life, SO full in life, SO free in life… and certainly they will see and ask how you became SO loved in life…. But, you must begin by giving attention to each little piece of each little attribute in your life. There are some attributes that should not even be there. There are some missing attributes. And, there are some attributes in your life that are being used, but they have developed with flawed precepts. That is to say, YOU have developed them… YOU have noticed how these attributes help you through your life… and YOU have been the one to grow them the way you see fit, and according to the needs of the moment. These attributes I am talking about could be anything from singing, to a sense of humor, to a counseling heart, to modeling skills, to business savvy… and the list goes on. But, hopefully, you will see that this is a man-made list of attributes; a man-grown list of personality traits that are good for the most part, but not so finely tuned, as they would be under the supervision and direction of the Lord… the master potter.When will we know we are actually in the deep end of our pool? I mean, how will we ever really know that we can stop, rest, and just float on our backs in this pool wherein God has surrounded us? That, in and of itself, is the answer. You will know because you can float on your back. You will know when you realize that the bottom of your life is SO very far away. You will know when you stop to consider the actual depth of each of the very tiniest attributes in your life. See that?? When you stop worrying about surrounding yourself with SO many things, and getting what looks like a huge pool… and really, really focus on the details of the attributes that ARE there now… you will soon see yourself swimming in a much larger and deeper pool than you ever dreamt possible.

See??

The more attention you give to the very details of your life… the more attention you give to the teeny-tiny details in your life… and start exploring the Jesus within each of them.. and start SEEING beyond the obvious… and start living a life of purpose…. and start “acknowledging Him in all thy ways, then He will direct thy footsteps”. See that? “He” will direct thy footsteps! Do you REALLY want God to lead you? Do you REALLY want to follow Him? Do you REALLY want to surrender YOUR will, YOUR hopes, YOUR dreams, and YOUR plans…. and take on His will, His hopes, His dreams, and His plans?? Well then… You MUST “acknowledge Him in all thy ways”… and one of the most important keys you will EVER learn and find, is that all means even the minutest details in your life… Taking time, in the first place to even notice they are there… to even recognize them tucked way back there… to even shine the little light of His light onto them, and let these attributes come out and be dusted off in your life… to be cleaned and washed by His blood and grace… to be nurtured into such a wonderful and flourishing attribute in your life… See that?? Another attribute is brought forth, and nourished to a beautiful bloom in your life…

…and with that, you will soon notice that your pool IS getting deeper… and certainly bigger… and most certainly, more and more a blessing to others around you, as well as to the Father Himself.

You see… in that, your bring attention to the Father. You bring attention to the pool… And you bring attention to yourself… and others CAN see that all you are, is due to Him… is due to YOU living a surrendered life IN Him… and lastly due to you obeying, and not being afraid of the things tucked away in the dark corners of your life. And you WILL begin to enjoy the depth of your life, and the breadth of your life, and certainly the quality of your life. You see, it will NOT be so deep because you have so much… rather, it will be because you will notice that; what it IS that you DO have, is so very precious, and unique, and placed there for a reason, and especially God breathed into your life. You will begin to appreciate the things God intended for you to appreciate. You will begin to enjoy the things God intended for you to enjoy. You will begin to protect the things God intended for you to protect. You will begin to cherish the thing that God intended for you to cherish. And mostly, you will begin to LOVE the things God really intended for you to love.

Just where IS this Deep End of the Pool in YOUR life?

Right around you. Waiting for you to acknowledge its presence, piece by piece. Hand these pieces to God, and let go of them… learn to wait on Him for them back into your life. And certainly, to surrender your will to them. Let Him make them, as they need to be… perfect in every way. Then, when He does give them back to you, and let you utilize them in your life, remember it is truly a gift from God.

When WILL you ever be there?

Now! See??

You can be there right this very moment. Sure, it may not be all that deep at first, but the Bible does say NOW is the day of your salvation… and that we are “…to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling”. That is NOT to say it is up to you to ‘be saved’; this is that wonderful gift from the Father. You must receive this gift with a fully surrendered heart – calling on His name – but, only YOU can apply this gift TO your life. Only you can ‘work out your own salvation’, which is to say that He has given us a wonderfully beautiful robe to wear… and it is up to us to put it on, to button it up, to roll it’s sleeves, to reach into it’s pockets, and turn ourselves in the mirror of His reflection and see just how well it fits. And make adjustments, and tailor it to fit just right… for running, for walking, for sleeping, for eating, for harvest, for playing with the children… and SO very importantly; for showing others that this robe is NOT to be feared, NOT to be thrown into the back of the closet and retrieved for convenience sake, NOT to be dirtied with so many impurities, NOT to be covered by any other robe or garment, and lastly NOT to be taken off… ever again! It is worn with pride, and honor, and certainly with the love from the giver of the gift, our Father.

When will you know you are there, and will it be too deep for you?

You will know you are there when you see the beauty in just one attribute in your life. You will then begin to realize that all these other little attributes too have such beauty. See… when we stop and take stock of the many things and ways the Father has bestowed His love on us… when we stop and look intently at the details of our lives… when we really pause and listen with utter concentration at the words others are sharing with us… when we look with yearn into the eyes of the ones around us, trying to see IN their own souls… when we completely rest our minds and listen for that ‘still small voice’ of the Father – calling us to follow His steps… when we walk slowly and give attention to those around us – not so much people watching as much as watching people… when we begin to look at these people through His eyes… when we look into their eyes through His eyes… when we listen to their words through His ears… when we try to see their heart through His heart… when we pay attention to the very details of life around us with His attention to our details… when we stop and take stock of all that is around us, just as He stopped and took stock that fateful night on the Mount when He wept with sorrow over such a hurting and pained city of people. People that were SO filled with pain, hurt, disappointment, anger, strife, loneliness, and certainly love-less-ness… when we take on our own lives with the very same compassion Jesus takes on… then, and only then will we begin to know you are ‘there’ in the deep end of your pool.

And it will NEVER be too deep. It will never swallow you up; rather, it will hold you up, it will support you, it will encourage you, it will motivate you toward a deeper and richer life IN Him!! See that?? Having ‘some’ appreciation for the pool around you will lead to more appreciation for the pool around you. And all that, with the strength of the Father, can ONLY come with a surrendered heart and life to Him. A life that is SO committed to His will, SO committed to His leading, and certainly SO committed to His spirit in your life.Will you thrive to get back to the shallow end?

Sure… to get the other people down there and SHOW them just how safe and secure this deep end of the pool can really be. No, though, in all seriousness. You will SO enjoy this deeper life. You will SO grow in this deeper life, and you will SO be closer to the Father… you will not even consider the shallow end of the pool… except to reflect on the When, How, and Where of it all starting for you.

Will you be too afraid to even get to that deep end?

Yes… a fear of the unknown does that to you. But, it is NOT an uncertain! See that? But the Bible state “perfect love casts out ALL fear”, which is to say that in Him, you are in very safe arms. You can open your heart to Him, and it will be very safe. You can open the vulnerable places in your life to Him, and it will be very secure. You can open the very secret compartments in your life, and they will be tenderly and gently cleansed with His dying blood…. Washed pure and clean… and made whole… and in that ugly dark place in your life, Jesus will find that little sliver of Gold… and He will preserve this gold in your life, and remove all the junk from around it… and it will shine with all the other little nuggets of Gold He has been able to find there… see?? All these attributes in your life are filthy and dirty. But His tender touch can dig them out, clean them off, and certainly hand them to you to use for His glory, and for His purpose… and they comprise the water-drops in your life. From the shore, or even the Shallow End of the Pool, yes… the Deep End of the Pool can seem overbearing. Therefore, He has left this whole thing to one simple word for you; TRUST. See that? Even with our salvation, we must trust Him. Even with our hearts, we must trust Him. Even with our love, we must trust Him. Even with our thoughts, we must trust Him… it just all boils down to trust. Complete and surrendered trust in Him. He will NOT fail you! When you trust, he will provide that precious depth of life you have always wanted, and needed… and certainly wanted for those around you. But… you have so many questions… so many struggles… so very many pains and trails…. And certainly, so many disappointments and hurts. Let go and let God!!

How will you ever get started?

Surrender!

Simple, I know… but it DOES all begin with surrender. Look deep in your own heart and see if you don’t cling to and are clamped onto your own life, your own heart, your own will, your own goals, your own beliefs, your own desires, your own vices, your own safety, your own security, your own love, your own passions, your own voice, your own looks, your very own life… the life itself you are SO hanging onto… clinging as though letting it go means dieing and giving up… Well… that IS what it means… but not to STOP living…. To START living! You see… you are NOT living now… you exist. You are surviving… You are making ends meet… you are certainly NOT living. So… surrender yourself to Him… to His life… to His heart… to His will… to His goals… to His beliefs… to His desires… to His vices… to His safety… to His security… to His love… to His passions… to His voice… and certainly to His ways!! “Acknowledge me in all thy ways, and I will direct thy footsteps” Begin to SEE God in each and EVERY thing you do… and every thing you experience… and everything your see.. and everything you feel… and everything you think…. ‘…taking on the mind of Christ…’

Where will you start?

Personally, I like to start with the easy things… get a feel for being victorious over these things, and get a few of them “under your belt”. It will be great for your security, your faith, and certainly for your experience WITH the Father… hearing, listening, obeying, following, and talking with Him. Begin by looking right within you at the may attributes you already have within you… acknowledging Him in them, and learning to praise Him for them… even asking Him to enhance them and hone them into finer attributes!! Then, begin to work your way out of your life, and begin to ‘see’ God in SO many places around you. Not just the majesty of the mountains, or the wonder of the clouds in the heavens… but even in the people around you. Begin to notice how God could love someone LIKE them!! Begin to SEE them just AS He sees them…. Through the eyes of the Lord!!Why would you even start NOW?

“Behold NOW is the day of your salvation!” It is NEVER too late to start. Remember the one thief hanging there on the cross next to Jesus when He was being crucified?? That one thief knew He was the King of the Jews, and he KNEW that He was facing an eternity without Him! Only, we tend to think of eternity as beginning when our lives end. That is SO not true… Eternity, dear one, began quite some time ago… and you are NOW in it without Him!! Only, do NOT wait any longer… each moment you hesitate is yet another moment WITHOUT His abiding grace, his loving peace, and certainly His staying power in your life… Behold, NOW is the day of your salvation!

Dive in… the water is SO fine!!