Good morning world!

Mercy is NEW this morning. The past is the past. Each day has got new mercy! 

Come on? But seriously, isn't that news good enough to get up and DANCE this morning?

If you have waves taking you under this morning, hold on to Him. The waves make us stronger. Believe me. God is right there. Even when you can't feel Him. He knows how much you are hurting and HE will complete that which has been begun in you. Something beautiful is waiting for you.

I am over come with gratefulness this day for my front windows and the view of the hills. Out, out I look and I feel free as a bird. I turn the music on loud and I dance in my living room. My children dance.  I jump rope. There is nothing quite like starting the day that way. You can't be in a bad mood when you dance to the Lord. And jump roping makes us laugh.

There are other fills in this life. And they are temporary. I can try to fill the void, the hole, the empty. . . with things in this world. That can include "good things." Like religion, new issues and standards to keep (really, that's not a good thing.), having lots of kids - you name it. It might fill, for a bit. Temporarily. But I will still be ultimately empty. Keep trying to make it look so nice, keep hiding what is going on inside - go ahead, gloss it over with outward "good." It might work temporarily. The picture at the end isn't beautiful.

It's empty. Dark, lonely.

This world will not keep me satisfied. Not the religious world either. Let's say no more to temporary fills! Let's be done with the quick fix. God is the reason I can say, "I want a love that is REAL!" Oh, Lord take everything I have and fill me up inside with YOU. 

Only YOU are not temporary.

It's easy to say, "Maybe tomorrow I will start over. Then I will let God have all of me. Then I will stop living life on the sidelines. . . tomorrow I will stop looking to everything else to fill me."

I don't want to wait for tomorrow. His mercy really is as real as He says it is. He is a RESCUER! ! !

And I need a rescuer. . .

To be rescued from myself. From thinking I am enough in and of myself, that doing all the right things makes me holy before Him. To be rescued from the pain. From the past. From my mistakes. My sin. To be rescued from people. . . who want to dictate others beliefs, but think they are right and called by God to do so. I need rescuing from fear. From running to the world. From falling in ditches - going from empty legalism to empty world chasing.

I need a RESCUER!

Wait! ! !

HE HAS COME! That is what He came for. That is the kind of love I'm talking about!

Do you think? Do you think that if we viewed ourselves the way God sees us, if we saw the truth about ourselves. . . if we understood the way that we are loved by Him? If I understood that I am precious like a diamond to Him - that He sees me lovely! Forgiven! I'm not alone! If I saw the truth about me - do you think that I would be less easily enticed to look for "fills" elsewhere? Would I take more chances to love, and give my life away like He has for me?

I think it would change everything. If I believed. . . the truth about me. And the truth about Him.

When I do believe the truth -- there is this freedom that comes to LOVE THESE DAYS! Even dance, literally, through these days. Through the ups and downs, He and I meet and He fills. The rest becomes obviously empty, even sad. Each day is such a gift. Not a gift of "perfection" where things go "my way" - but a gift of freedom in Christ.

Let's dance. Hands raised. Free. In praise to Him for the love that He has loved us with. For His mercy that is NEW today.

"And David danced before the Lord with all his might..."
2 Samuel 6:14 

A. Ann