more – KARLA LEES

Sunday Psalm: Renewed Capacity

October 25, 2015October 25, 2015 Karla Lees

The enemy likes to try and suck the hope and joy out of us, and diminish You in our eyes, O Lord.

Last night You spoke so clearly as You lovingly reminded Your Beloved that You are unchangeable. Never fickle. Always loving. Forever good and holy.

Your capacity to pour into Your people is not the issue here.

Our holding on to You and not letting our hope fizzle out and our joy wither is.

Because if we are allowing enemy lies to be counted as truth, the hope and joy we have in You will begin to fade.

Only You cause our gifts to grow.
Only You can restore our Hope when all is dark.
Only You can bring joy when we have been long in the season of waiting.

But you don’t just leave us where you find us, God.

You take us beyond to the next beyond as the love You have for us becomes deeper as it unfurls.

You don’t just restore us, You add an increased capacity to hold even more of You!

I give my “But God,” “Why me,” and “How long” into Your hands. and in a beautiful exchange, You pour out increased faith, love, joy and a fresh wind of hope to enter the empty spaces left within by my feeble doubts and insecurity.

All I have comes from Your hands.

I believe You have more in store for Your Beloved.

There is a release of sweet grace entering this space reserved for You.

There is a heightened awareness of Your love, the fragrant aroma of Your heart beating for me.

The capacity to hold truth is being enlarged as You increase my ability to hear, sense, taste and see You.

No looking back over my shoulder except to review the ways You have blessed me and rescued me.

Onwards towards all You have for Your Beloved!

#SundayPsalm

Sunday Psalm: Renewed Capacity

October 25, 2015October 25, 2015 Karla Lees

The enemy likes to try and suck the hope and joy out of us, and diminish You in our eyes, O Lord.

Last night You spoke so clearly as You lovingly reminded Your Beloved that You are unchangeable. Never fickle. Always loving. Forever good and holy.

Your capacity to pour into Your people is not the issue here.

Our holding on to You and not letting our hope fizzle out and our joy wither is.

Because if we are allowing enemy lies to be counted as truth, the hope and joy we have in You will begin to fade.

Only You cause our gifts to grow.
Only You can restore our Hope when all is dark.
Only You can bring joy when we have been long in the season of waiting.

But you don’t just leave us where you find us, God.

You take us beyond to the next beyond as the love You have for us becomes deeper as it unfurls.

You don’t just restore us, You add an increased capacity to hold even more of You!

All I have comes from Your hands.

I believe You have more in store for Your Beloved.

There is a release of sweet grace entering this space reserved for You.

There is a heightened awareness of Your love, the fragrant aroma of Your heart beating for me.

The capacity to hold truth is being enlarged as You increase my ability to hear, sense, taste and see You.

No looking back over my shoulder except to review the ways You have blessed me and rescued me.

Onwards towards all You have for Your Beloved!

#SundayPsalm

I am in this

August 17, 2014 Karla Lees

This morning, I woke up to a situation I didn’t expect.
And quite honestly, was quite upset with.
No one likes not being listened to, and sometimes pain is speaking so loudly it drowns out the voice of love.

As I was in my initial shock, I heard God whisper,
“Rest in Me. I am in this.”

A few minutes later, once I finishes what I had to do, I hears Him whisper again,
“Rest in Me. I’ve got this.”

Then the radio started playing
this chorus, by one of my fave worship leaders, right where my soul was at:
Lord I need You,
oh I need You.
Every hour, I need You.
My one defense,
my righteousness,
Oh God, how I need You.

How can I not rest in Him being in full control when He keeps gently reminding me to do so?

Like you, I struggle with letting go of situations outside of my control.

Because holding onto to them does nothing apart from winding me up too tightly.

Causing me to miss what it is God wants to show me in the midst of whatever is going on.

And I am tired of missing out on seeing more God in my days.

I live with myself 24/7, and I am quite honestly sick of the same old, same old going on within me.

Its time to welcome more rest, and less stress. Leaning into His arms, giving over my burdens,and finding the rest I know I desperately need for my soul.

When God tells you He is in this, taking our hands off allows Him to shine more brightly without us being in the way.

More of You, God.
Less of me.

yes in my mess

April 28, 2014April 28, 2014 Karla Lees

I am saying yes in my mess.
Yes to letting God mess up my day the way He wants it to look:

Today I worked a day shift versus the evening shift in usually work on Mondays. I somehow got more done than usual, and now have some downtime to read, write & relax.

I had an unexpected treat waiting for me at work. One of my coworkers brought in a special yummy snack as an early birthday present, as my work celebration is being delayed so we can include my boss who is currently away. Somehow, I now get to celebrate twice at that job 🙂

I connected with another coworker, and am now ahead on another project as a result. We normally miss each other on my evening shift.

I got up early to help my son edit an assignment, had enough time to throw dinner on the crock pot & get to eat with my guys at dinner time, which I don’t get to do on Mondays when I work the late shift.

We even had time to watch a fave show episode together before they had to leave for their evening plans.

I was able to clearly hear God direct me to do something outside of my comfort zone after work, but He so knew what He was doing.

My house is semi-clean, the dishwasher is running at full speed, there is a bit of laundry yet to be done and the pots are piled by the sink waiting to be washed.

But by saying yes to the change to today in all its messy glory, God got more done with my willingness than had I grumbled and flight His changes all day long.

I still have stuff within me that is a mess. Unresolved feelings, occasions memories that return to momentarily scorch me, aches and pains, just like all the rest of us.

I find that by inviting God into the mess, the random becomes purposeful. A plan emerges. That which needs to get done does, whether its a task, a conversation or a prayer.

The atmosphere within me changes. I feel less messy within, more able and capable knowing He is guiding me through today.

Yes to my mess, Lord.
You can have it all.

And somehow it becomes less mess and more Presence in the exchange.

A beautiful, inexplicable day unfolds when we give that day over to You.

Less mess, more MESSage.

May You be the MESSage they seen despite my mess.

Pic from: http://jenniferdukeslee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/10174946_10154007268500114_7533502883532293614_n.jpg?utm_source=Blog+Subscribers&utm_campaign=9948faa201-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_90981b7d90-9948faa201-70722577