ocean – KARLA LEES

sea foam break down

April 17, 2015April 17, 2015 Karla Lees

As I was walking this morning, I had a mini revelation about my fave colour.

I absolutely love sea foam/pistachio/moss green.

And today, as I was quietly listening to my Abba, I heard about why it is suited to me, why I am drawn to it.

Sea foam is a mix of green (made up of blue & yellow) and gray (black & white).

The blue represents both the ocean of my tears, and my delight at water & sky. Blue purifies as it flows.

The yellow is the touch of sun my body craves, and the Son-light my entire being longs for.

Green is the life and growth colour, how God can grow new life from the seeds He waters and shines His light on to grow in His Presence.

The black represents the dark places that need to be uprooted, the white the purity God brings to the mix.

And the gray? The times where I could not see beyond the storms, when God broke through and let His light brighten the dark times, and the gray we can find ourselves overwhelmed by when we take our eyes off of Him.

All this makes up my favorite colour.

When I wear it, I feel more like His daughter. I sense His closeness, and the pleasure He longs to reveal to me, His beloved.

I feel the prettiness and purity God sees when He looks at me.

People around me notice the difference when I wear this color, without knowing why.

So, I will continue to love my favorite color in the various hues I wear or decorate with, for it draws me closer to the One who absolutely adores me, and would do anything for me….which He has, and continues to do.

my favorite purse, on my similarly hued sofa 😉

my fave scarf with one of my two jackets

What colour helps you draw closer to Him? Have you ever thought about that before?

#seafoamalltheway

Sunday Psalm: Ebb & Flow

January 25, 2015 Karla Lees

The river seems too deep, God
as I stand on the shore.
I hear You calling my name,
the one You gave me.
Part of me wants to jump in
while the other part
remains anchored
to the safety of the shore.
You know the struggle I face,
and You change the surface
of the water until all I can see
is Your reflection.
Again You ask me to come
with that voice of love, majesty and triumph that stirs my soul
to action, and the battle within
is decided when I take the steps that move me forward,
closer to
Your Presence
and where You want me to be.
The waves come crashing around me once I get deep enough that
turning back is not an option,
and I am carried off into
Your ocean of love.
As the soaking ebbs & flows
over me, again & again,
I feel like I am in a dream.
Discord sounds off to the distance and I open my eyes,
taking my gaze off Your face
as I do.
And I begin to sink.
Panic wells up as I struggle,
desperate to breathe,
crying out with
all that I am for rescue.
You are there,
with Your hand stretched down
to bring me up
to the safety of Your Presence.
You were always there,
in command of the wind, water, storms and waves.
I am the one who looked away,
never You.
I praise You for Your love, God.
Your ever present,
always for us,
never failing,
into eternity
amazing love.
I can trust in You,
even when the waves come crashing,
the storm sounds escalate
and I feel lost along the way.
My Rescue is
always with reach,
keeping me within arm’s length,
vigilant in His watch.
I can rest as the waters
cleanse me,
invigorate me
and lead me to the shore
where He is waiting.

#SundayPsalm
#singanewpsalm

catch a wave

June 23, 2014June 23, 2014 Karla Lees

A wave of fullness is headed my way.
Not one intended to drown me, but rather to soak me in the new depths God has for me.

Like all things new that we know are coming but haven’t yet quite arrived, there is a little bit now apprehension within me as I wait.

I know God has wonderful things planned for me, beyond my comprehension in my right here and now.

The waiting is where my tension has a tendency to build.

My trust, when I forget to focus on the One I am trusting vs my ability to trust, can waffle and fizzle out, short circuiting as it was never intended to be based on me.

My faith, when I forget to raise my eyes off the circumstances and focus them on my Provider, shrivels from lack of water.

The Source you & i need to deepen our faith & trust as we wait? He is:
Ever present.
Mighty to save.
All powerful.
The Lord of Lords.
The Almighty.
Beginning and End.
Faithful.
Abundant.
Truth.

He not only is all we need, but also the releaser of the timing for the blessings He has for us.

I had been feeling more momenta of dryness of late, and had been checking to see the water level about me….which wasn’t buoying me up very high.

I am needing a good soaking.

As much as family, your best friends, your coworkers & even your pet can be there for you, there is an infusion needed that only God can give us.

I am ready for my soaking, Lord.
More of You, Less of me.

I can hardly wait for the wave to hit!

under water

May 13, 2014May 13, 2014 Karla Lees

One of my favorite memories as a kid was being by the water. Even better, to be swimming, especially underwater.

Seeing everything so clearly, removing all other distractions. Just me, underwater, awake and aware to the wonder around me.

The thrill when I could first do a somersault underwater, then two in a row, then three.

Learning to hold my breath, and swim back and forth between the sides, all underwater.

Throwing weights then diving off poolside to retrieve them, trying to make as little splash as possible.

The brightness of those memories had faded a bit, hiding in the recesses of my memory, until today.

My cousin posted a few pictures of my beloved goddaughter this morning, and one picture especially caught my eye:

And all the wonder I remember came flooding back in a crashing wave of longing.

I haven’t been swimming for over a year now. I have allowed a few physical setbacks and my own mental mindset of feeling like a beluga on display rob me of that joy of being in the water.

My love for the water was drowning without attracting my attention as it slowly tried silently slipping away.

Our relationship with God can slip away just like that, when we take our eyes off of Him and look at the storm surrounding us, or those we are in the boat with.

He calls us to step out into the water. To wade in to the new depths of relationship He has for us, to trust Him and not focus on the unknown of what may be ahead.
To dive into His love with reckless abandon, no holds back, and find ourselves there, soaking in His presence. New with possibility. Alive and aware of all the wonder happening around us.
Some have been called to walk on the water, to place their trust in God and walk out miracles.

If you are feeling way over your head without a lifeline to reach out to, you are in the wrong pool.

Pools are man made.
God is calling you into His ocean.

Into the love He has for you its foundation.
His support its rocky shores & sandy beaches.
His presence the refreshing waters.

He is all over, around us. Above, below, beside, before, with us. Alive.

The waters in the pool you chose instead will not overtake you if you ask for Him to throw you a life preserver.

He is in the business of new life.

And yours is just waiting.

The Son’s radiance is glinting off the top of the water. You can just hear the murmuring of hope the Spirit is whispering over the crisp air. The love of the Father is drawing you home.

Are you ready to jump into His waters, and all He has for you?