Tag: overflow

pressing in for connection

Karla Lees

Until you commit to the goal of connection, all the relational tools in the world are not going to help you. It’s only when you decide to take responsibility to pursue connection that you will discover just why you need these tools. It’s only when you commit to moving toward someone that you will seek the knowledge and skills necessary to reach them. – Danny Silk, Keep Your Love On

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It’s only in the choosing that our pursuit ignites with purpose.

If you encountered someone who was deaf, and you wanted to communicate with them, you would seek out sign language to help you do so. If they were blind, you might learn to write them a letter in braille, or add more descriptive words to your dialogue.

When we choose to love someone, we decide to study them and find out what they love, then discover how we can best offer them our love.

And we can only do so when we chose to do so whole heartedly.

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Jeremiah 29:13 reminds us that God promises those who chose to wholeheartedly seek Him will find Him.

When we are intent on learning more about the ones we love, we will discover who they are.

And when we discover who they are, we are able to love them more deeply and whole heartedly in response.

It all begins with our choice.

Will we press in for deeper connection, or settle for surface level fluff?

Like cotton candy, which tastes good going down but doesn’t satisfy your hunger, surface loving never satisfies our deeper longing to connect with one another.

Because God ultimately hardwired us to connect with Him, and to one another.

I have decided to throw off my usually cover of restraint and purposely chase after God with all I am and have.

And I am choosing to do the same in all my relationships.

With God as the primary lover of my soul, and His guidance, I will discover how to love more, deeper, stronger and better.

For when Love Himself is your pursuit, and promises to be found by all who purpose to seek after Him?

With Him, I can love as He intends. With all my heart, for His glory and his honour, to better His Kingdom. Loving those about me as He has designed them to want to be loved, and as His love overflows through me to and for them.

in His grip

Karla Lees

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I begin truly living when God is the one writing my story.

Sounds like the opposite of what logically makes sense, but its so true.

When God writes our story, His love comes shining through.

Our part is to make sure we are in His hands, He does all the rest.

Again, sounds too easy, but that is where the battle truly is…
in letting go of our deep rooted desire to control & allow God to take the reins.

For who better to write our story than the One who not only created us, but reigns forever over all?!

The fact that He came to us & rescued us from ourselves is awesome enough, but the fact He wants to partner with us through every moment of our lives?

Breathtaking.

When we sit in the driver’s seat, we tend to only see two ways….what is behind, and what is directly ahead.  We don’t tend to be as aware of the passengers on the journey with us unless they make a lot of noise, or are our Beloved.

When God sits in the driver’s seat, He sees everything all at once:
where to avoid the pitfalls & obstacles ahead, what He has gotten us through, who we are to have alongside us for the next step of our travels, and speaks to us to love & guide us as we use our gifts & love for His glory. All at the same time.

Only One beyond time can see it all.

Only the One who orchestrated it all deserves to be the conductor in our lives.

Only the One who scripted our love story from its inception deserves to write the love letter He is making in each of His Beloved’s lives.

Mother Theresa understood it wasn’t about the gifts we offer back to Him. It’s all about the God who has us lovingly in His grip, revealing His love to the world through our willing obedience & submission to His ways before all.

Somehow in His grip, we become way more than we could ever hope or imagine, because the One is who is so magnificent is moving within us beyond our comprehension in the moment.

His story, written on willing lives in the ink of true Love, will never fade…and miraculously becomes our story too as He writes it.

May we lay down our desire to be in control, and allow the One who makes all things new to write His love in our hearts so deeply the overflow draws those around us to meet the Author of their story!

let it flow

Karla Lees

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Five years ago, I hit a bit of a harder patch than ever before. Injuries, illnesses & secrets revealed combined in an attempt to soak me dry to the bone.

Without God, the enemy would have succeeded in fully leaching the life out of me.

As it is, God held me even closer, spoke to me more clearly, and poured life into me, each & every day.

He keeps doing so with each new today.

The hardest part for me each year seemed to always hit around my birthday.

And quite frankly, without God, my kids & my best friends, there wouldn’t have been anything worth celebrating.

My hubby, post two major surgeries without full resolution of all his problems, got some good news this week. They may know what is causing his last plaguing symptom.

I ended up with an unexpected tax bill this month, which slapped me silly for a few hours before I could hear God whisper, “I got this. I told you breakthrough is coming.”

Hubby got one of his best tax refunds back within 6 days of filing. Which more than covered my bill, the two main needs we have needing repair, and knocking off 1/4 of our debt.

Numbers don’t mean that much to me. Relationship is more important, and always will be.

But the weight I was still carrying over our finances was quite a load, and God told me this week its His to carry, so hand it over & stop taking it back. He set me free.

So far this past 48 hours, God has been knocking my socks off with an outpour of blessing I have not been expecting, but am so grateful for.

My hubby, daughter & son all amped up and blew me away with their gifts of love, and time.

My besties rocked me again with blessings wrapped in laughter & care. They have kept me close through the rocky days, and loved me as I needed to be loved all the way. My chicks, my heart sister gifts God knew I would need in my life? Abundant blessings, each one.

My coworkers sang me happy birthday, and threw me an apple themed party (apple crumble, apple coffee cake, sour apple can’t & apple danish!).

My parents are taking us all out to dinner tonight, and have been so supportive to us all over this past long haul that tears well up from thinking about their love shown in action.

What I have learned, and celebrate today?

I have always had blessings growing around me, because of His handiwork.

He has been the giver and keeper of my life.

He is the Water I need to drink in every day, to keep life flowing in my spirit.

He is the Word I crave daily, to fill me up and direct me how to life & get to know Him more.

The garden of my life will never run dry when I choose to ask the Gardener to keep pouring Himself into it. The pruning, uprooting and straightening out that occurs under the Gardener’s hand may be painful, the pests attack may try to permanently damage, but I celebrate the Life Giver has me.

Not just my back.
He’s fully got me.

And so, even when the bad days try to gray out all the Son, I can still water my garden, with His love, grace and mercy, and hope for the new day’s blessings to come, as He has planned for me!

Every day, not just our birthdays or anniversaries are worth celebrating! So pull out your nice dishes, fave tea cup, recipe you save for a special occasion.

Jesus has you.

Worth celebrating every moment of every day!

Don’t forget to allow Him to water your garden daily. Keep your eyes on the new growth each season. Let Him bring to life a new you as you sink deeper into Him.

Sunday Psalm: Pour out My Praise

Karla Lees

how You poured
Your very self out
for us,
for me God
You poured Your life out
on the cross
in a lavish gushing eternal
love declaration for
Your people
Jesus lifted up
for all to see
One and forever
Freedom burst forth
open for all
to receive

How can I not erupt
with Your praise?
You
so holy
so awesome
all mighty
all power
all goodness
all truth
so kind
so merciful
so graceful
in Your care
for Your people,
for me.

I pour out
my heart
full of praise
to You again today

May my heart cry
ever stream
from the overflow
of appreciation
for who You are,
what You’ve done
and because if
the lynchpin
of our love story.

#SundayPsalm

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love the one you’re with- 3 ways to show it this Valentine’s Day

Karla Lees

Love is a choice.

You may have heard that before, but this Valentine’s, may it sink in deep.

We show this love by how we care for those around us.

By choosing to love them, our love can be seen like an outer garment.

We choose to love.

How we express that love should be up to three key factors:

1. Listen:
Keep an ear out for how the person says they want to be loved, which is usually their primary Love Language.

My hubby is Physical Touch, so a long hug, hand hold or kiss he interprets as how much I love him. If we spend too long apart, those small touches remind him he is loved.

My daughter is Show Me. A spontaneous gift, a thoughtful card, going out of our way to drop her off or pick her up from school…those speak volumes too her of how much she is loved.

My son is Quality Time. Spending one on one, whether chatting, reading together, gaming or watching a comedy or action dvd reassures his heart that he is loved.

Mine is Words, or Tell Me you love me. I text, call or email loved ones regularly as a way of reminding them how much they mean to me. Hearing I was on someone’s heart or mind & they tell me about it makes my day!

(PS. Not sure what your love language is? Take the free test at:
Discover Your Love Language , it is so worth doing…for all your relationships.

2. Look:
How we see them show love usually reveals how someone wants to be loved.

It is likely no surprise that a writer & singer would love to hear loving, kind & encouraging words. Take the time to observe your loved ones as they express care & love to those around them. They will give you the best clue you need by how they show their love.

3. Get Equipped:
Learn how God says we are to love up on one another:
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Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

This is a huge list to try & do on our own. Trying to love in our own strength leaves us exhausted and empty.

Feeling stressed about how to love like the list in 1 Corinthians 13?

The good news is God helps us to love others when we come to Him to be loved…

The overflow of His love through us is more than enough to express our love to others.

This Valentine’s, let your loved ones know how much you choose to love and treasure them.

Your loved ones doesn’t need our freaking out about what you should get them by the world’s standards.

Bigger doesn’t mean better if your wife hates the roses you get her every year, coz you think that’s how you need to show her extravagant love & that she is special on Valentines… if she really loved daisies (true story!)

If you can only afford:
a small well chosen token…
genuine affection & love poured into a card…
a shared moment over coffee…
a dance to your wedding song…
a poem about love you printed off the internet and put in a dollar store frame…
then be yourself and express your love however you can. The best Valentine’s I ever got were hand written cards from my loved ones, as they showed how much they loved me by loving me back as I love to be loved!

Its not about the monetary price, but the choice you make to invest your love into another’s heart.

Love is priceless, and will live on beyond beauty, objects and time.

Choose to love from the best Source of love there is, its Inventor & #1 Lover of us all!

Love is always worth the investment when you choose to love the ones He loves, revealing His heart as you do.

His love never fails,
never gives up,
never runs out on us.

That’s the love I want my loved ones to know I have as my source of love, and that i will model for them.

Love wants the best.

Loving your beloveds as they long to be loved is the best gift you can give, every day!

Sunday Psalm: Pressing In

Karla Lees

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God,
no matter where I go
I find You,
for You never leave me…
I just take my eyes of Your face.

I am tired of wandering
this desert of my own making.
When I stop seeking
the Source,
I run dry.

When I press in to
Your Presence,
You release
the torrent of love
You dammed up
waiting for my return…
and I am overwhelmed
by the depth & breadth
of Your love for me.

You,
God above all gods,
King of Heaven,
Majestic Maker of All,
love me…
my mind tells me
this is all a dream
I will wake up from one day,
but my heart & spirit
join up to cry out
“Holy Holy Holy,
worthy are You Lord.”
and my mind
falls into alignment
with the truth
You reveal.

My very breath
comes from the Word
You spoke
that caused me to be.

My life is safe
in Your hands.
My hope can
rest in Your love.
My heart can
trust in You.

Your purpose
Your plan
will prevail
as You have promised.
The enemy
cannot win
against Your desires
for Your people.
Your Presence
Your passion
Your power
are revealed
as I press in
and pray:
More of You,
less of me.
Take my life
and let it be
all for You,
always for Your glory.

And the dam burst,
the river flows
and the water becomes deep
as my prayer
opens up the heavens
and I look up
to see Your face
loving down at me again.

#pressingin
#hopeinHisPresence

bring on the Joy

Karla Lees

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I don’t know about you but I am ready for more joy.

Real Joy.

Not the kind that depends on stuff, or what people do for me, but the kind that comes from the source of Joy Himself.

I am tired of the substitutes.

Going somewhere because you should/have to, when every fibre of your being is screaming to be anywhere else.

Losing yourself in a movie or DVD to distract you from whatever is trying to sap your joy.

Stuff that doesn’t satisfy absorbs resources like time & money, and ends up in a shelf, donation pile or garage sale…or your hips or abdomen because you turned to junk food to deal with your emotions asi tend to do… instead of bringing them to the cross, the loving arms waiting for me 24/7, and receiving peace, comfort & Joy in their place.

Or the worst- complete denial, which shuts down your capacity for joy as you tell yourself you can’t cope any other way, or this is your lot in life, so live with it.

There is another way.

Come.
Into His Presence.
Wait.
He will come.
Confess.
He will hear.
Wait.
He will release
Forgiveness
Peace
Grace
Mercy
Love
And Joy

Unspeakable joy.
Joy that makes no sense in the world, but makes all the sense in heaven.

In His presence is fullness of Joy.

I am ready to be topped up to overflowing from being filled again.

How about you?