Dust Will Rise

 He’s tearing down the gods of old, the mountains we once stood on.

“Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way

and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,” (Psalm 42:2 NiV)

When our Image,

We created 

Protected,

             crumbles 

before our very eyes.

When the glory days are gone because His Glory 

has left.

Everything falls to the ground

What is left? What is true?

What  is pure.

What is Holy.

What is lovely and admirable 

“Think about such things.”

Our kingdom will pass away.

 His kingdom is eternal.

Our image will return to dust.

His image will burst forth 

Like resurrection morning.

Our resources will crumble 

They will hit the ground like a mighty giant falling.

The dust WILL rise. 

Remember, we are dust.

Formed by your hand.

Given life by the breath of your Spirit.

Anything that is not under the blood,Nor consumed by the fire of God

will be lost.

So many dry bones.

As far as the eye can see.

An army broken and disassembled.

As far as the eye can see.

“speak to the bones”

Are we saved to serve?

Or

Saved to save?

Or saved for ourselves?

Or saving the lost? 

Are we lost?

Jesus came to find the lost.

Jesus loved the lost.

Jesus saved us unto himself.

Not for an agenda.

Not with an agenda.

But for love’s sake.

Count all things lost for?

The system?

The organization?

History sake?

For the sake of knowing Christ Jesus, 

I consider all things lost.

His is an unshakable kingdom,

He is a firm foundation,

Not an organization.

He is LIFE.

Life will survive without your buildings.

Love will survive without your programs.

Grace will survive without your resources .

Mercy will survive without your provision. 

But how much stronger, how much greater will the kingdom’s glory be when dust rises once more?

When dust looks to its maker,breathing in HIS Spirit once again.

Living by HIS Spirit again.

His glory,

His image above all other images.

His purpose above our own plans,

His kingdom over our kingdom.

On earth,

as it is in heaven.

-Carole Jeanne 2019

A Holy Moment

The cardinal flew into my driver side window, startling me from my texting.

Don’t worry!! I had already parked my car. Don’t tell me I’m the only one who sits in their driveway, key out of the ignition, checking their text messages and social media, I know I’m not. 

With my head down fully absorbed in my phone the bang, frantic flutter and red blur were my dramatic portal back to reality. Only to quickly be transported to yet another world when I realized what had happened. 

My friend Laura with her fiery red hair and tenacious heart was tragically taken from us a few years ago in a car accident. My understanding was an object on a truck in front of her was not securely fastened. It fell off, hit the road and bounced back up and through her windshield as she drove to work. In a moment, she was no longer with us. Her body lingered for days afterward, but she was gone. Her husband, who she had married less than a year before the accident had a red cardinal tattooed on his arm in memory of her. I tattooed a sparrow on my forearm. We were not the only ones who honored her in a way that was permanent, bold, slightly rebellious, and would have made her smile. She loved her tattoos. She loved people boldly, unashamedly, and permanently. She would say to me all the time,” you should write!” She would tell me she saw books in my future, written by me. I loved her mind and imagination, her constant loyalty and encouragement. Anyone who has lost a loved one knows, those who have lived life large, leave a huge void. 

There I sat, in my driveway just having returned from my first writer’s conference. I was still sitting in the driver’s seat. Not yet back in my world, head down in the vortex of social media. 

Bang!

Flutter and then a flash of red.

Startled I looked up and there sitting on the fence in front of me was a beautiful red cardinal. Now straightening feathers and looking back at me satisfied that it survived the assignment it must have been given from yet another world.

A holy moment, a friend’s “I told you so” a portal to another time and place. She is still cheering me on.