wake up, sleeper

I've been listening to Kari Jobe's, "We are the Light of the World," on repeat and this writing just poured out of me.  It's not my typical writing style, but sometimes that's ok. 

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She'd been in a daze of sorts.  Feeling things so deeply. So much bad news. So much sickness. Such hard times. The unknown. So much sadness. It was all hitting her hard.

Wake up, sleeper.

Nothing eventful really happened to her, yet anything she heard or felt seemed to stick. She was so bogged down by everything and it all felt so heavy.

She was reaching for so much but it was too far. The greatness she heard about and aspired to felt so far away.

Wake up, sleeper.
Lift your head.

She went through the motions. She got it done, but only just barely. She just wanted to get through the day so she could watch Gilmore Girls on Netflix or maybe take a bubble bath.

Wake up, sleeper.
You were made for more than this.

Yes, she was constantly trying to get THROUGH each day, but what she REALLY wanted was much more.

To live it.
To enjoy it.
To lead.
To shine.

She knew she was made for more than this. She always knew this.

But there was so much to be done, and always stuff to put away. Appointments had to be made and schedules kept. Friends are grieving. Babies are sick. People are hungry. Loved ones are scared. Strangers are lonely and looking for someone to care. Children aren't safe and don't have clean water. Family is dying.

And it all seemed like too much.

What could she do?

So she slept.

And then she finally heard.

So wake up sleeper
Lift your head
You were made for more than this
Fight the shadows
Conquer death
Make the most of the time we have left

You GOTTA
Let your light SHINE.

 So she wakes up.

She hears.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Psalm 46:1-3

So she is not afraid.

She hears.

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

So she lets go and she feels lighter.
 

lyrics from "Stars in the Sky" by Kari Jobe

She hears.

...trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world. John 16:33

 So she has faith.

She imagines Him knocking down the heaviness, stress, grief, sadness, hunger, fear, loneliness and death. She lets Him conquer it.

So she finds peace.

She was so tired of sleeping.

So she decided to wake up, lift her head, and SHINE.


*lyrics from "We Are" written by James Tealy, Chuck Butler, Hillary McBride, and Ed Cash