Flourishing

Flourishing - developing rapidly and successfully; thriving. Grow or develop in a healthy or vigorous way, especially as the result of a particularly favorable environment. Be working or at the height of one's career during a specified period. Grow. Thrive. Bloom. Prosper.

Two weeks ago today, I was drawn to Target. I needed happy in my life. Like a magnet, I went straight for the mugs (I have an obscene amount of coffee mugs. I just can't stop getting more cute ones. Ha!). I got two dog related ones (I couldn't choose between them, so both of them came home. I'm such a dog mom), and I saw a beautiful one with purple flowers with one word on it:

Flourishing.

I remembered it right away. I had looked up its definition a year ago, when the Lord gave me Psalm 92 just as I was coming on the church staff. Enemies may prosper, it said, "But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the Lord's own house. They flourish in the courts of our God." (Psalm 92: 12-13).

My shoulders sunk. I was in the courts of the Lord, but flourishing? Nah. This year has been too storm-tossed. Too dark. Wounds are still bleeding out. But then, like He does, in a whisper deep and steady:

"You are."

That one word took me on a journey through the Scriptures the whole rest of that day. Psalm 92 led me to another Psalm where 'flourish' is mentioned, Psalm 52 (verse 8), which is one David wrote when David went to go see Ahimelech. I looked up this story again found in 1 Samuel 21. And how the Lord met me there!

David eats the Bread of the Presence, is given the sword of Goliath, and 400 discontented, in debt, and in trouble men start rallying around him in the stronghold of Adullam.

If that's not a picture of my life right now, I'm not sure what is. I love how the Word is so alive like this! How just one word can show us what we need.

• The Bread of the Presence was eaten by the priests and symbolized the Lord's presence in that place. God is inviting me to partake of His presence in this season, while I serve the local church. It's my right (Lev. 24:5-9).

• David was given back the sword of his greatest victory to use in this new season. The Word is the sword I'm learning to wield and teach, almost on a weekly basis. I love it so much. Before, I felt the sword was on the shelf, but here it is in my hand and, like David said of his, 'there is none like it!" (1 Samuel 21:9)

• And 400 men started coming to him in the stronghold - lost and broken men, turned warriors.

The ministry on Wednesdays feels the same. We reached 273 two weeks ago - record that keeps getting broken every few weeks these days. I'm praying for more and for them to be an army for the Lord. My Pastor recently asked me to pray about taking the 'interim' tag off my leading of this group. Another level of authority and leadership. I'm learning to live in it. To let the weight of the keys feel heavy in my hand, to grasp my fingers around them and hold them tight.

One of my girls did the Communion Meditation last Sunday, and I felt like she was my own child. She calls me her spiritual mama. She wrote on a prayer card last week: "Pray for the staff! Pray they can lead, guide, and protect the broken and lost and courageously be the voice none of us have ever had!!"

Yes, Lord! Amen! Help me keep these keys, not give them over, to boldly be a voice.

The other night, we had someone get arrested for being belligerent. He had a warrant, so off he rode in the back of a cop car. A first for me. We had another man stagger out, drunk, when he was taken back to his home by one of the recovery home's directors. A homeless man who had been hanging out by the front doors since that morning came in and just wanted to use the restroom...

The discontented. The in debt. The in trouble.

When the police officer asked me if he would be invited back, I said of course. A group facilitator said to the group later, "I'm so glad I go to a church where you can be carted away in the back of a cop car one week, and be welcomed back the next."

This is the gospel of grace. Praise the Lord I am welcomed back too.

I admit I have been sad this week. Other things going on that look flashy and big. Things that used to be mine. But this week, as I looked out over the worship center at this beautiful crowd, after one new guy who sat down after sharing this amazing gospel truth bomb, the Lord whispered to my heart again: "This is yours."

In the stronghold, He protects me. In the stronghold, I'm wielding the sword of Truth. In the stronghold, the lost are rallying as an army. Though hidden, I am hidden in Him. He is my stronghold and song (Psalm 18:1).

And other strongholds - those thoughts of the enemy that need to fall - are coming down, in the name of Jesus. Hallelujah! I'm learning how to rise up. I'm learning how to live in my birthright. I'm learning how to be strong in new ways.

My last blog was on 'power,' and He reminded me that 'power is made perfect in my weakness.' Flourishing can be true and still look like sorrow.

But praise the Lord, I believe I am.