fall madly...

if you're going to fall in love, do it madly, wildly, desperately, passionately, wholly, completely, deeply, freely, irrevocably.

if you're going to fall in love hold nothing back. hide nothing. withhold nothing.

if you're going to fall in love, don't be timid. don't be shy. don't be insincere, insecure, or indifferent.

if you're going to fall in love, be bold, be unwavering, be sincere, secure, and solid.

There is no middle ground, despite what we may think, imagine, or secretly hope.
When we think of love, we may think of a "warm fuzzy" feeling, because that's what the world has changed this overused, overworked, under-appreciated, and underestimated noun turned-fluffy-cloud-of-nothingness into.

false.

"because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.." Jesus isn't messing around when He says this in Revelation 3:16. I see it as a challenge.
Will my love for Him be fiery and passionate, nothing holding me back, and no limitations on what I can accomplish with love unhindered?
Will my love for Him be cold and lifeless as I allow this world to distract me, to pull me back, to tempt me with lies?
Or worse still, will I be neither hot nor cold, but a disgusting mix of both, unable to step beyond the boundary lines and make a choice??

Since the beginning of the summer, I've been at a place of decision...and I hear His voice asking me, "What kind of love will you choose?" The thing that makes me shudder is that I've known what I must answer, but I've delayed in the reply. I know what I want/need to choose, but I choked back on my response. Whether because of fear, pride, or laziness...

Yesterday was a turning point. The pastor at church talked about the story of Elijah and Ahab. Elijah heard the "roar of a heavy shower" and sent Ahab get ready. Then Elijah fell on his kness and prayed. Elijah sent his servant seven times to look for the clouds over the sea, but it wasn't until the seventh time that a cloud as big as a man's hand was seen. Something was coming and despite protests to the contrary, Elijah saw beyond the realm of the physical and told Ahab to prepare.

That was it for me.

I know that God's promises are true. I know that He has things and gifts and dreams prepared for me, but I cannot take a back seat and wait around while He gets ready. I hear the sounds of battle! In this preparation, I don't want to be found lacking in anything. I don't want to be lukewarm. I want to fall irrevocably, wildly, madly in love. I have a mandate to prepare. I have a mandate to put on my armor. I have a mandate to fall on my face before Him and pray with fervent lips. And it will be a mad, mad love that drives me....

Jesus, give me grace.
Love you all.