know me by His scars.

Starting a blog in 2024. How original. Even the opening line. I’d guess at least 35% of new blogs these days have a similar one (completely made up statistic; I haven’t even read a new blog in ages, so my standard of making that number is really just fantasy). Will anyone ever read this? Will it get lost in the abyss of the Internet never to be seen again? Is it all vanity, as Solomon would say? 🤷‍♀️

Who knows! But the word must go forth, and the Internet is unarguably the greatest avenue of transporting information this world has ever seen.

If you know me at all, you know this time of my life is full of change. I don’t want to get too self-involved – there will be plenty of time for that in the future if that’s where Ruach Elohim (the Spirit of the Living God) leads one day. But for now, full transparency, here’s the basics:

• I really love Jesus.
• I’m officially in my 30’s now.
• I’m getting divorced (Colorado and an indisposed other party make this a very long and painful process).
• I have a 2.5-year-old wild and brilliant daughter.
• I’m living with my parents for the time being (good lawyers are crazy expensive, Colorado is crazy expensive, and I take full-time care of said 2.5-year-old on top of my almost full-time job).

I’m not saying this to look for pity, rather want the mercy upon mercy and grace upon grace that Yeshua (Jesus) daily offers me to be obvious and clear – simple and sincere, just like how He approaches us.

He gives us beauty for our ashes, joy for mourning, garments of praise instead of a spirit of despair. Instead of shame, a double portion and everlasting joy. Because of His great love for us, because He made us, names us His.

As in Luke 7, she who has been forgiven of much, loves much. I’ve loved Jesus for a long time, but there was also a time I walked contrary to His ways. Now I have a beautiful story of repentance, forgiveness, rescue, and redemption that He’s still working in every area of my life. He’s restoring the years the locusts have eaten abundantly, beyond measure. And my love for Him has grown exponentially in depth, in character.

Much forgiveness, much love, all fruits of His goodness.

The Spirit moves in and speaks to all of us differently, but for me, He tends to work in themes – really just pounds in whatever He’s giving me from every direction. I think because He knows exactly what a hard-learner I am and that I need His patient persistence to make it sink in.

Right now He’s bringing me back to Philippians 4:4-7.

• And 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17.
• And Proverbs 15:8,29.
• And James 1:5
• 2 Chronicles 6-7.
• 1 Kings 8.
• 1 Kings 19.
• 2 Kings 6:17-18.
• Nehemiah 1-2.
• Psalm 88:2.
• 1 John 3:19-24.
• 1 John 5:14-15.
• 1 Peter 3:12.
• Matthew 7:7-12.
• John 14:12-14.

I could go on, because there’s so much more (there always is – we could talk for days, weeks, years about Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah alone), but if you read even a handful of those, you’ll see the theme as clearly as I did.

Pray. Ask, seek, knock. It’s your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. But you need to ask for it. And be willing to receive.

There’s a minor theme in the background here of rejoicing with thanksgiving. That He is our joy. He is our strength.

We must intentionally keep Him at the forefront of our minds. Our minds like to be occupied, it is up to us to choose what occupies them. To conform them to the pattern of teaching that’s claimed our allegiance. To demolish the enemy’s strongholds. To take captive every thought and to bring them to obedience to Christ.

So today, I encourage you to press in, lean into Jesus, and see the abundant measure He will overflow into your life. He wants us to know Him, His heart, and when we look for Him, He promises we will find Him. Choose that today. Abide. Let Him make you something new too.

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1(NKJV)

Enjoy Jesus,

Emily