You all know this by now.
Sometimes, I just want to write
Without worrying if it’s right or not.
Would you believe I’ve found a place that offers me that kind of grace?
Over at Lisa-Jo’s.
So I will join others and write unabashedly
for five minutes time.
Without editing or backtracking
On one word alone:
WELCOME
I’m not sure any of us deserve it. We all have a little prodigal within us, don’t you think? Unworthy could be any of our middle names.
Still He loves us…
Yet we all like to hide behind closed doors. Maybe ashamedness is a better name for what we see in the mirror. This feeling we get when we listen to what’s being shoved in our faces. It begins to consume.
Still He offers forgiveness…
So there we stand behind the walls we’ve built. We pace and we fret and we stew over something so minute. Because it’s a boulder to us. An ache we can’t ignore. Forgetting doesn’t seem to be an option. He must be mistaken.
Still He offers distance. As far as the east is from the west…
No, that can’t be right. This Sunday School story doesn’t apply to me. This life we’ve lived is too real to let go of.
Still He knocks…
Friend, if you were to ever ask me, I wouldn’t be able to explain it to you. This upside down kingdom of grace. But I can tell you with all certainty it’s real. I’ve experienced it and pray you can say the same.
This powerful thing called grace. Yes, it’s hard to grasp, oh but once you catch on. Just…don’t ever let it go.
The beauty of it all? We don’t have to understand it. We simply need to believe it’s real. Accept that He loves you relentlessly. So much so He thought you were worth dying for. Don’t worry. He knows what He’s getting into you. Friend, He knows you.
Still He saves…
And if you stop long enough and listen, you’ll hear it. His soft taps. His whispers of love. Yes, that’s Him. Pursuing you. I know because He pursues me, too.
All you have to do is let Him in. And say…
Welcome. Stay awhile…
Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Revelation 3:20
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Would you like to play along?
Join in on the Five Minute Friday Flash Mob!
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How about you? How do you welcome Him in? Or how do you describe grace? I’d love to hear.
Thanks for sharing your time with me.
Simply striving,
Nikki
Are we friends on Facebook? I’d love to be…
Thank you for how you welcome so may with your words. Always pointing to the Father, showing us glimpses of His grace, truth and beauty. So thankful I got to chat for a bit tonight at the #FMFParty, even if I was confused 🙂
You’re so cute, Barbie! (I wouldn’t have known you were confused, you did great! That’s a fast flying party…)
And thank you, friend. And if that’s all that was ever said about me at the end of my days here, that I showed glimpses of grace and truth, I would think it was a job well done! Barbie, just so you know, I say the same thing about you…
I love the way you show the relentless love of God so clearly here – not just in your words, but in your heart behind it. I love both 🙂
And I love that you can see my heart, Tanya! So blessed by you. Thanks for stopping by!
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Nikki, this is truly beautiful! You did this in 5 minutes!?!? You had to be divinely inspired. Lovely. Just lovely. Welcome…stay awhile – I love that!
Mary, you are so kind to me! I look at this write and can tell I wrote it in 5 minutes it’s so all over the place. But you…you just read my heart so well… Thank you, friend.
Hi Nikki, every day I am learning that grace is so much deeper than I thought. So much deeper. I remember being a young Christian and naively thinking I was full of grace. Oh the lessons I have learned! Have a great day at school. We have all kinds of unexpected interruptions today….giving myself grace to not fret, I hope.
Oh we are so kindred, Laura! I remember being “full of it” too. So thankful I see a little more clearly now. Makes me realize I truly am on my way Home. I’d love to have a light school day today, but this chilly weather might give me the drive I need to press through!
Hugs to you!
Thats impressive in 5 minutes:)…wonderful words and truth here…it dove tails with what I wrote of today…have a great weekend…blessings~
You are so kind to me, Ro. I look at this write and see it’s all over the place, but you read my heart. What a gift you are!
Enjoy your weekend, too, friend!
(and friend….your URL is welcome here. please feel free to leave it. I’m adding it today because I’d love it if people stopped by your place!)
Perfect verse and I love the “Welcome. Stay awhile.” 🙂
Thank you, Laurie! That is the verse that popped in my head when I saw the prompt for some reason…I tried to do it justice. ; )
You did well!
How beautiful to think that because of grace, not because of who we are or something special we did but only because of Who He Is… we are welcome.
Blessed by your words today.
Joy
You have such a gift of summarizing what I struggle to say in more words, Joy. Yes, it is a beautiful thought it has nothing to do with me…and everything to do with His grace. Enjoy your weekend!
will you stop making me cry already?! 🙂 love it!
Yes, I’m done! 😉 You’re so great, Shannon. Enjoy your weekend!
silly girl 😉 love you so! 🙂
Love this. The upside down grace and whispers of love. Sweetness. Happy Friday. 🙂 Glad to have ‘met’ you last night at the #FMFParty. 🙂
I’m so thrilled you stopped by #FMFParty last night so I knew to meet you, Karen! Thanks for joining us, for stopping by…hope you do both again real soon! 😉
Ok…I like your welcome better than mine. Mine is the here and now; your’s is forever! And yes…this message did pertain to me, no denying that fact! 😉 Blessings to you sister!
You’re adorable…cuz I like yours! seriously have been singing all day long 😉
Once again, you’ve blessed me, my friend. I look forward to these Fridays to see what direction you’ve been aimed by your heart. Invariably it’s away from our selves, and toward the Father loving us through His Son.
So humbled by your words, Donna. Thank you. I know I’ve said it before. He’s all that’s beautiful within me…and I sure strive to reflect Him.
Enjoy your weekend, friend! Good to see you again.
You are one beautiful Ambassador for His kingdom in all you say, in all you write and in how you love.
Such an encourager…it must be one of your gifts?
Thank you, friend. I’m honored to spread His word!
Sweet Nikki, how winsome you are for Him and His glory. May God pour out favor on your heart’s words and may He gather in a greater harvest because of your love for HIm.
What a blessing you are, Tobi. Thank you!
(and for the record, I would be honored to have someone meet you and stop by your encouraging place by way of Simplystriving. Your URL is welcome here any time! so I added it) 🙂
Enjoy your weekend and am so thrilled you joined up this week!
His whispers of love…the grace that He pursues me even though He know everything about me…staggering…thank you, Nikki, for pointing once again to Him…praying you have a blessed weekend with your sweeties 🙂
Thank you, friend. I’ll stop by your place!
I love this. I adore your heart. Your writing is always so insightful. Lovely. Truthful of heart. I applaud that. I celebrate His work within you. Beauty. 🙂
I’m still soaking in your write, friend. And your heart. thank you for stopping by…
and trusting you heal quickly! will be praying for you…
I love the way He pursues. Sometimes gentle and prodding at our hearts, sometimes relentless like the jeolous God He is, but always with great love and mercy for our souls. Yes, so very thankful for the grace He gives and the welcome into His fold. Awesome write tonight/today Nikki. Loved it.
Oh yes…the jealous God. I have felt Him lately. Thank you for stopping by, friend. Love your encouragement. Hugs to you!
This is so beautiful, Nikki. He welcomes us despite what our fears say. May we embrace the welcome and extend it to others!
YES! I was hoping I would get to explaining how we can then extend the welcome…but ran out of time 😉 Thanks for stopping by, Tereasa! Always blessed by you.
Yes! I truly appreciate your take on “welcome” this week. Your style of writing always makes me smile. God had truly blessed you with a gift, girl!
I don’t deserve you, Jenni. Thank you! Thrilled you stopped by!
You always bless me. I was so proud of all of you that stayed up and wrote after our #fmfparty! I’m so encouraged and blessed by the words all centering around welcome. Girl – and that you do!!! You welcome me each time I come to visit here. It’s a blessings beyond measure. Love ya
I can see how this didn’t fit with your theme this week…bummer! But am so thrilled you participated with #FMFParty! 😉 How about next week?
We all have a little prodigal in all of us? Yes we do and thankful that God welcomes me with open arms. You have such a gift. Be blessed:)
You my sweet friend are such a blessing. Your words so touch my heart speaking of His grace that flows so freely. Thank you. Blessings!