Hiding and yet Seeking

Here is Alivia at Disney World a few years ago trying to be cool as she sat on top of her Daddy's shoulders wearing his sunglasses. We were standing on the side of the street waiting for a parade to come around the corner.

Alivia knew there was a parade about to start, but she had no idea who was in it. If you notice in the picture above she has a sweatshirt on and a solemn look on her face.

Then the music could be heard and suddenly around that closely observed corner came a moving stage with the beautiful Belle from Beauty and the Beast standing on top of it waving to the crowd. It was a breathtaking sight to this little princess and she was beyond excited! She quickly handed her Daddy his sunglasses and frantically worked to get her sweatshirt off.

Before the parade passed her by, Alivia wanted the beautiful princess in the yellow dress to see that she was wearing a t-shirt with Belle's face on it.

Even though we were in a crowd with hundreds of excited little girls perched up on their Daddy's shoulders, Alivia felt noticed by Belle as she yelled down at me, "She saw me mommy!"

When Belle waved, it was at her.
When Belle looked into the crowd, Alivia was who she saw.

When Alivia shouted out Belle's name, it was her voice Belle heard.

Alivia took off the layers of clothing she had on so when Belle looked at her and saw her t-shirt, Belle saw her own reflection.

Belle's face was what covered Alivia's heart.

Even when Belle's float rounded the bend in the street and she was out of sight, Alivia felt like a Princess in her own right from just being in her presence. I love the sweet look on her face.

Pure joy.This past Tuesday was the launch of chapter 1 of the new YES to GOD blog study of the book, "Behind Those Eyes".

Chapter summary: Tough.

The flesh of me wants to keep the layered look going for as long as I can and the author of this book is challenging me to take them off and learn to become real before God.

I have to be honest with you.

I.

Don't.

Want to!!

I don't wanna take my sweatshirt off like Alivia did.

I find comfort in keeping covered.

It's what I know.

If I go with what my heart desires and learn how to get real with God, what if I don't like what I see under all these layers?

What if I'm not even close to being who I think I am?

What if God doesn't see His reflection across my heart?

If I allow Christ to strip away all of my comfort what or who will I turn to in times of doubt or stress?

How will I know that it will be Jesus coming around the corner on the float of faith?

When I call out His name...will my voice be heard?

Will He notice me?

Will I be seen by Him?

If He does see me, will He see pure joy on my face?

I don't know what lies ahead, but what I do know is I'm tired.

Tired of layering so you can't see the "real me".

Tired of hiding behind so much junk while genuinly trying to seek Him.

Tired of not giving Jesus free reign of and in my life.

These last few days I have shed many tears late into the early morning hours. Weighed down and heavy with exhaustion from doing life my way. It's been good.

I believe that God has not just thrown me into this study. I feel He has prepared me with the previous two studies that were done here on Tuesday's. He taught me how to say yes to Him and how to walk in faith with Him.

I feel a spiritual growth spurt coming on and I welcome any stretch marks that learning to be real with God will leave behind.

Ladies...if you are doing this blog Bible study with me on YES to GOD Tuesdays of "Behind Those Eyes", I want to encourage you to be like Alivia was on the side of the street at Disney World.

Wait on God.

Layers and all.

Then when you see Him, allow Him to peel those layers off.

Let Him see His own reflection across your heart.

And just like Alivia felt, we too will feel like a princess just from being in His presence.

I have no idea what is coming our way. All I know is that it has to be better than anything the enemy has ever offered us.

I told Lisa tonight on the phone that I was so glad I didn't read her book ahead of time because I might have gone against God's plans and chosen a different, easier study to do.

But truth be told as much as I'd rather keep coasting, I'm tired of easy.

I'm tired of being hidden behind a bunch of layers.

It's time to let God work in my life and let Himself be completely revealed.

In public and behind closed doors.

No more secrets.

No more pretending.

Just Jesus

Lisa Whittle, the God-chosen author of "Behind Those Eyes" has an encouraging word that God has given her to write specifically for you today. Please hop over to her blog by clicking here to read what God has spoken to her heart.

~Many Blessings~