Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Part Two: Open Your Hands

copyright 2004 Global Vision Resources from the Dream Giver workbook by Bruce Wilkinson
*In case you missed Part One of "Open Your Hands"

There wasn't a crowd to witness this divinely ordered moment. I was alone in a hotel room in Knoxville, TN preparing an assignment for the last day of Classervices, a conference for writers and speakers.

Attending this conference was a HUGE step of faith. Absolutely HUGE to me! Public speaking was never something I considered doing, but I knew the Lord had called me. Choosing not to lean on my own understanding in this, I began believing and walking in what the Lord said, letting Him direct this path.

As I drove to the conference, the Lord whispered, "Barbara, what do you want?" I was speechless. I had no immediate answer to His question, but I knew the importance of answering correctly. The Lord said something similar to Solomon in 1 Kings 3:55


At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream , and
God said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you."

Most of us at some point have thought about our 'three wishes' if we found a genie in a bottle. However, genies are not real. But Jesus IS. He's the Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace, Everlasting Father, Almighty God. He is the Living One. He was the One asking the question. With Him ALL things are possible. So.... what did I really want?

Many thoughts flooded my mind. I spent most of the drive seeking an answer to the question. I was listening to a well known Christian speaker on a CD. She made a statement about something in her life she wanted in her walk with the Lord. Immediately, I knew I was supposed to ask for the same kind of thing. She is clearly walking in her dream. Actually, I believe she flying more than she's walking. She's believing God...and He shines in her life. I pointed to my CD player and said, "That's it Lord. I want that with YOU."

As I was preparing my conference talk that evening, I picked up my book, The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson . I was flipping through the pages but came to a halt when I saw the picture on my post today. I had already read the book but I never noticed this picture.

Open hands, no longer empty. A feather was placed between them.

The Lord made His Presence known to me in my hotel room. I wasn't alone. In a holy moment, He showed me the feather. The Lord was saying YES to my request. The Dream Giver wanted to give me my dream. It was never my idea anyway. The dream was from Him. This was His plan all along.

A feather for my wings that would one day take flight.

And He will raise you up on eagles wings, bear you on the breathe of dawn, make you to shine like the Son and hold you, hold you in the palm of His hands.

B His Girl

15 comments:

  1. B, I am loving this! Great story. Tell me more.
    Melanie@Bella~Mella

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  2. B-- This is such a moving post! I love it and I love your passion!

    I was just telling someone the other day that the day Jesus became real and personal to me was at a youth camp when I prayed that same prayer. I was a believer but felt forgotten and passed over by Jesus. When I saw someone worshipping a person so passionately my heart ached, I prayed, "Lord, I want that." In an instant my heart responded to the love it had searched for my whole life. I was changed in one very fast heart beat and I've never been the same. That was 20 years ago this summer and I celebrate it everyday.

    These chick is finally ready to try out her wings!!

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  3. Barbara--thanks so much for sharing your testimony and inspiring the rest of us to fly also!

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  4. Barbara thank you so much for this post all I can say is Hallelujah. This touched me deep down in my soul. To know that one day we will fly away

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  5. I'm always amazed at how in sync your posts are with my thoughts or situations. Thanks B!

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  6. I have to add this. This part where you said "hold you in the palm of His hands" speaks to me. That is my visual view of Faith. When I felt like He was telling me to quit my job in Jan 2008 without anything else lined up and no other income, I told Him I would step (not jump) off this cliff and trust His hand to be there to hold me up. I have a mental picture of stepping into His unseen open hand.

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  7. This is a great story. Didnt' someone say that empty hands are open to God or something like that?

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  8. Barbara, what a beautiful encounter with our sweet Lord! Many times, I too have asked for the outpouring that I see of His Spirit on other peoples lives. Empty hands can hold so many blessings! Fly dear one, fly!
    Lora

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  9. How wonderful to feel the Lord asking what YOU want. Unfortunately, or fortunately, He knows what I want. I feel like a little child who keeps asking for a cookie. Yet I know this "cookie" of which I am asking is for His glory, my good, and will testify to all the earth of His power, I mean power...like raising the dead power.

    Thanks for your visit and most precious comments on my blog. It's refreshing to have a new visitor. I hope you will return.
    Sweet blessings,
    Paula

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  10. Wow, B! I love what Paula says, about asking for a cookie! Me? I feel more like Goldilocks: This one's too soft...This one's too hard...

    Fickle, I am.

    But yes--He is what I want!

    Love reading your story.

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  11. I love that GOD speaks to us in such personal ways. This is a beautiful example of offering ourselves to Him, along with our dreams, and watch Him work in amazing ways.

    Thank you for sharing and also for visiting my blog.

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  12. As another who had never considered public speaking, I enjoy reading your story.

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  13. I have had the same experience. God is so awesome!

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  14. Oh - what GOD will go and do! Today was a feather day. Feather clouds were spread across the sky. That means He's been covering me with His wings today! Getting me ready to FLY when He pushes me out of the nest!

    Looking UPward and Choosing JOY,
    Stephanie
    [Time to FLY]
    Better late - than never!

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