Welcome to our newly named blog called Abiding Space. Our Drawing Near to God community is launching our changes this week to include our new website, new offerings and lots of exciting ways for us to connect with each other. Let’s face it, we need connection now more than ever. We have been experiencing the effects of isolation due to COVID 19 and we have been unsettled and broken hearted over the horrific act of violence against George Floyd- a man created in God’s image and loved by Him. We have experienced turmoil in our hearts and a desire to right the wrong- to find a cure for the virus and a cure for our hearts. We are not only in the midst of a physical pandemic, we are in the midst of a spiritual pandemic. Many of us are in need of heart surgery. I have had to examine my heart to insure that I am following Jesus in visible ways; that the fruit of my life is evidenced by good deeds and love for God and my neighbor. I have come up short in my evaluation. 

But God…. 

He turns all things for good. It is time for a reset friends. A reset of our hearts, a reset for our communities, and for our nation. Last week I posted a letter that I wrote to our Drawing Near Community. I suggested that we cannot legislate love or justice; that this is an issue of the heart. To expand on this however, we must also understand that righteousness and justice are like two twin towers. We need legislation, but without heart engagement the law will test our hearts and our hearts may fail the test. 

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. (Psalm 89:14)

Yesterday my husband was looking at the paint colors I chose to paint a room in my house. He said it would be a good idea if we made sure that the colors we were viewing were accurate and that we use a device to calibrate colors on our computer. I had no idea there was such a thing and have yet to investigate, but it made me think about my own heart amidst the stress of our times.

Am I loving God with all of my heart? Or am I loving Him when it is convenient? 

Am I loving my neighbor as myself? Or do I love myself and am not concerned about my neighbor? 

As I reflected on something the Lord dropped into my heart concerning revival a few months ago, it has all come together. He told me that we do not need to simply pray for revival; we need to become revival. In other words, it is not about what we do but who we become. God will turn things around for good when we allow Him to turn our hearts. The Word says that our hearts are deceitful above all things. Only the Lord, the Holy Spirit can re calibrate our hearts. 

As the community of Drawing Near is in a reset, we hope to be able to position ourselves to connect with you and help you on your journey to loving the Lord with all of your heart and loving your neighbor as yourself. We believe that after 20 years of serving our community and beyond, that now more than ever we need one another to focus on growing in our relationship with the Lord and becoming the city on a hill shining and lighting up our world with the hope of Christ.