Dance of Love; Dance of War

Desiree’ walked back to her room and rested for a while. The battle had left her feeling somewhat weary. After only a moment’s rest, she drifted off into a deep, deep sleep. During her sleep, Desiree’ dreamed that one of Jehovah’s messengers, a huge, shining angel, touched her lightly on her cheeks, imparting strength and vitality into her frame once more. She stirred, waking gradually, and realized that the overwhelming tiredness that had overcome her earlier had left. Indeed she had been strengthened as she slept.

As she awoke more completely out of sleep now, her eyes fell upon a beautiful golden scroll that lay at the end of the white, silken coverings she lay upon.

What could this be? she mused. Leaning over, she reached for the scroll, untying the golden ribbon that circled it.

An Invitation to Dine with the King.

What could be the purpose of this special invitation?

She hastily jumped off the bed. There isn’t much time now, she thought, as she began rummaging through her wardrobe to find attire suitable for dining with the King.

She finally chose an elegant cream linen dress, that was beautifully overlaid with lace made from cream silken threads. The silken threads shimmered in the moonlight as she gracefully made her away across the courtyard to the Royal Dining Room.

The Royal Dining Room was exquisite to say the least. The deep cherry wood of the dining setting was perfectly off-set by the crisp white linen tablecloths and napkins. Silver candlesticks shone and glittered in the flickering candlelight, while golden bowls of deep red, perfumed rose petals added splashes of color to the table.

The King rose from His seat as she entered, beckoning to her to join Him at the table. ‘Dinner will be served shortly,’ He said. ‘I imagine you must be wondering why I have invited you to dine with Me this evening.’ He said, with a smile that made Desiree’ wonder why she had ever felt nervous at all about dining with the King.

‘Yes, My King. I have wondered what this invitation could mean from the moment I received it.’

‘Do you know what your name means Desiree?’ asked the King.

‘No, My Lord. I do not.’

‘It means ‘Desired’ or ‘Longed for’, and true to your name, you have desired to know Me; you have desired to serve Me and to follow Me. Your heart has been faithful and loyal and true, and I have loved you. For this reason, I have invited you here tonight because I wish to speak to you of new things I am going to show you, because of your great love for Me. I desire to teach you to dance; both the dance of love and the dance of war.’

‘What do these dances mean My Lord?’

‘The dance of love is the dance of worship. It will propel you into My very presence where you will begin to experience the glory of My heavenly places. It’s a dance that reflects my glory in the earth and the wonder and the beauty of My Kingdom to those who participate in the dance.’

‘Then what is the dance of war My King?’

‘The dance of war is the dance that deflects My enemies. Many Warrior Princes and Princesses have learned to use this dance very skillfully down through the ages. It’s a dance that creates fear and terror in the heart of every enemy. The presence of the enemy cannot withstand the power of this dance. The dance of war releases power to dismantle the gates of the enemy. Many Warriors have learned of it’s power, and have used it effectively to bring down evil Kingdoms.’

‘It was the dance of Miriam; the dance of Deborah; the dance of the daughters of Jerusalem. Many have participated in this dance to see their enemies soon thereafter fall.’

‘How shall I know the steps of each dance, My Lord?’

‘My presence will lead you; My presence will teach you the ways of the dance.’

But come now. Let’s eat. Our dinner is served. After we’ve eaten, I’ll show you your first steps.’

Together they ate and talked of many things that were yet to come. When Desiree’ was in His presence she felt somehow enlightened; the very sound of His voice thrilled her. But it was more than just that. There were deep longings that stirred within her heart when He spoke. She found her heart rejoicing with the things that captivated Him. It was like her heart was altogether swallowed up by the largeness of the things He spoke of.

He spoke of better things to come. He spoke of a day where peace would once and forever fill the new heavens and new earth. And she knew that she would fight for Him always; fight until this new day had finally come.

The meal was now ended and Desiree’ felt completely satiated; both by the fine dining and the richness of their conversation.

‘Please will you dance with Me, My sweet Desiree?’ asked the King, as He moved away from the table.

‘Yes. Of course, My King.’ she said.

And with that He lead her into the adjoining ballroom, and there began one of the most momentous occasions of Desiree’s life.

As they began to dance, the room suddenly filled with the most wonderful music Desiree’ had ever heard. It caught at her heart strings and lifted her immediately into a place of such wonder. She began to notice that the entire room was filling with something else. There was a pale golden light that had filled the room. It touched everything. Her hair glistened in the pale golden light; her dress brightened; her skin shone in the lustre of this golden light.

‘What is this light, My Lord?’

It’s the reflection of My glory. Your eyes have been opened so that you can now see it.’

‘Why, it’s captivating My Lord.’ she said.

‘This is the dance of love, and it releases My glory in the earth. When you dance this dance of love, many shall feel My presence and be glad. It will cause many to desire My presence as you have desired it Desiree’.’

‘The dance of love will also become an expression of your love for Me. Whenever you dance this dance of love, My heart smiles within Me, for I know this is your way of sharing your ardent desire for Me. ‘

With that the King took her up in His arms once more and lead her across the floor. Desiree’s heart felt like it would simply burst at the wonder of Him. Golden speckles of glory now flickered all around them as they danced. It felt almost like warm honey all around them. It would be a night that Desiree’ would always remember.

As the night came to an end, the King took Desiree’s arm and said, ‘Tomorrow, I will teach you to dance the dance of war.’

Desiree’s dreams that night were filled with images of the dance of war. As she awoke, she had a pretty good idea what the day had in store for her, so she arose excitedly, and was even more pleased when she saw the apparel that the King had chosen for her.

Across the end of her bed was a smart pair of pants and a crisp white shirt. Next to these was laid a very beautiful Princess Warrior belt, studded with diamonds and joined at either end by a golden clasp in the shape of a warring eagle.

As she viewed herself in the mirror it suddenly dawned on her - she really was becoming a Warrior Princess. So much had happened since she first came to this place to fight for the King. At first she had just been a frightened child, looking to find peace and security in the arms of the King. Now as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, she could could no longer see the face of a child. Instead she saw the heart of a Warrior; a servant of the King.

This post is an excerpt from 'Warrior Princess' by Kerrie Christensen, available at www.riversliving.com in hardcover and E-Book.

The Wonder of Springtime!

Springtime is such a wonderful time! The birds flit and fly jubilantly amongst the blossoms singing a joyful tune. Then they career madly about, coming in for a final dive into the bird bath, where they splash about just for the sheer joy of it!!!

The flowers begin to bloom and, my oh my, they're just so exquisitely splendid. The bees hum a merry song as they frollick in amongst their pollen, and the butterflies dance and flitter about, so wild and so free!

If I had to sum up springtime with just one word, it would have to be, JOY!!!

Here's a little sample of the joy of springtime that's recently come to my garden ......

Enjoy!

   

 My lover spoke and said to me, "Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me. See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.  Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.  The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me."   Song of Solomon 2:10-13.

You're the God who stills the waters

Woke up in the wee hours of this morning with these verses running through. They're really a culmination of everything that God's been speaking to my spirit in the past few weeks. Hope you enjoy.

You’re the God who stills the waters

You’re the God who calms the seas

You’re the God who wrought me intricately

Deep within my mother’s womb

You’re the God of Elijah

Of Daniel and Ezekiel too

You’re the God who speaks to the dry bones

You’re the God of mighty breakthrough

A pillar of cloud for direction by day

A column of fiery light for the night

You’re the God whose fiery presence

Lit up an entire mountaintop

You’re the God who said to Lazarus

‘Come forth’, out of your earthly tomb

Shed your old burial bandages

Arise into a life that’s brand new

You’re the God of the impossible

Who brought forth water out of a rock

The God who releases living streams

Of abundance, healing and life

You’re the God who quietens the turbulent seas

Who says to the storm, ‘Peace be still’

You’re the God who speaks and all around

Hushes to hear Your whispers

Your’e the God who caused the Red Sea

To recede by a mighty east wind

To bring Your peope into victory

A place of great peace and freedom

Living streams in the desert

An endless miraculous supply

The God who works everything together perfectly

For those who love and serve You

In You I never have to fear

In You all my dreams can come true

You are My refuge and my strength

I lean, rely upon and completely trust You

I’ll serve you each and every day

I’ll praise you all the night long

I’ll give you all the glory you deserve

God of wonder; God of miracles

Warrior Princess

A Vision of Beauty

She stood with her foot resting upon the steps that lead to the Palace of the King; a vision of surreal beauty; long, silken raven hair that swayed and billowed gently as light winds plucked and pushed at it; glistening armour that shone brightly as the dazzling rays of the sun caught and cascaded down upon the jewelled diamante that held her armour in place. She was a vision of splendor; breathtaking really, possessing a regal posture that spoke of the royalty and favour that had been bestowed upon her by the King.

Everyone knew that Desiree’ simply adored the King. It was as if her whole being was one large, beating heart, full of love for her one desire; the King of all Kings. She radiated His beauty; His love for her was reflected in the deep, shadowy pools of her eyes. His smile; His graciousness flickered about her lips as she spoke highly of Him. In her eyes, there was no other for her than Him.

As beautiful as she was, life had not always been pretty for this young warrior Princess. She had known heartache; the valley of despair. Pain had shot through her heart like the fiery dart of a piercing arrow. No-one could ever know nor realize the depths of pain that she had been transported to, when her heart was young, vulnerable, timid and afraid.

Others had betrayed her; hurt her; wounded her, until her youthful innocence and naivety was shattered beyond repair. How would she ever put together again the broken pieces of what was once her heart?

Only One knew. Only One could help her to forgive; to cleanse the ravagement of what time, man and meanness had done to her. His name was Jehovah and He drew her to His heart, where tenderness and the warmth of His embrace were enough to comfort the rawest, exposed places in her heart.

He said to her fondly, ‘My Word is your strength and I am your shield.’ And He healed the arrow wound that had festered in her heart. She clung to Him; clung to that strength that He spoke so tenderly of. And little by little, she noticed that His strength was becoming her own. Little by little the strength of His words entered her heart, and she became whole again.

Jehovah was mighty; all powerful; majestic and brave. He was a Man of War; the Commander-in-Chief of the most brilliant of armies. He was a warrior alright. Everyone knew that all heaven trembled at the very sound of His name. Fearful in battle; wondrous in might; just one look at Him and His enemies shrank in fright. No-one would dare rouse His anger; indeed His presence was as a consuming fire.

Yet as He looked upon Desiree’ now, His eyes held no flame of judgement; just a flood of pure, sweet love. Her love had captured His heart; she had tapped into the very deepest pools of His heart by her desire for Him. He knew that she loved Him. He knew that she would do anything for Him. He only had to say the word, and she would obey.

Pain had taught her to run to Him. Pain had taught her to drink tenderly of His love, so that she could be restored. Pain had driven her heart towards Him. And He knew it. So great was the love that she held for Him.

He said to her tenderly, ‘Would you fight for Me? Would you join the fiercest of armies to declare the Wonders of the King? Would you do this for Me? Does your heart yearn so much for Me that you would give up all to fight for My cause? Would you do this one thing?’

And in her heart, Desiree’ knew straight away that she would. She would do anything, go anywhere, climb any hill, ascend any mountain, just to be near Him; to hear His voice; to obey His every command. Such was the love that beat within this young warrior.

‘Anything for You, My Lord, My King.’ ‘I’ll do anything. You speak the word. My heart will obey, for I’ve fallen tremendously in love with You, My King.’

Set me like a seal upon your heart, like a seal upon your arm; for love is as strong as death, jealousy is as hard and cruel as Sheol (the place of the dead). Its flashes are flashes of fire, a most vehement flame [the  very flame of the Lord]! Song of Solomon 8:6

Run to the Battle

Jehovah looked magnificent; clad in battle armour shiny and bright. He looked tenderly upon His young Warrior Princess and said, ‘Go over there to yonder wall and fight.’ It was like Desiree’s heart now was a huge, blazing fire; consumed with His zeal; consumed with His wrath. She grabbed her bow and blazing arrow and entered the fight. From the vast panoramic view that the high stone wall of the fortress afforded, Desiree’ looked down upon the sea of enemy warriors
that advanced below. There must have been hundreds of them, rushing towards the wall below.

She caught her breath momentarily, and then fired arrow after arrow at the tiny specks below. Her hair flailed wildly about her; her armour glistened and sparkled in the rays of the now-setting sun.

Wearied from the fight, Desiree’ moved away from the high stone wall and crawled up the grassy hill to a place out of sight. As she moved through the soft, downy grass, she noticed small crumbly potholes hidden in the grass. She prayed fervently, ‘Lord, protect me from the traps and the potholes of the enemy. Help me to see when he’s trying to deceive me. Help me to see when he’s planted snares to try and trap me.’

At once, He was by her side. ‘This is what I want you to do.  Encourage the leaders and strengthen the weak.’

Fired with fresh vision, Desiree’ knew that her training had just begun.

This is an excerpt from the book, 'Warrior Princess', available as a hard cover book or E-book from our webstore: Rivers of Living Water Web Store

Wind Surfer, Wave Rider

This is a song I wrote some months ago and it's one of my favorites. I was working out at the gym, when all of a sudden, the overwhelming presence of the Lord flooded my soul, and this song began to form. I sank to my knees in the gym and just let the amazing love of the Lord wash over me.

Wind Surfer, Wave Rider

Wind Surfer, Wave Rider
Catches the breeze
Wind Surfer, Wave Rider
Ride close to Me
Stir your heart; bestir yourself
Come capture me

Swept along on the waves of Your deep
Your love beckons; calls to me
Arms outstretched and heart aglow
You bring me near
Catch me in the fire of Your love

Speak to me Your treasures deep
Speak to me Your precious things
Unveil my eyes; let me see
The beauty of who You are deep within

Pick me up Jesus
Carry me away
On ocean breezes Your song to hear
Whisper in my ear Your love for me

Winds change; a new season come
Pick me up on the winds of Your love
Carry me to where I know I can fly
Over the waves and into the sky
Summer breezes come; lifting me up
Until I stand in the shadow of the One I love

Cloud Rider; Surfer of the Skies
On ocean breezes let me ride
To places unseen; places unknown
Roads less travelled; paths unlocked
Places prepared; journeys of the heart
That whisper, beckon
And tell me of Your love

Jesus, you fill my life with wonder.
You give me life and breath.
I'm forever grateful.
For the wonder of your love.

Fave Snaps of Kalbarri, Western Australia!

We recently celebrated 30 years of marriage, and to celebrate, we drove up to Kalbarri, Western Australia, where we spent our honeymoon 30 years ago! It was a lot of fun. We visited all our old haunts and swam until our skin was dimpled!

Here are some of my favorite places ever in Kalbarri!

And here were just a few picturesque scenes on the way home:

Aaaaaaagh, Australia, such a lovely country!