Walk-About!

There are many types of way to walk with God... but literally walking along side of Him is always awesome!
Last Sunday afternoon some members of my church met on our new property to worship, and prayerwalk the property as we look to break ground in the next few days. It was hot. Humid. Kind of a stagnant feeling in the air - not to mention that we had to come through the neighboring cemetery since the property has no official entrance yet... all together not the most inspirational start some might say - one of those "some" being me at that time :)
We gathered at the parameter as folks were arriving. Chatting, joking, making fun of Alex. We had all been asked to bring shovels, trowels, hoes, etc as we would break the ground first together ourselves. Alex brought a sickle. Yes, a sickle. He stood there holding a huge sickle at the edge of a cemetery looking like a young tall sun glass wearing Grim Reaper - it was hilarious.
Our pastors daughter, Erin, brought a shovel head. Just the head - no handle attached. Also hilarious and worthy of a few jokes at her expense.
We then walked to the highest point of the property as a few members of our praise team lead some acoustic worship songs. Again - it was sunny, hot, and humid. Pastor Scott then began to speak, to share how we got to this point, shared some scripture. As he spoke I felt just a slight change in the air - just a quick wisp of wind. He shared something unexpected for the occasion (seemingly so at first anyway, more on that in another entry later), so my attention began to shift a little. You know, when something just a tad out of the norm happens, you pay a little more attention.
We spread out, broke ground, placed some of the dirt in vials we could take home to pray over on our own and met again on the slight hill.
I looked around as we all came together again. A few goose bumps on my arms rose up.
David and the guitars began again. This time it felt a little different.
God, are you here I asked quietly inside? Are you purposefully here with us?
David and the guys began another song, "How Great Is Our God".
I heard something and looked up. The wind appeared in the tops of the tallest trees closest to us, began to blow to the point of hearing it overhead, above the voices singing. God immediately brought to my heart and mind "My Father takes great delight in me and quiets me with His love and rejoices over me with singing." Zephaniah 3:17
Was He singing with me? With us?
As I opened my heart to Him more in that moment, to what He wanted to say to me, that verse and others began to flood over me... He sings over me, He dances over me, His angels are all around me! But not like in that worship song we sing at church sometimes - not this time, because I COULD hear the sound!
As I closed my eyes and raised my voice and my heart to Him the winds increased in the trees, the sound became louder and the winds dropped down lower where I could feel the air meet the perspiration on my skin, on my face and arms and neck.
So sweet was that moment - He's here!
The temperature around us dropped just slightly. Pastor Scott finished by asking us to break up as individuals, couples, groups, however we wished and we were going t saturate and cover the property and pray.
As I took my husband Todd's hand and walked to one side, I asked in my heart "God, will you walk with me a little while, let me hear you just a little longer?"
It was incredible... as we quietly walked praying silently the wind moved over to the side of the property we were on and began to move through the trees next to us! It literally followed us as we walked - blowing through the trees and underbrush and over our parched skin like a cool mist almost... twice we stopped next to the tree line looking out through the dogwoods and red buds on the far edge and it seemed to hover exactly where we were as if waiting in us! I can't speak to what Todd was sharing in that moment with our God - He was having his own in is own personal conversation - but my heart was absolutely bursting in that most precious exchange between me and my Lord!
He told me how much He loved me, desired to be with me, how He wished I knew just how precious I was, and I shared with Him my desire to be with Him more, my prayer not just that our church, but that I myself, would be a city on a hill for Him! The most amazing part about the whole thing? He rejoiced in that encounter with me!
The rest of our time and conversation together I will cherish in my heart - but friends, what a exquisite time I had with Him as we walked and talked.
That's really what He desires - just to simply be alone with us, to talk, share a personal, intimate, and special time that is ours alone.
You know, we spend our lives desperately craving and wanting others on this earth to share that type of relationship with - how is it that we forget so easily that we are created in His image? Why don't we once and for all get the fact that He made us that way because He designed us to have that relationship first with Him? The creator of the universe craves the chance just to tell you how much He loves you! So walk with Him, talk with Him, listen to what He wants to say - there will never be a sweeter voice tell you how much you are loved!