(Song of Songs 2:10 NIV- My Beloved spoke and said to me, “Arise, My darling, My beautiful one, come with Me.)
My one word to focus on for this year is “be”. As I was spending the last few hours of 2015 entering into 2016 praying and just soaking in The Presence of God, He whispered to my heart, “Just simply be with Me.”. And so, my only focus this year is to just continually and intimately “be” with Him— reveling in His Presence and getting to know more of His heart every single day.
I’ve been meditating on the entire Song of Songs for the last couple weeks and if you’re a regular here at “AS-KS”, you know that my heart delights in intimacy with The Lord. But the reason today’s focal verse truly echoed within my spirit is because a few months ago, The Lord said to me, “I’m taking you higher in Me.” and so as soon as I read— My Beloved spoke and said to me, “Arise, My darling, My beautiful one, come with Me”, those words came alive to me because the deeper The Lord allows me to experience Him and to know His heart— He’s still always in the midst sweetly and gently whispering to my soul, “And yet, there is deeper still. Come away with Me, my Love.” .
There have been days when I’m cooking or just doing simple chores and He’ll say, “Come be with Me.”. You would think that if The Lord calls you to the secret place it’s because there’s something urgent on His heart that He’s longing to share with you. Well, in my experience, sometimes that’s true and I love those moments, but sometimes it’s not and I love those moments even more because sometimes He just simply wants to be with me and know that I’ll be obedient when He calls.
I’m sharing this with you guys because I want you to know that mere words cannot express how deep The Lord’s love is for you. You are His most treasured. His heart desires and delights in simply being with you. (Song of Songs 7:10 NIV- I belong to my Beloved, and His desire is for me.)
And as His beloved, He lovingly calling out to you, “Smile, My beautiful one. Come away with Me, My Love.”.
Abba, today and everyday forth, our hearts will fearlessly and faithfully respond to the deep in You whispering to the deep within us to come closer. I ask that as You continually draw us near to Your heartbeat that You would give us a divine understanding of Who You are as The Lover of our souls and what it truly means to be Your beautiful ones. We are endlessly grateful for Your perfect, unconditional love for us. Lord, we love You, we exalt You, and we are lovers of Your Holy Presence. In the name of Jesus Christ, Your precious Son, and our Lord and Savior— I pray, Amen and so be it.
The song below is my go-to song to sing to The Lord when I just want Him to know that I love Him and He’s on my heart. I encourage you to listen first and then sing along as token of affection from your heart to His.
Dear Hearts, welcome to week 14 of the “Fridays Are For Faith ‘n Friends” blog hop! I’m so happy to have you guys join me today and I pray that you were truly blessed by today’s message. Also, know that I am available to pray with or for you all throughout the day and you can contact me for prayer anytime by clicking here.
Happy Friday! I love you guys!
Believe, Be Beautiful, Be Brilliant, and Be Blessed! 🙂
Faith ‘n Friends Blog Hop
We’re so glad you’re here!
This is a place to share faith, make friends, and have fun.
Hosts
Faith ‘n Friends – Blog / Facebook / Twitter
Deb Wolf – Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest
Tai East –
Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / YouTube / Instagram /
Patti Krank – Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest
Susan Shipe – Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest
by Betsy de Cruz @ Faith Spilling Over
“Waking Up to the Awesome Wonder of God“
Thank you so much for joining the “Faith ‘n Friends” Blog Hop, Betsy!
The Rules
1.) Follow your hosts via their blog and/or social media channels.
This is not mandatory, but appreciated!
2.) Leave 1-2 of your most recent faith/life posts.
We reserve the right to delete posts that are deemed inappropriate.
3.) Visit 1-2 other links and leave a meaningful comment!
We want to encourage friendship, so please don’t link and run!
4.) All links are randomly sorted – so link as early or as late as you’d like.
The playing field is even!
Each host will choose one link to feature and promote via their social media channels next week.
In order to be featured next week:
Grab a button or link back to Faith ’n Friends.
This is not mandatory to participate, but is required to be featured.
By linking up you agree to let the hosts use your post image
if you are chosen as next week’s feature.
Please link back to the host or Grab the Button
and join the link-up below.
Yes Abba! AMEN! love Your sweet heart sister , you are such a jewel ❤️
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Awww! Thank you so much, Dannette and likewise, beautiful friend! GOD bless you, Love! *HUGS* 🙂
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Beautiful true post sister, I only pray that I could spend such quality time with God as you do!
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Thank you, sweet Isabelle! And know that you can, my Love. HIS loving arms are always waiting to draw you near. GOD bless you, beautiful friend! 🙂
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Such a beautiful “one word”, sweet Tai! OH, to be in His presence is the most fullness of joy! I know what you mean exactly…so many times, I will be in the kitchen in the midst of working, and I will feel His sweet Spirit beckoning me to come aside and rest and pray. Communion with Him is the sweetest part of this life. I think often of the song, “Sweet Hour of Prayer”, in the last verse where it says, “And shout while passing through the air, farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!” It always makes me a bit sad to think of not having those precious times with Jesus anymore, and then it hits me, I will not need to pray then…for I will be forever at His feet for eternity where I can gaze continually upon His wonderful face!!! Oh, the joys our loved ones must be experiencing in His presence! So many reasons to keep pressing on for Him and enduring the cross an despising the shame. Heaven will surely be worth it all! Happy New Year to you, sweet friend, and God bless you abundantly!! 🙂
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Cheryl, I just love you! Every word you’ve spoken is beautifully true, sweet Sister. Oh, there is absolutely nothing that compares to HIS PRESENCE! And it’s always more precious to me when HE summons me to commune with HIM. Thank you so much for sharing your heart and for visiting with me today, beautiful friend! GOD bless you, Love! 🙂
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Oh, my! I just tried to leave a very long comment, and it seems that it has disappeared!! So frustrating! Anyhow, thank you for your wonderful words today, and I trust God will bless you with a wonderful new year, sweet friend. 🙂 Sending you much love and many hugs!
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I got your first comment, Lovely. I have to approve all comments before they will actually show up for you to see them. Hope you’re having a wonderful new year as well, Dear Heart! Love, hugs, and infinite blessing to you! 🙂
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Trying one more time!!! LOL! This is my 3rd time trying to leave a comment, and it is not going through…just wishing you a happy new year, sweet friend. Much love to you!
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Awww! Cheryl, you are so precious! I’ve received your comments, Beautiful! Thank you! I’m fixing to email you in just a few minutes! Love you! 🙂
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Thank you so very much for linking up, sweet Martha! GOD bless you, beautiful friend! 🙂
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Oh Tai! Yes God has our hearts aligned this week! Sweet hugs my precious friend. Love you. Susan
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HE most certainly did! I just love that. 🙂
Thank you for visiting with me, Love! I love you too and I’m praying infinite blessings over you, beautiful friend! 🙂
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Love this, Tai. I have been going through Song of Songs too…in trying to read through the whole Old Testament. It’s such a beautiful testament to His Love for us.
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Oh Anna, you are exactly right, Love. Over the last couple of weeks I have truly fallen in love with the Song of Songs. It has become one of my favorites because it’s like a beautiful love story between us and THE LORD.
Thank you so much for visiting with me this morning! GOD bless you, beautiful friend! 🙂
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Tai, what do you make of the verse about not exciting love, not stirring it up until the time is ripe?
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The Song Of Songs is really the Song of Solomon and it’s him conversing with his bride to be; them displaying and expressing their love for another. So, in that sense, it’s speaking of not having sex before marriage. And not that it’s taking it out context to say that the Song Of Songs could be about intimacy with THE LORD as well because in actuality we are the brides of CHRIST. Now, that particular verse may not relate in that way, but there are several passages of Scripture within the Song of Songs that can help to give us a better understanding of how GOD sees and loves us because it describes love with a longing and with this deep intimacy and that is exactly THE LORD’S heart for us. So, that’s what I meant when I said it could be like a love story between us and THE LORD.
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I see it as a love story between us and Christ too…especially because verses from Song of Songs were instrumental in helping me “come out of hiding” right before attending my first therapy session for PTSD. I was just contemplating what significance this verse could also have on our intimacy with the LORD. When I looked up commentaries they talked about how it could mean that people should not disturb the intimacies of others with Christ…and that makes sense to me. Oftentimes we can be quick to want to “fix” and “disturb” the work Christ is doing.
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Anna, that makes perfect sense. I never even thought about it like that. Thank you for sharing such powerful spiritual insight with me. I do know that the more I have read the Song Of Songs the more GOD’S love has flooded my heart and not just for myself, but for others as well. It has made me long for more intimacy with GOD, and for others to know that they have access to such a pure love through HIS PRESENCE.
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Awesome Sis! I am just in awe how you set the atmoshere for your readers to open up their hearts and minds for worship! Continue to set the table so that your readers may prepare themselves to feast on God’s word! I love you sis!
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Thank you so much, Sis! I so appreciate your encouragement! I LOVE YOU!
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How beautiful and wonderful Tai! thank you for letting us peek into you intimacy with the Lord! I love how he speaks to us and pray I will listen more to his tuggings at my heart to just BE with Him! Blessings to you Beloved one!
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You are so very welcome, sweet Johanna! And you are exactly right, Love. There is nothing like HIM calling us to HIS heart. Thank you so much for visiting with me! GOD bless you, beautiful friend! 🙂
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Once long ago I wrote the word “be” in my planner every Sunday so that I’d remember that this was the most important thing. Sometimes there’s so much on our do-list that there’s no room for a be-list. Thanks for your great emphasis!
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Michele, you are exactly right. And you are most welcome, Love. Thank you so much for visiting with me today! GOD bless you, beautiful friend! 🙂
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Beautiful prayer and beautiful reminder of how much He loves us. I like your word for this year. Sometimes it’s hard to just be, but we need so much to just be in the presence of God. We don’t always need to be doing something. My word is open because I want to be open to whatever God has for me. Blessings to you, dear Tai! xo
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Thank you so much, sweet Gayl! I have missed you, my friend! I love your word as well and I pray that you have a wonderful year as you keep your heart and spirit open to HIS heart and spirit. Thank you so much for visiting with me today, Love! GOD bless you, beautiful friend! 🙂
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Tai, Thanks for this beautiful post. I enjoyed reading the comments as well. I have experienced the Lord telling me to come away with Him. It was then that He said to “be still and just be loved.” It’s not always easy to just “be.” And yet the Lord is so kind and patient with us.
It makes me smile to read what God does for His beloved children.
Blessings on you, sweet sister for sharing!
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Beckie, you are most welcome, Dear Heart! I agree. It’s not always easy to just “be”, but I have found that if I’m simply obedient even when I don’t understand— the rest, peace, and understanding comes in me just “being” in HIS PRESENCE. HE’S such an amazing GOD!
Thank you so much for visiting with me, Love! GOD bless you, beautiful friend! 🙂
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Hello, Sweet Tai. Thanks so much for featuring me. I hoped over here yesterday morning, but your post wasn’t up yet, so I’m just getting here again now. Thank you.
May the Lord bless you this year in your effort to just BE with him. 🙂
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Oh Betsy, you’re very welcome, Love! … And yeah, I didn’t get a chance to post it until yesterday evening. Sorry about that, but honored to have you as my feature this week. Thank you so much and GOD bless you, beautiful friend! 🙂
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“Be,” what an incredible word for the new year. Wishing you a peaceful, and joyful 2016, as you enjoy His presence! Your passion for Christ is inspiring.
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Thank you so very much, Jed and likewise, my friend! May THE LORD bless you and keep you and make HIS face shine upon you! Happy to have you visit with me today! I pray infinite blessings over you! 🙂
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Yes, Tai God is always calling whether for repentance or to spend time with us for our faithfulness. To “be” is an action. Salvation isn’t a free pass and we have to meet Christ half way and exert our efforts over to His care. Thanks for expressing your love for God.
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You are most welcome, Walter! And your words are so true. Thank you for visiting with me today, my friend! GOD bless you! 🙂
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Tai,
I love your word for 2016 – it is so “you”. When I think of you I see you sitting with God. You have an incredible gift to shine His light. May you have a blessed time being with Him this year.
Blessings
Janis
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Janis, your words have deeply encouraged my heart and greatly blessed me, Love! Thank you so much! I just love your heart! GOD bless you, beautiful friend! 🙂
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A beautiful invitation, indeed! I long to still my mind and just be so He can restore me from the inside out.
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Oh Liz, I pray that over you in this very moment, Love and I trust that HE will do it! Thank you so much for visiting with me! GOD bless you, beautiful friend! 🙂
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I love all that you have to say here, Tai, but especially the realization that sometimes God simply wants us to “be” with Him. He doesn’t have some major revelation or eye-opening moment. It’s a call to be intimate with our glorious Bridegroom! Love it! Thanks for stopping by my place. I didn’t know about your linkup, but will try to join from now on!
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You are more than welcome, Beth! And I’m so happy to know that you’ve been blessed by your visit with me. That means so much. And I would be honored to have you link up with me and I look forward to seeing you on Fridays. Thank you so much for stopping by! GOD bless you, beautiful friend! 🙂
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Tai, Just as usual, you had me smiling before I could finish the first line! Oh, how I would love to meet you in person! I can only imagine the light, joy, and love of Christ just radiating from you! Your word is fabulous and I will pray for a year of simply being with Him and soaking in His presence!
Blessings, my friend!
Lori
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Lori, you are such an incredible being! Thank you so much for such kind and encouraging words. You have so blessed me and I am so grateful for you, Love. Meeting you would be a delight! We should try to make plans. Again, thank you so much! GOD bless you, my beautiful friend! 🙂
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Dear Tai … Your emphasis on BEING not doing or achieving is so wise. Thank you for always taking us closer to the One who loves us best.
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Oh Linda, you’re so precious! You are most welcome, Love! Thank you so much for your sweet words and for visiting with me and encouraging my heart! I appreciate you! GOD bless you, beautiful friend! 🙂
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I love your choice of words in this post. They show the depth of love the Father has for us and the need to look for love in the right place instead of with someone who may not truly love us.
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Thank you so much, Mary! THE FATHER’S love is so perfect and so pure and I pray that love over you this morning, beautiful friend! GOD bless you, Love! 🙂
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Thank you for sharing the linkup and for hosting!
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You are most welcome, Debbie! GOD bless you, beautiful friend! 🙂
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Tai, What a sweet post and wonderful reminder of our Bridegroom’s love for us. I love your focus word to: be. Bless you, my friend.
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Awww! Thank you so very much, Debbie! GOD bless you, beautiful friend! 🙂
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Thanks for sharing this beautiful post with #SocialButterflySunday, Tai! It is awesome how you say, Abba in your prayer. Hope to see you link up again this week! Blessings 🙂
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You are most welcome, Kelly! And I will definitely be joining you again this coming week! Thank you so much for you sweet comment and thank you so much for visiting with me! GOD bless you, beautiful friend! 🙂
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