The Story of Us

I have been prompted lately to share more of the story between me & Steven. It is the story of us, but it is also the story of God, the God who redeems, who loves, who calls us deeply into relationship with Himself and with each other.

When I met Steven last summer, we both were in a rebuilding process from previous relationships, looking for healing and for a different kind of relationship. Neither of us were sure at the time about starting over, but over time, our conversations drew us more and more into relationship with each other. Themes of what God was doing in his life resonated deeply with what God was doing in mine. We sensed God was in our friendship from the beginning, bringing us into each other’s lives for a reason. And early on, we committed to pursue Him together, to pursue a relationship with Him at the center and the foundation of us.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” Matthew 7:24-25, NIV

“Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain….” Psalm 127:1a, NIV

And we continue to build that house. It is more beautiful than I could have thought or imagined. It’s been hard work, but one filled with joy, intimacy, and a deep abiding love for God and for each other. To look back over these last months and to see God’s handiwork, to see the work that He has done in our lives individually and as a couple – it is overwhelming. My heart is full.

Our relationship is a testimony to God’s faithfulness and His goodness. It is the story of commas instead of periods at the end of painful chapters. It is the story of redemption from past hurts and deep failures. It is the story of new life and abundant life in Christ, new ways of relating, of loving, of sharing life together in Him. It is the story of the God who doesn’t give up on us, and the one who makes all things new. God has been doing a new thing in us. And it is a story worth sharing. Stay tuned for future chapters.

~ELP

Listening to the Music

Have you ever danced to a song that you didn’t know? Or to music that you couldn’t quite hear? It’s like dancing blind, hoping you are moving in the right direction, trying to keep up with your partner’s steps, and anxiously anticipating what is next. You find yourself guessing instead of moving with confidence, and sometimes you get it right and sometimes you trip over your own feet. If you’re with a good partner, you can make it work for awhile. It can even be dizzying fun. Without the music, though, seldom will you be able to settle into rhythm and grace together, to discover the intimacy that brings the music alive and expresses it in new ways.

I’ve been learning to listen to the music. I’ve often joked that I’m rhythm-deaf, just as some people are tone-deaf. Sometimes I would rather tune out the music and just trust my partner to figure it out for me, to keep me on my feet, and to have a good time. It’s easier sometimes than slowing down and learning to listen for myself. Listening requires training my ear and then translating it to movement. It means that I have to know the song, and I have to know myself, trust myself, and I have to communicate with my partner.

Of course, I’m referring to more than dancing. As true as it is of me on the dance floor, when I don’t know the song, I have found it to be just as true of me in relationships. I need to learn to listen to the music for myself, to know the song that God is playing in my heart, and then to step boldly and confidently in the direction God is leading. And if we’re both dancing to the same song, then we begin to move in sync with each other. It becomes a beautiful thing.

It has been a month since M & I broke up. When I could finally hear the music myself, when we could finally share our different songs, then we realized we’ve been dancing to different tunes, that the rhythm and timing and fit was off, that it wasn’t just busy schedules that kept us apart. And it’s sad. When you find a good dance partner, you don’t want the music to ever stop.

There is also the joy, though, of hearing the music again and realizing it is quite a beautiful song that's been playing in the background all along. The moves come easier now because the movement is the expression of something deep within my soul, stirred by love and by the notes of the Master Musician. I step freely with new boldness and confidence in Him. And while I now find myself alone on the dance floor, I choose to dance and enjoy the music!

Learning to Dance, Intro Part 2

As I planned out this series of reflections on learning to dance, I had in my mind to capture the journey of walking with God in relationship, learning to dance to the music He is playing as He calls Michael & I deeper into relationship with Him and with each other.

There is probably much I could share about the journey, about the excitement of getting to know him and the messiness of learning to share life together, about his character or our story. What I have in mind, though, is not a play-by-play of our relationship, but rather a focused look at who God is and how He reveals Himself in relationship. As I pondered the best way to do that, I decided to reflect on four particular themes:

• An Invitation to Dance: From Wow to Who
• Becoming a Good Partner: Who am I in Relationship
• Listening to the Music: Syncing Up with God
• Developing Rhythm & Grace : Syncing Up with Each Other

As I reflect on each of these themes, I want to focus on God’s truth and His love, His desire for relationship with us and the opportunity He gives us to dance to the music He is playing. I hope you will join me in the journey. Whether dancing solo or as a couple, I hope it will be a time to join Him in the adventure of discovering anew the beauty and the rhythm of a life in sync with Him.

~E

Learning to Dance

One of my friends loves swing dancing. She tells me, for her, dancing is apt metaphor for dating relationships – moving in sync together, connecting both physically and emotionally with the music and with each other. I don’t usually enjoy dancing, so the metaphor was somewhat lost on me until the last couple of months when I found myself in a new relationship with a guy who loves to dance.

Since then, what I’ve discovered is that all of those things are true; the metaphor works on many levels. Both dancing and relationships require a deep level of compatibility & trust, a healthy dose of chemistry, lots of practice, and even a good deal of fun. As this new guy in my life has been patiently teaching me how to two-step, God has been patiently teaching me about relationship, about how to be in relationship, about how to dance with another to a new song.

And so, I want to capture the journey of what God is doing in my life as we seek His will together for our future and as we learn to dance together to the beautiful song that God is writing in our lives. I hope you will join me for this series of reflections on lessons learned and reminders about the God who loves, the God who heals, the God who provides, and, yes, the God who writes beautiful songs.

Please pray for me (and for us). I’ve danced before, mind you. But I’ve long considered myself rhythmically challenged. It requires a lot of effort and commitment to get me onto the dance floor and even more to enjoy myself in the process. It’s harder than it looks, but it’s worth the work. He’s worth the work, and it’s pretty amazing to get to dance together to the music. :)