I didn’t ask the Lord to make me a prayer warrior. But five years of a painful stripping, letting the facade of control slip away, has brought me to my knees…Brooke McGlothlin
and the LORD said to him, ” Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.” Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and named it The LORD is Peace…Judges 6:23-24
STRIPPED…bare
all taken that I can trust
turning – tried- confined
can’t go to the right or the left
caged..frantically crying
grasping
for love…someone
placate for so long
fades….hunger again returns
it pursues me relentlessly
eating away last resolve
DIG DEEPER…I muster
STRIPPED of
hope
love
trust self-survival
STRIPPED BARE
hand out..flat on ground
drained emptied
replacing – a knowing
” your not done yet”
roll over curled up
REST
LOVE swoops down
wrapping in folds of silk
breath in the smell of
ABBA…I hear for the first time
YOU are MINE
you are beautiful
you are strong
I have found you love
everything you’ve searched for all your life
I AM
I saw this day from the moment I conceived your heart
knit together for THIS PURPOSE
He wrapped my
STRIPPED and naked
soul
tightly
stopped striving once for all
PEACE
throughout the Old Testament man built altars after encounters with God
I now have an altar jar. My mother in law gave it to me for Christmas and I am using it for holding all of the things God is speaking to me this year of jumping naked. Quotes, scriptures, memories, fortune cookies ” fortunes” 
, articles….anything that speaks to me.
it is a memorial for 2011 for me to look over at the end of the year
Photo Credit : My Cakies
Hangin’ with my Homies today @ Jen’s
and
Emily @ Imperfect Prose
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This moved my heart - Why I pray…Brooke McGlothlin
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30 Day Challenge Update – almost there! Day 24 and I cheated last night! We ate out or IN I should say. Chinese..I was tired and feeling yuck so it is what it is. Guess what? the whole world didn’t fall apart:) I got up this morning and spent 30 minutes wogging walk/jog combo and did my ab work. Good enough for one day I say!
How are the 30 days going in your little world. I was reading Jen’s update last night and she is having some breakthrough’s I am sure we will come out of this a little wiser and more ” pruned “.
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Word Women Wednesday is tomorrow so be on the lookout for one of the sweetest blogs on the block and she doesn’t even know it:)
Linsey @ LLH Designs.
I love this. LOVE THIS. I'm reading about all the alters as I read through the Old Testament in my One Year Bible. This is such a fabulous idea. Brilliant. Yes, yes, yes.
love the jar….gonna have to copy that idea.
can't wait to hear from Linsey tomorrow!
That jar is such a neat idea. And isn't it interesting to think that sometimes we are stripped bare to remember that God is there? Praying for you as you find peace in God.
found you through SDG sisterhood on Finding Heaven.
I love your jar, and I just might steal this idea.
Building altars is something that I have known but never totally took the time to create. And then Gideon made an altar…it is almost as a remembrance of what He accomplished through Gideon. Beautiful. Simple. Perfect.
Thank you for stopping by the cottage. Thank you for sharing your words with me today. Thank you for allowing Him to speak through you.
Maria.
Tiffini, I'm praying for you. That both of us see that light soon and once we catch sight, we will sprint to it.
And I'm thinking of the promise in Jer. 29:11. Cling to it, sister.
Hugs and prayers,
Erin
First of all, I am loving the jar idea. Second, I am reminded of Shelia Walsh's quote, sometime God takes us to a prison to set us free. Sometimes we are stripped barren, but He covers us with His hand! Love you!
love the altar jar too…love Abraham and his altars and Jacob and then all…
love your beautiful words, poetry, you know…it is always gorgeous to me…
with the right and the left part, thought of these verses, you know them?
'20 Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”' Isaiah 30:20-21…
Isn't this powerful?…this whole chapter meant a lot in the season of deepest brokenness…building over my whole life and crashing brokenness…I believe it with all of my heart for you, sister. It will be abundantly clear.
I like this idea of the jar . . . to REMEMBER what God is doing.
Fondly,
Glenda
Tiffini, I can't even begin to express the beauty of this. I think it could be one of the loveliest poems I've ever read – so real, so true, so transparent. Thank you.
Don't you love Brooke McGlothlin? Met her at Relevant this past October. Enjoyed her!
Stripped. Exactly they way He wants us. Always an inspiration Tiffani-thank you
tears…i have been there…and you captured that journey beautifully with a nice reminder for my soul…
You did capture a journey, a hard, raw one that seems eerily familiar to me. And then the utter joy of rescue, of being wrapped up in silken Love…an altar seems like the right commemeration of such a sacred journey. I like yours. It is pretty and full of memory, words painful and full. So cool.
In the glory of the moment I forgot to also say that the spoon signs for your herb garden are too cute!
hello! it is so good to 'meet' you! i felt myself curling up to the Lord even as i read your beautiful words, felt the rest wrapping me tight… thank you. i love the picture of the vase and flowers, and your place here is so peaceful. i look forward to continuing to know you…. e.