we've fallen into a world, where everything's a fairy tale.

Two wonderful thing have been happening - one, I've been reading John Eldredge's book about the world around us being one great big fairy tale penned by God - and two, I've been finding it out for myself. There isn't a way to describe this odd pivot I've felt in my relationship with God...but somewhere between the down-to-earth conversations and the frankness...I've felt a new side of Him. I quite like it. Instead of feeling obligated, time with God feels like a date I'm excited and anxious for. Because instead of feeling the need to follow a set pattern - read the Bible, pray, end time with God - I've been going on walks with Him, talking to Him in the passenger seat of the car, singing to Him...and focusing on one thing alone - delighting in Him. (To be clear, I'm not advocating a dusty Bible here). I wish I could describe what I've encountered. The best illustration I have is just this - that I spent hours today meandering along a bush trail, stopping nearly every minute or so to admire some small leaf or curly moss. The whole time, carrying on a casual conversation with God about my day...pausing to, peer at a spiderweb and say, "I think what you've made is absolutely beautiful."

It's true, you know. We're living in a fairy tale. Look around us, have you ever seen things so strange and so lovely? And the presence of evil - so very real. Indeed, as real as the hope which has caught in our hearts and sent us hungering for more - bright eyed and unabashed. How do we begin bringing more of this heaven down to earth? I think the answer is wound up in - sacrifice. The very thing that reunited heaven and earth at the cross. When I look at things in my life, it's the things I have sacrificed the most for that are most valuable and most beautiful. It is battling with the absurdity of love as our weapon. It wins every time.