Eep was the Heroine I needed to See

If I followed a timeline of new release films, I'd say I came late to the party when it came to watching The Croods when it first released back in 2013.

Looking back, I don't think I came late at all, I don't think I would have been able to comprehend the message I needed to understand, all those year ago. So I watched The Croods just this month, the first one and than the second one. I was struck with an important message about womanhood and matriarchy as I followed the journey of this family. If you haven't yet watched the film, sorry for the spoilers, but maybe you need some of this insight before watching these films.

The Croods family is the last "cave" family left in the known world and the way they survive the truly prehistoric, dangerous world they live in, is to stay in their dark, empty black cave. The family has survived for the most part, because of Grug the very strong caveman father whose sole mission on earth is to take care of his family. Undoubtedly Grug's strength is so necessary in this world they inhabit, but his strength is completely born out of fear. His wife Ugga is strong, so is Gran, and Sandy the baby of the family. Thunk the son is a actually very much a modern day teenage boy, who complies with his father, is lazy, and will eventually (in the second film), become addicted to the window (something we'd understand to be an ancient TV). And then there's Eep! 

She's the oldest sibling, with her fiery red hair and tiger skin halter dress, she's filled with the wonder and desire to step out of the cave, in to the unknown. Her father calls it curiosity, in essence it's independence and wonder outside of fear. 

Everyone of us have experienced the pull of independence within our teenage years. Those years felt full of pushing and pulling, as our parents still tried to reign us in but we yearned to fly. But For Eep there's more. It's not just the pull of teenage years, Eep is the foil for her father Grug. In fact, Eeps curiosity saves the family as the continents shift and the world as they known it changes. Eep pushes her family to think differently, and eventually she leads them to a boy she meets named Guy. He's advanced in thought, and ideas, he's very much a modern guy (excuse the pun). But in opposition, Eep is filled with both inner and outward strength. 

She's the heroine I needed to see when I was young, the one millennial girls never grew up seeing. 

She saves the day and saves the guy, in this poignant scene I cannot get enough of. Her holding Guy with her one hand and a rope in her other as they dangle across a bottomless hole about to be murdered by a monster. 

While the patriarch has dominated the scene, it is not another male who will become the protagonist of survival, it's a woman, it's Eep. She is the future, and she is the rightful leader. Everything points to this, her father has to learn to see it.

In the second Croods film, the wives and daughters led by Gran - who loves talking about the tribe of warrior women she used to lead, ultimately save all the men. This is not a way of saying women do not need men, it's a way of saying, we have to be who we were created to be. 

Some women are born to be leaders in various capacities, and some men are needed as leaders as well. It's about learning to work together, and being humble enough to accept that female leadership is Divinely Ordained and historically rejected. And perhaps the bigger narrative in the Croods is the one beneath the surface in the first film but glaringly obvious in the second, matriarchy is needed within this world. When it is not given space, it will grow regardless, and when it grows it will be a holy force for Life. The empowerment of women to be who and what they were created to be, should be coupled with teaching men how to live with that empowerment and to see it as a force for the goodness of this earth.

With fresh heroines like Eep, our daughters are witnessing what it means to be fully yourself, (I love how happy she is when Guy calls her heavy - a truth we need to internalize that beauty standards are shaped by culture and exposure). These were not the kinds of heroines I saw growing up, and perhaps it shaped my generation's thinking of what it meant to date, and what kind of guy we were all looking for. This is changing (yes please!) and it needs to. The world is changing, our generation is changing and the divine calling for the next generation will be a different one. God is trusting us to model; equality, togetherness and co - rulership on this earth. Grugg is needed, but so too  more than ever, is Epp...

 

Is Faith Brave?

FMF - writing on the word "weak!" Unedited, free flow of writing, set the timer for 5 and let's hit it! go!

This week Abba Father has been leading me back to the yellowed pages of Narnia. I've been reading it with fresh tears, never before has the story pulled on me but now it's new. New because I'm in a different place and the revelation and truth are pouring through the lines as though God Himself were the narrator and no one can hear the words but me. I am struck by Peter's first battle. New sword, a wolf about to attack his sister and her desperate cries for help. It's a moment filled with the deepest fear and yet the presence of bravery. "Peter did not feel very brave; indeed, he felt he was going to be sick. But that made no difference to what he had to do.” 

Brave Faith. It's my journey at present, with no other Voice but God's. Peter did not feel brave, he felt something quite different from braver or even faith. He was in all regards ill - equipped to take on a wolf who led the white witch's army, but none of this mattered really. It made no difference to his purpose or his destiny. He was fearful but he still held out his sword, he still shook as the wolf lunged towards him and he still defeated the wolf, thereby saving his sisters life. He may have felt weak - ill equipped, or scared but it did not hinder what he was called to do. In many ways fear is a natural part of life. It is there when things are new, when things are scary or unknown, or questionable. It is there when we stand on the sidelines and finally God calls us to play on the centre stage of life. It is there when we lean over the edge of the boat like Peter did and say "here Yeshua (Jesus), pick me, let me walk on the water with you!" 

Fear is there, but it makes no difference. What did make a difference was the choice Peter made while standing in the forest of Narnia, to go forward instead of backward. And in so doing a part of his identity was revealed, he was knighted by Aslan himself and he became Sir Peter Wolfs-Bane. If you stop when fear or uncertainty calls, you will miss the blessing of deeper identity and intimacy with the King. To go where fear is present only means that you have gone in to a place where you feel small and weak, and thats the very place of bravery, a place of destiny, a place of calling.

Linking with Kate M

 Hey I'm a Guest Writer over at Y Am I this week, do you want to take a look? I'm getting real about the day I overlooked my marriage vows! Truly marriage is a deep blessing, but we have to share the truth especially with our children! My Marriage Vows!

The Wooing Love of Redeemed Lists

It has been said that, you are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. For some people, setting goals comes naturally. In the world of list - lovers and doers, goals are the air they breath. The wind beneath their wings, the milk in their coffee, the shade on a hot summers day (do I go too far!), well sure goals are pretty much normal to some. But not for me. 

I've become good at dreams, (although this took time as well) but as a teenager and a university student, I pushed myself too hard. Trying to achieve goals that were birthed in perfectionism meant that I developed scalp rash, twitching eye, scalp peeling and was prone to emotional outbursts. I no longer carry the fear based perfectionism around, God healed my wounded soul of the baggage I carried (for perfectionism is always rooted in fear) and I am recovered. Yet, I no longer made goals. They reminded me too much of what I had left behind. So when I stumbled on the 52 Lists project a few months ago, I was intrigued.

I grabbed hold of the fun exercise and immediately felt how the Holy Spirit was leading me in my journey with writing lists. It is absolutely enjoyable and completely a gift of ministering, or at least I experienced it as such. It was and continues to be delightful. I have gone so far as to develop some of my own lists, writing down my favourite quotes speaks to me about who I am and what I feel is inspirational. My favourite movies are fun to write about, my favourite memories, foods, songs, books, how can this not be fun! But when I finally got to "list your current & future goals and dreams." I sat there, blank stare. What!

I felt Abba Father tell me "share your heart with me, tell me about your dreams and goals, I want to hear them." Tenderly, like a Good Shepherd and a Gentle Lover, He kept affirming me as struggled to write my current goals and dreams. I knew He wanted to hear them, just like the time He nudged me to ask for french fries (you have to read about that over here - Remember those Fries?)

It was both scary, and deeply sacred to sit and right about my goals and dreams. Once I finished writing this list, I wrote a prayer with it, dated it February 2016 and closed the book. 

 I thought about that list often and knew that much of what I wrote down was actually sitting inside of me. My goals are very much a part of my humanness, it is not something I am writing down fearfully anymore, rather because I am redeemed and set free by the Blood of my Messiah and I only want to dream His dreams for my life, I find that my goals and dreams reflect His dreams for me. My goals themslves have taken on a different form, my goals are in themselves redeemed. This week I felt to pull out my book from the cupboard shelf and have a look at my dreams and goals again, so as to think about my new dreams and goals. I was amazed at how so many of them God truly fulfilled! I will share four of them that were amazing, a lot of them are personal and not up for sharing!

• Have enough money to pay for my own bridesmaid dress for my brothers wedding (it was so short notice this wedding, I had no idea what to do! But God took care of it.)
• To settle some of my debt (Done! A Huge miracle!)
• To finish the movie script I was commissioned for (Done!)
• I think I would like to be an aunt, so my brother and his wife should have a kid (They having a kid end of December, how's that for dream fulfilment!)

 I have been so in awe at how much I have grown and how much my Beloved King has done in my heart and spirit this year. Looking over my dreams and goals I have learned how precious it is to share our hearts with Father. I have always loved to share with Him but now have a deeper understanding of what setting "holy surrendered goals" looks like. It is a fun reality. I feel His deep nudge again to share my heart afresh with Him this way, to draw up a new list of what has birthed a new in my heart in this new season and I am looking forward to doing this. I will share one little dream with you, but ssshhh it's a secret :) I had my own column in a wonderful magazine, for 3 years but my season came to end there in 2014 and my husband and I started doing more outreach work and I started writing more seriously for my book. I still do freelance writing work here for magazines, but I so miss having a column. A steady place where I share Gods rich secrets and truth that He is sharing with me to give to others, I know if it is His will, this dream will find its place, anything is possible!

I am reminded of this absolute truth, how there is no fear in perfect love and how this truth exists in every part of our lives as we yield to Him. Our dreams are stain glass windows of His hearts desire for our life, shining richly coloured light all across the landscape of this earth, changing first our own walks and then the walks of others. And oh how grateful I am, for such a Love......

 Sharing with Sister Lisha
And Word of God Speak
Glimpses 

The Lion's Paws

I am asleep between the Lion's paws - this is my place of safety.
I belong to the Lion, He roars over me. He closes His eyes and yet He does not slumber concerning me,
for I sleep between the Lions paws and His Roar protects me.
I sleep resting within His Mane of Light - He does not sleep concerning me, He roars over me - Roar over me Yeshua Roar, this is my place of rest.

Chag Sameach Sukkot!

Happy Happy Sukkot! This time of year is one of my favourites. I just love Sukkot - it speaks to me so deeply about the Marriage supper of the Lamb!
May you be blessed and may your name be written in the Lambs book of life! Chag Sameach!
(Our Table for our Feast - a small tingling of our eternal hope that we will purify ourselves so as to rejoice one day with our Bridegroom and our King!)

Caleb and Achsah

Caleb peered down at his arms, his battle scarred muscles remained strong although he had grown tired. He had remained faithful to God and to the cause and now it was time to enjoy his inheritance. To bask in the sunlight and enjoy the cool breeze that rustled the leaves of the Palm trees that lined the city of Hebron. And yet he felt as though he could still put an army to flight, he could still run with the young men and warriors he had trained. But the still small voice came to him again, “Caleb it is time to enter in to my rest and enjoy my finished work.” It was time to rest. Caleb glanced over at the young warriors who stood before, each one had gathered eager to hear their leaders announcement, what war still awaited them? What battle orders would be theirs? Which nation was due to be excommunicated! What was next? Before his final announcement could be made, Caleb breathed in deeply and gazed over at his family, his wives and children. His breath caught in his throat – there she was, his first born, his beloved daughter Achsah. Who would care for her in his absence? Who would provide for her? He knew her heart and her love for the God of Israel, who was worthy enough to stand beside her and temper the flames of zealousness? Caleb felt an odd sense of fire burning within his stomach, his arms started shaking and before he could gain control of his feelings, his final announcement came swiftly and without thought... “I will give my daughter Achsah in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Debir!”

Excitement and restlessness filled the air as men began scrambling for their horses, each one fighting a personal battle, each one desiring to be the husband of Achsah and the son of Caleb.

Achsah’s eyes were fixed upon her father, he glanced over at her calmly, the appearance of his face whispered to her – “Trust me; I know what I am doing.”

Othniel rode on to Hebron triumphant, he had undone the Royal, Canaanite city and had secured the hand of his cousin, Achsah. He had known Achsah his whole life and had enjoyed her company and presence. Dismounting before his uncle he bowed low and presented his blood – stained sword before the family. “Uncle, the Canaanite city is undone; I have obeyed YHWH’s commands and have destroyed whatever was found in the city. I present my sword to you and appeal to the witnesses of my men and personal friends, they will attest to my conquest of Debir.” Caleb held back a smile, he knew Othniel, he was a scholar and warrior, fierce and calm all at once. He knew that he could not part with his daughter to someone less worthy, Caleb thanked the God of his fathers who had heard his prayers, his daughter would be safe in the arms of his nephew. Achsah’s strong eyes fell upon the face of her cousin, she moved to meet him as he took her hand.

“You” she smiled.

“Me” he replied.

“Do you love me?” She asked him innocently. “Has a bride price of blood such as this ever been paid before?” He replied hoping to convince her of his affection. “I guess not” Achsah mused.

“I do love you Achsah, I have for some time, I thought only of you when I rode out to defeat the Canaanites. Warriors stronger then I could have taken the city, but they were not fuelled by something greater then conquest.”

Caleb moved to meet them and then declared in a loud voice, “Come let us dance and celebrate the wedding of my daughter and her groom, Othniel. Let us rejoice and feast!

And then loudly and boldly Caleb joyfully announced, “Achsah my daughter, you are  a true daughter of Israel as a gift I present to you all the land South of Hebron, the land in the Negev I present it to you as an eternal inheritance. Dwell in it and feed off it, let your children – my grandchildren be the ones who will enjoy it and who will establish it.”

The crowd gasped in disbelief, a young woman inheriting such vast land was not unheard of in Israel but neither was it a regular occurrence. Achsah bowed in acceptance before her father, Caleb embraced his daughter and whispered “make your own decisions my child and know that your father has been pleased to provide for you so that whatever happens you will always have an inheritance in Israel and no one will ever be at liberty to take that away from you.”

Achsah smiled as she rested her head on her father’s chest, overwhelmed by her father’s love. “Thank you Abba, thank you.”

                                                  ******************************************

It had been months since she had last seen her father and her family, working the land had been fulfilling and yet at times she missed her family. Appealing to her husband to request springs of water from her father had not turned out the way she had hoped and so she had to take matters in to her own hands. As she turned the familiar corner on the road to Hebron she neared the low, wall beside her family home.

Her father sat beneath a palm tree on the hill closest to the road, it had been his favourite place ever since his conquest of the city. Caleb glanced out at the road and noticed a donkey coming up the street, puzzled he watched as the animal drew nearer. Achsah! It was his daughter Achsah. Something must be wrong he thought, for he had not seen her in some months. Caleb jumped to his feet and ran the length of the field to the gate where Achsah was waiting. She ran to embrace him, “Abba!” she smiled and ran into his arms. Sensing the expectation within her he asked “what is it that you want my child?”

“Father the land you gave me is a blessing to me and I am grateful. But Abba the land is dry and arid and nothing grows there. I ask of you for springs of water, the ones adjoining our land, so that the crops may grow and that the cattle may be refreshed.”

Caleb’s heart was settled before his daughter had ceased speaking. “My daughter anything you ask me is yours, I will give you the upper and the lower springs in the Negev. The water runs freely between the springs and it will be enough to water your crops and flocks for many years. Take these with my blessing.”

“Thank you abba!” Achsah declared jubilantly.

“My child, why did you not come to me sooner? You know I would never deny you anything.”

“I know abba, I was hoping Othniel would come and ask but he thought it was best that I should come and see you.”

“Well, he was right and I am glad you did. Come let us go inside and you must stay a few days, your mother will be pleased to see you.” Caleb held his daughter and together they walked towards the house, content and refreshed to be together once again.

© Please note that the following story is written by the author and is copyright.

Sharing this week at Playdates

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[1] Joshua 15: 17. The city known as Debir was formerly called Kiriath Sepher and is called such in some translations of the Bible.

[2] Joshua 15: 18 – 19 (Amplified)

Fly with me...

Through the Eyes of the King

I see myself through the eyes of the King - I am fearfully wonderfully made, called, chosen, redeemed, blood bought and blood cleansed. Called for a higher purpose, a Higher calling of life. I am not rooted to this land and earth but I am connected to the World to Come where Yeshua is King forever. I live by the constitution of the King, I bend my knees only to Him. He is the Sun, the moon, the Saviour, the hope of all mankind, the darling of Heaven, the Lamb of God, the Rose of Sharon! He is the Glory, the Beloved, the Perfect, the Beautiful and He calls me to fly with Him on the wings of the wind as a swallow, free and pure, I am His - He has called me by name, I belong to Him alone.... I am His and He is mine I am His Daughter, His Beloved, His Chosen...

it's time for the Sabbath!!

Shabbat Shalom All!!

Let us rejoice and exult in His set - apart Rest!

Thank You Yeshua....

Encourage The Heart - Facing The Giants Death Crawl

Loss and grief

Isaiah 53:3 (He was) despised and rejected by men, a man of pains and knowing sickness.

There are different kinds of losses in the world today, there are Tangible losses - the death of a life partner, the loss of a limb, a stolen car, a house destroyed by a fire or natural disaster. Then there are symbolic losses, the loss of a job, the loss of a friendship, self esteem. There are also secondary losses, the loss of a mother or father, mentor, teacher, coach, a woman who has a mastectomy may feel like she has lost her sense of being a woman. Loss is complicated and it is complex and no one bears it exactly the same, because we are all different and that is perfectly fine.

I have come to learn through Gods wisdom that for some time, I have lost some people, some friendships and some realities that others take for granted. I did not realize my own grief at losing a close friend at her own choice, and then other realities; coupled with the death of a spiritual mom who will always be missed.
I lost the ability to buy food because I could not find a job, I lost my sense of being worthy and I lost the essence of being alive. It is okay. God was my biggest part of the journey - as I look over all these realities, I see now with deeper clarity how much I have changed through it all. My understanding and acceptance of people has grown, my willingness to be alongside those who suffer without fear of saying the wrong thing - has abated. And I have greater compassion - all because God was in it with me.

I often listen to people around me and cringe at their lack of sensitivity and plight of others. I cannot understand this. And I do not believe I needed to grieve in order to understand this. 10 years ago when I was first saved God told me - I am going to take out your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh - then begun the "transplant" process. As God gave me my heart transplant I begun to feel the pain of others and the sufferings of the world - so much so that I remember asking God many years ago to end it all! I felt powerless among the suffering, God allowed me to feel intense suffering and to see intense suffering, of the earth, the animals, of nature, creation and then mankind. I cannot relate this without crying, that was 10 years ago. I never cried, not even more then 5 times; before I was saved. God changed me, it was not within me but within Him.

As my vision grows clearer, I know that because God was in my suffering - I have changed.
And I am not writing this from a place of comfort and relief - in fact I am writing this from within a place of suffering, a place that has made no sense but I am here and God is with me and I with Him.

My fav C.S Lewis quotes

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.

We are what we believe we are.

What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step.

There is, hidden or flaunted, a sword between the sexes till an entire marriage reconciles them.

 It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad.

Nothing that you have not given away will ever be really yours.

Some people feel guilty about their anxieties and regard them as a defect of faith but they are afflictions, not sins. Like all afflictions, they are, if we can so take them, our share in the passion of Christ.

Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil.

God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.

 Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.

If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning: just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. Dark would be without meaning. 

Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss

It is like Dr Seuss is speaking to me!!!

Star Fish Story - Making a Difference Every Day

A touching picture behind the story

 

Last night I read the story again of the woman who washed Yeshua's feet with her hair and tears and then took costly perfume and anointed His feet.

I often think of Yehezkel (Ezekiel's) proclamation of "woe is me! woe is me!" upon seeing the Son of Man in a vision. Truly when we see our uncleanness and our own sinfulness against the Holiness and Beauty of the One who created us, we cannot help but loath ourselves and be ashamed. Even our good deeds are as filthy rags.

I love You Yeshua so much, You have given me everything that I have and I fail so often , in this too I know how much You love me. Truly the anointing sinner knew the Love that only You could ever have in Your heart for the heart of a repentant sinner. I really love You my Saviour, My King, I really love You. Please lets sit together while, me the sinner, You the Holy King and just be together; me anointing You with my tears; You changing me with Your love. You are so awesome Father, You are so amazing, I give my heart to You, to You alone forever, Abba thank You I am so grateful for eveything I have and everything that You are! I love You.