In my last post I talked about how I have been learning this unique lesson of invitation.
I have been on this journey of learning what it means to be the first to look out, call out to a face with and unknown name in the crowd and invite them to come join me for this coffee date that happens to be right in the middle of this busy town square of life.
It has certainly been a scary one but a beautiful one in every way imaginable.
There are moments…
– Moments of fear.
– Moments of hurt.
– Moments of uncertainty.
– Moments of loneliness.
– Moments of overwhelming fear that I might be left standing alone by all those who were invited.
– Moments of crippling fear in remembering that this is a risk every step of the way…a risk in which I might be forever changed by.
But then… to my amazement… there are these other moments…these moments that over shadow any of the harder parts…
– Moments of resounding joy and peace.
– Moments of knowing more than I ever have how much I am loved.
– Moments of getting to love others deeply and being a small hand in their healing journey.
– Moments of truth spoken into me that have changed how I see myself and others. I find myself holding onto these truths for dear life simply because they came from those who didn’t have to be there but they are… they are there… they said yes and meant it.
– Moments of understanding who I am, who others are, and more of who the Lord is.
– Moments of never wanting to run from others again.
– Moments where the desire to run is exchanged for a burning desire to intently hold on tighter and longer to those in my life and for the first time (maybe ever) this not stemming from a fear of loss but from the motivation that comes along side such a rich love.
– Moments of laughter and tears intermingling gracefully.
– Moments of being beyond thankful that I opened up, spoke up and stepped up to invite.
– Moments of exceeding excitement in remembering that this is a risk every step of the way… a risk in which I might be forever changed by.
The graceful dance and art of invitation has truly been one of the most unknown mixes of scary and deeply satisfying forms of transparency that I have experienced.There is so much on the line each day and moment in this journey of being one who invites.
However, what I am seeing is that almost everything that sits on that line tends to only lead to and be a profound experience of change.
One side of this line there rests the simple option that is change, which, what I have found is that it seems to bring about this aspect of grand adventures and dreams coming true.
Then on the other side sits a lack of change, which, only seems to produce a seemingly stale and stagnant life.
I am learning that the risk of inviting is truly…
The risk to change over and over again.
The risk to adventure out and discover the boundless love and joys of the heart of others and myself.
The risk to develop a life that others and myself want to snuggle into to find strength and zeal and then willing turn around and take a huge leap of faith hand and hand straight into a deep lake that creates a ripple affect that changes all that it touches..
The risk of inviting is the risk of living life abundantly.