It’s 3:00am and I’m sandwiched between my husband and our 4 yr old prince (who lately has been making a habit of crawling in bed with us lol!!!). Yes, I’m sleep deprived and a bit frustrated with his nightly routine but I’m also holding him close and cherishing these moments of him needing Momma! After a few snuggles, I took him back to his room and couldn’t help but think of what our sweet love said earlier this week.

We did an exercise where we made a list of what we were most thankful for in 2016 and then noted down what we wanted from the Lord in 2017. I completed my list and then turned to ask him what he wrote. For 2016, he wrote out the words “Dada.” (Awwww he looooves and is grateful for his Dada!!) When I asked him what he wanted in 2017 he said, “I told the Lord I want Him.”

Whooaaaaa!!! What?? I asked him again. He gave the same answer. I asked him again a few days later and he still gave the same answer.

I was blown away in how simply and profoundly my son taught me, yet again! He’s a normal child who has his moments but as children often do, they speak truth so effortlessly and have an innate sense of purity and such a direct, unfiltered connection with the Lord.

The next day, as I was talking to my Dada on the phone, I mentioned to him what Gabriel wanted in 2017. He immediately began recounting the story of a king who asked all the children in his kingdom to pick out gifts for themselves in His palace.

All the children took off running but one little girl stayed at his side. The king was puzzled and said, “What’s wrong little girl? Go and pick your gift.” The little girl replied, “I don’t want a gift. I want YOU!”

Oh.man.my.heart! That wrecked me!!

How often have we wanted and desired for everything but God? Or we may want Him plus all the other things He offers. Yes, He absolutely longs to give us good gifts, but how delighted He must be when we sit at His feet with nothing on our agenda but to simply BE with Him and want connection with Him.

I want to surrender the ambition. I want to lay down the pride. I let go of my desires and expectations and simply want Him. (Because He’s so good…He deposited certain desires in us that are part of His magnificent purpose for our lives…it’s when desires become more important than Him that we need to realign our hearts…more on that on another post lol!)

The very reason we exist is to have unbroken connection and co-union with Him. His presence is the only place we’ll be completely fulfilled. He didn’t die so we can only experience Him during a 3-song worship set on Sundays. He died to make us alive and to restore relationship. He longs for our hearts…morning, noon and night. Sunday through Saturday. For all eternity.

As post-Cross believers, when we say we want Him, we can be assured that Christ is already in us and we are in Him. He is always present. But, in the busyness of our lives, being bombarded with the social media behemoth and constantly staying plugged to our smartphones, there’s something so life altering to take the time each day to BE still and to just sit and BE with God…and express that we want HIM, not for what He can do or give us, but simply because we love Him and enjoy His presence.

From that place of making Him a priority; living a lifestyle of worship and practicing His presence, becomes so natural, like one of my spiritual heroes experienced on a daily basis!

It’s more than a religious ritual…it’s a vibrant relationship we get to have with Jesus!

Someone once said, “Never let the pace of your ministry outpace the pace of your intimacy!”

Wow, so true!

He’s not some ego-centric God who just wants to be wanted. The most astounding thing is that He wants YOU! He wants me! He doesn’t want a cleaned up, sanitized, highly spiritual and well-put-together “us.” He wants us just as we are. He’s the most accepting Being.

The more we know Him, the more He reveals who we are and who we were always created to be. It’s such a rich, mindful and wholehearted way of living and loving. There’s definitely more to be said on the topic of intimacy and connection with God and creating a lifestyle of stillness and simply BEING with Him.

Well folks, if you’ve read this far, I commend you. lol!! 🙂 Be sure to comment below on your journey of creating space to BE with HIM.

We’re all in this together.

Much Love!

P.S. Here’s one of my fav songs my heart can’t get enough of…listen to it and and sing it over your heart, your marriage , your children, your past, present and future. Through the joys, blessings, disappointments, losses and unanswered questions…He’s the King of my Heart and He is so good. Wanting Him is worth it!