Love’s Fire Works

Introduction I have one request. Please consider not telling others about this book’s conclusions or “answers” about certain life issues. I ask, instead, that you share what happened to you because of reading the book. Let others experience and know the fruit in your life from reading it. A tree is known by its fruit. You may think that this is a strange request, or maybe that I’m crazy. But I do have purpose behind this request (at least most people would tell you that I’m not crazy). The book is confidential because I share vulnerably about my life. Just kidding. I do share vulnerably, but my reason for asking you not to tell people about the book is based on Jesus’ example of a similar directive. So I am in good company. Jesus healed a man from leprosy and told him to tell no one (Lk. 5:14). Have you wondered why Jesus directed him and numerous others to tell no one after He did a miracle in them? Me too. But then He healed me from my own unresolvable struggles. My own healing may have awakened me to Jesus’ purpose. I believe that Jesus wanted people to encounter His works rather than superficial words about outcomes. I believe that He also wants you to encounter His works in my life that are beyond my abilities, determination, or inadequacies. That’s why I personally share God’s works in my life rather than presenting you with some neatly-wrapped package as the outcome. My life is still messy at times, but God is in it. I don’t think that you can read this book without experiencing significant awakening. Love’s Fire Works was forged by fire. Trials expose the deep in people. My trials have exposed the deep in me and will likely touch deep areas within you whether you struggle with anxiety, depression, perfectionism, addiction, or identity and relationship issues. Sharing at a practical level about my trials, as well as God’s works to bring healing through them, adds greater understanding for your journey into restoration. I share my inner world connected to the circumstances I faced so you can learn how emotions, inner experiences, and spirituality facilitate or hinder awakening. God has used trials to lift me spiritually, and He showed me a picture of what this spiritual lifting was like. God has a way of putting things into proper perspective, and He did that for me through a brief vision in full color during the height of my trials. I saw a woman holding a door open for me. Her hand was still on the door knob as she whispered, “Come in here, quickly.” I understood that she was inviting me into a new spiritual room. I also knew that not just anyone could walk nonchalantly through that doorway as seen by the woman’s whisper, as well as her intent to close the door quickly behind me. As I walked through the doorway I knew that she was a kindergarten teacher. Then I saw a long rectangular table with highchairs around it. She motioned for me to sit in the highchair closest to the door. That was all I saw of the vision. Its meaning became clear as I paused. The woman was the Holy Spirit who had invited me into a higher spiritual room. Her invitation was just a whisper, which required me to be alert to hear her. The highchairs indicated that this room was like kindergarten compared to the rest of the kingdom. I realized that I was just scratching the surface of God’s infinite realm that was higher than mine. I saw that I was barely learning these kindergarten ways as seen by me being in the chair nearest to the door (meaning the most recently admitted child). The vision put things into perspective. I’ve gone through fire to enter kindergarten and I’m fortunate to be the least in the room! I am thankful for the fire. I believe that the vision is about all who are willing to embrace the fire in their lives. God has further delivered me through my fiery furnace that had no way out except “Christ in me,” who was with me in the fire. I’m always a work in progress, but God has further delivered me from worldly systems and rules, from the fear of people, and from hiding who I truly am. He has faithfully freed me into more of my true identity that gives testimony to the value planted within all of us. You may want to read only bits or to the extent that God stirs your heart, and then leave those places bubble a while before reading further. Then you will not race past the Spirit’s works within you. This book is meant to provide you with an experience, not to be treated like another manual of standards you are required to perform. I pray that all of us would be lifted into kindergarten and beyond (to infinity and beyond, as Buzz Lightyear would say). I pray that Christ would use these fireworks to burn away more of the earthly fog in your life and to make you a living testimony of God’s image on this earth. Be blessed by Love’s Fire Works.