Three

3 am. I leave for my sister's in about 12 hours and here I am at 3 am. When I woke up this morning I didn't know what today had in store. but God sure did. Tables have turned today in many different ways. It's been a testament to the true and good power of God. I was given both vision for what has happened in my life, where I am today, and where I am going. I feel full. and not in the "i ate too many donuts" kind of way. I feel full of the one who calls me by name. I feel full of gratitude.

3 years ago, a devastated girl left Starbucks with a close friend of hers. Everything they knew had just been taken from them and flipped upside down. As they drove, that young girl began to cry in the darkness because of how things were changing - how people were leaving. Her friend grabbed her hand and uttered words that really came from Jesus: I will never leave you. Matt Kearney played on the radio those same words. Tonight, that devastated little girl, now a woman, drove that same close friend home. Both smiling and gut laughing. both knowing that because Jesus was good - we would never have to be a part. Matt kearney was playing on the radio.

3 friends sat in the back row of a small church. They grew up together at a church down the road. Each grew up and traveled and learned and changed. yet here they were, found to be together once more. worshipping that same old Jesus they grew up loving. So different from one another but bonded by christ. No matter where we travel - we will always be one body, one church.

3 weeks from now, the now-woman will leave the life she knows behind. She will trade it for the unknown. She will die to self - to magnify Jesus. because that's all she really wants is to magnify the king of kings and lord of lords. She is scared. Terrified even. to love herself the way her Jesus does. but her heart sister prayed over her tonight. both crying. both grieving; for they knew time together was short. The prayers were sweet and the love between them pure Jesus.  two broken people and jesus. and thats all they needed. "me too"s and jesus.

Luke 3 - John the Baptist prepares the way of the Lord. Isn't that what we're doing? Just making space. Just making a place at the head of the table for our Lord. We prepare the way for Jesus to come in. We wait expectant for the coming of our savior.

3 characters in the christmas story. A virgin. A carpenter. A baby. forever changed the face of earth. Changed life as we knew it. a savior born to save the world. to rescue the broken. to heal the sick. to be God-man for all to see. simple - so very simple. but none more beautiful.

father. son. holy spirit. 3 in 1.

it comes in threes. it all comes in threes. the picture pulls together like puzzle pieces. I see more and more of the picture when the pieces come together, more of the God-glory. As it comes together I see it. A candle light. burning brightly in the night. flickering away the darkness. HOPE in the midst of it all. and the world was never the same. so it comes in the threes. the coming the staying the going. the praying the giving the worshipping. it comes in threes. and there is none more beautiful.