prada warfare while celebrating freedom

america celebrates. red and white checkered tablecloths cover more tables today than any other day.  i love that sprinklers and BBQ’s remind us of freedom.

i was very ready to start my day because i knew i would be able to spend a lot of time reading a challenging book entitled, this day we fight: breaking the bondage of a passive spirit, by francis frangipane (i highly recommend it!). i literally read about ten pages and had to put the book down because i had a headache.  the truth that is presented in this literally work of art calls my soul into places of challenge that have been untouched for quite some time.  the work of the holy spirit in connection with intercession breaks spiritual bondage. warfare is called into question when we press the lines of the enemy.  psalm 18 has given me a new understanding of fighting blamelessly with God’s strength.

i put the book down as i was challenged to break areas of passivity in my shadow. i walked away with a headache.

the devil wears prada was another work of art (if i can say that) that gave me a headache today, but for a much different reason. the brokenness of the women in this film broke my spirit.  sadly enough  i was also affected by this movie because i could see myself living with the pressures  these women experienced.  beauty.  style.  the look.  attitudes.  pressure to succeed. and a heartless, relentless pursuit of femininity vs. femininity. 

why does it have to be this way? why the constant pain for women? i have concluded it is because the enemy is after the gift that we were given as women in the garden, our beauty.  consistently we sense this pressure from our  own gender as well as the opposite.  we don’t know how to live in style, but we definitely know when we are out of it. 

i pleaded with the holy spirit for humankind today.  i asked him to teach us women how to comprehend a healthy balance of what is internal and what is external.  i begged him to take away the edge of the pain that we feel as women because of our daily challenges with ourown beauty and how the world has lied to us.  i asked him to communicate with men about how to lovingly challenge women toward their fullest potential of beauty, but also graciously respond to us when we are attacked with fierce hatred.  and i asked him, how long must this remain? because i know all things are going to become new. 

the tree of life will one day be fully experienced. and then we will know freedom.