reveal – KARLA LEES

bedazzled? beware!

August 6, 2015August 6, 2015 Karla Lees

Over coffee last night, a girl friend and I were sharing a bit of our backgrounds & story with one another….as new girlfriends are likely to do as part of our get to know each other chats (Right girlfriends ;D)

She mentioned how sometimes when something seems to good to be true, it is a warning.

You know…like how a little strategic decorating versus bedazzling the heck out of something appeal differently to our senses.

Sometimes we don’t take enough care to take a closer look at the bedazzling package in front of us.

True beauty is deeper than the surface beauty we often settle for.

I have found God’s gifts have a natural wonder which take my breath away in appreciation, but never glitters so much I can no longer clearly see His handiwork.

Years ago, pre-believing, I was very flattered by the attention of an older handsome man, and threw caution to the wind. I found myself quickly over my head, and looking back now, just as quickly longed for a way out. I was bedazzled by the outer exterior, but saw some glimpses of what was underneath, which wasn’t pretty at all. I still thank God that He got me out of that relationship as quickly as He did.

Just coz it looks great, doesn’t mean it is great.

Ever since that experience, I look beyond the exterior into the interior character of people. To me, the beauty of you is found in who you are, not the shell you are housed in.

I may be outwardly overweight, but inwardly I am way more attractive than I was when He found me!

Anger and rage have been tamed, with sarcasm wrestled & left at the foot of the cross….but what He left in their place is way more beautiful and dazzling than i could have imagined.

God moved in, and began to shine His Presence in such a way i startednto see the decor within might have been bedazzling on the surface, but was really tarnished underneath. It was time to trade up!

Now i decorate within in the Vintage style which will last for eternity!

The beauty found in spending time with my Maker, who is continually making me new from the inside out.

So if you suspect something is too bedazzlingly wonderful to be true, ask Him to reveal what is really under the surface.

It may be the enemy is trying to decoy you away from where God really wants you, or God may have something better ahead than you ever believed possible, Beloved.

Being aware doesn’t mean we need to be scared. It simply means take a moment to ask God, “Is this what You have for me?” and awaiting His response.

May we cease being surface dwellers, and dig deep for the vintage eternal treasures He has waiting for us to unwrap & enjoy.

the gleam of glory through our story

March 13, 2015March 13, 2015 Karla Lees

It is the mark of a good fairy-story, of the higher or more complete kind, that however wild its events, however fantastic or terrible the adventures, it can give to child or man that hears it, when the ‘turn’ comes, a catch of the breath, a beat and lifting of the heart, near to (or indeed accompanied by) tears, as keen as that given by any form of literary art … In such stories, when the sudden ‘turn’ comes we get a piercing glimpse of joy, and heart’s desire, that for a moment passes outside the frame, rends indeed the very web of story, and lets a gleam come through. J.R.R. Tolkien

Many of us have lived lives that could fall under the dramatic, comedic or fairy tale romantic categories. At times, my life has glimpses of all three.

The drama serves to show the hard aspects of life. The ups & downs we all face as we journey through life. The losses, the griefs, the goodbyes, the struggles. The dramatic edge is stark, and realistic.

Comedy serves as relief. A good laugh can lighten our load, leaving us joyful despite the drama going on in our lives. I tend to be a bit of a klutz, pun quipper & at time funny gal, and try to help others enjoy life a bit more when they spend time with me.

But the fairy tale romantic aspect of my life?

That’s where the best action is.

Not because i spend all time reading or watching fairy tales, but because it is part of my story.

My Knight in heavenly armor rode in on a white steed to rescue me when I fell into the pit of my despair, helplessness and sin.

He lifted me up, cleaned me thoroughly, clothed me in the white of His pure love & crown of His presence, and took me for His own.

I am my Beloved’s and He is mine!

He not only gave me His name, but renamed me as only the One who can see the embers of promise can do to call them to life.

I had no idea that life held such promise, purpose or passion before I encountered Him so powerfully.

Romance entered my life along with His glory.

You see, when God makes us His, Holy Spirit enters us. The glory moves on in within.

Glory becomes part of my story.
And part of yours too!

We can catches these glimpses when we look back on our day, or hear another believer’s testimony. His glory will always shine through a believer who is choosing to be used by Him.

His Glory echoes through encouraging words, in glimmers of kind acts, radiates through love laid down to serve one another, glows as we worship and praise Him.

The end of my story? I have the best ending of any fairy tale imaginable, as I get to live with my eternal Groom forever more, not just while here on earth!

He cannot help but show more of Himself as we draw close & press in to His Presence. We were designed to reveal His glory to one another, making Him known through how we show love and care.

May you see the glimpses of His glory through all the drama, action, comedy, and fairy tale hopes & dreams you may have.

Unlike the movies or books, His glory will last forever.

And those who choose Him? Get to see Him move mightily through our stories 🙂

I can hardly wait to see Cinderella, one of my fave fairy tales through which I believe God has revealed part of His heart for restoration for His bride. I know it is just a fairy tale. but I love sensing that echo of His love through it, and the thrill my heart gets when the prince finds her! ❤

go to the source

January 30, 2015January 30, 2015 Karla Lees

I am an avid learner, as I recently shared in my desire to keep taking courses. I like to study the Word, read how others interpret the Word, and grow through the process.

The image I am sharing today struck me as a great visual reminder of the three key ways to encounter truth, and become wise.

1. Search for It.

We don’t know what we know or don’t know until we begin to search for knowledge.

The world opens up to a child when they grasp the alphabet, and the lining up of letters to make words. Being able to read helps widen our search area for knowledge.

Being a knowledge seeker means we are searching for truth. We want to know the facts. We long to know what is true, in a world that likes to blur the edges of all it reveals to us. But real fact is based on truth, and will have a ring of the Holy in it as a result. For God is Truth, and all truth echoes back to its originator.

2. Make it Live.

Insight is living out the truth we now know, discovered through seeking out knowledge. If something is true, and we know it, we live differently through encountering it.

As a very young child of 3-4, I broke my money out of my piggy bank and walked to the donut store behind where we lived to buy 6 donuts. I ate them all fairly quickly to hide the evidence, and I learned very quickly that 6 donuts was way too much food for my childish frame.

The truth I learned is if I want to do something in secret and am not comfortable telling someone else about it, it isn’t something I should be doing. (And I will get sick from six full sized donuts!)

Applying the truth through what we learn takes it from being a just a fact to making it relevant to our lives.

But there is still a key element missing to knowledge & truth, which leads me to point…

3. Seek the Source.
Real knowledge and truth comes from the Source of it all, God.
As He is truth, and all wisdom, He will reveal both to use when we ask for help. Discernment occurs when God reveals the truth in a way we could not have discovered ourselves without Him. In times of heightened stress & emotions, we can forget what we have learned and applied, and that is where drawing close to the Source is crucial. The eternal God has insight beyond our comprehension, which can reveal way more in one moment than we could spend a life time trying to learn for ourselves.

We will never find truth, knowledge & wisdom apart from God. He not only knows all, He is the starting place for all truth & wisdom. They are Him, integral characteristics of the Almighty amazing complex God we are drawn to.

Need wisdom?
Seeking truth?
Lacking insight?
Go to the Source!

A few nugget verses to check out from the Word about wisdom, truth & knowledge:

Proverbs 1:7; 8:11-21
James 1:5
Colossians 3:16
Romans 11:33

But more importantly….

I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!

Ephesians 1:17-19