My literary agent’s husband recently finished my whole book and wrote this brilliant summary for it . I feel so blessed! This has been a two year journey and the manuscript is almost ready to present to publishers.
Synopsis:
This allegorical fantasy romance begins with Noelani on a date with Jesus Christ (in the flesh). Based loosely on Revelation 22:17: The [Holy] Spirit and the bride (the church, believers) say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take and drink the water of life without cost. -Revelation 22:17 AMP
Jesus takes her through a series of settings and circumstances as she begins to realize his deep love for her. Beginning at the local coffee shop, she witnesses as Jesus talks to the barista and changes her whole life right there.
Then they visit a nearby lake and watch the stars and water and trees transform into phantasmagoric visions while she is transported into heaven at a castle like the one in the Cinderella ball. She dances with Jesus and later falls asleep in her private bedroom in the castle. Jesus talks with her and introduces her to The Father and continues to woo her, asking her to marry him. Finally, she says yes.
Part two begins in Noelani’s kitchen with her friend and Jesus as a visiting plumber who has tea and asks and answers questions of them both. As the discussion progresses, Noelani gains more insight and philosophical/theological understanding that Jesus expresses and verifies in the Bible.
Then a short walk to the local elementary school where Jesus shows Noelani how to minister to a small immigrant child from Africa. They part and she is no longer able to meet Jesus in the flesh.
Emphasizing the love of God and the continued effort of Jesus and the Father to restore sinners to a state of grace. The main emphasis of this story is to clarify the Christian love relationships between husband and wife and dispel the often-misunderstood concepts and behaviors of human sexuality.
Discussion questions at each chapter ending provide a format for group discussion. Additional references include recommended music and scripture end notes.
“But I came by and saw you there, helplessly kicking about in your own blood. As you lay there, I said, ‘Live!’ And I helped you to thrive like a plant in the field. You grew up and became a beautiful jewel. Your breasts became full, and your body hair grew, but you were still naked. And when I passed by again, I saw that you were old enough for love. So I wrapped my cloak around you to cover your nakedness and declared my marriage vows. I made a covenant with you, says the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine. “Then I bathed you and washed off your blood, and I rubbed fragrant oils into your skin. I gave you expensive clothing of fine linen and silk, beautifully embroidered, and sandals made of fine goatskin leather. I gave you lovely jewelry, bracelets, beautiful necklaces, a ring for your nose, earrings for your ears, and a lovely crown for your head. And so you were adorned with gold and silver. Your clothes were made of fine linen and costly fabric and were beautifully embroidered. You ate the finest foods—choice flour, honey, and olive oil—and became more beautiful than ever. You looked like a queen, and so you were!”
-God in Ezekiel 16:6-13 NLT.
~To discover my original novella that inspired this new book, click here.
“As I read, I quickly became enthralled with this book, so beautifully written in the language of love. Each of these short stories so accurately reflects the romantic and wooing heart of the Bridegroom which draws you to Himself into a deeper place of love and intimacy. If you have not yet experienced romantic intimacy with God, I’m confident that this book will set you on course. It’s bound to warm your soul and whet your desire for your own heart-to-heart conversations and experiences with God. The author creatively ministers to the soul, bringing truth to light in the most tangible ways; you will feel that God is speaking directly to you, and He most certainly is! Some stories caused me to be drawn away into remembrance of my own experiences and conversations with God that have freed my soul; others caused me to reevaluate my heart’s commitment to my first Husband and cry out for forgiveness; and yet others simply took me on a delightful and exciting adventure of what the beginning of a holy, unadulterated love looks like – so refreshing to the soul! I commend the author for using her creative gifting to share personal reflections and heart intimacies which I know could only come from the deep well of Father’s heart. I highly recommend this book as a must read!” -Marina Garcia, worshipper, mother, wife, health cheerleader.
~This preview is taken from my upcoming Christian fiction book, At the Time for Love, a book based off Ezekiel 16:6-14. This novella is meant to introduce young women to the intimate love of Jesus while transparently discussing the topic of: romantic relationships, the often tumultuous and confusing emotions of teenage girls (as well as their blossoming longing for mature love), sex, and above all, the tender Bridegroom love of Jesus. When I was 16 years old, Jesus came after my heart and I wrote my first romantic story, I Do, about being his bride while listening to the song Hero by Enrique Iglesias. Because of his pure love, I walked through my young adult life whole and avoided much heartbreak and compromise. Later, I married the man of my dreams (my 1st boyfriend). My passion is to bring purity and sexual healing back to this generation. I pray Jesus uses this book to save young women in the same way He saved me. This book is meant for girls ages 17+.
Rippling, warm sensations traveled through my body before giving way to placid serenity, as he looked at me with sonographic accuracy. It was like he could see through me. Even though I was bundled in clothing, I felt naked before him. His eyes pleasantly burned through all my layers. Only, it wasn’t a sexual stripping, it was deeper, more personal, more exposing, more vulnerable. He dove into my heart and my pulse quickened and then slowed when all I saw was admiration and pure joy shining through his eyes and spreading across his entire visage.
He loved me.
Adjusting himself, he unlopped his arm from across my shoulders and pulled out a small velvety black box from his right pocket. My breath caught and he slowly took my right hand in his, lifting it up. I held my breath and watched as he carefully set the box down in his lap before tenderly taking off my glove. Time seemed frozen as he briefly but gently stroked the back of my fingers with his thumb. Our skin on skin contact caused tingling flashes of pleasure to shoot up my arm.
The frozen winter wonderland around us became void in the light of his face and shinning ocher eyes. His butterscotch skin was warmer than the sweet cup of hot chocolate I had drank. My heart was heard in my ears and all else was silent.
Is he proposing? I thought, feeling like I would simultaneously faint to the floor and fly to the moon.
I saw a muscle work in James’s jaw and his mouth moved slightly as if he wanted to say something. He slowly let go of my hand and opened the box. A brilliant ruby, chiseled in the shape of a blooming rose with gold wire around the delicate petals was seen. It was engrafted on a rose gold band and the pointed leaves on each end were silver. The veins on the leaflets were rose gold as well.
I gasped in awe!
“Merry Christmas. If you’ll have me, this will be my engagement ring to you, Rose,” he said slipping the ring on my ring finger, “I vow that I’ll love you forever with all my heart and seek to love you as Christ loves his church. I promise to be faithful to you, to pray for you, to cherish you, to be a channel of God’s goodness, truth, and grace in your life.”
My hand and body trembled as he slipped the ring on my right ring finger. A scene from our first, private ride together in his truck came back. I remembered the vow he told me he had made with God concerning his future wife; “I plan to stay single until God shows me the right one. I pray for her almost every night… whoever she is. I’ve promised to never tell another woman that I love her, or kiss, until I know it’s her.”
All fear of losing him evaporated. I wasn’t alone. I wasn’t abandoned. I was loved and always would be. A deep sense of security washed over me like a tide of warm water from the Atlantic sea. It soothed my soul, like sacred oil coating my skin.
“It’s beautiful,” I said choking on tears. I studied the expensive jewelry as I lifted my hand closer to my face. I put my hand back down and saw James’s staring at me with unflinching eyes.
Tossing aside restraint, I leaped beside him with one quick swing. I caught the sides of his face with my hands and rubbed my fingers across his smooth skin, savoring the feel of his flesh. I saw him with my hands and felt the strong muscles in his jaw and cheeks. I allowed myself the pleasure of running my hands through his coarse hair for the first time and giggled even as tears blinded my vision.
“So tightly curly,” I commented. closed my eyes as tears slipped down them and dripped on his arm and mine, “just like I imagined in my dreams.”
I opened my eyes again when I felt James play with my hair.
“Silk, just like I imagined.”
My body trembled more and my lips quivered.
“James,” I breathed thickly and slid my hands to the back of his neck, intertwining my fingers, I gently pulled him closer.
His hands dropped and he flinched his face away. When he moved to unlace my fingers, I turned his face back toward mine.
“James,” I said again, staring at him with bullseye vision. My sea blue eyes misted over, and my voice sounded like a soft cry, “oh, James.”
I tipped my chin up even as I firmly pulled his down.
Our lips touched, lightly at first and then I smooshed them together, closing my eyes to savor the feeling.
I kissed him, feeling the softness of his lips and the hardness of his teeth. I kissed him again, unbothered by his conservative, unresponsive lips. I felt his warm exhales waft against the groove of my philtrum before falling down my lower face to lightly caress the tower of my neck.
When he started kissing me back, I melted against him and felt lost in a euphoric dream. He surrounded my body in his arms and snuggled me tightly. His arms slowly moved behind me until finding their place. With one hand, he cupped my head and with the other he steadied my mid-back.
Electrical sensations exploded in my heart like lightning escaping the veil of heavy, moist rain clouds. The seconds I sat wrapped up in him felt lost in eternity.
He brusquely pulled away and I opened my eyes.
I took my hands from around him and wiped the trails of tears from my cheeks and chin. I could see remnants of my tears lining his cheeks like glassy water in irregular patterns. .
He shook his head softly, “Autumn…” he gasped, his eyes aglow like I had never seen them.
“I thought it was Rose, or darling?” I gave a brisk chuckle.
“It’s all three.”
“And Sweet One,” I said with a crumpled smile, still tasting him on my tongue.
“Four then,” he said seriously before softening, “and much more to come.”
“Now you can talk to me. Yes?” I said batting my eyes whimsically.
I could tell he was surprised by my audaciousness. “I love you, but I’m not comfortable with this.”
“Why not?” I questioned, sure that our kiss was innocuous.
My eyes searched his like a thirsty +woman leaning over a well. Curious about love, I wanted to drink from him.
I was sure I captivated him as much as he captivated me. His eyes swam across my visage, studying my features. Being under his loving gaze was almost hallucinogenic to my heart. Under his perusal, I felt the fogging warmth inside my cheeks flush across my face and even meet the bridge of my nose. I knew I was smeared across with the blushing evidence of virginity. When his vision settled on my eyes, he exhaled audibly as love poured from him. I guessed our kiss had aroused a flame in him that could spread like wildfire if not tamed.
With humble poise, James tentatively placed his index finger on my neck, “I can feel your pulse.”
“You can always feel a person’s pulse on their neck…”
“Your heart is racing.” He stressed.
“As it should be. This was my first kiss,” I spoke in a sweet, hushed voice, “how blessed am I to have only kissed the man I truly love.”
I felt the tremor in his finger before he withdrew it. It was the first time I had ever seen him tremble. I didn’t know my touch could do that to him. I didn’t know anything could do that to him. He was smitten at the core with love for me.
I bravely reached my hand out and felt his neck. I let my fingers flutter against his skin.
“I can feel yours too,” I said softly and then licked my lips.
He firmly took hold of my wrist and gently pulled my hand down, silently requesting I keep our unspoken courtship protocol.
“This was my first kiss as a saved man.”
“So, we are both sort of in the same boat?”
“Sort of…”
We both fell silent and after a few seconds I shrugged my shoulders, “I suppose, regardless it will be our last kiss for a while. After all, you are going away.”
James slightly nodded his head.
I gave a puckish grin, “I’m glad I stole one before you did.”
We both laughed and in our jest, I marveled at this newfound boldness breaking free inside of me.
We sat and talked for another hour before I began shivering uncontrollably. With no more hot chocolate to take the cold edge off, James insisted he drive me back home. Even though I knew I would be warmer in his truck, I didn’t want my time with him to be shortened. Eventually, I relented and as he drove down the country road leading to my parent’s house, I prayed we would be together sooner than Spring…
“But I came by and saw you there, helplessly kicking about in your own blood. As you lay there, I said, ‘Live!’ And I helped you to thrive like a plant in the field. You grew up and became a beautiful jewel. Your breasts became full, and your body hair grew, but you were still naked. And when I passed by again, I saw that you were old enough for love. So I wrapped my cloak around you to cover your nakedness and declared my marriage vows. I made a covenant with you, says the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine. “Then I bathed you and washed off your blood, and I rubbed fragrant oils into your skin. I gave you expensive clothing of fine linen and silk, beautifully embroidered, and sandals made of fine goatskin leather. I gave you lovely jewelry, bracelets, beautiful necklaces, a ring for your nose, earrings for your ears, and a lovely crown for your head. And so you were adorned with gold and silver. Your clothes were made of fine linen and costly fabric and were beautifully embroidered. You ate the finest foods—choice flour, honey, and olive oil—and became more beautiful than ever. You looked like a queen, and so you were!”
-God in Ezekiel 16:6-13 NLT.
~For a fiction novella on godly love, check out my book, Romantic Rendezvous for the Soul (Pleasure That Makes You Whole). It explores the holy Bridegroom love of Jesus for the church on amazon! To purchase a copy or read reviews on it, click here. You can also read the first chapter free on my Free Inspiration page!
“This book is simply wonderful. Deliciously descriptive, it nourishes the soul with fresh revelation of God’s love for humanity. This collection of short stories may challenge your thinking about what true intimacy looks like, while making your heart yearn to daily experience the Perfect Love described within its pages. It invites you into a world created by Love Himself, where there’s no mistaking that His love is not only unconditional and never-failing, but also deeply personal and precious to Him. Get ready to experience the purpose, pleasure, and power of real love!” -Amazon Reviewer
“Let his left hand be under my head And his right hand embrace me.” -Song of Solomon 2:6 AMP
Father, I’m in one of those moments right now.
You know where I am and you come to find me.
It’s a place I’ve been many times since knowing you.
It’s the moment where my heart longs to sit inside a cozy cottage centered amid a jade glen with emerald climbing vines and flowering wisteria decorating the walls.
I want to enter into this place you’ve created inside of me. (Luke 17:21)
I long to gaze upon a burning, crackling and humming hearth and smell sage and cinnamon blending together. The vibrant flames of gold, orange, and ruby red glimmer and mix together like precious pieces of treasure–each beautifully unique and eye-catching.
I’m longing for your arms to embrace me.
I’m longing for your tangible touch again.
I’m longing to enter that sacred place in my heart where the Word becomes flesh. (John 1:14)
This holy place where heaven meets earth.
This special place where eternity enters time, and this shared space becomes divine.
I’m thirsting for this place where you set a table before me, where you enter my soul with words filling like the last Supper–your words are sweet bread to my tongue. (John 6:51)
Where my heart is poured upon with the fragrant oil of your Holy Spirit and He coats my skin with radiant love.
I long to rest in this place where incense covers the soil of my inner being like dewy mist in a lush garden.
Oh Abba, I desire you.
I wait for you like the watchmen for the morning. (Psalm 130:6)
I am sick with love. (Song of Solomon 2:5)
I seek to gaze upon your heart.
I seek to be hidden in the deepest alcove in your chest.
I desire to be secured inside the core of your being.
I want to walk with you inside of your heart.
In your heart I find the beauty of heaven and earth.
An immense beauty,
A glowing light.
A translucence more captivating than a million rainbows in a hazy sky.
A vast beauty more breathtaking than the expanse of every azure sea.
A mystery more spectacular than the starry constellations.
Your love is the safest place.
There is no fear in your love.
No worry.
No anxiety.
No stress.
No selfishness.
Your love for me is personal.
Your love for me is priceless.
Your love for me is the source of my life.
My security.
My surety.
My eternity.
My peace.
My harmony.
My self-worth is solid in your love.
Oh Father, I’m longing for your embrace.
For your warm arms to wrap around me.
I long to feel your heartbeat on my back.
To nuzzle my face under your chin.
To fall asleep wrapped up in you.
To be with you is to truly be free.
To be with you is to be with pure love.
“Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul; Like a weaned child [resting] with his mother, My soul is like a weaned child within me [composed and freed from discontent].” -Psalm 131:2 AMP
~If you enjoyed this poem, check out my book, Visions of Celestial Love (a modern day book of psalms and prayers):
“Ashley presents us with a true cornucopia of modern psalms, personal testimonies, and short stories. She has set out to reveal and unravel some of the most complex heart issues mankind faces in our quest of understanding what true intimacy with God really looks like. Prepare to have your soul massaged and worked on as you read Visions of Celestial Love.” — Jeremy Minard, Servant King Apparel
Then God said, “Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness… -Genesis 1:26 AMP
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. –Genesis 2:7
How precious do you believe you are to God?
Every single one of us are so loved by God. He has, does and will love us with everlasting love. In his eternal wisdom and mercy, He planned our salvation and our admission into his heavenly family.
Recently Jesus showed me that when He released his last breath and gave up his spirit on the cross…that it was like God (Triune) breathing breath into Adam’s/my/our body and then Adam becoming a living soul…a son of God.
We have become children of God by putting our trust in what Jesus accomplished on the cross. (1 John 3:1)
There is so much wonder in the what Jesus did on the cross. There is so much love and so much grace.
I felt like Father told me that He has never stopped looking for Adam. He looks for Adam in unbelievers today. He lovingly searches for them so He can breathe his Spirit breath into them like He did for us.
He has never stopped wanting mankind to live in fellowship with Him in a heavenly place (once called Eden), now called the Kingdom of Heaven which is near us and in us by his Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)
Like He breathed into Adam…He breathes his Spirit, his love, his very life into us.
There’s more glory and love from God that He wants you to experience and receive…there’s so much more .
The Father’s love is boundless.
His plan is eternal.
His wisdom is magnificent.
I hope you continually increase in the experiential knowledge of his amazing love for you. He had you in his mind before time began. (Romans 8:29)
Father God has your face imprinted on the palm of his hand (Isaiah 49:16 AMP). I know it’s tradition for some people to tattoo the names or faces of loved ones on their bodies. God has shown his love in yet another way, by putting your face on his palm. And while I’m not sure if this looks exactly like our human example of a “tattoo” it does mean that you are “ever before” Him. He is mindful of you.
Jesus displayed the greatest love, in giving his life on the cross for you. (John 15:13) . And He bears the marks of his love for you on his wrists.
When Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He yielded up His spirit. At that moment the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.… -Matthew 27:50-51
If you would like a compilation of words on the Father’s eternal love for you, check out my book, Visions of Celestial Love, by clicking here. It is filled with the things Father has shown me. His love for you is deep. He woos you with transformative grace, steadfast compassion and cleansing truth
“Ashley Thompson’s book, Visions of Celestial Love is just that; a visionary work of epic proportions. It is glimpses into a loving and remarkable relationship with the creator of the universe.
You are invited to Dive into stories of love and compassion, healing and provision, loss and recovery, profound grace and faith. Ashley draws us in with her descriptive prose and unique style of writing.
There are so many stories to relate to in this book and I’m sure you will find your own story among the many that are told here. So, find your favorite spot, your favorite beverage, and curl up with “Visions of Celestial Love”!” –Amazon Reviewer.
Jesus You are the King Who left his throne, became a Knight and won my heart.
A love relationship with Jesus is greater than any and all romances combined.
You, aren’t just a King of some lush country or nation on earth…no, You are the King of Heaven, the Creator of the heavens and the earth.
You own it all: the cosmos, the fish in the sea, the richness of every land, the specks of sand on the shore. You came down to earth as a Man to serve the apple of your eye (your beloved) and to destroy her enemy.
Gloriously shinning You awoke the deepest parts of me. In the same voice that You used to awaken Lazarus from death You gazed at me with eyes of warm consuming fire and said to every dead place in my soul, “Live!”
You fought the enemies of my soul without relenting.
You defeated guilt, shame, condemnation, feelings of inferiority, hopelessness, depression and many others.
Your steadfast love captured my heart.
Your faithfulness caused me to trust again and in the light of your radiant love I opened up like a blooming flower.
You showed me what it’s like to be a woman: cherished, adored, loved, a princess destined to become a queen.
You quieted me with Your love.
You gave me rest…
For centuries, the female heart has burned with desire for the lasting pleasure of unchanging love. In the course of time, civilizations have risen and fallen, yet the longing for tangible intimacy has never faded. Millions of lyrics have been written to the passionate tune of this fluid yearning.
Unfortunately, few people find the lasting love they’ve longed for, even as children. Life, education, and societal pressures transform what was once a tangible hope into a mythical fairy tale. Industries have reaped unlimited monetary gain from the erosion of this hope. Billions of girls grow up to become women who have long since tossed their dreams of true love in the trash bin of cynicism. Countless others have buried their ache of unmet desire under the disappointment of failed relationships and hopelessness.
Despite most women’s best attempts, this starved craving remains alive, like a stimulating aroma. This ethereal hope goes back to the first relationship, in a place of being so “seen” and “lovingly known” that “she” was naked and unashamed.
This novella was not written to add salt to the gaping wound of unsatisfied need. It was written to satisfy the need completely. Let Romantic Rendezvous for the Soul introduce you to a lasting relationship with Transcendent Love, where reality becomes sweeter than your dreams.
~To purchase a copy of my novella on divine romance, click here.
“Romantic Rendezvous is a beautiful invitation into intimacy with Jesus! Ashley has done a masterful job of creating stories that depict the heart of the Father. I have truly been blessed by this book! As I read each story, I felt the closeness of Jesus and had continual reminders of how deep the Fathers love is for me. From the very first chapter, I felt the flame of my heart be rekindled with God’s goodness and love. This book is a must read!” -Jessica Leon
So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” -Romans 8:15 NLT
It took me a while to call God my Abba Father. Like most Christians that I’ve meet, I mentally acknowledged that He was my Father and I would even attribute that title to Him in my prayers…but I did not know Him in the sweet, warm and assuring way a child knows a loving father. I would not have run into his arms like a little girl would do if her father came home and bent a knee so he could scoop her up.
Thankfully, over the years God has slowly, patiently, tenderly and steadily ushered me into the safety of his arms. Years ago I was sitting on my sister’s couch in her room and I was looking up at the ceiling as I talked to God. I began thanking him for adopting me into His Family. I thought I was doing pretty good with my thanksgiving…I thought I understood his love and the whole adoption thing, but I didn’t discern the depths of his affection…so He stopped me. “Ashley,” He said, “you were always my child.” After He said that, I realized, He always meant to adopt me. In His heart, I was always His. This is true of you. He always loved you as a child.
Years after that I was reading the book of Hosea and God began writing poetry to me. I heard Him whisper inside my heart, “you are a reflection of all my affections.” The instances where his love has caught me off guard and wooed were so numerous that I finally began to allow my soul to marinate in the anointed, fragrant waters of his heart.
I’ve learned that it’s okay to call Him “Daddy” even when I’ve messed up. I’ve learned to lean into his warm chest and relax at his touch. I’ve learned that He just wants me…no strings attached. There’s no need to fear that his love will ever let go.
Like Hosea, He chases me even when I’ve been unfaithful and I finally stop trembling for fear of Him but I tremble at his goodness: But afterward the people will return and devote themselves to the LORD their God and to David’s descendant, their king. In the last days, they will tremble in awe of the LORD and of his goodness. -Hosea 3:5
I melt from the fire of devotion that blazes in His eyes.
One night as I lay in bed…my pillow wet with tears as familiar condemning thoughts sought to uproot what He had planted in my heart (the seeds of His faithful devotion to me), I thought I saw a glimpse of Him at the foot of my bed. His eyes wet like rivers and verse after verse flowed over me like warm spiced waves:
“How can I ever give you up? My heart recoils within me. My compassion’s are kindled together!” -Hosea 11:8.
I realized it hurt Him deeply that I doubted his devotion. I realized it pained Him that I was in pain (Hebrews 4:15). This realization of his steadfast and faithful love toward me produced such trust and personal love for him in my heart. This personal love for him became the sweetest source of peace for me as I drew close to him with my heart. I finally rested in his arms and I soon began to worship him with my soul.
And so He became the Lover of my soul, my God, my Father, my Friend…everything that I trust. My resting place. My secure Rock. My King and the only One that I bow down to in reverence. So for love of him, I’ve learned to love his truth, his righteous ways, his eternal Word. Love has captivated my heart forever.
I pray that no matter what season of life you’re in right now, that you would allow yourself to be deeply loved. I pray all your days will be swept up in the arms of your heavenly Daddy. His arms are the safest place you will ever be. His devotion and affection for you is undying, pure, powerful, healing and faithful. May your world be lite with his love more than the sun’s rays lights this planet.
~For a book on discovering the divine love of God, check out devotional book, Visions of Celestial Love. May your heart be blessed with eternal words of beauty, grace and peace:
“Ashley presents us with a true cornucopia of modern psalms, personal testimonies, and short stories. She has set out to reveal and unravel some of the most complex heart issues mankind faces in our quest of understanding what true intimacy with God really looks like. Prepare to have your soul massaged and worked on as you read Visions of Celestial Love.” — Jeremy Minard, Servant King Apparel
There’s a scripture that says clouds of thick darkness surround Him. Lightning goes before Him and consumes His foes. He veils his brightness like the rain clouds veil the sun . (Psalm 97:2-3)
Yesterday I saw rays of sunshine pierce through thick castles of pearly white and silvery grey clouds still echoing with the weighty blessing of another promising downpour. I couldn’t help but be captivated and try and stare at the shafts of brilliant gold, fiery light that had escaped the clouds…even though it hurt my eyes to stare.
I think this is why God sometimes covers Himself.
I am reminded of when God visited Israel on mount Sinai and thick dark fiery clouds descended as the mountain trembled and the people, not knowing His goodness and love cowered when they saw a part of His beaming glory. (Exodus 34:6)
I want to be like Moses and climb the mountain, unafraid of the fire and beauty and splendor of His majesty because I know, while no man can see God and live…I know I have already died because I’ve seen Him.in Jesus. (Exodus 33: 20)
“If you’ve seen Me, you’ve seen the Father.” (John 14:9)
And His light, power, presence is my home.
I hope my recent thoughts on this rainy week blesses you as much as it did me…may our faces shine like Moses and even more so may our hearts shine like the Son of righteousness because we are His. And we can taste and see that He is good. (Psalm 34:8)
The world teaches the opposite of this. Almost every time I turn on the television or listen to a (secular) love song on the radio I hear and see the damaging way culture is training people to find gratification. People cling and grasp at others for fleshly fulfillment…but there is no gratifying the flesh. And such cycles only lead to hurting others or yourself in the name of “love.” We tend to seek wholeness in others because the Father built us for relationship. Aristotle summed this up wisely when he wrote, “it is the nature of desire not to be satisfied, and most men live only for the gratification of it.”
When I was 16 years old I was filled with the Holy Spirit. It was only until that moment that I began to receive the love of God (Romans 5:5). This love filled my heart like balmy, thick sap and flowed into the cracks of my broken places, brining the fragrance of Christ. It was truly a supernatural work, one that I could never do. I remember sitting in my high school journalism class next to my friend Hazel and feeling the Holy Spirit move in my heart. I began to scribble in my notebook and drew a picture of my soul. There was a Man inside cooking, then He began rearranging furniture, adding beautiful things and tending to a garden outside of a pleasant looking cottage. I could tell He was making himself comfortable inside of me. I turned to Hazel and showed her the drawing, “I see Jesus in me.”
Soon an amazing thing began to happen…I found fulfillment. This incredible peace came not because of popularity, or dating a boy, or because I had accomplished some great feat. It came because God was intimate with me. Slowly, He wooed me and there was such inner pleasure within me that I became almost unoffendable (if that’s a word). My soul was like a thousand rolling hills of purple lavender fields. The scents of His Presence was weighty and heady like wine. And I was stolen away into a place called the Kingdom of Heaven. There…He made a proposal and I accepted my identity and covenant in Christ.
God’s love is so deep, so wide, so comforting. I once described His eyes like bowls of cinnamon set on fire. He became everything and everything became nothing without Him. I loved others deeply, from my heart (1 Peter 1:22). I found everything the heart of man truly longs for in our Creator…who I found wasn’t distant and angry. He was my personal Friend, my Master, my Father & then He told me He was my husband (Isaiah 54:5).I married my now husband, Stephen McClelland as a virgin. I had never kissed anyone before him or dated anyone before him. But it wasn’t because I had a set of religious rules in front of me and worked hard to control my flesh. To be honest, I’m not that strong and that kind of method doesn’t work. Paul said it is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace (Hebrews 13:9). Father set a feast of divine pleasure in my heart. It was heavenly pleasure that kept me away from sinful fleshly pleasure.
Romantic Rendezvous for the Soul, is a collection of tender short stories that Jesus used to romance my soul with pure intimacy. It was these sweet moments with Him that saved me from the traps that were set for me in my youth. I am so excited to be able to offer this book on amazon. You can check it out by clicking here.
My prayer for every man and women that reads this, is that they will be drenched in the warm love of God as if they were under a spiced waterfall. And that through this… they would fall in love with Him. There is no lasting fulfillment or rest for your soul until it is found in relationship with Him. abundant life begins with Him. The bread of peace is in His hand and He’s a generous Giver.
xoxo
“This book is simply wonderful. Deliciously descriptive, it nourishes the soul with fresh revelation of God’s love for humanity. This collection of short stories may challenge your thinking about what true intimacy looks like, while making your heart yearn to daily experience the Perfect Love described within its pages. It invites you into a world created by Love Himself, where there’s no mistaking that His love is not only unconditional and never-failing, but also deeply personal and precious to Him. Get ready to experience the purpose, pleasure, and power of real love!” -Danielle Sanders
“How much more beautiful is the earth because you’re upon it…a righteous, glowing star. Happy Thanksgiving!”
I wrote this text message with a specific friend in mind, but soon I was copying and pasting it to several dear friends.
Normally, I would give God thanks for my family (my husband children, parents, siblings, grandparents and other members), for the things He’s blessed me with throughout the year, for daily grace, mercy, favor and his kind thoughtful intentions toward me and my husband and my children. Words would truly fail me to describe just how thankful I am for my family…the 3 most precious people in the all the world to my heart. The 3 people who douse my soul in a bath of golden joy more brilliant than the sun. They are a constant Spring birdsong in my heart, raising continual thanks to my Heavenly Father.
As for the saints (godly people) who are in the land, They are the majestic and the noble and the excellent ones in whom is all my delight. -Psalm 16:3 AMP
This Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for the saints upon the earth.
Lately I’ve been developing a deepening appreciation and love for the church and the individual members that make it up. I’ve been blown away, almost to the point of awe at how valuable, amazing and priceless every son and daughter of God truly is. I have thanked the Lord for his presence through his people in this world. I have considered that there is nothing more beautiful or valuable on earth than a recreated human being who has been transformed from the nature of Adam, to the nature of Christ.
What in the world could be more radiant than a person with God inside of them by the Holy Spirit?
“You are the salt of the earth…you are the light of the world…”- Jesus in Matthew 5:13-16.
God’s people are earth’s hope. We are a foretaste of heaven to the lost and dying. We are royal priests, kings and queens and a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9), we are living tabernacles (1 Corinthians 6:19), we are the salt and light of the world. We are the hands and feet of Jesus, (1 Corinthians 12:27) and God works through us to appeal to the world. We are his ministers of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:11-21). We are ambassadors for Christ, his representatives (2 Corinthians 5:20).
Weeks ago, I was driving home with a full heart after meeting with two dear friends (they are featured in the head photo). As I drove, I thanked and praised God! I was full of glorious joy because of the saints who dispensed the sweet fragrance and mighty power of his Presence. I thanked Him profusely for his people upon the earth because of how incredibly rich their lives are. Inside of them are the rivers of life (John 7:38), inside of them is all the wealth and treasures of the kingdom of heaven (Ephesians 1:3), inside of them is the Person of Jesus Christ and his Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17), inside of them is them is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). Inside of them is the virtue for every healing miracle and every truth that brings freedom (Mark 3:15, 1 John 2:20). Inside of them is the authority and power to cast out demons and set the captives free (Luke 10:19).
As I gave him praise, I almost cried. It was dark outside and the sky was sheeted with the blackness of the night, but the ground was lit from the lights of the city. Each store bulb, street lamp, and house light illuminated the earth like aureate-gold stars. I imagined, from Heaven’s perspective, this must be how the saints look on the earth. Have you ever seen a satellite photo of the earth at night? Entire continents are speckled with clusters of twinkling lights as eye-catching and glistening as bioluminescent algae. Every single light represents a sign of life. While, our eyes are drawn only to see the invention of man (the electric bulbs) through these satellite photos… God’s eyes see into the spiritual realm. Each believer shines like these lights. From an ethereal perspective, we look like the lights on the earth.
I pray that you will continually experience the immeasurable greatness of God’s power made available to you through faith. Then your lives will be an advertisement of this immense power as it works through you! This is the mighty power that was released when God raised Christ from the dead and exalted him to the place of the highest honor and supreme authority in the heavenly realm! -Ephesians 1:19-20 TPT
My friends and I sat in a small diner where we talked for nearly 4 hours about our adventures with God, his goodness in our lives and the ways we’ve experienced his amazing love. The tangible presence of God was so strong in the diner that several times, we all laughed, cried, and sat in silence as we savored his holy company. These saints are probably the most radiant stars/lights I have ever spiritually seen on the earth. Not because they are somehow more special than other children of God…but because they don’t hide their light under a bushel. Instead, they boldly and lovingly praise God through their actions and words and they share his light with others (Matthew 5:15). Their lives resemble Jesus in a way that naturally convicts and draws others to God. Not only are their personalities and character brimming with the love of God and the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), but their lives are full of the power of the Holy Spirit in miracles (1 Corinthians 12).
I want to mention some of the miracles we shared together. I hope these testimonies encourage your heart in the faith:
One of my friends shared how he prayed for a young girl who was hospitalized and near death to the natural eye. Her mother was on drugs when she was pregnant the young girl and now some of her organs were severely inoperative. My friend told me that as he approached the hospital where he knew God wanted him to be, the Lord told him that it would be done even before he entered. He said his wife had given him a spotless, white stuffed lamb for the little girl (a symbol of Jesus as our Passover sacrifice who paid for our healing and deliverance). As my friend opened the hospital door he said those in the room saw a cloud of the Lord’s presence appear and the little girl’s skin went from a ghostly pale color to her regular color as God touched her body with his healing power. My friend prayed over her and instead of being life-flighted to another hospital, like she was supposed to be, she was released from the hospital with a clean bill of health. My friend shared that over the years, he has learned not to rely on his personal goodness or work-righteousness but to simply trust in Jesus and his finished work and to receive the grace of God when it comes to healing.
My other friend told of when she prayed for one of her in-laws who was suffering from demonic oppression that manifested itself in schizophrenia. She said this family member had been lying in bed for days with no motivation and little hope. She said they wouldn’t even clean themselves. When my friend found out what was going on, she said she experienced the righteous anger of the Lord against the enemy. She went into the room where this family member was, and commanded the evil spirit to leave and declared the life of God. Her in-law received freedom and the enemy left!
One of my friends told me how he used to minister to motorcycle gang members who would come around his house. He had small children then and so he felt lead to talk to the gang members to make sure they knew he was a father who would protect his children should anyone of them get any ideas. One thing lead to another and soon several gang members received physical healing. After experiencing God, they would bring people they knew who needed healing to my friend. One of them brought his girlfriend who was suffering from stage 4 cancer. As my friend ministered to her and told her of the great love of God for her through Jesus, she wept. Before this, she had felt worthless due to abuses and trauma in her past. My friend prayed over her and she was miraculously healed of cancer! One of the gang members he had prayed for, received Jesus into his heart and turned from a life of violence and sin and later became a marriage and family therapist. My friend told me for a long time he battled to overcome feelings of guilt and condemnation. It was only until he began to receive the unconditional love and grace of God through the gift of faith-righteousness that, he was able to walk more truly in the freedom Christ came to give us. He said when praying for others, he often bring sup the love and grace and God because he’s found many people struggle with secret feeling of unworthiness and condemnation. Once people are able to see that healing is by grace, because of the love of God and the sacrifice of Jesus, that some people open up to freely receive.
There are so many more stories I can share but I hope these 3 stories uplifted your heart and encouraged your faith in God.
You have resurrection power in you as a son or daughter of God.
You have the authority of the name of Jesus at your disposal.
You are truly a priceless treasure on this planet, a bright light, and a home for the presence, salvation, love, and grace of God.
I pray you realize how valuable you are.
I am grateful for you this Thanksgiving!
We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. -2 Corinthians 4:7 NLT
Some of the most faith-building messages that I’ve heard on our identity in Christ and God’s will to heal us are (I don’t any rights to these videos):
Andrew Wommack on common stumbling stones to healing. To watch, click here.
E.W Kenyon on Jesus the Healer. To watch, click here.
Knowledge without power bespeaks a lack of intimacy.
Just as natural as it is for the union of a husband and wife to produce a new creation, so natural it is for intimacy with Jesus to produce the power of God’s kingdom.
Truth received in the heart will always perfume the scent of the Man of Truth.
The wonders of communion with him looks like being naked and unashamed. There is no area of him that I don’t want to see. There is no area in me that I conceal from him.
Everything is laid bare before him. We are in covenant. All that he is is mine and all that I am is his. This is what marriage is. The two shall become one flesh, so that they are no longer two but one (Mark 10:8). “This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.” (Ephesians 5:32 ESV).
When I was a new wife, I was naked and ashamed. My husband desired to see me. His desire was natural, good and even holy blessed by God. Because his desire reflected the level of knowledge that God wanted with me. This sort of thinking used to be sacrilegious to my previous legalistic mindset. But now I know better.
There came a point in my walk with God where I realized my fear of vulnerability was really self-preservation in disguise. Selfishness will always be a stumbling block to experiencing true love. If I have any fear of being transparent before my husband it is because I am self-focused (or self-centered) and thus fearful. But in God’s perfect love there is no fear (1 John 4:18). There is no room for the old self in the new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Do you know what that means?
Jesus hung on a cross…in public…naked. (I wish you could read that as slowly as it takes to truly understand it).
He was executed in way that was meant to bring him the most shame. His enemies were true sadists. They enjoyed seeing people tortured– It gave them a sick kind of pleasure.
I’ve never seen a movie where the actor playing Jesus was stripped completely naked. I’ve seen several movies where the actor was brutally beaten. I’ve seen movies where the actor’s skin was shredded and floods of blood trailed down. I’ve seen men try and portray the internal agony of Jesus. I’ve seen movies where “Jesus” wept bitterly and even church publicized screenings where Jesus bore the judgement of God for our sins in the spiritual realm. These screenings of “Jesus” taking on the curse of the law come the closest (in showing not only the physical beating but the spiritual transaction that took place). But I have yet to see an actor agree to be stripped naked on the screen.
Why do you think that is?
There is something in the heart of man that fiercely fears nakedness! I’m not talking about casual sex here, our culture is filled with the filth of that, but I’m speaking of the unfolding of oneself to another in true unashamed exposure.
There is a fear that fights for the last remaining terrain in your soul. It fights to keep the flag of freedom from waving the heavenly fragrance of myrrh in your heart. It fights to keep God out and it fights to keep you in bondage.
This fear is self.
When Jesus hung, naked on that cross for you he took away the shame of being naked.
If he could become naked for us, then we can become naked for him.
He invites us to be naked and unashamed.
There came a point in my Christian walk where I desired to know Jesus as he is. I yearned to worship him in spirit and in truth.
I didn’t want knowledge without union with him because it was self worship.
It was safe religiosity; like kissing a picture of my husband while the real man was standing before me. I wanted intimacy with a Person not intimacy with words.
Sometimes when people read my writing about Jesus, they become uncomfortable:
Wine and milk? Candlelight dinners? Anointing oil on skin? Bread and cheese? Kisses from scripture? Song of Solomon sonnets to Christ?
I wonder if some people find my words too risky, too unorthodox, too sacrilegious?
I’ve discovered that it takes more “gut” to be married to Jesus than my husband Stephen. The level of union is far greater. While my husband and I can and do become one in body, soul and sacrificial love…our unity isn’t indwelling. I can leave his side and go to the grocery store while he remains at home with our daughters. Yet, my unity with Jesus is inseparable. He lives inside of me. It doesn’t just happen in a moment of ultimate vulnerability–like when husband and wife make love. But He circumcised my heart and moved in (Romans 2:29 and Ephesians 3:17).
All circumcisions spill blood.
In my marriage with Stephen, my blood was shed when we first consummated our holy covenant. When Jesus consummated his marriage to the church, he bled profusely on a tree. When Jesus moved inside of me, my heart became the womb of his seed (Matthew 13:1-23, 1 Peter 1:23). When I said “I do” to Jesus my heart was circumcised. The blood of my old man was spilt open unto death and I became a new creation–one molded and tailored to be his wife. I was instantly recreated by God to be compatible for his Son.
In the same way that God looked for a spouse for his “first” son Adam and didn’t find one, so He looks for a bride for Jesus (Genesis 2:18). In the same way He created Eve out of the body of Adam, He created the church out of the body of Jesus Christ (Genesis 2:22-24 and Ephesians 2:10).
You see, in the same way that I can’t truly love someone unless I know them, so we cannot truly love God unless we know him.
Years ago I realized that I had a “religious” love for God.
It would be shallow for me to walk up to a casual acquaintance and say, “I love you.” This kind of love isn’t based on knowledge. This person is very unlikely to feel safe before me. Because love is based on trust and trust is based on truth. Without truth there isn’t light (1 John 1:5-6 and John 5:33-35). Without light, there is blindness. I can’t fully enjoy getting to know my husband if we only talked, hugged or kissed in the dark. If I truly love him, then I want to see him. I want to get to know him in the light. I want to look him in the eyes, read his facial expressions, see his smile. I would want to study the terrain of his face, the way lines form on the edge of his eyes when he smiles. I’d want to study him and through that visual study I would become aware of things–like the way he strokes his chin when he’s thinking.
For the past year or so of my life, I have become desperate for truth. I have cried out for wisdom, knowledge and understanding. I have become panged for the desire to see life the way God sees it, regardless of societal norms, philosophies, and pipeline virtue. I have surveyed the world’s definition of social justice and considered it deplorable suffocating ashes compared to the vibrant, pure light of God’s truth.
Throughout this season, I have seen these eternal truths like jewels in the robe of faith-righteousness that the Holy Spirit has donned me in. This heavenly decoration has caused me to appreciate the book of Psalms (particularly Psalms like Psalm 119) and Proverbs in fresh ways I haven’t before. I have found vibrant pearls of life in His Word and I pray this continues on until I am found to be one who is “after His heart” (1 Samuel 13:14) and until I honor, esteem and submit to my Father’s words as much as Jesus did when He walked the earth as the Son of Man (Isaiah 7:14-15 and John 5:30).
I don’t know how to fully express in words, this level of intimacy with Christ. This garden of Eden relationship with God that I have longed for and prayed for and still seek (I am learning how to surrender).
Lately, I have sensed the promptings of the Holy Spirit in a deep and new way, Just a couple of weeks ago, I felt the grief of the Holy Spirit standing outside Planned Parenthood when a pregnant mother walked out of the clinic with a bag of chemical abortion pills. Before the evidence of her reasons for being at Planned Parenthood were visible, the Holy Spirit pointed her out to me. The second I saw her, exit her car to go into the clinic, I felt the pull of the Holy Spirit inside of me to reach her…it was like a magnetic attraction. And I knew God had sent me to the clinic after work to reach her.
“Excuse me, can I give you this?” I asked, offering her a pillow box full of pro-life resources where she could receive free housing, medical attention, clothes, etc.
“No, I don’t think so.” She responded.
After she declined my offer of help and hope, I felt the grief of the Holy Spirit. It was like I could taste His tears inside my soul and the depths of His anguish, caused my knees to totter. I told the beautiful mother to “have a good day” and after she entered her car, I dropped to my knees on the cold pavement and could barely contain the holy cry of the Lord that produced tears in my physical eyes. As I felt God’s pained love for the boy or girl growing inside of the young mother’s womb, I realized once again how deep, depraved and dark abortion was. A unique, individual, conscious, innocent, vulnerable person whose only crime was their existence would die unless other intervention was made and the only One who could truly hear their cry was God. The sheer pain, of sharing this pain with God’s Spirit, produced a grief in me that is indescribable. (Genesis 4:10, Psalm 72:12-14, Leviticus 18:21 are examples of God hearing the cry of innocent blood).
My body is slowly becoming a living sacrifice, a true vessel of spiritual worship (Romans 12:1), where my emotions are shared with His emotions and His emotions are shared with me, where my thoughts are shared with His thoughts, and His thoughts are shared with me.
I’ve been in the ebb and flow of this ultimate surrender since my new birth. I have waxed and waned like the tides and the moon, and tip-toed around the altar of living sacrifice for over a decade as I have apprehensively and longingly studied the bright flames and smelled the burnt aroma. Meanwhile, I have enjoyed the benefits of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus and been warmed by the flames of His surrender to God. I have smelled the sweet fragrance of His worshipful execution and resurrection all the while knowing, I am called to lay atop His broken body and do as He did so that I can be raised into the fullness of new life with Him and reign in life through His royal life inside of me.
My prayer is to one day truthfully live out the words of Paul here: I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20).
Recently, I’ve had dreams reflecting things that God wants to tell me, I’ve had prophetic understanding of things and insight into things before they happen. Recently, I went into a church service and it was as if the evangelist had spoken “word for word” on what was going on between me and Jesus behind closed doors. His message was a mirror reflection of what the Lord had been telling me.
Where the Lord wants to take me is a place He wants to take all of his children. This isn’t super spirituality. This isn’t only for a few…I believe Jesus wants to be extremely close to you and I. He died to remove all obstacles from unifying us with himself. He wants oneness with us. And He wants us to walk in unity with each other through our submission and deep love for Him. The natural flow of loving Jesus will be to love His church.
My prayer for you and I is that the Word will be made flesh in the garden of our hearts until our unity with Jesus is so deep and wide, our identity will be rooted and grounded in Him. I pray His life will flow from us as easily as we inhale and exhale. I pray we will seek Him first (above all else) and be made whole in the presence of our Creator and the greatest Lover of our souls.
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. (Romans 8:29)
~For an inspirational book on finding intimacy with God, check out my book, Visions of Celestial Love. It is full of my personal prayers, devotionals, and short testimonies of encountering God in everyday life.
~For a beautiful worship song on becoming one with Jesus through surrender, click here (I do not own any rights to the music).
“Visions of Celestial Love is a book of inspiring quotes and beautiful prose about God’s unconditional love for mankind. The insights of this book help us to understand that it was the Father’s great love for us that made a way for us to have life together with His Son, Jesus Christ. Through it we get a glimpse into the true meaning of Christ’s sacrifice of love expressed through His death, burial and resurrection as God’s magnificent gift of grace to us. His blood made it possible for all those who put their faith in Him to have fellowship with His Father again.
I am confident that at the completion of this book, you will also seek after God with your whole heart and want to be in His presence forever.” —Alice Paige, True-Heart friend of author
. I feel so blessed! This has been a two year journey and the manuscript is almost ready to present to publishers.
.
. (Psalm 97:2-3)
like the Son of righteousness because we are His. And we can taste and see that He is good. (Psalm 34:8)
There is no lasting fulfillment or rest for your soul until it is found in relationship with Him. abundant life begins with Him. The bread of peace is in His hand and He’s a generous Giver.
