you're beautiful my Lord

Listening to the train roll through town as I enjoy some coffee from the Lucky Cup, I feel as though I'm on vacation this evening as I sit on my porch and watch the sky soften in hue and brightness. The mood is so mellow here. There's a gentle breeze blowing and I'm thinking about
the latest amazing chapter of what's Jesus is doing here in Kyle.

A while back I felt prompted to find out more about the Jesus scene in our neighborhood, so I looked up a local church here, which led me to their worship leader's website, Denbigh Cherry. I saw a name there I recognized, Neil McClendon, a pastor who has spoken at the Austin Stone. Neil seems discontent with the status quo, to say the least, and someone I like a lot for not knowing him very well. I emailed Denbigh's wife Stephanie and we met up for coffee at the Lucky Cup, which you are probably getting is Plum Creek's answer to Starbucks.

I was amazed by what she was telling me when we met, how God is birthing a revival in the neighborhood, and bringing Spirit-filled women together to pray weekly. Seemingly out of the woodwork, or hardiplank. Sounds like Jesus, yeah? We spent quite a bit of time talking about how God is moving in our lives and found He was saying a lot of the same things to us.

Part of me still misses my old house and I often wonder if the Holy Spirit is still hanging around there. Syd misses the backyard like I do and our big trees. There is something about the way the Spirit's breath runs through the tree branches, the gentle sway of leaves in the wind that is a comfort of His presence. So much prayer was birthed there.

When we bought our new home, we did so after only walking through it once. Honestly I didn't know what kind of trees we had or how many, beyond them being green, so focused on the inside of the house was I. On the day of inspection, I finally spent some time looking around.

And as I'm taking measurements in the study I notice the trees out in front. In our small yard are three small live oak trees. I walk outside to see if there are any other trees, as many yards have blooming trees, but there is nothing but the live oaks in our yard. Small but hearty, slow-growing but built like iron. I call them our trinity of oaks and enjoy the small birds in the morning that hop from one to another and into the birdbath, chirping their morning songs.
Holy Spirit you are here, I think, as I look to the night waterblue skies with their rolling soft clouds and watch for the rain.

Beautiful Lord Awesome and mighty
I’m captured by this love I see
Beautiful Lord Tender and holy
Your mercy brings me to my knees
It’s Your mercy that has made me free
Beautiful Lord

When my sin is all that I can see
Your grace remains the shelter that I seek
And when my weakness is all I can give
Your gentle Spirit gives me strength again

And oh, the beauty of Your majesty
On the cross You showed Your love for me

And I am lifted by Your love to sing!
It’s Your mercy that has made me free!
You’re beautiful, my Lord
You’re beautiful, my Lord

from Beautiful Lord, Leeland