No Strings Attached.

Leaning forward in the leather chairs at Starbucks, we talk a mile a minute. We've been friends for several years now, but it seems longer. I think it's because after five minutes had elapsed on our first coffee date we were in the deep end, way beyond the shallows. Our friendship was forged in authenticity.We never looked back.

It's been a while since we sat and shared face to face time. Lots to catch up on.
One thing is certain however: our common ground is Jesus. Our deepest hunger is to know God, to love God and to give God glory.

As topics come up, get discussed and set aside, we circle around to relationships, the roles of daughter, sister, wife, mother and friend.

This is something I have been pondering for a while now, this concept of someone being 'mine'.

We operate in our relationships based on the concept of ownership.
 Individuals are defined by society in reference to ourselves: They are designated as: "Mine".

My father. My husband. My kids. My friend. My boss. My family. My neighbors.
We anchor these relationships to ourselves, and we react according to behaviors related to our expectations.

We relate people to ourselves. We are the frame of reference.

I look at the precious woman sitting in front of me sipping her coffee and whisper silently to my heart:

She is His, more than she is mine: His gift. His precious creation. His priceless treasure.

The realization struck me hard.

No one on the planet is mine.

The minute I anchor someone to myself I limit their growth, their value, their life. I make them about me.

This was something I had been mulling over for a while. Last week I had been wrestling with how I react to situations based on the  fact that this was MY son or MY husband or MY father.

I discovered that when I cut the tie to me and established a thread/string/connection to the Creator, the landscape shifted.

My perspective was altered. My responses changed.

I was born to parents, but I was God breathed.
I was placed in a family of siblings designed and ordained by God.
I chose a husband, also God breathed.
I gave birth to sons: woven together in the depths, before the foundations of the world.

None of them are mine.
Nothing originated with me.
There are over 7 billion people on this planet.
I had nothing to do with the creation of any of them.

Everything created was designed to glorify God. He is the anchor. Everyone belongs to Him.

They are all related to Him. He is the frame of reference.

When I cut the tie to myself and place these people securely in the hands of God, then what I say and do with what is HIS takes on a deeper significance.


I find myself intrigued, there is a correlating reaction inside me.


I trust more.
I hope more.
Peace reigns more.
Faith grows more.


I read in a blog post this week that Simple is not the same as Easy.


This is a simple truth:


Just let go. 

I can trust them to the Father more than to myself.

 God takes care of His own: I am one of His own.


If you are holding on tight to someone today I encourage you to let go of the string. 
You are not the anchor.

TRUST. Believe.

God is the only one who can be trusted with any of us.


It is in this atmosphere of TRUST that LOVE is able to grow, flourish and REMAIN.


This Love, never fails because it's His not ours.


Won't you tie off those strings today? 



P.S Make sure yours is anchored in the right place too.