Survive versus Thrive

a pretty significant Abba-word whispered to me as I walked the cobbled roads of Zapotitlan, Mexico during our group's prayer walk came as I viewed my surroundings. I walked past the small dwellings, primitive gardens, corner stands, espresso-cafe places and eventually finding the end of the town over a bridge looking down a small river and the massive amounts of foliage, wild flowers, coffee bean & lime trees, etc. Spending a small amount of time with the people and observing the ways of living there was also on my mind. Trying to wrap my brain around the harshness of life mixed w/ such beauty does a number on one's heart and mind.

Then, Abba spoke: Surviving versus Thriving. Ahhhhhh! Yes! This erupted in my spirit...not just because I knew how God wanted me to pray for Mexico...but also for me! The Holy Spirit wanted to teach me something. How many of us (Mexico, me and you) are in survival mode instead of breaking open in beauty in our lives as we thrive in God's presence. So, I immediately asked Abba, "OK, what is the difference between surviving versus thriving. Well, my human brain wanted to break open a Webster's dictionary right then and there! THAT couldn't happen since I was in the middle of a small rural town of Mexico and I don't really walk around with a dictionary either! I couldn't Google it either, nope, no laptop either. So I started to look at my surroundings and the Holy Spirit started giving me the definitions via the cobbled roads, flowers, plants, crude buildings, lonely and hungry dogs walking the streets, children playing, families working, the river's current, lush greens, vivid never-seen-before flowers...you get the picture. From that point on, my heart cried out for God to teach me about surviving versus thriving. As I prayed over many many people of all ages, I asked the Holy Spirit to download a personal message for them about being in survival mode and to discover how to THRIVE. This is just the beginning...i know this.

Now, to just appease my brain...i of course had to look up the definitions of surviving and thriving...i was just too curious. Here is our human definition:

survive: to endure or live through; to remain alive or in existence; to carry on despite hardships or trauma, persevere

thrive: to grow or develop vigorously; flourish; successful to be fortunate; to make steady progress

the words that flew at me were "existence" & "flourish." Where am i just existing? Where am I flourishing? Lord, thank you for loving Mexico so much and loving me and every other single person breathing on this earth. You hurt as you see your children barely able to keep alive, live through struggles without progress and to just merely exist. In and through You, we receive encouragement for steady progress, vigorous growth within our spirits, hearts, minds, and lifestyles AND flourishing lives as we unfold & break though in savage beauty for His glory. I just got a visual...many times...God takes my breath away. It also true for Him. I (we) cause Abba to catch His breath as He gazes on us.