Written from my heart to yours, dear Girl who is on this journey of letting go and letting G-d: It's normal to want to hold on. Times, relationships, memories...they are so close to your heart, so precious, so beautiful and an answer to many prayers. At least for a while, life takes you on a path that seems nothing short of a perfect dream. I understand it; I too, walked that path. Somewhere along the journey however, there is a bend in the path. Those things you hold on to, they fade into memories. That "perfect" dream slips away. And you learn to dance in the rain, to choose joy over happiness, to praise through the tears and to trust no matter the outcome. To let go of what is most priceless to you and let G-d. Such is the story now mine. The journey isn't so short, and the bumps on the path are many. Look at them as opportunities not road blocks, sweet girl, who is searching for G-d. Opportunities to choose holiness. Find Him in the little moments, He is there. Choose joy which transcends all circumstances of happiness. Life has its share of tests: In the midst of that slow dance in the rain of tears, we have to release the tight grasp, slowly opening our hands and layer by layer, surrender our dreams, memories, plans and relationships on that rocky path. This is taking that first wobbly step of faith, sometimes blindly, in order to see fruit later on down the road. And understand dear girl, that as we release our self and fill that place with more of Him and less of us, G-d never lets go of His love for us. || To dance in the rain, you must first learn to praise in the storm || It comes in steps. It takes time. It takes so much courage. Trust. Strength. Sometimes this laying down of ourselves is for a season, sometimes it's forever. But once you lay it all down, you find new life. You walk to the end of the bumpy path and as you come out of the woods, tired, worn and stripped away of self, you find light and a new path. A new part of the journey that clothes you to become a pure and spotless bride of Yahweh. A place where G-d slowly restores your dreams and desires, but does not awaken them until His time. A time of becoming His bride first, the only place where our thirst will truly be quenched, our heart fully satisfied. You, a beautiful spotless bride of Yahweh. You've stepped out of the woods and into a field graced with wild flowers. Arrayed in a white linen dress, beams of joy shining from your eyes. You see sweet girl, that your slow dance in the rain was beautiful in it's own way but as you let go of self and let G-d fill that space, you usher in a new season with even more beauty, a deep, life-giving offering being lifted to HaShem as you seek after your Heavenly Bridegroom wholeheartedly. He is looking tenderly at you with joy, thankful that you listened. Learned. Heeded. Thankful that you were faithful during that storm and bumpy path. Thankful that you kept pressing into the Word in order to get to Him. He turns ashes into beauty, rain into sun. He tenderly fills your heart with the knowledge that you are: Chosen. {I have called you by name} Holy. {I have redeemed you} Loved. {You are mine} Beautiful. {You are precious in my eyes, and honored} On this new part of the journey sweet girl, you've found contentment. You've learned to praise Him in the storm, you've danced in the rain and now you dance for your Heavenly Bridegroom. You've given it your everything, chosen joy and sought G-d with all your heart. All because you took the blind step of faith, let go and let G-d. As a pure and spotless bride, you have chosen to take your place in the partnership with HaShem. Bringing holiness into each situation and heaven down to earth. As you continue running towards your Heavenly Bridegroom with all your heart, may He reward you for your faithfulness! Because you walked the Wilderness Journey, praised in the storm, danced through the rain and replaced that "self" with Him, may He grant you the desires of your heart! “And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in justice, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness; and thou shalt know Jehovah.” Hosea 2:19-20 "One thing have I desired of the L-RD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the L-RD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the L-RD, and to inquire in his temple." Psalm 27:13-14