Last night I connected with a friend who I have not spoken to in years. Lives changed. Different paths. Fellow New Englanders we engaged over my article on New England. She wrote back. “Wow. Yes I resonate but I have always felt that it was our time because we live in the eternal now in Him but it does pair up with how God has called me over the past 25 years to release intimate love, boundless expressions of worship and wild creativity in the church, outside of the church, to large groups and individuals. Beautiful words and declarations…He’s always there with the goods willing to release them in and thru us. I don’t believe there is a need for delay or a sense of distance of any kind. At least that’s my theology now after 25 years.”

I share that because things are changing. A lot!

Our time. Our season. (Don’t you just love the Goonies?)I agree it may well be always our time. A season pulled into now. A revelation uncovered. A truth applied.

I talk to a lot of people going through a lot of things in the course of a day, a week. Friends, family, coworkers. People going through people things. As the Lord touches me with joy I simply want to give it away. I want love to be the salve of heaven. The balm of Gilead. While I was spending time in prayer. Praying for my community, my church fellowship, my friends and my family. I began to see things that concerned me.

Many of you will identify with the picture of a group of laughing, happy children. And off to the side? A small child looking over longingly. Had anyone invited her? Had anyone reached out? What was she thinking? Who were her parents? Pain and longing etched in her face. And then a second picture. A child being told by others that he was not allowed to play “with the rest of them”. With tears on his face he moved over to the building. A third picture showed a child pushed and prodded by others. Bullied.

Those vision evoked emotion for me. I imagine they did for you as well. As child I was bullied and bullied. I cried and I laughed. I will tell you that as a believer I experienced similar situations. Called out in meetings for “stuff”. Confronted for things I did and things I did not do. I have been on both sides of the coin. Over the years, I have come to the conclusion. Love is the answer. Love is the process. Love is the action.

Some of you have been abused in the church. Some of you unknowingly, unwillingly (Or perhaps willingly…) have hurt, injured and pained. Some of you were the recipients and some of you were the “donors”. Some of you misbehaved and were caught or did not repent “fully” or “rightly”. Some of you splintered off. Some of you left without a word. I too have the “badges, medals, wounds and scars” of being part of the church. The standard? It ought not be that way. But it has, does and will happen.

Why I am talking about this? Because as I prayed I saw you!  Some of you still loving God. Some of you afraid of the Lord. And others embittered with God, the church. Decisions made to live apart from community and its people. Wounds still oozing because your heart hurts. Your tears no longer come because rage and anger have festered.

I am not a counselor. Not a teacher. I am a man.  I am a prophetic voice who is a son of the Most High. And I am here to tell you God wants to bring healing and wholeness to your life and your lives. To wipe away the tears. To bring love where hatred has abounded. I am a dad, a husband and a grandfather. I choose to be active in my love. Sometimes with words that cause pain or fear because God is wanting change. Seeking hearts. Revealing hearts. Other times I get to be the hugging, laughing man who loves people and loves life. (I am sap for a good ending!)

These words came to me.

To you who have been wounded or abused. Shunned or pushed aside. Bullied or beaten. I am calling you out of your darkness. Out of your anger and fear. Out of your rebellion (Because hurt people hurt people.)and shame. Today, I am calling you back into community. I am receiving you back into the fold. I am healing your hurts. I am providing the pieces to a puzzle of destiny complete. I am renewing your calling. I am calling this your season of change. Your hour of love rekindled. I am breathing life and light into the dark, decayed and deadness of your heart, your mind and your life. Today you will look up and see my eyes upon you. I can not walk it for you but I can walk with you and through you. You will forgive and be forgiven. You will rest and not run. You will do what you have believed for and wanted. Your life is in a new season. Let these words wash over you and bring refreshing.

You are not “too old, too young, too fast”. You are right where God wants you…finally… at last. Ready to hear. Ready to walk. This is the place for God to talk.

(I have a lot of friends these words are for.) You have gone through the motions or excercised no motion. You may have even been the source of commotion. You have struggled with anger and forgiveness. But God is calling you back to community. Because He loves you and simply wants the best for you. Fear, anger and unforgiveness have been your companion but they have been your prison as well. You remember the days of His first touch, of His presence and His love. Yet, somehow this “problem” got in the way. You did not handle it right. They did not handle it right. But God is extending His right! Right into your life, shattering the illusion of darkness and “the what if” for the right here and the right now now. To bring rightness to the situation. Come out of your prison! Get out of your head! Let Him who is worthy be your guide and your Head!

Stop pushing. Stop pulling. This is the hour hour, this is the day.

If you were burned in the church or burned in “revival” or just burned this is all for you. There is a need in you for redemption and relationship. It may well be your greatest struggle. But I believe the word is stop the struggle. Reach down and reach out. Why? Because when one hurts we all hurt. (1 Corinthians 12:26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.) In some respects it is our maturing stage and our healing process.

Folks-community is often difficult. But the greatest growth erupts as community heals and is made whole.The body needs you as much as you need them. We are in the place of a healthy body that goes further, better and with greater results.

Come back. We need you.