When life crumbles around you, it does something to a person. In my case, it brought me back to my faith and a farm that resembles me. There are lots of needed repairs to restore it back to its highest purpose. After moving most my life and living abroad twice (Japan and Germany), I now live and love in farm country. Though the past still lays in ruin (dilipated old buildings, leaning fence lines, overgrown fields), I’ve found beauty for ashes. Each day brings bits of restoration and improvement, kind of like me. This farm speaks my life and so I continue my journey among God’s green meadows. My name is Tammy, and I humbly join Emily’s journey here.
For years, I stopped. It started with picture drawing, later developing into drawing pictures with words. Not one who actually kept a journal (although I tried a diary once), I’d put on paper what I couldn’t put on in person. Then I kept them hidden, sharing with my sister or a close friend. Until I came back to the Lord as an adult, I stopped. Cold.
For years, my insides were changed but barely a drop made it to paper. My hands occasionally thawed for small tokens of the inward turning tides. Then, the flood came this past December 2009. The words. No longer stuffed away in a hidden corner, but opened here.
Written words are the very essence of our inside, out. Taking those things meditated in the safety of thought, staking them down and anchoring them in black and white. Those otherwise obscure letters, words brought together for meaning and purpose.
In my contemplation of words, I’m learning more about their revealing, sewn together in the fabric of who we are. They are our insides on the outside. From our heart and experience, we place those inside things out here for others to read and see our inside-out.
Today, I remembered. I was reminded of a word. Love not only is, He was, He came, He died, He lives, He writes. HE too is staked in black and white, anchoring us to Him. If our own written expressions reveal our inward workings, our very guts, then His words do even more. In them, His inside is displayed.
But there is something better than Him writing and His words–it’s Him becoming the Word. Those powerful letters, sewn together brought Life from death, Jesus. Written in Him, the workings of Love. Outwardly clothed in skin, He carried the very inner essence of who He is. If writing is about the inside-out, His word birthed in flesh exposed the very guts and essence of Him. No ink or parchment paper can compare to the tablet of flesh where all of Him was on Him, the written Word.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men . . . And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:1-4, 14
I certainly know the feeling of wearing my insides on the outside. Writing our words for the world to see is a vulnerable, courageous thing. I’m thankful for this reminder that we have a safe place in the One who is full of grace and truth. If you would like to learn more about Tammy, please visit her at If Meadows Speak.
Beautiful words, full of Truth. Thank you for sharing with us here.
Oh wow!!!! I can SO relate to your post and your journey. God just started helping me to release the words that have been bottled up inside me during this last year! I never dreamed that it would be such an amazing journey. And oh my gosh to remember that the WORD became flesh! It gave me awe shivers to read that and realize what that mean in a deeper way of understanding Him as Word. Wow!!! Thank you for writing this! I am so glad to meet you through Emily’s blog!!! I am heading over to yours right now! God bless you in your writing you have touch not only my heart but my spirit today!!
Mary Joy @ Snapshots from my Heart & Home´s last [type] ..Loving my Body Inside & Outa visit to my Weight Loss Journey
Mary Joy, I’m so glad you are writing those bottled up words! What a blessing to meet people in our journey with Him and especiall others who share our love for writing. I’m heading over to your place. I’m so blessed to meet you.
Tammy@If Meadows Speak…´s last [type] ..When Bruises Try to Hide-The Closet Picture
I used to think I wasn’t a writer. Well, I’m not. Not by trade, talent, gift or even hobby. As a matter of fact, I used to despise writing to no end! BUT God has put His letter in me and when He restored me, He put a new song in my heart. Writing about Him and the work He does is an expression I cannot deny. I am full of His words. And its a beautiful reminder to know I inherited that very trait from my Heavenly Father!
Melissa | Madabella: made beautiful´s last [type] ..Guest Writer- Sarah Markley – Choosing Rest
Wow Melissa! It’s amazing how God turns things around for us. Being full of His words is some of the most important work we’ll do here on earth. I don’t think we’ll fully know the impact of it, this side of Heaven. What a joy to share Him in the journey.
Tammy@If Meadows Speak…´s last [type] ..When Bruises Try to Hide-The Closet Picture
So so beautiful. I feel that this is what my heart would write if I could! Thank you.
‘They are our insides on the outside.’ – This about did me in. Awesome. Beautiful. Perfect. Thank you.
Beautiful words, a wonderful reminder of the original Word, and great encouragement for the rest of us seeking to share THAT Word from our own insides-out. Thank you, Tammy!
Krista @ Life in Texas´s last [type] ..I didnt know she was listening
Another thing that really amazes me is that His favorite tablet is my heart. He writes those words right there on my heart. Unbelievable really.
Thanks for this heartfelt post today Tammy!
Stacey´s last [type] ..Kids And Their Quiet Times
Amen and amen.
Imperfect´s last [type] ..A Hunting We Will Go
Welcome, Tammy. Your words are beautiful and true and knowing. I’m so glad you started writing again…it really is in you. : )
The Scooper´s last [type] ..Gratitude
I really connected with this post. Beautifully written.
A beautiful post. Thanks for sharing your feelings.
Kim´s last [type] ..Time to step back
Thank you ladies for taking the time to leave your own words here! I was blessed by every single one. God is gracious and big and good and I love when He brings people across our paths to share in His journey.
Tammy@If Meadows Speak…´s last [type] ..When Bruises Try to Hide-The Closet Picture
Wow, I really appreciate the insight in this post. Thanks for bearing your heart and sharing this, Tammy. Writing has always been a big part of my life, but lately I’ve let it just stagnate. I haven’t poured out my heart like I used to in a long time. This post is definitely food for thought for me.