This is my first post so I am a bit nervous. Later I’ll share my story but for now I wanted to post this ice breaker. This was an image or movie-like idea that I felt God gave me one morning. I think it captures the essence of the purpose of this blog. Enjoy.
There was this balloon on the top of a hill. It was a smooth hill with a nice road right through the middle. Where did the balloon come from, how did he get there, what is he made of, what are balloons anyway? All of that is another story found in the annals of Elasticity. This balloon was told and truly believed that his purpose in life was to get to the next hill. He could see it from where he lay. All you had to do was follow the road down this hill through the valley and up the next hill to the top, easy enough for a balloon. So he tried to move down the road. This turned out to be impossible since, well he was an empty balloon and they don’t move, just wiggle. Another balloon told him he just needed to get filled up. He said “here is a hose, get filled.” This was a water hose and indeed the balloon got filled up. Now he could roll. So roll he did and down the hill he went. He rolled faster and faster and started to roll up the next slope but…he stopped. He didn’t have enough momentum. So he rolled back down the far hill and rested in the bottom of the valley. He cried out with despair and the hand of God picked him up and placed him back at his home. He had an idea. “I need more water.” So he filled up with more water tried again with the same results. Again God brought him back home. This continued for some time until one day the balloon said “I’ve had enough” and was ready to quit trying at all. About that time he saw a balloon he hadn’t seen before. This one was floating by. It was very strange. He asked the balloon “what is that all about and why are you floating?” This new balloon said “that is just how it works when you are filled with air.” The water balloon was very confused and was pretty sure the air balloon was absolutely crazy, but still there was something very familiar about the whole thing. He started to ask lots of questions and others told him about a different hose. This one had something called air. They cautioned the balloon because “you know air is unpredictable.” The balloon eventually took the risk and approached the air hose. There was a kind man there that filled him with air. The balloon had a sensation he had never experienced. He was lighter. He could move with very little effort. So now he started to head towards the next hill. He bounced along, down the hill, started up the next but still couldn’t make it. Again God reached down and returned him home. “What is the problem?” he asked the man. The kind man said to the balloon “you still have some water in there and you won’t float until it is gone.” The balloon looked at him and gasped, “Float?! Nobody said anything about floating. Are you kidding? The wind could blow me anywhere.” Then God said to the balloon. “I am the air. I am the wind. Why would you be afraid?” That was enough for the balloon! He emptied himself of any remaining water and got completely filled up. Now he began to float. Up he went and the wind took him towards the far hill. As he approached he wasn’t descending. He got concerned and asked God what was going on. God then directed the balloon’s eyes towards the direction they were floating. Then the balloon saw something amazing. Beyond the far hill were more and more hills. The hills got bigger and bigger and became mountains. The balloon was headed towards one of those beautiful, snow capped mountains. He was beside himself. How could he ever think again that getting to the next hill was all there was to life. How could he ever think again that water was what he needed to get there. He had an amazing realization in that moment. Balloons are made for air!
P.S. Water is self-effort. It has all sorts of good stuff in it, but it is water. There are two hoses in the story. From which one do you want to get filled?
Galatians 2:20
English Standard Version (ESV)
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Romans 11:6
English Standard Version (ESV)
6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
Galatians 3:23-27
English Standard Version (ESV)
23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
alancetotheheart 
This is an awesome image that really fits in with a Word I got from Papa one morning during a beautiful sunrise. To make it short, as our desert valley was filling with morning light, the mountains across from me were being illuminated. As it goes the peaks and ridges became wonderfully lit while the crevasses between remained in shadow. Then His soothing whisper said “Though you may find yourself in those dark valleys from time to time… it isn’t really necessary… keep your trust in and eyes on me and I will carry you from peak to peak.”
Abba breath me full!
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Ok, I’m checking out how this reply part works…I bought balloons for my son’s graduation party. Beautiful, full, straining at their string and ready to float! The children I gave some of the balloons to had a lot of fun trying to keep up with the ‘floating ones’. The next day, however, the balloons were still full, although not as much, and were sagging on the ground. By the day after that, they were completely grounded. I recognize in me the need to daily go to the ‘air pump-Holy Spirit’ and receive a fresh infilling, not relying on yesterday’s filling. Good thing we have such and abundant God! Darla
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The good news Darla is we are only a thought from being filled. I believe we are in a constant state of “filled to overflowing.” Sometimes we just forget that fact. We may not “feel” filled up and need some alone time with Papa, but our fullness doesn’t change. I know that may be contrary teaching to what we have heard, but unmerrited favor (which includes His presence) is not contigent on me doing anything, right? Then Grace isn’t Grace. We definitely grow in our belief and faith to receive, but He doesn’t fluctuate based on my “works.” I hope that makes sense. There are so many people “working like crazy” to get filled up (I was one of those) and I believe “the fullness of God” has been in us all along (Eph 3). Sometimes we just don’t believe it. Just a thought to chew on. Doesn’t it make you feel free to think that way? Does me.
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Totally free! All of Him, in all of me, all of the time! I don’t work for it…I already have it! Haha!! I’m aware that the revelations God gives me daily contribute to my acute awareness of His ‘all of Him, all the time’. When I rely on previous revelations (I used the word infilling, perhaps not the best rendition), and not receive a fresh increase of revelation, I tend to plateau off. So i’m aware today that I have all of Him and it touches all my stuff, but because our Papa is so huge, I’m also definitely looking for increased revelation of Him, and having that new awareness take all my stuff to the next level. So much fun, and He actually does it all for us as we rest in Him. Don’t you love Him more just from our conversation? Yay God!
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