by Anusha Atukorala
The business from whom I buy travel insurance sent me an email.
“It’s been a while since you travelled with us.
We have a very special offer to welcome you back. Buy now and save 10%* on your
travel insurance. Let’s go somewhere.”
Let’s go somewhere? What a novel idea! But … with covid rampant?
Hmm ... I don’t think so!
I have not been
overseas or interstate since THE virus entered my world in January 2020. Fortunately,
we’d enjoyed a fabulous vacation in Sri Lanka just before we were grounded, so it
hasn’t been the least bit difficult for us to stay put. In fact, I feel I am on
holiday when I’m home—peaceful mountain views serenade me all day long, I have
a little den where I can write to my heart’s content, and our lovely backyard brings
me into God’s sweet presence.
The world calls out to us on a daily basis. Advertisers seduce us to do things we don’t want to do, to buy things we do not need. Who gets our attention? Whose voice sounds loudest in our ears?
God woos us. Time and
time again. Like children following the Pied Piper when he played his flute, we
too are summoned to follow our Creator. He will lead us into a road off the
beaten track, to creative paths, to scenic locations and also into rough and
tough terrain, where we’re forced to learn more of Him as we lean into the
unforced rhythms of grace.
Where is God calling you to this season? More breathing? More being? More reflection? More writing? More living? More doing? The call of that advertisement to ‘go somewhere’ made me think of places I can spend time in, even during covid times.
The first place God
woos me is into His loving heart. He calls me to become a worshipper, to spend
time with Him, to know Him more and to grow in my love for Him. The next place
He woos me into is into character growth. James 1:2-4 reminds us to consider
trials as joy - as pure, unadulterated joy! But … how do we find joy in hard
times? Perhaps the way forward is by focussing on heaven’s perspective, and not
our own! Colossians 3:1-4 is a great place to start.
The third place God
woos me into, is to bless others. Covid may have made us a little more selfish
– we’ve been forced to care for ourselves and to keep away from others. This Christmas,
I felt guilty that it was a self-centred kind of season. But then, as I sought God,
He showed me what I could do. I could care for one person at a time, in any way
possible. It opened my eyes and my heart. I was blessed as He led me and it was
a rich season, as I connected in varied ways to reach and touch others.
The fourth place God
woos me is in my creative journey. My writing has taken a backseat in the past
few years. But this year is going to be different! I will be more disciplined.
I will WRITE! Every. Day. Does that sound familiar? Will you join me?
The final place God
woos me into is a place of rest. A little girl trusts her Daddy when he leads
her into difficult places, full of the unexpected and the unknown. I too
likewise am learning to trust Him in the rough moments and seasons. Like a baby
learning to walk who falls time and time again, I have often failed! But the
beauty life with Jesus is that He never condemns, only encourages us as I get
up and try again.
To what kind of places and spaces has God been wooing you? I’d love to hear of your journey. Like a row of skittles being struck down by a great black bowling ball, Covid has thrown us all helter skelter! However, even if you have been sent reeling into a dark corner, be assured that God has not abandoned you. From that place, He will woo you into godly spaces. He woos us gently into learning to live from the heart, to discovering more of His goodness, His grace, His love and most of all that He is enough, because He alone is the All Sufficient One.
He alone is the One our souls thirst for!
Come join me as we follow the Heavenly Pied Piper into the adventures of a New Year.
Wherever He leads us is the best place to be!
May 2022 find us writing well, living well and
loving well.
Anusha’s been
on many interesting detours in life, as a lab technician, a computer
programmer, a full time Mum, a full time volunteer, a charity director, a full
time job chaser, until one golden day (or was it a dark moonless night?) God
tapped her on her shoulder and called her to write for Him. She has never
recovered from the joy it brought her. She loves to see others enjoying life
with Jesus and does her mite to hurry the process in her world through her
writing and through her life. The goodness of God is her theme song through
each season, as she dances in the rain with Jesus.
Her first book
Enjoying the Journey contains 75 little God stories that will bring you closer
to your Creator. Her 2nd book ‘Dancing in the Rain’ brings you
hope and comfort for life’s soggy seasons. Her 3rd book, ‘Sharing the Journey’
is a sequel to 'Enjoying the Journey' and was released in March 2020.
Do drop in on
her two websites to say G’day! She’d love to connect with you.
Dancing in the Rain - https://anusha-atukorala.webnode.com/
Light in the Darkness- https://light-in-the-darkness00.webnode.com/
Dancing in the Rain: https://www.booktopia.com.au/dancing-in-the-rain-anusha-atukorala/book/9781925380118.html
Sharing the Journey: https://www.booktopia.com.au/sharing-the-journey-anusha-atukorala/book/9780648713869.html
