This naked flower with its petals and seed fluff gone is emptied of its once bold beauty and brightness. It’s only at this point in its existence that the drops of water shinning within the bareness that was once a brilliant blossom could be seen.

This represents what I’m learning from Jesus. It’s in the process of emptying myself of me and letting Him fill those spaces with Himself that the Living Water shines forth from my life.

At first I found this soul-nakedness scary. I had no secrets from the Father – I knew God knew my every thought, word, deed, and sin…but to empty myself of my “cover” (my petals and bold Jesus talk) so people could see more of me and somehow Him - well that seemed to be too much to ask.

If I was willing to get this honest – this down to the bare skeleton of my real soul …I knew God would do something with it.

Then…everyone I encountered would know the “stuff” in my life as He chose to use it to reveal His Glory to others.

Really…doesn’t that seem like a lot to ask of a woman as human as me?

Since I accepted Jesus, I’ve wanted to live knowing His loving heart…His protection……His wisdom…His presence…His voice whispering to me in the stillness…I’ve always wanted to know Him intimately and passionately. If He said, “Go,” I wanted to be able to say, “I’m there Lord!”

But this? Reveal the bones of my faith…the barren-ness of my spirit? The fragile, almost dust-again quality of a skeleton blossom that is now me?

Letting God know was natural and easy…letting you know…letting you see…well, that’s not scary – it’s terrifying.

It’s like He was asking me to hang out my “stuff”…well, cross-like – the way He did.

But for crying out loud – He’s God.

And with this attitude I hung on to my stuff for as long as I could…but I have to be honest…this holding on to what I thought might cover my nakedness (like the petals or the fluffy seeds of a dandelion) exhausted my faith, cost my soul, and was just plain wrong.

I wanted to light up the world for God…but I did the best I could to hide the light bearer under a basket…I was sure then the world would see Jesus and I’d be out of the way…doesn’t that sound humble and good?

It’s really not. Honest. It’s not even being shy or timid.

God had to burn my basket because He uses people to shine His Light into the darkness of other people. It’s one ways He works

I thought my basket was special – a one of a kind design…people would look at it and not see me…only the Light. I can hardly hold back the chuckles when I picture this in my mind…the world saw a woman trying to hide herself – her losses and gains – to keep the losses a secret and the gains – well, they belonged the Basket Maker (can’t you hear my holiness?) I had one arm out there holding the Light but who in the world wanted a Light that was about to singe the holder in order to get her out of hiding?

Sometimes for the world to see the Light…it means taking off the pretty coverings we put on Christianity to make it more acceptable to the world. The thing is…Jesus never expected the whole wide world to accept Him. He knew rejection at a level no writer standing at her mailbox can imagine! Many of those He loved to death – rejected Him and continue to do so today.

God knows the true numbers…who really believes He is God and who doesn’t. Besides, He works on a world level we can’t comprehend…one person at a time.

He’s seeking us out one bare naked soul at a time. He wants to save us…then grow us…in Him.

When we let that happen…the world will see not the Christian package…they will see the Savior’s Light shinning from where He takes up residence when we let Him – in our broken places…the places those living in the world will connect with because they are living there without Jesus tender loving care.

They recognize our coverings…our Christian language, our clichés, our veneer victory…because they too are under the cover of whatever hides their “stuff.” Success, wealth, beauty, goals, busy-ness, even poverty or prison are hiding places for some. With the best of intentions we want these lost souls to let it all go…and let Jesus in.

How dare they when we who believe don’t?

That’s why I wrote Rain Dance. That’s why I’ve read it at least a dozen times in the past weeks…looking for mistakes and in a couple of places letting my characters get a little more real with my someday readers.

From the idea stage, this book has emptied me of me. I had to let go of some packaging. I had to obey the call of the Father.

As I’ve let go of some of the coverings (I'm so not there yet!) I held on to for dear life and my soul looks a lot like this dandelion…emptied of all but a few shining drops of healing rain.

Somehow among the fragile stems of me there are places full to overflowing – full of Jesus, His Spirit…and if you look really close you’ll see a woman finding that God meant it when he said, “…where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom.” And if you look closer still…you’ll see her dancing in the forgiving and cleansing rain of God…owning the forgiveness He offered on Easter morn when the truest victory of all was won forever.

The story of Rain Dance is timeless. As long as there are barren women or women who have chosen and regret their abortions, this novel is relevant.

Reader be warned: Rain Dance takes a divisive political issue and makes it personal. Then the story takes an intimate issue and reveals it. I pray abortion and infertility never look the same to you when you turn the last page. But even more…I hope you see the truth about followers of Jesus. We’re flawed. We blow it. We are so not “there” wherever that is! We serve a living and perfect Savior imperfectly…and He loves us anyway.

Now rain or shine…that’s something to dance about!