Hey there if you want to find out what is going on in the life of Leanne and Jeral Krahn go to www.leanne-marie-krahn.blogspot.com

Thanks, Leanne Krahn

"THE GREATEST PARADOX IS THAT IN LETTING GO, WE RECEIVE. WE FIND SAFETY IN UNEXPECTED PLACES OF RISK. AND THOSE WHO TO TO AVOID ALL RISK, THOSE WHO WOULD TRY TO GUARANTEE THAT THEIR HEARTS WILL NOT BE BROKEN, WIND UP IN A SELF-CREATED HELL."

- HENRI NOUWEN

Ouch is all I can say to that. Let the words sink in deeply, and think about it for a few minutes. Is there any truth in the words of Herni Nouwen? Yes there sure are, well at least there is truth for me. I was thinking about this today as I was going about my day. I don't know about many of you but I have spent a lot of my life doing everything that I can to keep my heart from getting broken. I put up huge walls, and bomb proof shelters for my heart, all in an attempt to keep it from getting hurt. However the reality was though that as a human I was not able to get the protections in place before it was too late. My heart was hurt and broken long before the walls went up. Part of living in a fallen world I guess. So then the walls went up to keep my heart from being hurt further. Many people who have been hurt put walls and fortresses in place to keep from getting hurt again. But really if anyone who has put up a protective wall is honest they will tell you that all the fortresses in the world cannot protect against loneliness and isolation one feels behind the walls, barriers, and fortresses.

Is it bad to set boundaries? No I don't think so. This is something I am working on daily. Boundaries when they are healthy benefit everyone in the long run. However when those boundaries become impenetrable fortresses to keep me inside and everyone else out I have a problem. We were created by God to be in relationship. And I believe that deep with in us all is a desire to be known. Not just to have some one know us, but to be truly known, every part of us. The good and the bad, and to know that we are loved in spite of all the yuckiness. It is when we think that if people truly knew us they would run that the risk in our minds becomes to great, and the walls of self protection rise or we run in to the shelter and lock it down. Yes it is a risk to allow our selves to be truly known, but guess what is it not as big of a risk as we think because we all are truly known by our Creator, who is our ABBA, and seriously He loves me. Knowing everything about me He LOVES me. It may not be prudent to share everything with everyone, but I am pretty sure we all have people in our lives who won't run if we let them in. It is actually more torture to keep them out, because there is the long to let them in.

That has been my thought for today. I think I will sit on it and think some more tonight, and in the days to come.

Blessings, Leanne