She gets up while its still dark. -Proverbs 31:15

I got to take pictures of the daughter of my previous coworker, now friend. Trenity is her name. She just graduated from nursing school. Lovely, empowered and ready for the future. It was a joy to take pictures of her throughout the city hearing her different visions for her photo shoot and the building of eagerness to graduate and break forth into a new season.

The first part and the last part of the photo shoot were night shots. Taking photos of her first around the Nelson then ending at the Liberty memorial overlooking downtown Kansas City.

When I began processing her photos, I had had another night waking up before the sunrise. Fully awake and ready to encounter the day, which hasn’t been a life normal for me.

Awake in the still night of the morning, I heard the words, "she gets up while its still dark."

As I began looking over the nightspots of Trenity, I heard the word again, “she gets up while its still dark.”

The phrase comes from the Proverbs 31 excerpt in scripture about a woman whose worth is more than rubies.

I’ve had seasons in my life when sleep has escaped me because of anxiety or stress.

But this time it has been different.

Instead of the racing thoughts, its been a quiet waking and alertness.

Almost like an invitation into something secret.

As if one was about to enter the depths of a cave and you must tread softly into it as to not disturb or disrupt the treasures inside, but instead bring just a candle to slowly illuminate the inner world.

That’s what its like entering the morning when its dark and the sun begins to rise. A soft light begins with soft pastels of periwinkle and purples… and then graduating hues of soft pinks and finally the emerging of brilliant yellows bursting into oranges.

Then behold the sun.

And the waking continued.

I kept hearing the word again every morning.

“She gets up while its still dark.”

And I began to ask.

God why would she get up while its still night?

Why would you wake me into such dark?

Why would I get up in such dark, when I could be tucked warm in the covers...?

And stay in winter hiding.

There is a poem in my room from my grandma’s house. I’ve always been enamored by it.

Its called Recompense.

The word recompense in scripture has always bewildered me. As if I know what it means in definition, but still haven’t fully grasped the depth of its meaning.

Recompense: make amends to (someone) for loss or harm suffered; compensate.

Pure wonderment and beauty.

Hidden treasures of the depth of the meaning Recompense that I am just now uncovering.

See, while all the other mornings I have been waking up without fear.

One morning's dark wake, I did not. Fear of the future began to grip me. God, how am I going to provide for myself in this new season of having my own business? Where is the work going to come from? Was I a fool in taking a year of rest?

And the questions kept coming and the doubt began growing.

And then in the still dark of the morning, I dared to peer out my window. And I became in awe as I beheld a glorious sunrise of pinks and the softest yet richest of colors.

And again He reminded me as I walked outside once again to witness the skies transformation.

“She gets up while its still dark.”

And it dawned on me. I think I am having a whole new understanding of this verse now amidst the cool morning of light breaking forth and the poem in my hand.

{Recompense

Winter winds may chill the air

And clouds bedim the sky

Still ‘neath the snows, unseen, unheard,

The sleeping flowers lie.

So ‘neath the heaping drift of life,

Its shadows and its pain,

The blossoms of sweet Friendship wait,

To bring the smiles again.}

Maybe she arises because she expects God to break forth His light in the dark.

She anticipates a Sunrise.

She anticipates Recompense.

Say to those with anxious heart, "Take courage, fear not Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you." Isaiah 35:4

I think I have expected His vengeance and His recompense to come in my life like the grandeur of a warrior and chaos of war. Much like many of the Israelites expected, I think when waiting on the Messiah.

Yet Jesus came quietly, in the dark, as a small little light, that began to slowly illuminate the world and break forth into noonday.

He came softly.

And humbly.

In the dark.

As if all through the pain and hardship, he had been quietly at work planting seeds in the dark.

With sweet friendship.

An invitation into sweet friendship.

And in the unwelcoming dark cold chills of life, He was at work, coming to save, coming to bring joy again.

To bring light.

Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them. Psalm 126:6

He will come with His amends, to compensate, pay for the things we have suffered. He did it once. His word is true. He does it daily. “His mercies are new every morning.”

In sweet friendship.

In the cold dark.

In the winters of life.

Hidden seeds.

Stilled in soil.

Await resurrection bloom.

And He wakes her.

For revelation.

She gets up.

And waits.

In sweet friendship.

Expecting.

To see.

Morning light.

Break forth.

A lamentation unto hope restored (Lamentations 3:22-24):

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

“The Lord is my daily portion, food and provision,” says my soul,

“therefore I will hope in him.”

Get the rest of the album here! http://bit.ly/iTunesSimpleGospel "There was one when I was young Who knew my heart He knew my sorrow He held my hand And he lead me to trust him Now I am hidden In the safety of your love I trust your heart and your intentions Trust you completely I'm listening intently You'll guide me through these many shadows As I grow And as I change May I love you more deeply I will lean upon your grace I will weep because your goodness is unending.

Hidden, Untied Pursuit ft. Will Reagan

There was one when I was young
Who knew my heart
He knew my sorrow
He held my hand
And he lead me to trust him

Now I am hidden
In the safety of your love
I trust your heart and your intentions
Trust you completely
I’m listening intently
You’ll guide me through these many shadows

As I grow
And as I change
May I love you more deeply
I will lean upon your grace
I will reap because your goodness is unending

You are my vision
My reason for living
Your kindness leads me to repentance
I can’t explain it
This sweet assurance
But I’ve never known this kind of friend
I can’t explain it
This sweet assurance
But I’ve never known this kind of friend

The sun, moon, and stars
Shout your name
They give you reverence
And I will do the same
With all my heart I give you glory
The sun, moon, and stars
Shout your name
They give you reverence
And I will do the same
With all my heart I give you glory

I want to seek you first
I want to love you more
I want to give you the honor you deserve
So I bow before you
I am overcome by the beauty of this perfect love

Now I am hidden
In the safety of your love
I trust your heart and your intentions
Trust you completely
I’m listening intently
You’ll guide me through these many shadows

She Gets Up While It's Still Dark