The Beautiful Exchange: Empty your Cup - Release (Part 2)

In Part One of The Beautiful Exchange I began to take you on a very personal journey of experiencing what I call “The Beautiful Exchange” Through my caregiving journey, I learned the necessity of cultivating an even more deeply intimate, personal space and time with the Lord. What makes it so special, is that the exchange is not driven by getting things but connecting with our Heavenly Father.

Now, releasing. After understanding why breathing deeply is so crucial in our connecting with Christ, our bodies, minds, and hearts are more ready for release. To RELEASE the emotional and mental pressures we hold inside, we must express them. Start with speaking out loud about how you feel, what you did, what frightens you, who hurt you, what hurt you, what is burdening you - NOT WHAT YOU WANT. Speak out loud because the Lord is with you.

Coming into the presence of our Heavenly Father is safety, protection, and refuge. (Psalm 46) Talking out loud releases the weight of what is being carried and felt and carried inside. It is not good enough to speak quietly in your heart. That keeps feelings and thoughts trapped inside. Releasing what is felt unbinds the emotions – it also releases pressure - physical pressure. In my experiences, I talk about whatever is strongest in that moment and for that day. Each day brings new struggles, and sometimes, each hour. Being able to speak safely about what burdens you is crucial. In my own life and working with soul health clients for their Spiritual guidance, they often learn that until starting this process, identifying, and clearly articulating the things burdening them was more difficult. Therefore, it's so important for this process to become more a daily practice - our burdens take all shapes, sizes, and layers. If we don't release them - they stay in us. God is not afraid to hear our hurts, regrets, uncertainties, or even the thoughts we dare say to another person. He invites us to give it to Him. (Matthew 11:28-29)

I learned for myself that when releasing my burdens to the Lord, it created more space in my soul for Him to fill with Himself. In other words, the Lord’s Spirit can only fill an empty vessel. Remembering from my first article “The Beautiful Exchange: Empty your Cup – Breathe” God’s promises often need our participation. Rest, understanding, peace, love – even healing, and joy are not dependent on the condition of our circumstances. It depends on the condition of our hearts – and our hearts need the supernatural secret sauce of heaven. Emptying our emotional cup to the Lord, opens our intimacy and relational trust in Him. Opening our hearts to Him about not only what we fear, but what we need answers to, what makes us feel lonely, sad, unseen, or even overwhelmed deepens our experience. It also begins to change our brain, how we perceive and think toward those burdensome life experiences. In this space, we begin to free up our capacity to receive from the Lord. Releasing/Talking/Sharing our burdens is the second part of emptying our cup. It makes space for His presence to enter the room and saturate flood into the crevices of our hearts.

In my life breathing and releasing can take from 10-20 minutes.

I can't wait to share with you next about the power of journaling, thanksgiving, and praise. I'm praying right now for the richest most beautiful day for you. May you see God's wonders, and ma

y they bring healing and hope.