being Abba's child...

i had the distinct honor of hearing my favorite author, brennan manning, speak monday night. brennan is a funny old man. we met him in the lobby before he spoke. he was telling us about his new line of clothes... ragamuffin jeans. he is trying to convince an actual clothing company to buy the patent on these colorful patched jeans. he wants to give half the proceeds to a widowed mom with a couple kids who want to go to college and use the other half to feed vagabond ragamuffins. i hope and pray that works out for him...

i own, or have at least read, any book of his that i can get my hands on. and seriously, his writing has changed my life. though to hear him in real life is an experience. a frail old man who speaks with passion and enough of a slur and/or accent to where if you don't really focus on what he is saying, you might miss out. he is animated and sincere. he is captivating. he speaks truth.


and he spoke about prayer. prayer to our Abba. challenging us to pray, "Abba, Daddy, i belong to you." in and out, like the breath from our lungs. he told stories of the people he has met in ministry. he talked about Jewish culture and what it meant to be taught to pray "our Father." the significance of crying out to the God of the universe and calling him "Abba, Daddy." he spoke freeing words of forgiveness and what it means to let go of the past and completely bask in the words "Abba, i belong to you." for when those words become true in your heart and mind and soul, all else changes. the way you live, the way you interact with others, the way you love. these are words of freedom. these were the words i needed to hear so desperately. these are the words that reminded me that i am Daddy's little girl.