The Spirit in Their House

May I ask you something?
What do you want to know?
I notice you don't seem stressed out when things are crazy around here at work.  Why is that?
When things are stressful, I pray.
To who?
Jesus.
And He answers you?
Yes, He does Marvin.
How do you know?
The peace you see when things are crazy.
I want that.  How do you get it?
If you want to come over to my house tonight, we can have more time to talk.
Can I bring my wife and kids?
I'd love that...let me call my wife first to make sure we're ready.
I understand.

***

Come in Marvin.
Brandon, this is my wife Katrina.  Katrina, Brandon.
Thank you for inviting us.  Marvin speaks highly of you.
You're welcome.  I appreciate Marvin's respect.
This is Fallon, our youngest; she's 10, and Garrison, our oldest, 13.
Nice to meet you both.
Nice to meet you too.
Come on in.  You can all sit where you want.  I'll call our kids down.

Lindsey is our oldest, she's 15.  Next is Nicole, 13, and Paul, 9.  Kids, say hi to Brandon, Katrina, Fallon, and Garrison.

Hey.
Hello.
Hi.
Nice to meet you.
You too.


Everyone, Marvin wanted to know why I have peace when things are crazy at work.  I told him it's because of Jesus.  We're here for Marvin's family to meet the Lord.  He can best explain the peace He gives.

How are we going to meet Him?
His Spirit, Katrina.  His Spirit is in me and my family, and He's in this house.  You felt Him when you came in.

How did you know we felt Him?
Did you?
Well, we actually did, but we couldn't put into words what we felt.
Describe it, as best as you can.
....well, it actually does feel like an invisible person is in your house, kind of everywhere in the house, but in no specific place.

I know what Katrina means.  I actually feel the same way when I'm around you at work Brandon.  I never thought about it fully until Katrina described how your house feels. 

That's the Lord.  It's His Spirit.
We want Him in us, in our house, and in our lives.  How can that happen?
Ask Him.  Invite Him.  And He'll come.
That's all?
That's it...well, with this understanding.  He's God.  Not just any guest.  He actually owns you and your house and family already.  When you're welcoming Him, you're accepting the truth of who He is.  Are you willing to do that?

Yes, we are.
You can do it now.

The Holy Wind (A Short Story)

On December 21st, the first day of winter, my wife and I prayed in our cabin. We warmed each other in our embrace and under wool blankets.  We needed nothing and wanted nothing.  In love with God and each other, we worshipped.  As my wife prayed, praising God, I felt a strong breeze caress my hair.  "But the windows are closed," I thought.  And even if they had been opened, the air was frigid, but not windy.  Jill raised her bowed head and opened her eyes wide.  "Marcus, did you feel that?"  Her honey deep voice sounded thrilled, excited and afraid.  "Feel what?"  "I felt air blow through my hair."  "Yes, I did feel it.  I thought I imagined it."  The breeze filled the room, yet the fire blazed unmoved in the fire place.  From behind us, then in front of us, air flowed; inhale, exhale.  We heard each other breathing, and we heard The Breath of Someone Else in our room.  We both bowed and remained silent, prostrating ourselves before The Lifegiver.  Our breathing joined His, and we honored His breath as the source of our own.