An Invitation into Intimacy

Before July 2019, my relationship with God was good, steady, predictable, and comfortable. I was working in full-time ministry, leading a Bible study group, and faithfully sending out my Monday morning encouragements to friends, a rhythm I’d kept up for about two years. Life felt consistent and manageable. But at the start of that year, I began sensing the Lord’s gentle nudge, calling me to wake up earlier and spend time with Him. It wasn’t a booming command, just the still, small voice that tugs at your heart. If I’m being candid, I hadn’t done anything like that except for a few focused times of prayer and fasting. Yet, I ignored it. As a mother of two under two, I reasoned with myself that waking up any earlier than I already did felt impossible. Exhaustion was my constant companion, and the thought of giving up even a few moments of sleep was laughable. So I dulled my ears to His invitation, brushing it aside.

Around the same time, my friend and I started a small business, preparing meals for women seeking healthier eating habits. One morning, a new client ordered a butternut curry soup. I hadn’t yet trained our chef on this recipe, so I set my alarm for 4 O’clock to make it myself. As soon as the alarm buzzed, I shot out of bed, brushed my teeth, splashed hot water on my face, and got to work. Time wasn’t on my side, and I rushed through the morning, juggling the soup, my two toddlers, and getting everyone ready for the day. We piled into the car, the soup carefully stowed in the boot, and made the short ten-minute drive to daycare. After dropping the kids off, I opened the boot, only to find disaster; the soup had spilt everywhere. My heart sank. Defeated, I made a few frantic calls, and the client graciously agreed to wait another day.

The next morning, I was up at 4 O’clock again, determined not to repeat the mistake. This time, I secured the soup with extra care and ensured the day began without incident. By afternoon, as I unwound in the bath, the still, small voice I had dulled came back, this time with piercing clarity. “You can wake up early for the sake of a client’s meal, but you refuse to wake up early to spend time with Me.” It wasn’t an accusation; it was a quiet statement of truth that struck me to the core. My heart ached. I hadn’t realised how deeply I had grieved the Lord, but in that moment, His words broke through my complacency.

The very next day, I began what has now become my sacred morning routine. I had no idea what I was doing. Reading my Bible ‘daily’ felt foreign, awkward even, and I wasn’t sure how to start. I pulled a dining chair into the guest room, positioning it beside the tumble dryer. That chair stayed there, unmoved, until the day we left that house. It became my meeting place with God, my altar. Every morning, He met me there. He spoke to me, taught me, and shaped me. In that little room, I learned how to pray, not just the words, but the heart of it. He showed me how to study His Word, and how to hear His voice even when it demanded obedience at inconvenient moments.

In those sacred mornings, God revealed His faithfulness, His kindness, and His passion for me. He led me to pray for friends, placing their names on my heart without warning. He gave me wisdom for managing my home, clarity on how to prioritise my family, and visions for the future, some that have since come to pass, and others I eagerly wait to see unfold. That chair became the birthplace of my intimacy with Him, where I took my first, hesitant yet monumental steps toward knowing Him more deeply and gaining His perspective on me and my life.

Today, my mornings look a little different. The dining chair and tumble dryer have been replaced with a cosier spot and a jumbo mug of coffee. But the presence of God remains the same, familiar and cherished. Every morning, as I open my Bible and prayer journal, I feel His Spirit meet me there. I still long to see His heart, hear His voice, and let His Word breathe life into my soul. I often wonder where I would be now if I hadn’t answered His call to meet Him, spirit to spirit and heart to heart. The thought makes me shudder. That gentle nudge wasn’t just an invitation; it was the turning point that forever changed my relationship with God.

Inside the Tent of Meeting, the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Afterwards, Moses would return to the camp, but the young man who assisted him, Joshua son of Nun, would remain behind in the Tent of Meeting. ~ Exodus 33:11 (NLT)

Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. ~ James 4:8 (NLT)

Teach me Your way, O LORD, and I will walk and live in Your truth. Direct my heart to fear Your name with awe-inspired reverence and submissive wonder. ~ Psalm 86:11 (AMP)

Have you ever received an invitation that promised excitement, something truly worth saying “Yes” to, yet found yourself hesitating because it just wasn’t convenient? If you’re anything like me, the answer is likely a loud and guilty, “Yes!” Life is relentless, our schedules packed to the brim and our time feeling more fleeting than ever before. And so, even good invitations can feel like one more obligation. As January slips away, I have to ask you: Have you been ignoring an invitation from your Heavenly Father?

I get it. I really do. The chaos of daily survival can leave you drained and running on fumes while juggling endless responsibilities. You love God. You revere Him. But somehow, beyond Sunday worship, church servicing, small group meetings, and maybe the occasional Bible App plan, it feels impossible to make room for anything more. Yet, could it be that the next level of grace, peace, provision, purpose, and productivity you’re craving is waiting on the other side of your response to His gentle, persistent invitation? An invitation not just to serve or strive, but to meet Him spirit to spirit and face to face.

Let me ask you something else: Do you truly want to be God’s friend?

If your heart says yes, if you genuinely long to see His Kingdom advanced in the spaces He’s entrusted to you, then the first step is complete honesty. It’s time to lay it all down: crowns off, masks off, burdens, pride, excuses, all of it. God isn’t looking for perfection. He’s looking for surrender. He’s inviting you to come as you are, to step into the sacred space where intimacy with Him reshapes everything.

Believe You’re Worthy

Feeling unworthy has a way of showing up in the worst and most debilitating ways. I’ve learned something life-changing in my response to God’s invitation to intimacy: you must shake off that crippling lie of unworthiness. You are worthy, not because of what you’ve done, but because God, your Father, says you are. He chose you deliberately, without hesitation, and He’s never once second-guessed that decision. He doesn’t make mistakes, and He’s not about to start now.

Throughout history, God has consistently chosen people whose pasts screamed, “Unworthy!” Yet He looked beyond their brokenness and declared them worthy. If you long to walk closely with the Lord this year and beyond, it’s time to let go of the lie that you’re somehow an exception to His love. You are worthy, my friend. Let that truth anchor you. Step boldly into His presence with the confidence that this truth was meant to stir within you.

Be Ready for A Fight

When God begins to reveal His perspective of you and who you are in His eyes, be prepared for a battle. The world, your past, and even your own mind will scream otherwise. Old labels, stories, habits, and perspectives will claw at you, demanding your attention and allegiance. But hear me, you must fight to protect what God says about you. Guard it like your life depends on it because it does. When those lies rise whispering that you don’t belong or that you’re disqualified, reject them in the name of Jesus. Vehemently refuse to take back the lies that place you outside the presence of God looking in wistfully. Refuse to pick up those burdens you’ve already laid at His feet. God has called you worthy. He has called you His own. His invitation to intimacy isn’t written in pencil that fades or smudges, it’s sealed in His blood, eternally engraved. Fight for the truth that your name belongs on that invitation, and never forget that until you answer, He’s waiting with open arms, longing for you to draw near.

Surrender

God doesn’t want a version of you that’s neatly packaged or perfectly polished. He wants the real you. So, bring all of yourself into His presence, your fears, your doubts, your dreams, your brokenness, and pour it all out before Him. Whenever I’ve done this, I’ve often heard God ask me, “Who are you?” And every time I’ve answered honestly, it feels like an exchange takes place. As I reveal the beliefs I’ve clung to about myself, beliefs shaped by pain, failure, or fear, He replaces them with His truth. He reminds me of who He intended for me to be when He knit me together in the secret place. Surrender is the key to this holy exchange. It’s the moment when your false narratives fall away, and God’s truth begins to rebuild you. Yes, surrender is scary. It requires vulnerability and trust. But here’s the beauty of it, I believe the reason is that it benefits you more than it does Him. Surrender doesn’t just honour God, it frees you.

This year, this season, this very moment, God is extending His hand, inviting you into a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him. The question is, are you willing to do whatever it takes to say yes? God loves you, not just parts of you, but all of you. He longs to commune with you, to share His heart with you, and to transform you from the inside out. All it takes is your yes. I pray you’ll give it. I pray this will be the year that redefines your relationship with the One who loves you more than you’ll ever comprehend and has always called you His very own.