My mom tells a funny story about lemon pie. Grandma used to bake fresh bread and pie every Saturday to be enjoyed on Sunday. One Saturday, Grandma made lemon meringue pie. Now my mom didn’t particularly like lemon pie and might have skipped dessert except for one thing. Her sister invited her boyfriend over after evening church and she didn’t eat her pie at the noon meal, intending to share it with her beau later that evening. Mom knew if she didn’t eat her piece, her sister would give it to her boyfriend. She wasn’t feeling that generous, so she ate it.

There is another lemon dessert that a friend from church used to make every time she had opportunity to bring something to a carry-in meal. Lemon delight is truly delightful.

Unlike my mom, I enjoy lemons in desserts, beverages, and savory dishes. Lemon Delight is one of my top five desserts! Lemons provide just the right amount of tang and interest to liven and provide depth to an otherwise bland dish. They also speak to me of sunshine, brightness and joy.

The other day I had a lemon experience. It was one of those days where I worked on all the little duties and responsibilities accumulated in the corners. Phone calls to make, bills to pay, questions to follow up on, details to process. During one particular phone call, I felt the Holy Spirit nudge me in a specific way. I was certain I was sensing his voice, but found myself wondering what Dave would say about it. Should I talk to him first?

I went with my gut that day and inside I felt a burst of sunshine and lemons! I was filled with joy and my heart sang. It sang because I obeyed His voice and trusted His power in my life. It sang because I eliminated a place for the devil to have a foothold. It sang because a burden I carried was cast down. I genuinely felt like I stepped across a threshold of growth with the Holy Spirit all because I agreed to his nudging.

Last week I wrote about listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit and relying on His power rather than human wisdom and reason. Practically, the opportunity to do that presented itself and I don’t regret saying YES! to Him.

In what ways are you holding out? Scared to follow his leading? Unsure of next steps? There is a prayer by Thomas Merton from his writing Thoughts in Solitude. I reprinted it below. How does this resonate with where you are right now?

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore, I will trust you always though I seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

Thomas Merton — Thoughts in Solitude