Did you forget something?

 

There I was, in the middle of baking up something really terrific - when I went to the pantry for an ingredient, and, you guessed it - there wasn’t enough. I saw the bag on the shelf earlier but didn’t check the amount inside. So I had to stop what I was doing and run to the store. But I did find exactly what I needed. Before I knew it, I was back in the kitchen and filling the room with a scrumptious smell! And the treats were delish!

Prayer works the exact same way. You don’t have enough of something? Perhaps you are low and need another carton of strength, or a big bottle of patience, or a bag of fresh hope.  The first thing you need to do is… stop. Then you go to the place where these things are found. That would be God. You will find everything and anything you need in Him. You can just ask for it. You turn your heart towards Him and whatever it is - is freely given. (I found so many scripture verses that support this). Now you can go back to what you were doing and finish with amazing results. Just like my treats! Heavenly!

And this same God Who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:19 NLT

 “Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.  For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.  Is there anyone among you who, if your child asked for bread, would give a stone?  Or if the child asked for a fish, would give a snake?  If you, then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! - Matthew 7:11 NRSVUE

 You can never please God without faith, without depending on him. Anyone who wants to come to God must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely look for him. - Hebrews 11:6 TLB

 We know that we can trust God to do the things that he has promised. So we must continue to expect those things. We must tell other people that we trust God. We should not stop doing that. - Hebrews 10:23 EASY

God said, “I dare you.”

It happened just a couple months ago. I had already signed up to attend a conference for Christian creatives. I was hoping to get some encouragement about my blogging and notecards ministry. Some direction. Some clarity from believers in the industry. But in March, God put a challenge before me. It interrupted my morning prayers. “Submit your book drafts to the contest.” You see, I had written a children’s book, goodness - years ago. And it sat on a back burner because 1) what if it wasn’t good enough, and 2) I don’t want to invest all that time and effort in illustrating it if it wasn’t good enough. I also started writing a devotional book that included much of my own artwork, along with scriptures and prayer prompts. I put together a sample copy using a self-publishing company. But the draft copy they sent me was a real disappointment. So that, too, went on a back burner. I guess I wasn’t meant to go in that direction after all…

So in March I saw the advertisement on social media for submissions to the Oasis Award Contest held by the Well Publishers and the deadline was fast approaching. And that’s when God stepped in. So I did it. I closed my eyes and just did it.

To make a long story short, here is a picture of the announcement made on the last night of the conference.

And now there is a contract with an editor and the publishing company underway. And I will be a real published author… never saw that coming… Lord, you have taken my breath away!

To God alone be the glory… (but, wow, I can’t wait to work on this with You, Lord!)

Reunion!

My husband and I just got back from a trip of seeing family and friends and attending a conference. I can’t tell you the immense joy of gathering with them to share hugs and tell stories and all the catching up. All the love flowing! Getting together with those you love - and who love you - has such a healing power.

At the conference I saw past acquaintances, plus made some new friends, all who have a love for Christian writing, artwork, worship, music… How wonderful to spend time with a group of people who love the Lord as much as I do! And love expressing it in so many creative ways! It, too, had such a healing and inspirational power.

We also worshipped at different places while we were away from home. We enjoyed different styles of worship. And it really broadened my view of just how vast and diverse the love of God and the love for God can be - and yet, at the heart’s level, we are all the same. We all love God. Praise Him. Desire Him. Invite Him into our lives. It was powerful to stand in the midst of it all and be impacted by it.

Now that I am home, I look forward to other groups I am a part of - knitting, bible studies, etc. Getting together with people who share the same interests is empowering and gives such support and encouragement to whatever it is you have in common. There is an excitement that flows between you. And joy! Certainly good for your mental health!

That’s why it is so important to gather as Christians, celebrating the love of God in and between us. There is joy in doing things together. There is joy in being surrounded by people with the same passion for Christ and Christlike living. It is healing and strengthening. There is a time for private personal time with the Lord. And there is a time for gathering with like-minded believers.

And it is so good! So good for your spiritual and mental health! And for theirs!

I encourage you to enjoy the fellowship found in so many areas of life. And know it is all love poured out from our Heavenly Father. It does His heart good to see us loving and celebrating life with each other. 

They devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching and to fellowship… all the believers were together… they continued to meet together… and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. - Acts 2:42-47 

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together… but encouraging one another… - Hebrews 10:24-25

 

Get in the car!

 It was raining. Hard! It drummed against the roof of my car. I couldn’t hear anything outside but the downpour of rain. I couldn’t see anything through the windows. It had totally blurred the view. Wind a-blowing like nobody’s business. No way was I going to step out into all that drama. I’m staying here where it is safe. Until the storm passes.

And that is what it should be like for us as believers. 

Are you sitting in a storm? Torrential pounding rain? High pressing winds? Can’t see?

Then stay surrounded by the presence of Jesus. Let Him enfold you in protection until the storm passes. His protection will be your peace. His rod (that beats back the enemy) and His staff (that pulls you back from danger) will comfort you.

Did your test results come back not as expected? Does your doctor want you to see a specialist? Is that appointment seven weeks out? The storm of fear is pounding. You can see the blinding rain and hear the powerful winds that’s out there. And you can step out into it. Be drenched by it. Overcome by it. Or you can stay in the safety… in the ever present, not leaving you arms of Jesus. You will still see the storm but I encourage you to close your eyes and sense His promised presence and remember His God-given authority over the wind and the rain. And your circumstances. Everything in heaven and earth is under His reign. He will order your storm to pass…

 Be merciful to me, O God; be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, until the destroying storms pass by. - Psalm 57:1 NRSVUE

Nailed it!

Creator God, so often we are stymied by our own doubts that we hinder Your gift of creativity in ourselves. And yet the ways of creativity are endless.

If there is anything I have learned about creating art, it is that there are literally millions of ways to do it. And that has really opened me up to trying to pursue it. It doesn’t have to be one certain way - it doesn’t all have to look like a photograph or real life. There is a beauty and fun and joy found in various expressions. You can use pencil or paint or chalk on the sidewalk.

Creativity can be found in all kinds of places. Think of all the genres of music and forms of dance. Arranging flowers in a garden or a vase. Writing a note - or a whole book. Even from the way you place food on a plate, or decorate a cake, all the needle arts, and sandcastles… vacation photo collage. 

Why do you think God added creative juices to our souls? And don’t say you aren’t creative. Just look at the list above!

As we read in the first chapter of Genesis, God created and it was good. Over and over again… it was good. It felt good. Could it be that creating something is rewarded by a feeling of Joy and Satisfaction?

I know, I know… you’re going to tell me you have attempted creativity and it mostly comes out imperfect and not shareable. Believe me, I know. You have to desire and pursue that special joy that comes from going through the process of good, better, best. I can’t stop drawing because the first attempts look pre-schoolish. But in the tweaking I find, it does get better. And oh, you should see the smile on my face when it all comes together! 

So I encourage you to get up and try. To open your eyes to things that call for creativity and imagination. Maybe, like my cookie pictured above, it will bring a smile and laughter in spite of its imperfection. God’s amazing grace! But maybe, just maybe, it will turn out to be a blessing and a joy after all.

 God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. - Romans 12:6

 The women skilled in sewing and spinning prepared blue, purple, and scarlet thread and cloth, and fine-twined linen, and brought them in. Some other women gladly used their special skill to spin the goats’ hair into cloth. The leaders brought onyx stones to be used for the ephod and the chestpiece; and spices, and oil—for the light, and for compounding the anointing oil and the sweet incense. So the people of Israel—every man and woman who wanted to assist in the work given to them by the Lord’s command to Moses—brought their freewill offerings to him. - Exodus 35:25-29 TLB

 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” - Luke 6:38

Looking for some joy and light in your life? God Himself and shown us and has paved the way…

Are you purr-aying?

 I love when one of my cats comes to lay alongside me on the couch - and looks up at me to be petted. And the minute I start stroking their fur - they purr.

This purr is a sign of relaxed happiness and contentment. But did you know a cat’s purr can mean and be used for different things?

Purring can be a way for cats to connect with their owners and with each other, fostering a sense of security and belonging.

Are you purr-aying to foster a sense of security and belonging with Jesus?

Purring can also be used as a self-soothing mechanism, helping cats to cope with stressful or painful situations.

Do you purr-ay to help cope with stressful or painful situations?

Some scientists believe the low-frequency vibrations of a purr can have a therapeutic effect, potentially aiding in healing and reducing pain.

Do your purr-yers have a therapeutic effect?

Our prayers can be used for a multitude of things. Certainly for thanks and for requests. But does the actual act of praying bring about a peace; a soothing - “it’s going to be okay” space? 

Prayer can indeed bring about a state of contentment; prayer can be soothing; prayer can reduce pain. I encourage you to spend some time there, in prayer, with God - yes, take the time, make the time, and see what the Lord will do for you.

  Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. - Ephesians 6:18

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. - Romans 15:13 NLT

A different gift

  This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details. When it came to presenting the Message to people who had no background in God’s way, I was the least qualified of any of the available Christians. God saw to it that I was equipped, but you can be sure that it had nothing to do with my natural abilities. And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ. My task is to bring out in the open and make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along. Through followers of Jesus like yourselves gathered in churches, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels!

- Ephesians 3:7-10 MSG

Some gifts are meant to last a long time, while others last only a short season. Some gifts are like springtime flowers that pop up again after a time of rest. 

As long as you are alive, you are in some way gifted to serve and to bless the rest of the body of Christ.

We often talk of people having different gifts. But do you think you can be gifted differently depending on the season of life? We all certainly know that what we were able to do in our 20s and we are no longer able to do in our 50s and 60s.

Many churches offer a study to discover your spiritual gift(s). And it is certainly a good thing to realize what God has given you to support the Body. We all have been given something to offer to another.

Do you think your God-giftedness can change over time?

Do you think you can ever go God-giftedless?

Do you think your age or physical limitations - keep you from being useful to God?

Yet we have heard numerous times that God equips. Could it be that there are:

Gifts in season.

Gifts in due time.

New gifts.

Chapter in life gifts.

Replacement gifts.

Perhaps we shouldn’t define our usefulness by only one gift and then quit. Perhaps there are new gifts of love and service knocking on your door. Things you never felt equipped (of gifted) to do before this chapter of life.

God is not done with you yet. So I encourage you to open your eyes and ears to what God may be calling you to next. And don’t dismiss it because you’ve never been able to do it before. It is a new day with God.

Our greatest calling is to love - even in small ways. Surely you can extend some love in small ways. 

 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.

- Ephesians 3:7 NIV