remembering

While doing more wallpapering I was remembering so many things. The spare room was once called the office and where I would do my college study. That same season my first exchange student came. With the second one, we painted the room and she helped to create some wonderful floral work on the walls that stayed for 16 years.

It was time for change. Time for new.

Belen – Segovia, Spain – Student #3

I think of the words in Philippians 3 – it talks about forgetting what is past but I know I will not forget it all, not when I remember how it has made me more in His image.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Phil 3:12-14

Often we are afraid of change. I definitely had some fear in having kids in my house and life when I’ve never raised my own. But God…. He had given me some warning and definitely a lot of grace as I learned how to be a friend to someone from another culture and a pseudo parent. Four short term students later and I was heading to Haiti where I was the foreigner …. memories.

God did not create us to just be satisfied with how things are or always desiring to go back to the way they were, He has called us to follow Him which seldom comes with the best road map. Do you think the Israelite’s could have wandered less years?

Memories – of learning flexibility, acceptance of different ideals, communicating simply and honoring how others feel or believe. So much more…

Thank you God that you use everything in our lives to teach us Your better ways. Guide us today to remember and yet to press on toward all that you have called us to!

His call is our call

Romans 8
¹⁸ I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. ¹⁹ For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.

61 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,
    for the Lord has anointed me
    to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted
    and to proclaim that captives will be released
    and prisoners will be freed.
² He has sent me to tell those who mourn
    that the time of the Lord’s favor has come,
    and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.
³ To all who mourn in Israel,^[c
    he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
    festive praise instead of despair.
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks
    that the Lord has planted for his own glory.

⁴ They will rebuild the ancient ruins,
    repairing cities destroyed long ago.
They will revive them,
    though they have been deserted for many generations.
⁵ Foreigners will be your servants.
    They will feed your flocks
and plow your fields
    and tend your vineyards.
⁶ You will be called priests of the Lord,
    ministers of our God.
You will feed on the treasures of the nations
    and boast in their riches.
⁷ Instead of shame and dishonor,
    you will enjoy a double share of honor.
You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land,
    and everlasting joy will be yours.

⁸ “For I, the Lord, love justice.
    I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering
    and make an everlasting covenant with them.
⁹ Their descendants will be recognized
    and honored among the nations.
Everyone will realize that they are a people
    the Lord has blessed.”

¹⁰ I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God!
    For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation
    and draped me in a robe of righteousness.
I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding
    or a bride with her jewels.
¹¹ The Sovereign Lord will show his justice to the nations of the world.
    Everyone will praise him!
His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring,
    with plants springing up everywhere.

get ready

Atmosphere of Peace – oil and cold wax 16x16x2 panel

This week will be putting together art, words, ideas and preparing for the installation that is coming quickly. Already issues are trying to make things difficult, but flexibility and knowing God’s always there helps to keep the focus on what needs to come. Prayer and time with the Lord helps to keep the mind on what is true, noble, right, pure … what is excellent or praiseworthy! (Philippians 4:8)

I love how His word sustains, encourages and guides.

²³ Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. ²⁴ Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

²⁵ “All this I have spoken while still with you. ²⁶ But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. ” John 14:23-27

Thank you Lord that your Word continues to speak. I pray that Your peace would be with each person reading and be felt in a deeper way this week. Help our hearts and minds stay focused on Your truths! All things are possible!

into the new

New Movement

After not blogging for 18 months, where does one start again? My life has shifted tremendously to working full-time outside of my house.

2017 included a lot of gallery time and creating in a group project for ArtPrize. Five artists worked on a piece we did in honor of The Red Cross. You will find plenty of photos and info on the Zeeland Artists facebook page.

It was a very unique season to shift from the ministry of counsel to helping with a couple people with Alzheimer’s. They both recently passed into the freedom with God in heaven. God moved in many amazing ways in both of their journeys.

Writing has been much more of personal journal time and I have been creating a variety of new paintings. Expanding my encaustic (hot wax and oil) and emerging myself in coldwax medium that is mixed with oils. I’ll be sharing a bit from all of those areas.

I look forward to how God will bring new life, new words, new art in this season of NEW THINGS – in my life and in yours!

16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:16-19

Peace to you all – jude

heir to what

Royalty

What does it look like to be an heir? 

Our earthly definition is a person legally entitled to the property or rank of another on that person’s death OR a person inheriting and continuing the legacy of a predecessor.

What you are heir to depends on who died.

Did you inherit debt, investments, pets, or homes? Maybe someone left you a car, painting, business or ministry.

Generally an heir receives things that were previously part of the deceased person’s life. Seems pretty basic, right?

Why do we as believers in Christ, His Word and His kingdom, feel “we have to die” before we receive our inheritance? 

Who are we inheriting from then?
How can we inherit from ourselves?

(Yes, I have these wonderful conversations with God. Thankfully He’s gracious in His sharing and continues to tell me to Ask, Seek, Knock.)

Reading, studying, meditating, and praying through God’s word isn’t just brownie points, its learning God’s ways and seeking to understand Him more.

The death of Jesus gave each and every believer an eternal inheritance. That clock starts when the moment we say YES to him. It doesn’t have to wait for our earthly death. Jesus already passed on the inheritance at the cross.

Take some time in these coming days to ask the Lord what your inheritance is through Jesus’ death. I don’t think we’ll all get the same answers.

It seems like a Trust Fund to me. The more we mature, the more He can trust us, the more we will see and experience. It’s not all released at once but it’s all saved up for later either.

Lord, thank you that You give good and perfect gifts to Your children. That you have not left any of us as orphans without hope but love to lavish on us. Help us to know and understand Your ways and seek Your goodness – on earth as it is in heaven. 

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 

The good Samaritan story – GO AND DO LIKEWISE. Luke 10

how big is your God

Where’s Your Focus?

As I read a journal note about worldviews and putting God in a box, that question continued.

How big is your God?

Is the God you are believing in the same one who created the heavens and the earth? Is your God the one who brought the plagues and stood up the sea to save His people? Is He the ALMIGHTY ONE who sent His SON so you could be FREE? Is the God you believe in one you will trust? Is He bigger than cancer, wiser than the government and stronger than any natural disaster?

Why are we trying to keep Him in a little box?

Maybe it’s more important to ask why are we keeping ourselves in a box?

The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in you.

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Romans 8:11 NLT

Forgive us Lord for the ways we have been limiting You and limiting ourselves. Your word says that with You nothing is impossible. It says with You, nothing is too difficult. Thank you Lord that we can trust completely in You and can walk in Your ways. Guide us through this week Lord. Let us see more clearly the fullness of Your love and know the goodness of Your heart. That our lives will be lived for Your glory!! 

 

write this down

holy and blameless

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Revelation 21:5 ESV

I recently met someone who was practicing her hearing from God and shared with me. She felt to ask me if would write things in a journal. I said YES. A lot!!! She was relieved because it meant she was also on track in her hearing. She expanded to say I needed to review my journals. I had to tell her that I do that regularly too! She smiled bigger and shared a bit more. It was a very good God confirmation and some direction of all that has been written outside of this blog.

Many places in God’s word talk about us writing things, sharing with others, and the word of our testimony.

Our lives matter.
What God is doing in them matters.
We ARE the mouthpiece for the Lord.
What are your words and writings saying…

And then God answered: “Write this.
    Write what you see.
Write it out in big block letters
    so that it can be read on the run.
This vision-message is a witness
    pointing to what’s coming.
It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait!
    And it doesn’t lie.
If it seems slow in coming, wait.
    It’s on its way. It will come right on time.
Habakkuk 2:2-3 MSG

behold

verb

archaic . literary

1. see or observe (a thing or person, especially a remarkable or impressive one).

   Example: “behold your king!”

I  have intentionally omitted an image for the day so that your imagination can be used further. One of our greatest strengths is our mind. To be fully functioning, it needs to include both creative and logical sides. I don’t believe the “mind of Christ” exists only in knowledge. We have often discounted our imagination by calling it vain. Twisting what is really said in 2 Corinthians 10.

I’d like to leave you with the word BEHOLD today. A place to engage your imagination in seeking the Lord. Each place we step, every person we encounter, all of the wonders of nature that surround us have something for us to BEHOLD. A message for us to learn from, to share, to ponder.

Lord – let us BEHOLD Your presence today. Let us BEHOLD Your creation today. Let us BEHOLD Your love today. I pray we would walk in anticipation of seeing, of beholding, of imaging WITH YOU. Not in a way to usurp You but in a posture of knowing You more fully today and everyday. That what we behold would reveal Your heart to us so we would walk more fully in Your ways. 

ask.answers come

Spirit Dance

After I wrote on Jesus coming for His Bride, I listened to a message while I was doing some work. It was on Jesus and the Bride. My before bed reading talked further on Jesus and preparing His Bride. Prayer with a friend also ended up sharing again – the Bride of Christ!

The Lord knows the questions of our heart. He longs to give us answers even more than we want to know them. His heart is that we would have questions. His desire is for us to know Him more. Not just to know “about” Him but knowing the intimacy of His heart. Through this we will know ourselves even better. It’s not a knowing that comes from self-reflection of how bad we goofed but of who our Creator has designed and called us to be.

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
    to search out a matter is the glory of kings.
Proverbs 25:2

Thank you Lord that You long to share the secrets and mysteries that surround us. Thank you that You graciously give and give and give. Let us learn to be the BEST RECEIVERS of Your wisdom and grace! 

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Romans 8:32

kingdom quandry

Royalty

Jesus came saying the Kingdom is at hand. Matthew 4:17
The Kingdom belongs to the children. Matthew 19
Jesus says his Kingdom is not of this world. John 18:36
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10

The Kingdom is within in you. Luke 17:21

It’s not only about Jesus our Savior – but the one who has brought the Kingdom to us.

Lord – reveal to our spirits what it truly means to know the Kingdom is within us. Let us see with Your eyes as we seek to know and understand Your abundant grace…