Recently, God taught me a large life lesson from a little cherry tree in my front yard. It only stands about five or six feet tall. It looks like the cherry tree version of the fir tree in Charlie Brown's Christmas. We had to use a stake that is tied closely beside it to keep it from falling.
Over the last several months, God has put alot of broken hearted people in my path. They are beautiful people, but they are hurt and beaten up by life. They are fragile and finding it difficult to stand on their own right now. They are like that little cherry tree. They need a stake tied closely to them to hold them up, to keep them grounded and to point them toward heaven, where the God of all creation can pour down everything they need to strengthen and grow them...until one day, they won't need that stake to hold them up anymore. When that day comes, we can untie them and stand back and just admire the breathtaking beauty of who they are in Him, healthy and strong.
Look around you. There is probably someone you know who needs a strong stake to stand beside them and help hold them up. There are alot of hurting people out there. God might be calling you to be their stake. Stay close to them, call them, take them to lunch or coffee. Just be the hands and feet of Jesus. This is what He meant when He said, "Love your neighbor as yourself."-Mark 12:31.
Maybe you feel more like the little tree right now. Maybe you feel weak and fragile and you need someone to stand by you. First, know that you are never alone. The God of the universe hears your cries. Psalm 34:18 gives us the comfort of this promise,"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Like the little tree, keep reaching up to Him. Pray for Him to send someone to be your stake during this storm.
That little tree is very special to me and my family. It was given to us in memory of our daughter, Sarah, who died from leukemia. We treasure that tree. No matter how small or weak it may look to other people, it is the most beautiful tree in the world to us. God sees you that way. No matter what you may look like to anyone else, you are His beloved treasure. Trust in His great love for you. Stop now and listen to the song on this blog, "How He Loves". Imagine that, He loves YOU that much! Run into His arms, He is waiting just for you...
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
The Waiting
In the words of that famous theologian, Tom Petty, "The waiting is the hardest part." I couldn't help but think of those lyrics today as my husband and about 20 others waited all day in the Miami airport. They were waiting for a plane to come to Miami from the frozen tundra up north, so that they could fly to Port-a-Prince,Haiti. All day long we texted and called him. "Any news about the plane yet?" "Are you still in Miami?" The plane didn't make it. "Hopefully tomorrow", they were told. Anxious to get to their destination, they left the airport to spend another night in a hotel in Miami, instead of a tent in Haiti.
I started thinking about how much of our lives are spent waiting. Waiting in lines, waiting in traffic, waiting for our kids to hurry up, waiting for someone to arrive or leave, waiting for good news...or bad, waiting, waiting, waiting.
So what do we do with all that time we spend waiting? Maybe God has a purpose for us during that time. Maybe He wants us to speak to that lady in front of us in line, maybe He wants us to speak to Him while we wait in traffic, maybe He just wants to slow us down so we don't speed through life and forget to notice some of it's greatest blessings.
Perhaps our lives are not so much about the destination, as the journey. So next time you're stuck somewhere waiting, instead of getting frustrated and anxious, stop and look around. Maybe God has something to show you. Maybe the waiting will be the best part!
I started thinking about how much of our lives are spent waiting. Waiting in lines, waiting in traffic, waiting for our kids to hurry up, waiting for someone to arrive or leave, waiting for good news...or bad, waiting, waiting, waiting.
So what do we do with all that time we spend waiting? Maybe God has a purpose for us during that time. Maybe He wants us to speak to that lady in front of us in line, maybe He wants us to speak to Him while we wait in traffic, maybe He just wants to slow us down so we don't speed through life and forget to notice some of it's greatest blessings.
Perhaps our lives are not so much about the destination, as the journey. So next time you're stuck somewhere waiting, instead of getting frustrated and anxious, stop and look around. Maybe God has something to show you. Maybe the waiting will be the best part!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
The First Portrait of 2010-New Beginnings
New things are exciting...and sometimes a little scary. Like beginning a new year, a new job, a new friendship, a new painting or a new blog. Life is full of new beginnings.
Every time I start a new painting, I have to admit it is a little intimidating. As I sit looking at that blank canvas, it is often a time for reflection. I reflect on past paintings and the lessons they've taught me and I remember...That's kind of how beginnings are; before we move into something new, we think about what came before it and what we learned from it. We remininsce. But if we just stay stuck at that point, we won't ever move forward. We won't ever have the chance to experience what lies ahead. So we dive in. Sometimes it turns out better than we expected and sometimes maybe we are a little disappointed. But one thing's for sure, we are not the same. And that is how we grow.
The same thing holds true for us spiritually. Each day God invites us to a new beginning, a new adventure with Him. 2Corinthians 5:17 tells us: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come!" What an awesome concept! That God restores me each day so that I can live every aspect of my life as a praise to Him!
My art always has been and continues to be tied to my spiritual journey. And that is the essence of this blog: to convey to you the heart of my art and to share with you the One who has my heart. My prayer is that God will use the words you read here to touch your heart in some way, to help you see the beauty in his creation in a deeper and more meaningful way and to share the journey I am taking with you.
Every time I start a new painting, I have to admit it is a little intimidating. As I sit looking at that blank canvas, it is often a time for reflection. I reflect on past paintings and the lessons they've taught me and I remember...That's kind of how beginnings are; before we move into something new, we think about what came before it and what we learned from it. We remininsce. But if we just stay stuck at that point, we won't ever move forward. We won't ever have the chance to experience what lies ahead. So we dive in. Sometimes it turns out better than we expected and sometimes maybe we are a little disappointed. But one thing's for sure, we are not the same. And that is how we grow.
The same thing holds true for us spiritually. Each day God invites us to a new beginning, a new adventure with Him. 2Corinthians 5:17 tells us: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come!" What an awesome concept! That God restores me each day so that I can live every aspect of my life as a praise to Him!
My art always has been and continues to be tied to my spiritual journey. And that is the essence of this blog: to convey to you the heart of my art and to share with you the One who has my heart. My prayer is that God will use the words you read here to touch your heart in some way, to help you see the beauty in his creation in a deeper and more meaningful way and to share the journey I am taking with you.
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