MERRY CHRISTMAS !!
May you have the gift of faith, the blessing of hope, and the peace of His love at Christmas and always.
(Can you guess which one is me??? I'll give you a hint....I'm not the one wearing the hat!)
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Liquid Prayers
Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him (Psalm 126:5-6).
The Lord showed me this week that the tears I shed from a thorn in my side are liquid prayers....a metaphor to express the overwhelming joy of "coming home"...a spiritual "breakthrough" if you will. My planting of seeds accompanied by a spirit of brokenness will not only bring a spiritual harvest of results but will leave me with a spirit of rejoicing in the process.
Uggg, it's not fun to bear a thorn. I get so so weary ...I just want to rip it out...I just want to give up but know that I can't. I would go right back where I started from. I compare this anguish to child birth. You are so physically and mentally wiped out but you can't quit and leave the hospital. By gosh, you're giving birth to a baby that is inside you! No one can do it for you! But by the grace of God I can do all things through Him who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). Daily, I surrender and pray for strength and wisdom to bear this thorn.
In a self-pity moment this week I felt the Lord confronting me asking if I will continue to bear the thorn He has given me. He showed me that this despair I feel would lead to greater blessings for others...ministering to others...comforting their hearts as He has mine. Once again He showed me my wretched heart. How can I turn my back on Him? He has shown me so much grace, mercy, and love. Oh, how I love Him so.
Ouch, boy do those thorns keep you humble. Yes, this thorn is actually for my protection...keeping me from sin. God can't use a prideful servant. The discipline and reliance this wicked thorn keeps me in is actually disguised as a beautiful rose. From my briar patch a rose will birth for someone else.
Yes Lord, I am thankful for the thorn in my side.
The Lord showed me this week that the tears I shed from a thorn in my side are liquid prayers....a metaphor to express the overwhelming joy of "coming home"...a spiritual "breakthrough" if you will. My planting of seeds accompanied by a spirit of brokenness will not only bring a spiritual harvest of results but will leave me with a spirit of rejoicing in the process.
Uggg, it's not fun to bear a thorn. I get so so weary ...I just want to rip it out...I just want to give up but know that I can't. I would go right back where I started from. I compare this anguish to child birth. You are so physically and mentally wiped out but you can't quit and leave the hospital. By gosh, you're giving birth to a baby that is inside you! No one can do it for you! But by the grace of God I can do all things through Him who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). Daily, I surrender and pray for strength and wisdom to bear this thorn.
In a self-pity moment this week I felt the Lord confronting me asking if I will continue to bear the thorn He has given me. He showed me that this despair I feel would lead to greater blessings for others...ministering to others...comforting their hearts as He has mine. Once again He showed me my wretched heart. How can I turn my back on Him? He has shown me so much grace, mercy, and love. Oh, how I love Him so.
Ouch, boy do those thorns keep you humble. Yes, this thorn is actually for my protection...keeping me from sin. God can't use a prideful servant. The discipline and reliance this wicked thorn keeps me in is actually disguised as a beautiful rose. From my briar patch a rose will birth for someone else.
Yes Lord, I am thankful for the thorn in my side.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
A Third Day Night...
.....a Third Day night to say the least....it's been more like a Third Day week!
About a week and a half ago the Lord really laid on my heart to produce a video of my paintings and post it on Youtube.com. So I did and used a song from Third Day. It's no surprise that I chose one of their songs....as I can only paint to their music. It's a weird thing but I pick up on something spiritual in their music...it literally feeds the veins of my soul. This all came alive this past April when I was at one of their concerts. Something ignited an internal spiritual spark...a "Holy Spirit" thing...I just have no words to describe it....a sixth sense if you will. It was that next day that I gave birth to my first painting.
Well, the video has been a hit and the response has been very positive. Praise God!! But a funny thing happened last week...a God-thing. The video had been out less than a week....everything was great but nothing could of prepared me for what was about to transpire!
I met Third Day IN PERSON... that same week!!
Only God could of moved that mountain! Yep, I was at their concert in Dallas last week and one thing led to another and before you know it I was smuggled by one of their own people back stage to meet them. OMG !!! Only God could have set this opportunity up for me to meet them in person... literally putting me in front of them to tell them personally about the video and the paintings. I was not prepared at all. I was totally blindsided by this event that was unfolding before my eyes.
Their were fans with cameras and things for them to autograph and here I was ....no camera, no t-shirt for them to sign just a sweet story to tell them. I actually had Mac to myself. And YES, I told him my story of the paintings and video. Then I got to talk to Tai by myself too...telling him the story. Both were quite intrigued to say the least. I had such peace ...wasn't nervous at all. I just prayed to God thanking him for giving me this opportunity and to please give me the right words to tell them my story.
They are the nicest...down to earth...most humble guys. What a sweet experience. It was so evident that God had His hands wrapped around everything that night....not to mention the video and my paintings! Only God could have orchestrated an event like that! A man's steps are from the Lord; how then can man understand his way? (Proverbs 20:24)
About a week and a half ago the Lord really laid on my heart to produce a video of my paintings and post it on Youtube.com. So I did and used a song from Third Day. It's no surprise that I chose one of their songs....as I can only paint to their music. It's a weird thing but I pick up on something spiritual in their music...it literally feeds the veins of my soul. This all came alive this past April when I was at one of their concerts. Something ignited an internal spiritual spark...a "Holy Spirit" thing...I just have no words to describe it....a sixth sense if you will. It was that next day that I gave birth to my first painting.
Well, the video has been a hit and the response has been very positive. Praise God!! But a funny thing happened last week...a God-thing. The video had been out less than a week....everything was great but nothing could of prepared me for what was about to transpire!
I met Third Day IN PERSON... that same week!!
Only God could of moved that mountain! Yep, I was at their concert in Dallas last week and one thing led to another and before you know it I was smuggled by one of their own people back stage to meet them. OMG !!! Only God could have set this opportunity up for me to meet them in person... literally putting me in front of them to tell them personally about the video and the paintings. I was not prepared at all. I was totally blindsided by this event that was unfolding before my eyes.
Their were fans with cameras and things for them to autograph and here I was ....no camera, no t-shirt for them to sign just a sweet story to tell them. I actually had Mac to myself. And YES, I told him my story of the paintings and video. Then I got to talk to Tai by myself too...telling him the story. Both were quite intrigued to say the least. I had such peace ...wasn't nervous at all. I just prayed to God thanking him for giving me this opportunity and to please give me the right words to tell them my story.
They are the nicest...down to earth...most humble guys. What a sweet experience. It was so evident that God had His hands wrapped around everything that night....not to mention the video and my paintings! Only God could have orchestrated an event like that! A man's steps are from the Lord; how then can man understand his way? (Proverbs 20:24)
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
FIREPROOF, THE MOVIE
I just saw the best movie!! It's a bit of an underdog movie ...not in all the theaters but I assure you that it is filled with the best action I've seen in a long time! I went with 3 other couples and there was a lot of passing the kleenex back and forth....AND I can't tell you it wasn't just the ladies we were passing the kleenex to and that 2 of the men were police officers...nope can't tell you those things... mmmm... if you know what I mean...shhhhhhh, it's just between you and I, okay?
BUT I can tell you it's a great movie to watch with your spouse!
http://www.fireproofthemovie.com/
BUT I can tell you it's a great movie to watch with your spouse!
http://www.fireproofthemovie.com/
Monday, September 15, 2008
Devine Dream
In a dream I had last week God came to me and showed me everyone that would be blessed by me believing and keeping my faith in His word. I remember being in awe of how many people would be blessed by me being obedient to Him. I remember God telling me "LOOK AT HOW MUCH I WILL BE GLORIFIED!"
Yes, I knew people could be blessed by what I might say in small group at church or how one of my paintings would speak to their heart or how a simple smile given to the person behind the Starbuck's counter might affect a person. But I'm no Beth Moore or Matt Chandler who's sermons are podcast and downloaded by the 1,000's. I'm just a woman who loves the Lord and prays everyday to be used by Him.
I had no clue to what magnitude the Lord showed me in my dream by how me simply listening and following Him could change so many people's lives! Maybe a regular attendee of church brings his 2nd cousin from Alaska to church who never travels but decided to check out Texas' great weather. They just happen to walk past a wall where one of my paintings is hung...the man glances up at the painting and God all of the sudden speaks to this man's heart by telling him how much He loves him! And then this man takes this spiritual experience back home to Alaska where he shares it with his drinking buddies and God continues to penetrate deeper into the hearts of these men and their families and on and on He works...
We may never know how many lives we touch until we get to heaven! So I ask this question. Why is it that we must see it before we believe it in order to trust God?? God has already shown us the battle was won. I believe that 3/4th's of receiving anything from God is being convinced God wants us to have it.
It is a beautiful thing that the Holy Spirit will let us see beyond things in the natural and look into the eternal if we choose to see through His eyes. What God does reveal in the "unseen" realm has far more reality than what we observe in the "seen" realm. When we see through the eyes of the Spirit everything changes! Praise God!
This past year there have been a few times I feel God has pinned me against the wall and in that instant of emotional upheaval He literally puts me on the spot and asks ..."Susan, who are you going to choose? Me or the ways of the world??" I'm going to take you down twists and turns that don't make sense. You must trust me and follow me".
Have FAITH...it's nothing more than seeing the invisible. Trust God and believe!!
Yes, I knew people could be blessed by what I might say in small group at church or how one of my paintings would speak to their heart or how a simple smile given to the person behind the Starbuck's counter might affect a person. But I'm no Beth Moore or Matt Chandler who's sermons are podcast and downloaded by the 1,000's. I'm just a woman who loves the Lord and prays everyday to be used by Him.
I had no clue to what magnitude the Lord showed me in my dream by how me simply listening and following Him could change so many people's lives! Maybe a regular attendee of church brings his 2nd cousin from Alaska to church who never travels but decided to check out Texas' great weather. They just happen to walk past a wall where one of my paintings is hung...the man glances up at the painting and God all of the sudden speaks to this man's heart by telling him how much He loves him! And then this man takes this spiritual experience back home to Alaska where he shares it with his drinking buddies and God continues to penetrate deeper into the hearts of these men and their families and on and on He works...
We may never know how many lives we touch until we get to heaven! So I ask this question. Why is it that we must see it before we believe it in order to trust God?? God has already shown us the battle was won. I believe that 3/4th's of receiving anything from God is being convinced God wants us to have it.
It is a beautiful thing that the Holy Spirit will let us see beyond things in the natural and look into the eternal if we choose to see through His eyes. What God does reveal in the "unseen" realm has far more reality than what we observe in the "seen" realm. When we see through the eyes of the Spirit everything changes! Praise God!
This past year there have been a few times I feel God has pinned me against the wall and in that instant of emotional upheaval He literally puts me on the spot and asks ..."Susan, who are you going to choose? Me or the ways of the world??" I'm going to take you down twists and turns that don't make sense. You must trust me and follow me".
Have FAITH...it's nothing more than seeing the invisible. Trust God and believe!!
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