The stillness settles, the sense of God's presence as I have yearned for it. The magnificent sky tells me that God is in to painting, creating, positioning beauty all for our eyes. Tomorrow. Could I have missed the sky because of my thoughts about tomorrow? Where my imagined expectations demand me to do things hastily so that tomorrow will be saved. But will I be saved through living on expectation, no God says, no. Let go of unreal expectations, let go and let yourself be. Tomorrow will take care of itself, tomorrow - just let it be. I am not a tomorrow person, never have been. I love todays moments, the present moment where todays grace is alive for me. Tomorrow means nothing for me, God is alive eternally so He holds my tomorrow. I peer down at todays cards and say Father what will You want for me today. He shows me and I let the autumn leaves float in to the air, I am alive in this moment, fulfilling fruit in this ripe season. Whatever He has for me, He has already positioned in me, already it will spring forth so long as I'm down on my knees. I dont have to strive to meet tomorrow, tomorrow does not exist, this moment is alive its exists for me and God. Here He says whatever you do, do in Me and whenever You can, be still and stare outside, to the sunset that I painted just for you....
This week I stumbled across an advert that really spoke to me. Deeply, through the Holy Spirit and through the passion that I have inside of my heart, for my sisters everywhere. It's the new Dove Choose Beautiful Advert. Before you read the rest of this post - have a look at the video....
How did you feel after watching this true life reality? While this advert has come under fire from many critics and commentators everywhere, it begs us to question ourselves and I want to make a few statements and observations here.
Firstly, beauty for us as women passionate about Messiah, is a not an issue of skin, or outward beauty. I dont care what anyone says, the Bible is clear about it - Charm is deceitful and beauty fades; but a woman who fears the LORD will be praised. (proverbs 31:30) Society has been led astray by the enemy of mankind, in to believing that everyone everywhere has to look the same - forget about, embrace yourself. Secondly, you need to choose not to internalise what you think others think of you! Who cares what aunty Shirley from ten years ago thought of you, or what your neigbor thinks of your hair - you are who you are - love yourself. Dont accept someone elses viewpoint of yourself.
Lastly and most importantly, everyday that you are alive, you can be sure of one thing. The most important thing, the all encompassing life changing amazing thing is that you are beautiful to God. You were worth dying for, you are worth Living for! God says "I love you, you are a dove, a garden enclosed, a beloved child, nothing can separate you from Gods Love." Internalise the truth because the truth will set you free and the truth is God says you are amazing when you live and radiate the Living King. Square your shoulders back and choose the beautiful door - because your spirit is beautiful and because your heart is Christ - Like. Doesn't matter what others think about you, all that matters is that you are accepted, valued, loved and cherished - that's the truth that will bring down Goliath - embrace it!!
Five Minute Friday, I havent joined up for a while but here goes, on your marks GO!!
Relief....
The sound of laughter at the end of a long day. The feeling of pulling those shoes off and leaving them on a floor that is all your own. Relief, the place you lay your head down and the place you let yourself be you. Home, relief is found in my home. The world has started spinning at such a fast pace, everyone is moving, rushing, the world is spinning, driving faster, on and on its spinning. Coldness, hardness, sometimes the sound of chaos, rushing its time to get done. That's the world but not in my home.
In my home, we dont rush, we dont strive, we play. We rest, we pray. It's a place to call our own, a place the world cannot know - it's just ours, and I am so thankful today for my home! And for who I share it with - my hubby and our cat <3
We drove over to the burnt ground, I had to see the place where the flames had ravaged, yet forever changed my life. I had to see it. As we started our ascent up the winding, busy road, the sight that greeted us seemed peaceful. Only small signs of damage remained behind, burnt signposts and bare ground, yet a cool atmosphere of peace lay sleepily among the bushes. The cars drove by quickly yet I wondered how they could have missed the sight that sped past them. We drove looking for a place to stop but we could not find one, stopping on the pass was too dangerous. So we drove as slow as we could, to try and take it all in. Acres of land stretched and tumbled up and over the mountains. As we drove, I strained my eyes to see signs of life and there it was, among the ash that still lay on the ground. Peach flowers just pushing through, green blades of grass reminding me of ressurected life. Reminding me of Life and Hope, reminding me not to give up not to give in, reminding me that it's never the end, even when its painful or burnt. There was such a sense of peace that hung over the land, such a sense of peace despite the trauma of fire just three weeks ago. I wanted to run in to those bushes, on to that ground and get lost with the beauty all around, with the life that moved atop the ground, I wanted to get lost in it. Burnt, it seemed to carry hope.
Then there at the bottom of the pass, we found a place and stopped. Just then I looked to my right and marvelled at God's perfect timing. A man I had met three years ago in a mall when I needed a reminder of Gods Love, a man who walks around Cape Town pulling a wooden cross, there he started the journey up that pass. There he walked slowly with a t-shirt on saying "He is Risen." There he started the journey pulling that cross up that path. A visual reminder of God's perfect peace, a visual reminder to the speeding cars to slow down and look what God can do for our burnt ground. I watched him pull the cross slowly up the road, slowly without a word, his action just whispering enough for God to be heard. A reminder of God's Perfect Love for everyone, a reminder on that day of God's undying Love for me.
How amazing is God's timing, how perfect is all of His ways. The ground may be burnt, it may seem as though there is no way out, but even as we walk across the sand there is a Man who goes before us, travailing for us across the burnt sand. His name is Yeshua, the eternal King, Messiah of All, the Suffering King and how I love You sweet Papa, Abba King. Thank You for walking with me across the sand, thank You for all You have done for me and all You keep on doing, I love You!
We enter in to this season - it's Passover. The lamb awaits, the smell of roasting garlic fills the air. Grape juice licks the gold rimmed glass, while matzah cracks between my fingers. I close my watering eyes and eat the radish, the reminder of the bitterness of our sin. I smile smugly when I munch on that cinnamony - charoset, a reminder of the bricks we made in Egypt's slave net. I sit around the table and breathe in, Elijah's cup is at the end of the table, glistening. My favourite time would always come, run to the doors and shout "Let Elijah Come!"
It's Passover season. Not a day or an hour, not a hurried service or rushed sermon, it's a season. A time to quieten our hearts, come like broken pots and lay it all down at the place where we are made whole, at the foot of the Stake of the Beloved Lamb. I feel His Love around me, His Light touches the hidden places within me, the places desperate for His Touch. His Song it draws me, through the blood - stained door that spelled slavery. His Love it surrounds me, His sacrifice it overwhelms me. There is nothing that can hold me, even death cannot bind me. It's Passover season, a time of liberation. I lay myself down, in the arms of the One who gave it all and say "thank You Yeshua, I love You!"
*Passover starts tonight at sunset till tomorrow night sunset and then the Feast of Unleavened Bread starts for seven days. A time where we eat no yeast according to the Biblical command and we walk tightly in to the hidden places of our lives - that need Yeshua our Messiah's Loving Touch. Leviticus 23 details and outlines the instructions for the Biblical feasts of God. Chag Sameach Pesach!*
I have been looking forward to this post, reflecting back on March this year. I don't usually look back on the passing months, sometimes they just fly by but March has been an amazing month. I feel as though so much happened. Not externally but internally, in my walk out here on this temporary planet called earth and also inwardly, where no eyes can see. It's been a month! So while I wont be able to capture all the beautiful moments, here are some...
A Shooting Star ... I stepped out on to the balcony where I love to pray. I sat down on my chair, wrapped myself in my jacket and stared up at the ceiling of the sky. The stars were beautiful. I sensed the Love and Closeness of God, I needed it. Then like a gentle reminder, a huge shooting star rushed across the sky and I was just mesmerised. Wow God, You really are trying to show me just how Big YOU Are!
Windows across Oceans... Of course, The Book Launch. Being apart of God's amazing plan for so many. Being a part of a group of ladies that joined voices, hearts and hands together for a greater cause. a Highlight!
Selling! Of course, putting a book together is one thing, but selling a book is a different story! A highlight of this month for me, has been seeing books going in to other peoples hands and knowing that we are making a difference in women's Lives, one book at a time.
An Unexpected God Project.... A Huge highlight for me is an unexpected place Yeshua led me to. A project I am involved with starting on the 15 April, to paint a portrait of an orphaned little girl in Ghana, which she will receive in June. Its an amazing project and also the Love Touch from God is that exactly one year ago (to the day she will receive her portrait) I was in Ghana with my husband. This month I have really longed and cried for Ghana, I miss the people, I miss the love. Now in some way I am going back in the form of this portrait.
Women's History Month.... March was women's history month and the posts on this blog reflected that theme. It was awesome!
Finishing my 6th artwork and celebrating one year of painting... I finished an amazing artwork this month that I know is amazing because it is for a greater cause and I celebrated painting for exactly one year. I discovered the love of painting only a few months ago and boy has it been amazing. When I first started, I felt like I had two left hands (which was quite interesting because I could use both hands to paint with!) and then discovered the art of being present, being patient and being peaceful.
The Joy of God and His Faithful Hand of Giving, He never lets me go.... My husband and I have been going through a very specific season with God. It's a personal season and this month Yeshua has given me a lot of reminders, scriptures, and personal gestures that tell me He is in control. Also, He has blessed us with much needed resources. Thank You God!
What have been the highlights of March for you? What has God done for you the past four weeks?
Hanging from trees, bottles with flowers, messages hang from the leaves. Just for me, just for me, dangling in the cool night air, hanging like hands of Love, all for me. Message in a Bottle, right there for me to see, shining lights burn like rays of light from Heavens Mirror. Moments of Love touch my soul, Moments of Comfort relieve the pain I carry from open wounds that crawl in to the Wounded Hands of God. Arms open wide, from the Cross He cried, I kneel down and dry my eyes, it hurts here Daddy. Then He whispers as He gets back up from off that tree, ascends in to Heaven and says "come on child, come and sit by me." He holds me tight, wraps me in that favourite blanket I had since I was born and says "rest those eyes, today will end and things will be made new." I struggle to close my eyes, fear keeps them open as I look around, I'm too afraid to admit to my fear, too fearful to awaken trust thats needed for my body's sleep.
Hand drawn in to a fist, this enemy wont let me rest, perfectly strung arrows hit me in my chest. I peel them off, thank my King for this armour, the enemy wont play fair but He dont know who stands here. King of Kings, Ancient of Days, He wont let me go. Child of the King, I wear His signet Ring, you dont know who you messing with. I turn back around and see Heaven's Gaze, His eyes always on me, His Love it surrounds me. I am choosing the new, choosing the Belt of Truth. Truth is who I am, the truth that helps me take my stand. Belt of Truth, that's my identity and I am choosing my five stones, putting them in my bag and standing with victory in my hand. Goliath will come and I will breathe in deep, I wont be afraid, wont be shaken from my place. I will defeat him because God is my Strength. These words will peel back and will peel off, I will take my stand. Moments of victory hang in the air, they wait for me to claim them, hold on because I am already there. "Open your eyes, arms open wide, rest now my child, because it's gonna be alright."
