Jesus makes you happy in reality. The world makes you happy escaping from reality. – Jack Hyles

The meaning of escape an act of breaking free from confinement or control:

There are approximately 23 verses in the Bible that reference the word Escape...

Have you ever felt trapped? I am sure if you are taking the time to read my thoughts on this confining word. The word may have been trapped in your subconscious mind at some time in your life. 

But are we trapped in the physical or does it go deeper? 

When we think of our souls are we trapped in our earthly body? Does our soul yearn for a freedom that we once knew? Does it crave love from a place it calls home? 

The closest thought I have on this subject matter is meditation. I have found this gift to be amazing. I was introduced to meditation in a very unconventional way... 

The day after my heart and soul felt a love like nothing I had ever experienced here on earth. Without any coaching, intervention, or knowledge... I placed my earbuds in my ears, listened to music, laid my lazy boy chair back and I found that I drifted to an unconscious state of meditation. I started this activity at 5:30 am and I escaped to a place that I did not understand. I can only tell you how it felt. 

It was a time of love on a spiritual level where I communicated with my Heavenly Father. I did not know Him before this encounter. I knew of Him but I did not truly know Him. I was a state of bliss, a state of oneness I was in a state that I could not escape... But in reality, I did not want to escape from my piece of heaven on earth. I remained in this state of communication for approximately 12 hours. 

Don’t ask me how I did this? Because I myself do not understand what happened on that day. The mood broke at 6:00pm with the ringing of my phone! I can not tell you what we shared that day. I can only try to explain this moment in time and share Him and His beautiful gift of love with anyone that is open to listening.  I did escape that day... it is a time in my life that has left me forever changed... 

But the story did not end there. He lovingly waltzed me through the most amazing journey of discovery. I discovered me.

It’s an escape, that I chase and willingly pursue. My Heavenly Father is our refuge, His beautiful Son, Yeshua is the key ... and the Holy Spirit is the love that lives within my soul. 

He is the best escape that anyone can pursue.. without ever leaving home.

It’s Him. It’s always Him

Join me, earbuds in.. music on.. layback .. and .... meditate on Him.  Warning ⚠️ your life may never be the same.  

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

Photo Design & Written by Lori Garner

Inspiring Music: YouTube 

Kari Jobe - Favorite Place (Live)

Kari Jobe - Favorite Place (Live)

“If you look at the Bible as a whole, it’s redemptive and beautiful, and it’s God’s love story to mankind.” – Tom Shadyac

Meaning of the word Book a written or printed work consisting of pages glued or sewn together along one side and bound in covers.

There are 28 Bible verses that reference the word “book”.

There are so many books we could have chosen for this word study. But since this is a Bible word study, we of course landed on the most amazing book of all time. 

Did you know these facts?

By the end of 1995, combined global sales of Today's English Version (Good News) New Testament and Bible (copyright for which is held by the Bible Societies) exceeded 17.75 million copies, and the whole Bible had been translated into 349 languages; 2,123 languages have at least one book of the Bible in that language.https://www.guinnessworldrecords.

The oldest Biblical text that has been found is about 2700 years old

The King James Authorized Bible has 783,137 words.

There are 23,145 verses in the Old Testament and 7,957 verses in the New Testament. This gives a total of 31,102 verses.

When we look with our eyes at the facts about this amazing book. A book that was written so long ago it can be mind-blowing. But what happens when we began to see the words with our spiritual eyes… I know by experience It can blow our souls wide open. 

As always, I will share just a little fact about me and my journey. Before I started on this amazing journey, I had never read the Bible. I had a Bible, but I found the book confusing, old and boring. This square black book that I received over 30 years ago, has been sitting so quietly on my shelf. It has a gold inscription of my given name on the cover.  When I think of all the years it has been with me I truly do not understand how it survived. I most likely only kept it because my name was so permanently engraved on its cover. It was personalized.  

Little did I know how my life would change. As many of you know two years ago I had a Holy Spirit experience. And the Bible was not in my sights, nor did I have any desire to read it.  I just wanted to feel Him with my spirit. I was on a spiritual quest of knowing God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. The three taught me many things about life and love. Somehow, someway, I found that I fell in love with the most amazing soul I have grown to know… And as I shared Him with anyone who would listen. My new-found friend continued her relentless quest of sharing the importance of His amazing book. Looking back my friend knew it was time for me to discover more about this amazing soul that lavished this unexplainable love upon my heart… 

So, it was in December of 2019. I began to open the pages and I began the most amazing journey of studying this old boring book one word at a time. As I touched each word my heart began to open and with each word He spoke love to my soul. Each word, Each verse, Each scripture came alive and brought me to a closer understanding of His amazing love. It’s is a masterpiece of wonder! It can take you to places you have never been. I can see and feel His Spirit running through each word, each chapter, each verse.

And now I know why I have carried this square black book with me for the last 30 years. Because He knew that one day His name would be permanently engraved across my heart… He personalized it with His Book and His amazing LOVE.  

As many of you know the Bible starts out with this verse  “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth”  Genesis 1 NIV

But I say in the beginning 

It’s Him, It’s always HIM. He is the beginning… 

Photography & Written by Lori Garner 

Bible Verses from KJV, ESV / Sinner's Prayer

Inspiring music from YouTube 

Word Of God Speak - MercyMe

The meaning of bleed: to lose blood from the vascular system, either internally into the body or externally through a natural orifice or break in the skin:

There are approximately 18 verses in the Bible that reference the word bleed.

When I think of the word bleed. I felt I needed to go deeper than just a superficial wound. We have all been taught to care for a wound. Clean it. Dress it. And wait for healing. Have you ever given it any thought of how the wound heals? I noticed that the wound heals from the inside out, one layer at a time. 

But what happens when it is our heart that bleeds? How do we clean the wound? How do we dress it? How does it heal? My experience is not in the medical field. But I have a relationship with an amazing healer! He had many years of experience. Many say He has had this gift for centuries. He has healing powers unlike anyone here on earth. He has been know to heal the wound with just one touch. I have been physically touched by His power. I call it my miracle.

But how does He heal a bleeding heart? I again can speak from my experience. When the heart is wounded by the action of another it does begin to bleed. The soul becomes sad. The mind begins to focus on the pain and the how why and who caused the pain... It can become all-consuming and even cause the body to fail.

God knows that we must go through the pain in order to understand the magnitude of the victory. We call it growth. His healing process heals us from within one layer at a time. During this process, He will open our hearts. I have been known to say, He has circumcised my heart. He will teach us many things about love, life, and forgiveness. The good the bad and even the ugly...

But mostly He will teach us about ourselves!! The faster we face and embrace His teachings the faster we can heal. He has promised to hold our hearts as He speaks words of love to our souls. But we must be willing to take the medicine He has prescribed. He promises to gently hold us, as He speaks love to our soul.

So I can only recommend: Let go, clear your heart of all negative thoughts, let go of hate, and discord.. Make room for His love. The heart will continue to bleed unless you invite Him in… Be open to His miracle of LOVE…His love can and does stop the bleeding.. He will heal the wound.. from the inside.. out.. And your heart will be free to LOVE without boundaries and to your amazement, you find that you have learned to love past the pain. 

Do not be a bleeding heart!!! Call HIM. Your heart will be freed, It will be healed. And your life with Him will be better than you can ever dream of!! Love has so many healing properties… I can not imagine our life without Him and His deep, deep beautiful love. 

It's Him, It's always Him.

Jesus knows from experience the best medicine for a bleeding heart is LOVE. Because it points Him to our Heavenly Father. The one that knows every intimate detail about us, every life trial we will face, every failure, and every victory ... He even knows how you will respond to His teachings. 

It's Him! It's definitely Him !! 

He is the loving healer of my heart and soul. It up to us to let Him in….He does make house calls.. 365 days a year day or night, rain or shine. 

She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and ... But as Jesus heads for Jairus' house to heal his daughter, the crowd is especially thick. ... She has decided in her heart, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed" (Mark 5:28)

But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.1 John 1- 4:8  

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. John 1- 4:16 

Photography & Written by Lori Garner 

Bible Verses from KJV, ESV / Sinner's Prayer

Book Image: Words of Jesus for Every Day Living by Christain Art Publishers

Inspiring music from YouTube 

JERMAINE EDWARDS AND BRANDIN REED-HEAL MY HEART (LIVE)

“There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of each man which cannot be satisfied by any created thing but only by God the Creator, made know through Jesus Christ.”― Pascal 

The meaning of the Hebrew word (tohu) translated as “formless” is nothingness and the Hebrew word (bohu) translated as “void” means emptiness. 

The word void is in the Bible approximately 68 times. 

When I began to think of this word. I had to go to a place to feel this word... It was a lonely place... It was a sad place, a dark place.. a place with no color... no sound.. no love... 

I ask you, are you void? And if I can be so bold I would ask you, void of what? Do you even know? Maybe you are void in your soul? The void can invade our hearts and play havoc with our minds. 

In my life, I have witnessed people, so beautiful to look at but so void of substance? I wonder do they feel that void? Or do they hide it well behind that smile?  

I do think we must think of this word as an artist.. creatives see the void as an opportunity for expression. They can see, hear and feel the beauty in the darkness. They can imagine what it can become. And with great care, and careful precision they can begin to add color ... yellow, blue, red and suddenly the magic starts to surface. You can begin to see love pour out with each stroke of their hand.  The once void canvas begins to have a purpose, it begins to feel life.. it begins to reflect their passion and love. 

When our soul feels that void we must go back to the beginning. The beginning of time. Because the artist that created you and me started with a void... But His love poured out. It poured out across heaven and earth. I personally would have loved to watch Him work. But when I think those thoughts, I am reminded that I have been given the gift of seeing His artistry everywhere. My sight is His gift.  I feel Him in my soul, and I hear His beautiful sound in the warm subtle breeze or the ocean tide as it caresses the shore... I feel to be void is an opportunity for His love to pour out over your life. It’s an opportunity for His imagination to work wonders. It’s an opportunity for His masterpiece to be completed one gentle stroke at a time. 

And one day, like every great artist the time will come when He will sign His name across your heart...stand back and say.. look at you. You are my creation... With you, I am well pleased. It’s you!! It’s always been you! 

Somewhere between the void and His creation. He fell in love with His masterpiece. He is such an affair of the Heart...❤

It’s Him, It’s always Him. 

He WOWs me!

In the beginning, God created heaven and the earth. Genesis 1:1

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Genesis 1: 27

 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.”
Isaiah 55:8 KJV

“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

Isaiah 55:11 KJV

Photography & Written by Lori Garner 

Bible Verses from KJV, ESV / Sinner's Prayer

Inspiring music from YouTube 

Danny Gokey - Masterpiece (Live)

“Your greatest self has been waiting your whole life; don’t make it wait any longer.” – 

Dr. Steve Maraboli 

Meaning of self: The Christian “self” is real in the sense that he or she exists through God's grace; he or she expresses himself or herself in the created world of common experience in psychological terms and moral behavior. A person's essential being that distinguishes them from others, especially considered as the object of introspection or reflexive action.

When I researched how many times the word “self” appeared in the Bible. I discovered that the word seemed to attach itself to other words. Like, self-examine, self-love, self-control, self-esteem, self-care, and I am sure there are many more. So for this word we will not share how many times the word self appears. But we are praying that if one of the subsets of the word “self” hits home that you will chase it down and study it for yourself. 

I also made an interesting discovery when I put the word self in the search bar for this blog.. It made me reflect with a smile on my face. 

Here are the words in order. Journey, Genuine, Character, True, Exposed, Righteousness, Commit, Scars, Unquenchable thirst, The Masters's hands… These words have all touched my soul. And they all have a piece of me within each page, I can be found in each word, and each thought…. But they do not point me to self… They all point me to Him.. to His Love.. and to His guidance. So, I must go to Him to understand this word self. 

Hello, it’s me again, You have taught me many things…You have taught me the importance of life and love.  You have taught me that we can not be brave enough to truly see ourselves…We can only see the mirror image of who we think we are?? 

How can I truly see myself? Humans have a tendency to hide behind a façad. Where is that true genuine self? The one that you so tenderly made? I can not do this without your help… It is a scary thing to be stripped bare, and look onto our own hearts? I can only hold my breath when I look into my soul… Can our minds even handle what our eyes must-see? What I must understand ?? Will you help me? Will you hold my hand? Will you carry me when the view is not what I want to see?

“Do not be afraid … It’s the light you reflect from your heart and soul into the world. That is the most genuine most truthful look at self.” 

So then, I ask you to search me, find me, and help me refine the light that shines from within…It’s not what I think of myself that matters most. It’s what you think of me that is the most important factor of living a life that will be remembered by the light that is shared... 

So when I look into the mirror I pray that others see you within me and not that inward word.. of self. But that outward word of LOVE. 

It's Him, It's always Him.

Photography & Written by Lori Garner 

Bible Verses from KJV, ESV / Sinner's Prayer 

Inspiring music from YouTube 

Reflection of Your Love

“Life is playfulness…We need to play so that we can rediscover the magic all around us.” ~ Flora Colao

Meaning of true: Genuine; pure; real; not counterfeit, adulterated or false; as true balsam; the true bark; true love of country; a true Christian.

There are approximately 24 verses about truth in the Bible. 

This four-letter word possesses such power, such depth, such internal growth that it may lead to a transformation in your near future. 

During my journey of discovering God. There were many things that transpired and many left me with a desire burning in my soul to chase God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. 

It gave me an insatiable appetite to learn something new about them every day. They revealed to my heart that they collectively are one. He taught me the importance of sharing life and love... He revealed His true heart and shared many things with me... His whispers spoke so lovingly to my soul. He made me dig deep within myself, and own my strengths and face my weaknesses... He made my emotions rush to the surface for the world to see.   He made my vulnerability peek out time and time again. 

He reached a place so deep within my soul, it was a place that no one has ever been. He held me so tenderly.  He never gave up. Until one day He rescued the child within. 

I did not realize, that this child had become comfortable and laid dormant for so long that it seemed to be lost. But with His loving kindness, He opened the doors to my heart and placed the wonderment back into my soul. That now because of Him I sing a new song. He knew that with Him it would be easier for me to share my true heart openly with the world. He is such a loving forgiving source of light that only He and He alone feeds my soul... 

He made me face that I had been hiding behind a wall that I had built to keep my true genuine self from harm. Because I have witnessed just how harsh our world can be. It can be cruel, it can be unforgiving... It teaches us if we are different if we do not follow the world's standards, that we will be subject to misguided judgment, or ridicule. 

He has freed the child within... He has shared His love with my soul. It’s an amazingly beautiful gift that is at its best when shared. It’s a gift greater than I have ever known ....He possesses the WOW factor. His love is like nothing you have ever seen, felt, or heard. He is different. I love to think how unique He is? It makes me smile. 

He gives us the power to build a firm foundation and to stand tall and say to the world. I am here count me in!!!!! Embrace your uniqueness and shine the gifts He has given you !!. Because when you share your true-genuine self as a child of God.  His smile radiants with a brilliant light that illuminates all the Heavens. And you can stand firmly and look up and proudly say... 

 It’s Him. It’s Him ...He made me do it. And I love him for it !!

Photography & Written by Lori Garner 

Bible Verses from KJV, ESV / Sinner's Prayer

Inspiring music from YouTube  

Justin Timberlake, Anna Kendrick - True Colors (Lyric)

Contradictions are the impossible chasms that create forever separations. God is the forever bridge that creates impossible reunions.      Craig D. Lounsbrough

Meaning of reconcile: To reestablish a close relationship harmonious, or consistent. To compare (one financial account) so that it is consistent or compatible with another. 

I was given the word reconcile as a word challenge for today’s word study...And if the truth be known after many years of working in finance I could see a balance sheet in my mind... 

But how do we study this word? With who do we balance and reconcile our thoughts, our actions, and our relationships? 

Where has our harmony gone? Where has our freedom gone? Where has our hope gone? Where has our love for our Creator gone? Our world seems to be out of balance? Don’t you agree? But how do we reconcile and bring our world back to a world of LOVE, of Hope, of Harmony? 

I must admit I do not have the answers from a global perspective... But I do know if each one of us takes the necessary steps to make a positive effect on others one day, one person, and one heart at a time. We will be able to bring our world out of the red and back into the black where it should always remain. I also know that we cannot do it alone... The magnitude of this project is too vast, too daunting, and too overwhelming. There is only one Soul that has the credentials, the power, and the heart to successfully bring the world and its people to a status of peace, love, and joy!!! 

 I did further research and found this the formula for change. Change equals Dissatisfaction X Vision X First Steps that is greater than the Resistance. The idea is that if you are seeking some significant, system-wide change there are several core elements that need attention. But when I see this formula there is a key element that is missing...  

To orchestrate this globally it will take a great leader... One with a heart for all humanity.. one that loves deeper than we can even begin to understand... 

It only takes One ... to affect all mankind and bring all its people, and all the nations back .. back to our purpose. Back to our first love!!!

It’s Him It has always been  Him! 

All I can say to Him is I am here count me in!!!  Let's do this together.. start today,  start small, start with one person, and one heart... Let’s make a ripple that can be heard and felt around our world... 

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness, no one will see the Lord. Hebrew's 12:14

“So if while we were still enemies, God fully reconciled us to himself through the death of his Son, then something greater than friendship is ours. Now that we are at peace with God, and because we share in his resurrection life, how much more we will be rescued from sin’s dominion!”

Romans 5:10 TPT

Photography & Written by Lori Garner 

Bible Verses from KJV, ESV / Sinner's Prayer

Inspiring music from YouTube 

Heart of God [Audio] - Hillsong Young & Free