“At the center of the Universe is a loving heart that continues to beat and that wants the best for every person.” – Fred Rogers

The meaning of center is the point from which an activity or process is directed or on which it is focused.

We located the word center in the Bible 51 times…

This word could have taken me down many avenues …

The center, the core, the heart? When we are centered, we are in balance, and our strength is at its peak...

As I unwrapped this word, it landed firmly in my heart, and my mind had no choice but to follow… ...  I yearned to discover more about this word center.

Are we centered? What is our center? Our core? 

I then questioned is our heart our center? Is our soul our center? Can one live without the other? Is our heart only pumping to keep our bodies alive? The question then becomes, do we have a spiritual heart and mind? Or do these organs only exist when we are physically active?  Does our spiritual and human essence coexist, or do invisible threads hold them together? 

So many questions? If our hearts stop beating with time. Why is God after our hearts? Our physical nature has a shelf life… So, is it safe to say our soul carries our spiritual heart and mind? These physical and spiritual elements make up the center of who we are… 

When God is after our hearts…! He is after the complete package… the center is where all of the elements God gave us come together.

I then ask you, when you surrender, do you give Him all? 

Mind, body, and soul, physical and spiritual? 

Is He the center of all living things, great and small? Does our spiritual persona yearn to coexist with Him in the center of His great love for eternity?? 

I will be so bold and say yes!!  

Our spirit is drawn to Him. This is the pull we feel to belong to something or someone greater. This desire has been embedded in our molecular makeup at conception. He placed that homing gene in our DNA. He yearns for our return.

It’s Him! It’s always Him !!! 

When will we realize He is the center of our world… both our physical and spiritual… 

One day, we will willingly surrender all… The center of His love is beyond my human understanding… but in the very core of my existence… my soul hears and feels His sweet voice … 

I love Him for the gift of Him. There is nothing in the universe that can compare!!  

In the same way, you and I can put Christ at the center of our lives and become one with Him as He is one with the Father (see John 17:20–23).

Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer 

Inspiring Music by (youtube)

Vineyard Worship ft. Michael Frye & Kathryn Scott - Be The Centre [Official Lyric Video]

"And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.' Luke 2:10.

What is the meaning of the word prophecy? A prophecy is a message inspired by God, a divine revelation. 

The word prophet appears in approximately 65 verses in the Bible. 

I say WOW.... again WOW... I see so many messages with claims that God told them to share these thoughts and nuggets of information with the masses. There are so many ?? There are many claims so hold on to your hat because the storm and horrific things are on the horizon. OMG! 

The thought of discovering which one if any is truly a message from God can be mind-boggling... And can make many physically worried and or sick! 

When I googled the word prophecy my feed hit overload.. My eyes widened, my breathing became labored.. and the thoughts of what is to come sent my mind in overload... yikes 😳

The times ahead can be a scary thought. 

However, my relationship with God gives me peace in my soul that He is in control. He has revealed to me a LOVE for His children that is beyond our own human understanding. Is that a prophecy? If I look at the meaning of the word prophecy then that is indeed a prophetic statement. 

I would rather stand on the prophetic words “God's LOVE” than any other message. I have chosen to look ahead through the spiritual eyes God has given us. I chose to look to Him and only Him... 

I do believe He speaks through a chosen few.. not the masses. But He is accessible to anyone who listens and spends time with Him. Anyone that will open their heart and soul and let Him in. I do believe that messages from God are messages that will not make us run around like Chicken Little saying the “Sky is falling”. 

I do believe. We must not make light of any message heard... But !  we must investigate, we must sift all messengers, and their words through God’s heart and test it against God's word. 

I feel many study the word and then twist it to make themselves feel important in the eyes of man. Many use scare tactics to bring attention to themselves, under the premise of "God Said". I do believe we must arm ourselves with God! His Love and His word so we can see through false words with our own spiritual eyes... 

And if things in our future look scary stick close to Him... He is our protection. He is our future. He is our light source. He is our First Love, He is our All. Don’t wait for an intermediary to tell you what may come .. God will tell us what He wants us to know.. in His timing... He knows if He reveals too much many will carry unnecessary anxiety and fear... 

He is the God of Peace. He is the God of Love. And when we trust Him for our soul's future, we can lay our heads down at night knowing He’s Got This !!! Today, Tomorrow, and Forevermore!  Stand back and watch Him !!! 

He WOWs me!!! 

It’s Him, It’s always Him! 🥰

Tune in and listen with Soulful ears, watch with soulful eyes. Love and Trust Him with all your soul, all your heart, and all your might! 

“When people speak messages on God's behalf, do not refuse to listen. Instead, think carefully about everything, to see if it is true. Remember to obey anything that is good. But keep away from any kind of bad thing.”1 Thessalonians 5:20-22 EASY

“But when someone prophesies, he speaks to encourage people, to build them up, and to bring them comfort.” 1 Corinthians 14:3 TPT

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

Photography, Design & Written by Lori Garner  

Bible Verses From KJV  / Sinner's Prayer

Music from Youtube 

No Fear (Lyrics) - Kari Jobe

People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within. Elisabeth Kubler – Ross 

The meaning of stained glass: it’s glass that has been colored and cut into various shapes to form pictures or patterns, used primarily in church windows.

Stained glass is such a beautiful work of intricate artistry. Is it a lost art??   Stained glass has been used for thousands of years, beginning with the Ancient Romans and Egyptians. 

I am drawn to the stories that these beautiful works of art hold…As I stood and gazed upon the colors, the story of my Savior became alive. The colors danced as the prisms of fractured light kissed each piece of broken glass. 

And I thought each of His children, we are much like the fractured pieces of glass, different shapes, colors, and sizes… When we look at each piece separately, there is not much to see… We can hold it up to the light, witness the color, and perhaps catch a small amount of beauty. But when our Savior brings all the broken pieces together … it is indeed a sight to behold… one can stand back and witness His story coming to life… The colors shine with a beautiful heavenly glow. Each intricate piece is just as important as the next… 

Are we all just a piece of fractured glass?  Is the lead that holds the pieces together our faith in our Savior? 

Did you know that the light that passes through stained glass windows is often seen as a symbol of the divine light of God? 

Yes, it’s His light that brings fractured souls into unity. It is a masterful plan born from our Creator's hands.  I love how art and everything I see in this wondrous world point me to Him!!  

I am but a fractured piece of glass waiting to find my place in His beautiful work of art …

And I will never look at another stained-glass window without seeing Him!  Yes, it will always be Him!  

Art & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer

Bible collaboration - Joann Turnbull

Inspiring Music by (YouTube)

Cochren & Co - Stained Glass Window (Lyrics)

 

 'To have another language is to possess a second soul.' - Charlemagne

Aramaic meaning: Aramaic. / (ˌærəˈmeɪɪk) / noun. It is an ancient language of the Middle East, still spoken in parts of Syria and Lebanon.

Do you know that just over 700 different Aramaic words in the biblical text occur just over 7,000 total times? Aramaic is the oldest continuously written and spoken language of the Middle East, preceding Hebrew and Arabic as written languages. Equally important has been the role of Aramaic as the oldest continuously used alphabetically written language of the world.

When we embark on this spiritual quest to know more about the child, the man, the Messiah, many of us only skim the surface. There is so much to discover …  I am afraid there will not be enough time on earth to know Him so intimately… But we are told to have an intimate relationship with Yeshua, our Savior…  

In attempting to grow closer to Him, my travels brought me to this eloquent language that pressed through His lips… and rolled off His tongue as  He delivered His message of love…

And then I found the Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic set to music… my soul seemed to gravitate to the soothing sounds even without knowing what the words meant. 

 Finding out that  Jesus principally spoke a Galilean dialect of Aramaic even intrigued me more…Many of us think  He spoke Hebrew… 

A thought we should consider: Perhaps He was multi-lingual…Have you ever wondered what language will be spoken in Heaven?

When we speak several languages, I believe there will always be that one that is our most vital, and we feel the most comfortable using … especially under pressure…  

And then I landed here Matthew 27:46

Aramaic phrases “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachtani”—“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 

I do not speak this language..will there be a learning curve? How does He understand the language I speak??? I can only try to understand within my limited “human” knowledge… 

We must speak to Him with our soul…our mind thinks in our home language, our heart cries out, and the Holy Spirit intercedes our thoughts and translates the communications. 

Romans 8:18-27

He can speak to me in any language because I feel Him with my soul… Thank you, Holy Spirit… You are my soulful connection to my Creator… 

It’s Him; it’s always Him!!! 

Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer

Bible collaboration - Joann Turnbull

Inspiring Music by (YouTube)

The Lord's Prayer in Aramaic | Jim Caviezel | Must Hear 

 – Lucius Annaeus Seneca

A person who completes or makes something perfect

This word appeared to me in the middle of a Bible Study Class. We were reading Hebrews 12:2, and the word used in the KJV was finisher. 

However, due to a WIFI issue, my phone Bible app did not work; the only one that worked was my Messianic Bible app. And it was there that the word perfecter was written in place of finisher. 

We may all relate to this word or this verse from a different perspective. The word that has taken residence in my soul is perfector. To me, the finisher seems so final... The end... I am finished... Whereas perfector can go on to infinity and beyond. And if this walk with Christ has taught me anything, it's that I am far from perfect... And my Creator is tenaciously making changes in me every day.  I love to think of how perfect Jesus is... He is a beautiful example of perfection. And He knows better than anyone what it takes to get to that level of perfection ... I can only place myself in His hands... And allow Him to mold me into who He wants me to be... His magnetic pull on my heart is irresistible, and I surrender my heart and soul to Him daily. He is my perfector... He is my creator; He is my first love. 

It's Him. It is always Him. 

And I am putty in His hands.

Perfecter of our faith. This word in Greek can be translated as “finisher” or “completer.”

Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer

Bible collaboration - Joann Turnbull

Inspiring Music by (YouTube) 

“Consider your ways” were words spoken to some 42,000 people who had returned to Jerusalem in 538 BC after spending seventy years in captivity in Babylon.  

The king told them to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple that had been destroyed, and he gave them all the supplies necessary to do it.  

Fast forward 18 years.  The people had only the foundation of the Temple built.  But they had built themselves fine cedar-lined houses fit for a king.  They had plenty of food and drink but were still hungry and thirsty.  They had plenty of clothes but were not warm.  And plenty of wages, but they were put in a bag with holes. 

God said to them, “You, you have built your fine houses, and My house still lies in ruins.  Consider your ways!” 

What was the problem?  What did they need to consider?  Was it their priorities?   They had lived to please themselves instead of pleasing God. 

The Temple was the place where they could come to hear the words of God, read, they could pray, and feel His presence.  God wanted the people to have that beautiful fellowship with Him as they worshipped.  The younger generations could hear Him say, “Love Me with all your heart, soul, and might.”

The Scrolls containing His words had not been read, nor had they sung the Psalms together for seventy years.  

The words in this little two-chapter book in the Bible took place over 2,500 years ago.  What is it saying to us today?   He is still saying, “Consider your ways!  Examine your priorities.  He is calling you to come closer to Him.  To really get to know Him and love Him with all your whole heart, soul, and mind.”

The time is now, not next week or 18 years from now.  He is waiting with open arms.

Photography by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer

Bible collaboration & Written by - Joann Turnbull

Inspiring Music by (YouTube) 

Casting Crowns - The Change in Me, Only Jesus Visual Album

The meaning of intensity the quality of being intense. 

The word intensity is only in the Bible 5 times. 

When we look at this word and the Bible, I would guess that most would look to the last chapter Revelation. It’s there that our world and our lives will see and feel things on a very intense level. 

I will not go there… because with God there is so much more to understand and feel… 

God Himself is intense… He is intense in His creations. His personality is intense. So, when He loves it is intense!!!

It is a beautiful gift to feel even if it is just a fraction of His love. To this day I question why? Why did He touch my heart with such intensity?  The day this happened everything changed. I can say I will never be the same…  He blew my soul wide open… I felt like I was coming apart at the seams, and He was putting me back together one layer and one day at a time… I felt lighthearted and carefree. I was indeed like a child running through life seeing things as for the first time. I began to feel raw emotions with such intensity. He let me in so close, I could feel His love so soulfully deep it is difficult to describe … Somewhere during this process I will admit I fell in love with Him and the intensity He shares. 

I can tell you it has left me wanting more… He is the master at sharing His love just enough to leave us craving more. I believe He does this so His children will continue to chase Him with a vigor and intensity that many on lookers will not understand… 

When I look at the word intensity, I see HIM!!! I feel a love beyond this world… 

I can only surrender to the intensity that I feel in His presence. it is not of this world…  

I stand in AWE, He renders me speechless. He consumes me.  

Its Him, It will always Him! 

The LORD your God is a devouring fire; he is a jealous God. 24 God, your God, is not to be trifled with - he's a consuming fire, a jealous God. Deuteronomy 4:24 

Because of the dazzling glory of the light, I couldn't see—I was left blind. Act 22 

Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer

Bible collaboration - Joann Turnbull

Inspiring Music by (youtube) 

Reckless Love (Official Lyric Video)

Timeless means not affected by the passage of time.. 

This pass week was so busy… I had this thought dance through my head as I moved forward with the crazy days ahead. “STOP the world I want to get off” ! Have you ever felt that morning urge to kill your alarm clock ? The rush of the day pulling you from one life event to another?  Schedules and deadlines to meet?

Time… tick tock, tick tock with each stroke of the clock,  time becomes more precious… 

How can we stop time??  

You say thats impossible!! 

But with God everything is possible!!! There is a place I run to stop the worlds madness… a place where I can catch my breath … a place where I can fill my soul with the sweetness of a love far beyond this world… 

His beauty, His love, His kindness has no beginning it has no end… 

He is my alpha and my omega… He does not count hours, minutes 

or days … When I am in his presence I have His undivided attention… 

He makes me feel like He has no better place to be than with me… 

no rushing, just calm serenity… the world as I know it quietly fades… 

No clock ticking, tick tock tick tock.. just the rhythmic beating of 2 hearts… Mine and my beautiful Creators… 

To be swept away in His timelessness… is a gift that I can never truly explain…there are no words … It a soulful experience… 

Timeless

It’s Him, It will always be Him… 

Stop the world… even if it is just for a brief moment in time to be with Him…  Your life will be forever changed. 

They thought of God as eternal, in the sense that He is timeless or atemporal.

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 2 Peter 3:8

Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer

Bible collaboration - Joann Turnbull

Inspiring Music by (youtube)

Enya - Only Time (Official 4K Music Video)

Is God for sale? Where do we draw the line?

Meaning of exploit make full use of and derive benefit from (a resource). 

The word exploit can be found nine times in the Bible.

Writing about this word will be a difficult task but it’s been a burden on my heart for some time and it’s very possible my writing will cause me heartache, and will possibly cause some to turn away... 

As many of you know that follow me my journey in my opinion has been uniquely amazing!  I have found the greatest gift anyone could share... I have traveled to many churches, events, and small gatherings. I have been actively seeking more, about this great love that fell from heaven into my heart and soul...  

But as I study and share my heart. I have witnessed many “followers” of God... selling Him? I may be new to this subject but when did selling God become so popular? It seems to have become a daily occurrence and a billion-dollar industry... It makes me wonder, where do we draw the line? How do we come to grips with sharing God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit without getting caught in the snare of "self" motivation,  gratification, and wealth ??  

When did having this great gift become such an income stream for so many?? Did the light we once held so beautifully in our hearts become tainted by our world? Did a little greed sneak into our hearts? Do we find ourselves hiding behind a cloak of Godly as we sell His message of love and salvation? Has the very light He gave us grown dim? Are we straddling the fence? One foot in the light and one in the dark? I call it living in the spiritual grey... We can not serve two masters. 

(Matthew 6:24)

I will share an event I attended. It was in a large venue with hundreds of believers... I was very excited to attend!  I was searching for more of Him!! I could not find someone to go with me so I went on this adventure of discovery alone... 

It was presented as free. But as I arrived I found out that they needed a $25 donation... "First Hmm". I gave them my money found a seat and settled in to listen and learn.  The program started with a few songs.. you could feel the excitement in the air... 

But the more the MC spoke the more disillusioned I became and my soul became restless... The first 20 mins seemed like one long commercial. Selling the multiple speakers works... books, CDs, tee shirts.. just to name a few. And the good news is we could buy them at the end of the “Holy” event... 

My heart sank and my soul began to grieve. I could not believe what I was hearing! I could not find any reason to stay. I stood and made my way from the crowded room... As I opened the door I began to cry.

 I remember thinking how can they exploit Him like that ??? I left sad, disappointed, and betrayed. I could only whisper to Him I am so sorry. 

I do know many of us have been given this gift of His great love to share with others. He calls us to be disciples and to share in His mission of a greater love with the world. 

I am not here to judge? Nor to throw the first stone ... That is between each person and God... I can only pray that we do not get so enamored with the price tag that we miss seeing His Face... We miss feeling His love... and that we do not step out of His light into the world of grey... 

Where do we draw the line? I realize first hand there is a cost associated with sharing Him. Travel, Online fees, Print work, Music, Studio Time, Venues,  and the list goes on..and on

But when a believer’s life reflects the riches of this world we must look at the heart... His love should flow from their lips. You will see God's love radiate from their souls. There will be no hidden agenda. They will freely share His love and grace with others. You will see the joy on their face. And you will hear the song of love in their heart. 

Be aware of the sheep in wolves' clothing...  Not every heart is genuine...  (Matthew 7:15)

At the end of the day, we are all His Children, and we are all a work in progress and trying to just find our way in this troubled world... 

Only He knows our heart, our deepest thoughts, and our motives... 

So if there is any doubt in our mind... And we find ourselves losing focus and dancing in the grey ... GO TO HIM FOR ALL YOUR ANSWERS ... 

Remember the person sitting beside you is also just trying to find their way in this crazy world. 

Go to our first love...

It's Him! It has always been Him... Knowing Him is free... There is no dollar value associated with His love... He just wants our love in return... 

There will be no doubt in our motives when we go to Him for guidance.  Because He will give us that peaceful feeling in our soul...

We must not tempt the Lord [that is, test His patience, question His purpose or exploit His goodness], as some of them did—and they were killed by serpents. 1 Corinthians 10:9

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. Matthew 7:15

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 2 Timothy 4:3 

Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer

Bible collaboration - Joann Turnbull

Inspiring Music by (youtube)Rachel Hughes - Search Me O God (Lyric Video)