“It really matters what you listen to. . . . Select music that will strengthen your spirit.” —Russell M. Nelson...
O, the sweet blend of old hymns and new songs. They met two thousand years ago to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.
The sound of His voice is sweet to us as He sings over us in the quiet times we spend with Him.
The very rocks cry out, and the trees clap their hands in praise to Him. And so should we.
Angel choirs sing to those who cannot remember where or who their family is. But when you let them listen to hymns from long ago, suddenly, they begin to sing every word! It is amazing.
From my youth, I sang many old hymns to music that allowed me to memorize the words. So often, these hymns and songs come to mind. A melody can evoke many emotions. The melody touches the deep places in our souls.
We could name many in the Bible that sang songs to Him. Miriam, Moses, David, Paul, and Silas. Some were in sorrow, the enemy surrounded some, some were in prison, and many were victorious.
The priests at the temple's dedication that Solomon built fell on their faces, and they could do no work as he overcame them. Let us cease from our works for a moment and sing praises unto Him, our Creator, our Savior, and our Lover. Often, I desire to have a thousand tongues to sing His praises.
So, let the notes of hymns and songs refresh us and prepare us to wield the sword of His word wherever we go.
“I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.”
"The human soul cannot breathe… behind the mask you have created for others to see..."(lg)
The meaning of behind at or to the far side of (something), typically to be hidden by it.
We located 102 verses in the Bible that refer to the word behind...
Who are we really?? I do believe we all hide behind a mask at some time in this crazy thing we call life. We seem to have a tendency to hide the rawness of what is truly happening in our lives. We have all been guilty of only showing the world what we would like them to see ... Many of our social media accounts reflect our dreams, our hopes, and a life that we have fabricated for others to LIKE and or possibly envy.
We hide our vulnerability and show that beautiful hardcover we have painted of ourselves. I find that many are overly concerned with what others may think...
What are we afraid of? Why is it so important to fit in? I sometimes feel like a round peg trying to fit in a square hole...
But the questions that spoke to my heart brought me here.. Are we willing to risk being different? Are we willing to walk alone? Are we willing to be set apart? Are we willing to bring the walls down that we hide behind... Are we willing to show the world our true colors?
But then I asked,” What is the price??” It's a heartfelt moment in time... And many times our insecurities will get the best of us and the loneliness will creep in and it may even wound our hearts.
But what does the Bible reveal? I found myself asking ”What have I learned throughout my journey that I can share? Can I step out from behind the walls I have built ?” Can I be raw? Can I stand alone? Can I risk being different?
I have been taught that we must share the rawness of life it frees our souls. I have come to grips with being vulnerable and found it shows we are all human and wrestle with the same fears, dreams, and hopes.
I have grown to love God beyond my own understanding. I have been taught that I am never alone... My savior is always with me. He is my mentor, my love, and my forever friend.
I have been enlightened and I have readjusted my value system.
Life is a gift. Relationships are precious... Memories will be our legacy... Don't hide behind a mask, be the most authentic soul you can be... Make a difference in this world. Love our sovereign God with all your heart, soul, and mind.
Because one day He may ask you ”Do you want ordinary or do you want me?? ” and our answer should always be YOU!!!
It's Him, It's always Him!
Step out and let your light shine for Christ so others can find their way...
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:17 ESV
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 ESV
For am I now seeking the approval of man or God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10 ESV
Meaning of validation, the action of checking or proving the validity or accuracy of something.
I could not validate how many times this word appears in the Bible. I believe it's because it may not be in print, but every believer’s goal is to be validated by our Heavenly Father.
Many of us run through life looking for that stamp of approval. Do we belong? Do we fit in? What makes us yearn to be validated by others?
Are they experts in life? Do they have the experience because they traveled the road before us? I believe they have acquired a skill set that we may not have, and we can certainly learn a valuable lesson! But do we need validation from someone who has their hidden insecurities, frailties, and agenda?
When we look for validation for the wrong reasons, it could fall short of our expectations and wound our souls.
God has already validated us with His love and the sacrifice of His beautiful Son Jesus.
Ultimately, we should only seek validation from the Creator of all things. He is the only sovereign leader. He is without blemish. He is a fair and just lover of our souls.
But do we only believe this with our minds? Or do we feel it in our hearts? Do our lives and our actions reflect Him and His teachings?
I firmly believe we will always have His love, and as children of God, we have His stamp of approval. However, He expects us to grow and become everything He knows we can be.
Heaven's gate is the destination where we will receive our proper validation, our stamp of approval from our amazing Savior, Our beautiful King. We may even be blessed to hear Him say. Come in, my child, well done!! That will be a fantastic moment in time.
It’s Him! It’s Him! Forever and ever, amen!
He'll validate your life in the clear light of day and stamp you with approval at high. Psalms 37:6
Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings, Psalms 17:8
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23
Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.
“The Divine is revealing itself to us every day. All we have to do is pay attention.”-Andrew Pacholyk...
Motivated by a whisper that echoed in my mind, I embarked on a new sculpting journey. My experience with clay has been limited to playdough with the kids… Lol. So, this could be a challenging afternoon.
I found myself with a childlike curiosity in Hobby Lobby, standing in the clay aisle, shifting through the choices. Suddenly, a young woman appeared before me, and we exchanged words. I asked her if she had ever created a sculpture, and she replied that she had, but it had been a while since she last sculpted in college. She shared that she is a photographer.
That day, we discovered many things in common, including our love for Jesus. Our conversation flowed effortlessly as we stood in the aisle, sharing stories about God and life.
She hugged me and said that in Hebrew, the word 'coincidence' does not appear and that moments like this are considered God's intervention. She smiled, said we met for a reason and introduced herself as Ruby. I smiled back, told her my name, and gave her the bracelet I wear with the inscription 'One great love, Elohim333'. We hugged and said our goodbyes….
I left with renewed inspiration to sculpt a 10-pound block of clay into a memory, proving that His great love is never a coincidence.
Wishing you a day filled with His Great LOVE!!
WhenYAHWEH delightsin howyou live your life,he establishes your everystep. Psalms 37:23 TPT
"God provides the wind; Man must raise the sail." - St.Augustine...
When I close my eyes and feel the softness of the wind, I find His embrace. It's where I connect with His divine presence. His gentleness caresses my soul as the breeze sweeps across my parched skin. The fragrance of flowers fills the air as I allow myself to be swept away by His wonderous beauty… The wind carries the essence of creation, spreading His magnificence and wonder wherever it travels. May I forever embrace the romanticism of the wind, allowing Him to guide me home
“The two most important days in life are the day you born and the day you find out why.” – Mark Twain…
There are approximately thirty-three verses about legacy in the Bible...
Legacy is a word typically discussed when the inevitable happens. It is mainly thought of when someone we love transitions from one dimension of time and space to another. We like to think that they made it to Heaven.
The word legacy brought me to these questions. What am I leaving behind? How will I be remembered? Will my life make a mark on this planet? What do my family and friends honestly think of me? Is our legacy a tangible object? Does it come down to our "possessions”? Is that how we value life?
Possessions are fleeting. Our character and loving memories are the most valuable assets we can leave with the souls we leave behind.
In my lifetime, I have witnessed that some people consider "possessions " essential. Some feel they cannot live without the “things” they have collected. It seems many gain perspective when they are facing their mortality.
Some may not have cared about your well-being while you were here, but they will selfishly look to gain something valuable from what you've left behind.
Some possess an unselfish heart and love you deeply. Your relationship will leave a lasting imprint on their hearts. They will carry you with them wherever life takes them. They may want a precious item with little to no earthly value to feel close to the one who made them feel wanted and loved.
Have we thought about this word on a larger scale? Do we understand the spiritual potential that awaits? We have been gifted a legacy of magnificent proportions! It’s a legacy of royalty... It’s a legacy of riches beyond physical “possessions." It’s a legacy of love that runs through our lives like a scarlet thread. It's woven into our life’s tapestry deeper than we realize.
Jesus is that scarlet thread. He is our legacy. He has promised us eternal life, and His love will travel with us from this world to the next.
With Him as our precious guide, we should ask ourselves:
How do I want to be remembered? What am I leaving behind? Will I lovingly leave my imprint on anyone’s heart?
I pray that when people talk about my legacy, they speak of “God’s Love” and how His love changed my life. He has taught me the importance of all relationships and introduced me to love beyond my earthly understanding! He gave me the boldness to show my vulnerability to the world.
He is my legacy!!
It’s Him. It’s always Him!
His legacy is an amazing love story for all of His children!!
I beg you, don’t miss Him or His legacy of love for this world!
If children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. Romans 8:17
The child's heart is tender and easily impressed; when we become “as little children,” we learn the simplicity, gentleness, & tender love of the Savior.
In writing this word, the first thing that came to mind was: “In tenderness, He sought me.” I think we are sought by God from a very young age. We might hear an adult talking about Jesus, but we don’t know who this is. We all seem to find Him in different ways. It is His goodness that brings us to Him.
He is constantly drawing us to come near to Him. Sometimes, that drawing begins with music, a word you read or heard, or it could be a picture of Him.
Recently, I began painting pictures of Jesus. Sometimes His face, or with Him gently holding a bird or a light with a young boy by Him and one with Him kneeling by a sad young boy.
Jesus spoke strongly that He desired the young children to come to Him. Why?
I will share my opinion. Little children respond to gentleness and tender love. The earlier they know Jesus has love for them, the more they will want to give their hearts and lives to Him.
There was something about Jesus that drew children to Him. I have several great-grandchildren. When they come to my house, they look at the pictures of Jesus. One time, one looked at the painting of Jesus holding a bird for a long time. What was he thinking?
God is a pursuer of His children. He tenderly draws hearts and minds to Him. Recently, my great-grandson came to me wanting to be saved. As we talked, he affirmed his desire for Jesus to be his Savior. After prayer, he pointed to his heart and said, “I feel Him in my heart.” It was such a tender moment.
Others I have heard say I am no longer alone or love Him so!! What a glorious change when we say YES to the One who loves us. We can be nine or fifty-nine or older!
He comes to our heart’s door and knocks. He says, “May I come in”?
Open your heart’s door to Him. You will never be the same again.
To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; to find him is the greatest human achievement.
St. Augustine of Hippo.
I posted one of my art pieces on a Facebook Artist page, which was removed due to the rule prohibiting religious content. The freedom of artistic expression is in the hands of the moderator. Many try to avoid conflict in light of diverse religious beliefs. Or does their belief dictate what is acceptable?
It's a sad day for me when God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit are shunned in any circle.
I must say I don't consider myself a religious person. I don't even call myself a Christian, even though many might label me as such.
I try to share His message of love; it’s not religion. After my life-altering spiritual experience, I chased my Creator and embraced all facets of Him. I am a work in progress and still have so much to learn! He is so incredibly vast! It will take me a lifetime to discover more, and I will still not know everything about Him.
But His message is clear: hope, love, unity, compassion, and forgiveness.
In this world of exclusion, segregation, and hate… We all still have a common bond of seeking acceptance and love.
If this is true, “Why do we exclude and/or shun the greatest love of all? “
It is Him!
Please wake up… let’s put our differences aside!!!! Let Him teach us how to love beyond our world!!! It’s up to us to make a difference.
He is ready to lead us to a brighter tomorrow, but we must accept, love, and follow Him…
You could search for a lifetime and never find anyone Greater!
Redeem, Redeemer, Redemption is used 167 times in the Bible.
The meaning of Redeemer is: One who buys back that which was lost. As I was studying this word, a hymn came to mind. “O, for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer 's praise.” The last verse says: “Hear Him, ye deaf; His praise, ye silent, your loosened tongues employ. Ye blind, behold your Savior come, and leap, ye lame, for joy."
The music draws us to Him, to worship Him. We come closer to Him as we sing songs of love and joy. We feel His love rise up in our hearts. He deserves the honor and the glory!
The word Redeemer encompasses many thoughts. It signifies redemption. Humanity has been lost, living apart from their Creator and the Lover of their souls.
Sacrifices and countless works by man could not restore that fellowship. After years of failures, we can see a bright glimmer of hope in numerous places in the Old Testament.
It says in Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore, the Lord HIMSELF shall give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name, Immanuel. (God with us)
Seven hundred years later the Son is born, and His name is Jesus.
He paid a great price for you and me. He is that Redeemer sent from the throne above. He bled and died to redeem us. He gave His all. Say, YES, I accept Him as my Savior and Redeemer.
When we do we can rejoice in our freedom to follow Him. And joy will fill our souls as we fellowship and walk with Him. He will continue to tell us how much He loves us and desires us.
Another song came to mind as I was writing this. “Pass me not O gentle Savior, do not pass me by.” He will not pass us by. He has been seeking you and me all our lives.
Surrender to Him. Feel His love and grace in your life.
The longer you know your Redeemer the more you will love Him. He IS our great Redeemer and Lover of our soul.
Redeemed forever!
“For I know that my redeemer lives….”Job 19:25
“O Lord, Thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; Thou hast redeemed my life.” Lamentations 3:58
"Our lives are but specks of dust falling through the fingers of time. Like sands of the hourglass, so are the days of our lives." ~ Socrates
Meaning of expectations a strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future.
I truly didn’t expect the word expectations to be in the Bible.
So I have no set expectation on what we might discover.
Color me surprised there are 33 verses about expectations.
I do believe we set expectations in our own mind of things to come! Resulting in a form of future desires. Some may have beautiful results. Some may carry difficult heartfelt outcomes. I am sure there are varying degrees of this word.
Let me share a couple examples. A new bride plans and with great anticipation this once in a lifetime event. She sets certain expectations in her mind of how this day should unfold.
There may be times in our lives when we must face a medical condition. And the Dr. puts us through a battery of tests. And with anxious anticipation we are full of expectations, we then hold our breath to hear the final results?
Not everyone that sets these type of life expectations finds that they go as planned. Our expectations may have been set too high or they may have not been set at all?
But how do we try to understand this anxious feeling when our mind tries to set expectations. Where do we turn for answers? Let's invite King James (Bible) into the discovery of this word.
Psalm 39:7. King James Version ... And now, Lord, what wait for I for? My hope is in thee.
I personally believe these feelings seem to creep into our soul as our mind tries to set our expectations for our future desires.
There are times we place our expectations on others. Some will exceed our expectations Some will not be able to accomplish the set goal because we may have placed the target too high. And this can lead to disappointment.
The question becomes do we set expectations on God? Do we let our human expectations of God limit our reality, our growth, and the wondrous possibilities of our spiritual growth and future?
Do we look at others as they travel towards this heavenly destination? And then place unrealistic expectations on our own spiritual walk? I am a firm believer God has made each one uniquely His own and we all have different gifts. Each one of us has different expectations in God's heart for our physical and spiritual growth.
When we pray do we place expectations on God or do we pray and have faith that He is in control. We may find our expectations may not be God’s plan for our life. We may experience disappointment but we can find solace in knowing God has a bigger plan.
I do believe we are all guilty of wanting and waiting for God at some time in our life.. When we place our expectations at His feet... Are we on target? Or are we disappointed at the results? Because we do not take the time to understand His plan for our life?
I would like us to take a moment and let’s flip the direction of this word.
When is the last time you asked God, what do you expect of me? What do you want my life on earth to mean? How can I grow my faith and my love for you, so I can meet or exceed your expectations for my life ??
Only He knows our heart's desires. He knows them better than we know them ourselves.
Our expectations should be focused on Him. Our faith should be strong enough to trust Him. We should cultivate the art of waiting on Him. Our soul should guide us to the greatest anticipation of love. Our expectations should be centered on Him and His LOVE. He will never disappoint, it's a spiritual experience... that will blow your mind... It has nothing to do with our humanistic wants. It's an expectation of the soul, It's an excitement of newfound love. It's a relationship that has no true earthly explanation.
It’s him it’s always him.
My soul, wait for thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. Psalms 62:5
“And now, Lord, for what do I expectantly wait? My hope [my confident expectation] is in You. Psalms 39:7
Written by Lori Garner, Verses From KJV, Easy / Sinners prayer Inspiring Music by Carly Simon - Anticipation
“The painter has to unlearn the habit of thinking that things seem to have the color which common sense says they 'really' have, and to learn the habit of seeing things as they appear.”- Bertrand Russell...
Are we among the Walking Dead…. Are we living in the grey? Are we drowning in stagnant waters?
I have lived long enough to have seen and felt life with an unclear purpose… just tumbling from one day to the next, a life with little meaning, no luster.
Being stagnant without purpose can leave you with an empty, unfulfilled feeling—sad, perhaps depressed… possibly floundering… in your limited space.
Nothing in the world can light a flame in your heart and give you purpose like Him!! He is the miracle worker who can breathe life into the lifeless. He can find that faint pulse and make your heart beat like a professional rhythmist… He can take your soul places your mind has difficulty understanding!! He is alive in full and living color!!!
It’s Him! It will always be Him!
Color would not be possible without light;
He is our LIGHT …. Our purpose! Our love! Our newfound Hope!
It’s Him!!!!!!!!
Living with Him in our hearts brings unexplainable joy and peace that others will not understand. It may be difficult to explain His wondrous love!
I say, “Don’t contain it. Let His color of LOVE flow to every corner of our world!!!”
Burst forth in color, my Friends... He is what gives life the WOW factor!!
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. John 12:46
In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6
After painting the above image, I stumbled across this explanation of colors. He does work in mysterious ways... He blows my mind...
