Love sacrifices all things to bless the One we love... 

One woman is mentioned in the Bible who will always be remembered wherever the gospel is preached. Her life story is told in three of the Gospels.  

Her family home was in Bethany just a few miles from Jerusalem.  It was a favorite stop for Jesus to stay when he and his disciples would come to Jerusalem. 

Whenever He visited the home, you would find this woman named Mary sitting at His feet, listening to every word He said. Her sister Martha would scold her for not meeting to the needs of the guests. Once, her sister complained to Jesus about this. His answer was: “Leave her alone; she has chosen the best.”  

On the occasion of her brother’s sickness and death. Mary and her sister called for Jesus to come.  When Mary saw Jesus, she fell weeping at His feet.  She knew if Jesus had come her brother would not have died.  Her love and trust in Him were so strong. 

Later, at the time of the Passover Jesus and his disciples came to the home of Simon the Leper. His home was near the home of Mary.   As they were eating Mary came in and knelt by where He was sitting.  She took her expensive vial of sweet fragrant oil and broke it open.  She poured all of it on His head. The sweet oil ran down and covered His body.  

She was immediately scolded by the disciples, saying we could have fed the poor with the sale of it.  But she said nothing.  

Jesus said she had done this in preparation for my burial and she would forever be remembered whenever the Gospel was preached. 

Today she is remembered because she sat at His feet listening to His every word, and for her boldness to sacrifice her all for Him.   

Are we willing to sit at His feet soaking up all He has to tell us?

Are we willing to be rebuked for showing extravagant love for Him?

Are we willing to show He is worthy of our all?

How will we be remembered?

Photography by Lori Garner

Written by Joann Turnbull

Sinners Prayer

Inspiring Music by (YouTube)

I Surrender All by David Phelps

"And He departed from our sight and we might return to our heart, and there find Him. For He departed, and behold, He is here."  Arthur Schopenhauer...

The meaning of gone; is no longer present.

We uncovered two hundred and ten verses that speak of the word gone.

Everyone is gone, and in the stillness of night, I find an inner peace that illuminates the darkness. The silence is a profound reminder of life's beauty.

As each day drifts by and each chapter of our life progresses, something or someone always seems to be gone.

Or are they??? 

As I tap into my faith, I find there are still so many mysteries yet to be discovered… Yet I feel a sense of loss… 

I closed my eyes and began to pray… are my thoughts of hoping to see Him again in vain?  Does the word “gone” bring back memories of a time I wish I could relive?? Did those precious times slip through my fingers… Did I not love Him enough? 

As I reflect on the past, my mind and heart stir with thoughts of Him, and I wonder if those moments are gone forever.

Has He abandoned me on this journey or is there still a greater force leading me to my ultimate destiny? 

I beg you, Lord, let me hear your voice, let me feel your presence, let me gaze into your soulful eyes…. And out of the shadows, He appears…

“I am not gone I am here!!! I am always with you!!! Can you feel me in your soul??  My love for you is never gone, it grows deeper with each passing day.”

His presence leaves me in a state of awe…  

I am Speechless…  

My abandoned heart finds refuge with the one who fills my soul by night and loves me with no boundaries by day!! 

And it is there that I am transported to a sacred place in my mind where He resides! His wondrous ways draw me into a realm where my soul finds His inner sanctum, giving me the freedom to love Him beyond this ordinary world.

I bid you farewell, as I elevate to this new-glorious state of being. I just may never want to return…

It’s Him!! It’s has always Him!!! 

Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him are gone out into the world. 1 Peter 3:22

“I love the LORD, Because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, Therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.” Psalm 116:1-2 KJV

Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer

“If I know what love is, it is because of you.” – Herman Hesse

Meaning of crush: To press and bruise between two hard bodies; to squeeze, so as to force a thing out of its natural shape; to bruise by pressure.

Are we a broken and bruised society? Has life left us with scars? Has someone crushed your heart? or wounded your soul?? 

If you answered yes to at least one of the questions above that is a good thing...Now you might say a good thing? You're crazy! Who thinks of being crushed in any way as a good thing? I say it’s good because it makes us human... It makes us feel life...  I do feel when we are put under any type of pressure we are soulfully crushed to some degree.  

However, we must learn the life lesson set before us. I believe that being soulfully crushed can leave us better than we were before... I know you think. Impossible? 

So do not take my feelings to heart, together let’s discover what the Bible says??

The word “crush” wounded my heart as my mind wrestled with the thought of Jesus and how He was crushed for me and you!! His only crime was loving too much... 

His soul must have grieved so intensely as He prayed in the garden to our Heavenly Father. He knew the plan set before Him, but His hands were tied. He knew that He could not be released from the monumental commitment He had made. All of humanity depended on His sacrifice. He knew of the betrayal that would soon take place. He grieved not just for what was going to take place, but He must have grieved for the lost souls… The souls, that did not recognize who He truly was. The ones that His love could not reach … The hearts that He could not penetrate.  

I do believe the crushing of the body is severely painful. To think of what He must have felt. Must crush all believer’s hearts.  It was one of the most barbaric punishments a man of His time could endure. 

The pain and humiliation must have been off the charts. But the crushing of His soul by the betrayal of unbelievers is a wound that carried a pain far beyond our human understanding. It must have left scars on His heart that followed Him to eternity. It must still make Him sad… 

How did they not know Him? How did they not embrace Him… How did they did not love Him? How did they not protect Him and How did they not shout His message of LOVE…? 

History has proven there are many who over time have never let His love go. They pulled His love into their souls.  They have protected it. They felt His beauty, His warmth, His forgiveness, and grace… They have carried His torch of LOVE within their hearts to light the way for others.

I thank God for those brave souls that never gave up! For those that have dedicated their time to write His words. And I thank the Holy Spirit for teaching us and for showing us the way. 

The good news is our precious Savior will no longer feel the crushing of His Human existence. But I do feel He is still crushed by the unbelievers today. He gave Himself willingly to us all… He gave us His all… He did it for love…  So, let’s not let His act of LOVE go without learning the lesson He unfolded before our eyes. 

We must recognize the beauty in His pain. 

I do believe His sadness diminishes as each new follower is welcomed into His circle of LOVE… There must be beautiful music played and rejoicing that is felt across the Heavens… His mission is to save our souls has never been terminated. His circle of LOVE is never-ending… 

It's you. It's me… and It's for anyone that is searching for a LOVE that will change life as they know it … 

It's HIM!! It’s always been HIM… He gave us the gift of life for eternity… 

And I will admit to you. I have more than just a crush…I love Him more than the air I breathe. 

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

Who his own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 1 Peter 2:24 KJV

But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes, we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 KJV

Photography & Written by Lori Garner                                           SinnersPrayer    

Inspiring Music by (YouTube)                                                                         Refiner (feat. Chandler Moore and Steffany Gretzinger) - Maverick City Music | TRIBL Music

"If you don't know, ask. You will be a fool for the moment, but a wise man for the rest of your life." - Seneca

Meaning of ask: say something in order to obtain an answer or some information.

The word ask is mentioned 119 times. 

The first thing that came to my mind is the proverb  “Ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies If you want the truth, better not ask directly.” It’s listed in the Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs, this saying recurs throughout 150 years of English literature. 

Have you ever spent a day with a child when they are in the WHY stage?  Do we ever ask the hard questions? Do we ever ask God? Why me?  I have. Do we ever ask a stupid question? Wait a stupid question ??? Never? I come from the school of not asking, is a stupid question. Because not knowing the answer can leave you void of knowledge.  

During my discovery of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.  I asked a question on Social Media? Who do you pray to? God? Jesus or the Holy Spirit? And that brought a mixture of responses. Even  “that's a stupid question?” I did not take it personally I genuinely wanted to know? And I asked openly so others that may be too timid to ask could also grow. 

I will ask you who do you pray to? Some say I pray to God. Some say I pray to Jesus. Few say I pray to the Holy Spirit. Some say I pray to the Father in Jesus' name? Some say, Lord. Let’s not cloud the issue with the multitude of names they are known by all over the world. Now I will ask do you believe in the Trinity? Do you believe that they are one? Do you believe that they are all the Father? 

Hmm, so now I ask you who do you pray to? 

I can only share my answer...During my journey with the Three, each of them playing a significant role in my life. It was a struggle to know who direct my thoughts and prayers. But it unfolded like a beautiful flower. One day during prayer to my Heavenly Father I said these words, Father, Father is too formal I have to call You something else. I then said I know I will call You LOVE because that is what I think of when I think of You! ❤. And then roll it forward a few months and I found myself deep in the meaning of Easter. And with conviction in my heart, I felt I was leaving a part of my new Divine friends out of my prayers and out of my life.. and on that very day, I started calling them LOVEs. So when I pray I address My LOVEs and that is for My Heavenly Father, Yeshua, and the Holy Spirit.. You see for me They are all one in my heart. 

So now I will ask you who do you pray to? 

Ask Him the important questions. My Father in Heaven knows His Children are full of whys and He loves to hear our thoughts. He may chuckle but He does this in the most loving way. He knows by asking questions is how His children grow. 

Have you ever thought of the vast amount of questions and thoughts that are asked of Him on a daily basis?  When I thought of this statement I had to change my direction and my questions turned into the following: 

Good morning LOVEs. Let me ask You what can I do for You today? How can I lighten Your load? What do You want of me?... 

And now I will ask My LOVEs why me? And His answer is Because I love you! And that is a WOW. Because I have felt His LOVE... and it will blow your mind... 

I will end this with my thoughts. Find the name to call your LOVEs that resonates with your soul. There is no stupid answer. It’s a personal choice that will fit in your heart perfectly. And He will wrap your voice in His loving arms.

It’s Him, It’s always Him

Photo Design & Written by Lori Garner

Inspiring Music: YouTube

Austin French - Why God (Lyrics)

Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.

Meaning of long-suffering having or showing patience in spite of troubles, especially those caused by other people.

This word is not a word that I wanted to research or even feel… 

When we look at Galatians chapter 5 verses 22:23, we will find the  “Fruit of the Spirit” listed as follows: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;. 

Life has its beauty but how do we learn to appreciate the beauty? I believe we must have opposite feelings, so we have a base of comparison… 

For instance, how could we recognize Joy without knowing sadness?  Peace without conflict?  Patience’s without impatience? kindness without unkindness ??  And the list goes on??? 

Strangely enough, when I looked up the opposite of long-suffering, I found the word blessed!! 

But how can we find the blessing in Long Suffering?  If I transpose the words they would read Suffering long!!! 

No one in their right mind would want to own these words...  But for this exercise, I will put my mind on hold and look at this word with my heart and soul... 

How could that be a blessing?   

Long-suffering is a heart-crushing feeling that leaves scars... It has no defined timeline.

But what life has taught me is Long-suffering is a great teacher!!! Those scars serve a beautiful purpose.

We live in a beautiful but challenging time. So many things to experience in one’s lifetime.

The pain and suffering are real but always remember you are not alone...  He stands by our side through all our trials. He wipes every tear... And His beautiful peace will engulf your soul and joy will come in the morning... 

It's Him... He is our joy, our love our peace... 

However, do we even think of His suffering on the cross? Do we think of His daily suffering? 

When many souls do not even acknowledge Him. (sad)

Do we not love Him as much as He loves us?? I believe It wounds His soul and breaks His beautiful heart... 

How deep? How long?  Will we let His Long-Suffering go on??

He had to ask Peter 3 times in order to get the true answer “ Do you love me? “ 

If He asks you today!  Do you love me? How would you answer??

Would you hesitate or would your answer roll off your tongue like sweet honey... 

Yes!! I love you. You know I love you.  

I feel it is in each one’s power to lighten His long-suffering one heart at a time... 

It's truly about Him! It's about loving Him with all our heart, soul, and mind... 

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. “This is the first and great commandment” 

This is the greatest blessing a person could ever achieve!!

After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (1 Peter 5:10). 

Written and Multi Media Art by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer Bible collaboration - Joann Turnbull

Inspiring Music by (youtube)

Oh How I Love You Lyric Video 

Jackie & Stacy Baker Worship | © 2018 Jackie Baker

Just now, take a few minutes to read what others have said about Him - the most amazing Man in all recorded time. They want to introduce you to the only Man in history who can radically lift you - and change you - for the better. - Vance Ferrell.. 

Meaning of impact - something or someone that has a strong effect on someone or something:

I did not find where or even if the word impact is written in the Bible. But the action of impact is written throughout its pages, its chapters and it’s lived through the characters we have grown to know... 

My journey started with a flame of LOVE that God rekindled within my heart and soul. I still do not understand all the whys, and the hows, but I know I am constantly searching for answers.  

I can only share the impact He has had on my life... from a personal level.  There are times I feel my story may not be as dramatic as some people have experienced... I thought my life was fine... No real problems to speak of... But I can share, that He rocked my world... and my life will never be the same... and for that, I feel I am blessed beyond words. 

However, as I sit in the stillness of my room reflecting and.. contemplating what to share with you my reader ... the darkness begins to engulf the walls of my home as night begins to set in... I close my eyes and I free my mind so I can travel back in time and relive each precious memory ... Each beautiful moment of discovering Him... It's been an amazing adventure. He has taught me so much in such a short time about life, love, and relationships... He has taught me about the many fascinating facets of who He is... But yet I know I have only begun to scratch the surface. His depth, vastness, and beauty are difficult to comprehend. 

But I can share, that I have felt Him stirring in my soul. I have touched His beautiful face ... I have been held close when I felt confused and alone... 

My thoughts are consumed with the beauty of His majestic splendor ... I strive to learn more each given day.

My days and nights .. are filled with the amazing wonders He created in our world. I feel like a child on a beautiful journey of discovering a LOVE that is difficult to put into words...  Only He could have impacted my life in such a heavenly way. I am forever grateful... I am forever His child... I am forever in LOVE with all the beautiful facets of who He is... 

God my Heavenly Father ... His beautiful Son and my savior Yeshua... and my loving guide and communicator the Holy Spirit... 

My three in One have impacted my life. I kiddingly ask, “Why did you wait so long to find me?” And then I realized it was me. He has always been by my side. It was me who did not still my soul enough to listen to His call, and I missed His sweet whispers as I busied myself with life. 

Shh close your eyes and listen He is whispering your name... 

It’s Him, It will always be Him.

I will happily admit...They have left a burning desire within me to pursue Him with every breath I take. With every beat of my heart and eternal soul... until the end of time... Life is a gift from Him... How we use it is a choice... At the end of each given day, we must ask ourselves did our life impact someone today?  Were we kind? Did we love? Did we make a difference in our world? 

#impact #choice #kind #love #difference #its #HIM 

Salt and Light “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 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 5:13-16

Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer 

Inspiring Music by (YouTube)

Impact - Hope Song (Official Live Video)

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

 Forsaken meaning abandoned or deserted.

There are approximately 57 passages about the word forsaken. 

This is such a heartfelt word. It wounds my soul... Have you ever felt abandoned or deserted? There are times in our lives that people in our lives do not even know the harm they cause by being so callous... 

When I researched the pages of the Bible for answers... It did not make me feel any better. This hurtful word cuts into my heart like a knife. I have felt this pain. But when I analyze the cause it truly was for a superficial reason. But it did cause me great anguish and heartache. I could only imagine the magnitude of abandonment Jesus felt. 

So when we witness our beautiful Savior and know He felt forsaken by the people who loved him the most. And then He had to endure the most hurtful abandonment of all. It’s when He suffered and struggled to let go of this human life.. and He cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matt 27:46 KJV 

Let that moment sit in your heart for just a moment. This type of wound had to be worse than the physical pain He endured. I know God had a plan and why Jesus came. But it boggles my mind and I find myself asking why? Why would you do this for such unworthy people?

I do feel as a parent you would give your life for your child. How and why did God the Father allow His child to suffer this pain?  

I do believe the Trinity is so closely knitted together, that God the Father suffered on the cross with the very part of Him that we know as His son. He is the ultimate parent and He did not want His children to suffer. You see He is the God of the bigger picture. The child He saved by sacrificing that beautiful part of Himself that He calls His beloved Son, is you and me… He never abandoned His Son.. and He will never abandon any of His children. He died to give us that golden ticket to Heaven.  We know Him as Yashua! 

But let's take this word one step further. Let's ask ourselves will we abandon Him? Or will be strong enough to endure this life. Will we be strong enough to tell the world of His amazing LOVE? Or do we hide behind His blood-stained cross? I say don’t forsake Him! 

It's Him. It's always Him. 

Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he [it is] that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee Deuteronomy 31:6 

Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me Psalms 38:21

Photo Design & Written by Lori Garner

Inspiring Music: YouTubeNever Forsaken - Hillsong Worship

“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”William Shakespeare...

The basic meaning behind the name Elohim is one of strength or power of effect. Elohim is the infinite, all-powerful God who shows by His works that He is the world's creator, sustainer, and supreme judge. “Bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure—you, the righteous [Elohim] who probes minds and hearts.” 

The word Elohim occurs more than 2,500 times in the Hebrew Bible and is translated to the name of God in the King James version.

The name Elohim has been a part of my journey almost from the beginning. But today, while speaking with a friend, I was enlightened even further. I can say I love God's mystery. He is like a beautiful puzzle that unravels my heart one beautiful layer at a time.

As many of you already know, I had a significant spiritual encounter a few years ago (May 2018). I have openly shared my heart and how music has significantly impacted my spiritual walk with God. 

I would like to share the moment in time when the name Elohim came alive in my soul. 

It was approximately two weeks after my spiritual encounter with the Holy Spirit that a song appeared on my phone, giving me pause. 

Songs had started appearing, and the lyrics and melodies seemed to move my soul like never before. This started as my spiritual heart opened to a greater love, which I found difficult to understand.  

The song that came that day was by an artist I had never heard of.  But the lyrics and the melodic sounds seem to speak to my soul.  The name of the song was LOVE is Alive by Elohim. This was not music I normally listened to... But at that moment in time, I felt so alive from His gift of love that I could feel it deep within my soul. This love seems so electrically charged that I wanted to share His love with anyone who would listen.  

My curiosity got the best of me about this band and song, so when I got home that day, I found my computer and typed in these words: “The meaning of Elohim.” I became wide-eyed, gasped, moved away from my computer, and said, OMG, the word Elohim means God. 

On that day, I started calling God Elohim. From that day, my journey began to unfold with each new day. It has been a few years, with many people, places, and things rushing by. And my love and understanding for Elohim grew. I had a silver ring carved with His name, “Elohim.” I never remove it from my finger. I wanted to be constantly reminded of His great love. 

One of the many facts I share about my amazing journey is my location during my encounter. I was alone in my car on a lonely Triune, TN road. The location truly had no significance to me at that time ... 

But as my story unfolded, I questioned why no one falls in love with the Holy Spirit. So, I Googled it. To my surprise, the article pointed out that another word for the Trinity is “TRIUNE,” which blew my mind. 

So, if you have ever wondered why I say He WOWs me, you now know why. It’s His mystery, His Love, and how He has taught me about this amazing One we know as the great I AM. 

But these God-wink moments did not end there. When speaking to a friend tonight, Elohim came up in our conversation. Elohim?

I already knew that the beautiful name Elohim meant God... But we went on to discover this... 

“The noun Elohim is plural, but it is always used with a singular verb when it speaks of the true God. This indicates unity and diversity within the nature of God. This unity and diversity are revealed in Scripture as the doctrine of the “TRINITY. “

I can only say OMG, I am speechless. 

Everything I see, touch, and now love points me to Him. It’s always Him ... my beautiful Elo"HIM"... How can I not stay in the state of WOW?? 

He blows my mind.   

So, in my mind, I need to simplify this: I was in Triune, TN (Trinity, TN), when my encounter happened. With no prior religious knowledge, a song pointed me to a “Hebrew” word that resonated with my heart. I began to use the name Elohim to address God, which means Trinity. 

How does this happen? It has been Elohim’s plan for me all along. He called, and my heart listened. 

My life will never be the same!!!

See how very much our Father (My Elohim) loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. 1John 3:1 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

Photography, Design & Written by Lori Garner 

Bible Verses From NIV

Sinner's Prayer

Inspiring Music: YouTube Video   

Love is Alive - Louis the Child ft. Elohim | feel good music 2021