Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, and too short for those who rejoice, but for those who LOVE, time is eternity. Henry Van Dyke..
Did I lose you or did we all lose?? When we lack understanding, and compassion towards others….. with each strike and blow, there is a price to pay... we may not realize it at the time.
But I believe, we lose just a little piece of our heart… and it creates a void that is so difficult to fill…No matter where we run, no matter how hard we chase completeness... The opportunity to love and to be loved slips just past our fingertips…
We were created by God to love… but without understanding, compassion and kindness… love is only a shallow emotion…
How deep is your love ?? Is it just a shallow emotion or have you taken the time to understand???
“ walk a mile in my shoes”
“ things are not always as they seem”
And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13
“It's shame some people will have to learn how to appreciate you by losing you.”
God's promises are all on condition of humble obedience. Ellen G. White
“I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. Genesis 28:15
The author Herbert Locklear found 7,147 promises from God to man in the Bible.
And in Genesis 28:15 He says
“ I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
And then I began to wonder have we promised Him anything in return? Many give Him their hearts. Many even surrender, and some even claim to follow Him and say they will love Him with all their mind, body, and soul .. but have we vocalized that heartfelt promise?
He gave us 7,147 promises! My curious mind wonders just how many have been fulfilled?
And as this image unfolded in my mind I could hear in my heart
Romans 8:28 TPT
So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together for good, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose.
The meaning of promise in the Bible In a general sense, a declaration, written or verbal, made by one person to another, which binds the person who makes it, either in honor, conscience, or law, to do or forbear a certain act specified; a declaration which gives to the person to whom it is made, a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of the act
How many promises have we made to God … and how many have we kept? Those promises are the threads that weave our intimacy with our beautiful Creator.
The only way to get acquainted with the voice of the Holy Spirit is through intimacy with the Holy Spirit.
Meaning of overwhelmed: to bury or drown beneath a huge mass. “the water flowed through to overwhelm the whole dam and the village beneath"
We have located 55 verses in the Bible that reference the word overwhelmed.
There are times in life when we feel overwhelmed by life itself… But when we can claim that we have been overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit it is indeed a heavenly gift from God…
Without searching or being chained to any religious beliefs... I had a Holy Spirit Encounter... It’s not surprising that I did not understand the magnitude of what had just transpired on that lonely road in Triune, TN... I know that I felt a love and warmth beyond anything I have ever felt in my entire existence on earth.
From that moment my soul felt a freedom and a love that I found difficult to contain... I felt driven to discover more about this Heavenly gift.. and my journey of chasing Him took flight. As He whispered words of love to my soul the creative spectrum that had been stifled by life began to emerge… And to my surprise, I began openly sharing Him with any creative means I could discover. And then this once shy person …. stepped out from the shadows into the light.
During this fantastic journey, He began to teach me things about His mission on earth.… And as He poured these nuggets of wisdom into my thirsty soul, I realized my life would never be the same. He became as important as the very air I breathe...
This image began as a painting of Jesus' face… and as I brought it into my digital world. His love story began to unfold…
My Triune shares an overwhelming love that will capture our hearts and free our one-bound souls.
“Overwhelming LOVE”
With just a whisper... I Am undone …
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18
Disappointment to a noble soul is what cold water is to burning metal; it strengthens, tempers, intensifies, but never destroys it. Eliza Tabor
The meaning of disappointment: It is sadness or displeasure caused by the nonfulfillment of one's hopes or expectations.
We located 45 verses in the Bible that deals with the word disappointment…
I am sure that we have all struggled with the word disappointment. We set expectations, and goals, and create in our own mind how we want life to unfold… And when things don’t go as planned that sad word disappoint creeps into our saddened little souls…
When I peel back this word and traveled through the scriptures most deal with us as a self-centered lot…
It points us to turn to our Lord for comfort and strength…. But the cord that struck my soul was do we disappoint God? Have we as humans missed His message of love and faith ???
When I channel surf and catch the headlines I would think He must be so disappointed… There are wars raging across borders, rumors of wars being eminently possible… battles on the home front… political unrest which carries such underlying agendas of power and greed. There are talks of famine, and innocent blood being spilled on our streets. Making us feel unsafe. Many have retreated to their homes. We have learned to keep our children within arms reach… Our beautiful children are growing up in such a turbulent, unpredictable world…
The verse that kept coming to my mind as this word disappointment settled within my mind was…. John 11:35.
Jesus wept…
Do we understand the crushing explication of this verse ??
I can not help but feel He allowed Himself to be crucified to save humanity … To save our world… to save you … and to save me…
I feel that He must be so disappointed. Understand that His love is so deep … Even disappointment can not alter His love for each man, woman, and child… But do we stop and think of His feelings??? Or are we so caught up in self that disappointing Him never crosses our mind until we have a mess on our hands.
Do we have the power to execute change in our world??
Do we speak love, do we practice kindness? Do we show compassion? Do we leave that judgmental thought behind? Do we embrace our fellow man?
There is a saying that has traveled the Christian circuit for years ”WWJD” “what would Jesus do” if we asked ourselves that question it could be the catalyst for change…
Easy to say… but to understand and second guess what He would do… You must know Him intimately. Better than you know yourself…
I challenge you to be the light in this unpredictable world... Let's make His tears, tears of Joy!!!
It's Him! It will always be him!!
“Let not your hearts be troubled.Believe in God;believe also in me.Inmy Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you thatI go to prepare a place for you?And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take youto myself, thatwhere I am you may be also. John 14:1-3
Become the person you were meant to be, light your inner fire and follow your heart’s desire. Leon Brown…
Meaning of stoke .. add coal or other solid fuel to (a fire, furnace, boiler, etc.).
The word stoke is only used one time in the Bible.
It's 3 am and I can not sleep… as I close my eyes and begin to pray the word stoke nudged my mind and stirred the smoldering fire within…
What sets our souls on fire? What is this pull God has placed within my soul to chase this greater existence? This greater peace? This greater LOVE…
Has this kindling been placed in our souls before birth… Does it sit dormant just waiting for that golden opportunity? That date with destiny, when our Heavenly Father has preordained the exact moment-in-time of when He will remind us of who we are… and how our story began… ??
We are all His children … When He created us He placed His seal of ownership on our heads. And sprinkled His love into our hearts. He lovingly kissed our tender souls…And then gently placed us in our mother's womb…
I believe this precious kindling sits waiting in silence… Waiting like combustible atoms of light! All waiting for God to unlock and ignite the fire of heaven's light.
This is what I consider the rebirth of the soul. Many call it an awakening… However, I find it odd that there are those that claim an awakening of the spirit … and they may find many gifts!! However, they miss the most important ingredient, the reason, the main event… and our true purpose...
Even when it's our Heavenly Father’s very breath that has stirred up that primal craving to search for more… Some still do not get it ...It is sad that many do not cherish this gift or for that matter even acknowledge where it came from.
He gently blows His heavenly breath into our smoldering souls… the fire within our hearts begins to spark and the flutter of new life can be felt. He lovingly stokes the coals with such care and He sings a love song that resonates with the most intimate places in our souls. His love is the purest love that we could ever be blessed to feel.
The coals react with the oxygen in the air and the glowing red heat turns into a flame. This fire can be equated to birth and resurrection…
This portion of His heavenly love has had our name on it since the beginning of time.
The power of this love is beyond our human understanding. It is a beautiful process of reconnecting with our Creator… Our mission in this life is to find our way Home so we can reunite with our first love.
It is our destiny to fall madly in love with the greatest soul that I have ever grown to know…
It's Him, it will always be Him.
Breathe on me… your sweet breath of LOVE🔥it contains enough octane to blow the human mind… He is the eternal breath of life…
The Spirit of God hath made me, And the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. Job 33:4 KJV
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. Jeremiah 1:5
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God John 3:5
“A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.” – William Arthur Ward
Smile
Is it an involuntary emotion? Yes, it is true, studies have shown that the very act of seeing another person smile triggers an automatic muscle response that produces a smile on our face. Did you know a smile can be contagious?
As I began to peel back this word… I began to ask myself what I have done today to make Jesus smile… Have I spoken with love? Or have harsh words spilled from my lips… Have I been thoughtful and kind? Or have I been too busy with myself to realize you needed to hear my voice?
There is so much hate in our world… So much discord … So much judgment….
Did you know a smile could change a mood… it could open a door .. a smile can warm a troubled heart…
When we try to share the greatest love ever known to mankind…. I think we should start with a smile…
The ripple effect is contagious!
It’s His light that is shining from within.
A smile invoked from His presence is an uncontainable involuntary emotion that speaks of His joy, love, and peace!
It’s Him, It’s always Him
Have you made Jesus smile today??? If not what are you waiting for …. ❤️🕊😁
Smile the world is watching...
Art 16x20 Acrylic
Digitally finished
“Smile”
Proverbs 15:30 “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health.”
Proverbs 17:22 “A joyful heart is good medicine, but depression drains one’s strength.”
Proverbs 15:13-15 “A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit. A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash. For the despondent, every day brings trouble;for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.”
Psalm 126:2-3 “Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad.”
The cross is a place where we can see and feel the most horrifically mean event ever witnessed … A moment in time where un-believing hearts tried to diminish our Savior's worth… Little did they know His victory over their actions would be the greatest love story ever told….
Meaning of mean: If you describe a person or animal as mean, you are saying that they are very bad-tempered and cruel.
We located 100 verses that speak of the ugly word “mean”.
Just how mean can we be??? Are we quick to weld that judgment sword? Do we feel so full of self that there is no room in our hearts or love left for anyone that does not fit into the mold we created?
As I sit studying this word my scars seem to reappear and bleed… I know many of you can relate… This action word “mean” unfortunately can and does appear on both sides of the spectrum…
I do believe we all can have that mean streak that can surface at will … or we could be that wounded soul that bleeds from the cruelty of another. The scars may fade but do they ever truly go away??? I say not…
I have witnessed this ugly human trait as early as infancy… and as old as.. (you should know better)…
Does the word outcast ring a bell??? Do we cut people out of our lives because we do not have an open mind or the heart to understand? Do we leave wounded souls in our wake ?? Do we show remorse for our actions ?? Are we so callous that we can not see the hurt in the eyes of the one scorned?
Words and actions toward others say a lot about our character and who we truly are as human beings.
I must say I have felt that deep wound of rejection during my journey…It's a wound that cuts deep into my soul … But at the same time, I found peace within my soul, because I found the greatest love I have ever known.
The emotions that went along with the events, flooded my vulnerable heart and had my head spinning… But Jesus loving held me while I reconciled my mind, body, and soul. He has a talent for rescuing bleeding hearts... He too has felt that pain of heartbreak and rejection.
The experience of healing in His hands is an experience that will leave you forever changed.
When others leave scars we will learn that it is their insecurities that cause them to ignore, lash out with words that sting, and actions that may crush our souls. These actions are in hopes of diminishing our sense of worth. While they inflate their own ego. "Self" is selfish a four-letter word.
We must remember that we are only here for a brief moment in time… And no matter what happens in this life Jesus thinks we are priceless!!!
I say learn the art of being Teflon in a cruel world.. Make others wonder what treasure you have discovered!!!
It’s Him !! It will always be Him!!! He is my hiding place… He is the healer of my heart and the lover of my soul…
PS. I can tell you that He does not have a mean bone in His body… And His LOVE is like no other !! It’s indescribable!!!
Therefore, rid yourselvesof all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slanderof every kind.2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk,so that by it you may grow upin your salvation,3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.1 Peter 2
Just a little love can resurrect life, hopes, and dreams..
One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today. Dale Carnegie
I am a photographer by trade. And as many of you already know, the art of painting is a new adventure.
My introduction to a love greater than I ever knew started with a Holy Spirit encounter 4 years ago..
During this time I started the new practice of Meditation. I also moved to an old farmhouse in a quaint city by the name of Triune… There I found a neglected rose bush. Bugs had ravished her leaves. She was sad and had almost lost her will to live… I began taking care of her I watered, fertilized, pruned, and loved her… and life returned … she gave me the roses appearing in this collage.
(With no forethought on the subject)
Yesterday while meditating I had a vision in my mind appear. It was Jesus I could tell by the scar in the palm of His hand and pink rose petals began to slowly fall.. and as I watched them gently float downward. I was moved and began to cry.
I was unaware of what this meant .. and I found this
A fascinating fact about these roses is that in ancient Hebrew texts, it is written that pink roses are the only flowers permitted inside the walls of the city of Jerusalem, largely because they were the only roses of the time. Their spiraling petals represented a journey towards perfection. Also, there were roses of different colors in the past, and pink roses’ symbolism throughout the world often reflected a desire to give the most beautiful flower in nature, a gift that is selfless and pure… yet sure to be noticed.
“To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest human achievement.”
— Saint Augustine
Why do so many struggle with Loving Him? Many see Him as flat, unfeeling, and one-dimensional…But His love is a spectrum of beautiful vivid colors. His emotions run deep… Many know of Him… But do we take the time to truly know Him?
He listens to our requests without judgment … He comforts us. He loves us with such grace, compassion, and unwavering Love!! But few offer Him the love that He seeks in return.
He wrote the book on unconditional unselfish love.
No conditions … No request …Just a spiritual soulful love… It is difficult to understand let alone describe. His love is not from the world.
I will share a beautiful quote that helps put it into words.
“I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate than when I fall asleep your eyes close.” –from Pablo Neruda, 100 Love Sonnets
1 John 4:18 -20 … PERFECT Love that has no end…
Does His emotion speak to your heart?? Share your thoughts …
Meaning of ignore: to refuse to take notice of or acknowledge; disregard intentionally.
I discovered the writers of this fantastic love story we know as the Bible did not ignore the word “ignore” … lol
Hello, Hello… can you hear me ?? Oh my gosh were we disconnected… “ All of us have heard that “dead air .“ or we have experienced the feeling that we have been talking to ourselves…We normally are irritated at best … When we ignore someone we can leave lasting scars...
Do we ask ourselves...
Do I try again? Or do I turn my back and act like our encounter did not happen or that, that person does exist??? Do we move on and busy ourselves with life… And leave the crushed heart in our wake?
I must admit I ignored that subtle whisper I heard in my soul… I fear that my first love heard “Dead Air” or as they say He possibly heard crickets.
When I look back at my life I can recall a few times that He tried to get my attention??? Why didn't I listen ?? Was I too busy doing life?
Big, Big mistake, and I regret that I did not hear Him, or worse I chose to ignore all His signals …
But all is not lost... He never gave up !!! I am thrilled that He knew I would hear Him eventually… I have asked Him to forgive me for ignoring Him… for so long…
I feel I came late to the party… But I have decided to be the one that will stay and help clean up the mess … Because He gave me a priceless gift… its a gift not of this world… it's a gift I could never begin to repay! it is Him!!
I no longer want to ignore His sweet voice… I want to hear His music in the depths of my soul! I want to dance to His gift of life and love…
He truly is a gift of the heart…
If you have felt or heard that subtle whisper in your soul...Please don’t make the same mistake I made for so many years …
Open your heart, listen to the music and just dance.
It’s Him! It’s always Him!!!
Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre! Psalm 149:3
