Blessings beyond measure!
I really have struggled with a title for this blog, keep reading and I'm sure you'll see why.
The past few months the Lord has put it on my heart to give things away. I'm not talking about t-shirt with holes in them...lol. Come on, you know you've done it. I'm talking about the creations of my hands and the visions of my soul. The tough stuff.
What's in it for me? I have no idea, yet. The first bear I gave away was to a baby in a coma that woke up! I gave a bear away to a little girl going through chemotherapy....it had a big bow in its hair and promised to hold onto it until the little girl could wear it.
I think I've been looking at everything through lenses that were clouded with false expectations. I expected God to use my talents and my visions and my gifts to make me rich...You know, "The blessings of the Lord make you rich and He adds no sorrow to it." Proverbs 10:22.
I believe that the hand of the diligent is blessed. "...diligent hands bring wealth" (Proverbs 10:4b.
Hmmm. I've been trying to make a way for myself. This is an honorable desire. God honors your work, it's a given that if you work you will eat (unless you're upside down in your house, car, credit cards, etc...) Then if you work you will pay...and pay, and pay...
Anyway, I thought if I launched my business God would bless it, but I don't think I understood what a blessing was.... I thought it was money or "getting my name out there," or something. You know....having a big effect on the world! Charge!!!
However, today I've been blessed beyond measure. (Ephesians 3:20) The blessings of the Lord are overtaking me. (Deuteronomy 28:2). What can't you measure? You can measure success, you can measure wealth, you can measure treasures....what kind of blessing can't you measure?
Have I got some stories to tell you! I've seen pictures in my mind that express deep emotions. I took a chance and sketched them and found someone to actually create them. Why? Lord, am I supposed to sell them? Guess what? He said to give them away. So, I went to the Children's hospital and a counseling center today and gave away two heart felt canvased pictures that I saw in my heart.
I also made a bear for a special young lady that has been fighting a horrible battle...like all the demons in hell had been sent out to destroy her. The reward? I made it and I just knew that I had to take it to her mother today. Why? I had no idea that it's her birthday tomorrow. No idea! But I followed that prompting of the Holy Spirit. "You have to take it today."
The reward for the canvases? Tears in the eyes of those who saw them, hope that will be in the eyes of those who see them. You can't buy that and you can't measure it.
For those of you...you know who you are....that might be tempted to think that this is a bragging session....please let me tell you that there's nothing to brag about, unless obedience gives you bragging rights.
I didn't know that the baby I gave "No Nap" to would wake up. I didn't know the little girl with cancer would hold onto that Teddy Bear as if her life depended on it. I had no idea it was this young warriors birthday! I had no idea! All I had were thoughts and images and I went beyond all my fears and put them out where someone could say, "you made that?" With a snarky attitude. I opened myself up for rejection. I hate rejection. I'm allergic...lol. To some people rejection is a distraction, for me it's been devastating. I could feel rejection in my soul, it was like someone was rejecting all of me, when rejection is really only a difference of opinion. Growth...I think so.
What do you have in your hands right now that God wants to use to bless you beyond measure. I'm not talking about a yard sale or some kind of get rich quick scheme. I'm talking about selfless love and obedience that costs you something. What good is it if you obey and it doesn't cost you anything. "To obey is better than sacrifice."(I Samuel 15:22 ) You see, I thought it was all about money and making provisions for myself and being responsible.... those things are important. I don't want to be a burden on my family or the nation or anyone else. But I've learned that I can not do it! I can not provide enough for myself. It's not the time to run a business, it's not the time to run myself ragged and expect God to meet my needs out of some sense of obligation. He doesn't have to do anything. But then again, neither do I.
Today's society is full of the "you owe me" mentality. I'm just going to say it....who else would try to buy your vote by "paying you" for something their ancestors did to you centuries ago? Who would you owe then?
My gift....is simply the tears that ran down my face when I realized what the Lord was doing.... Did you get that...I can't heal, I can't restore, I can't comfort. I'm a human and although I try to do everything I can to make this world a better place...I am not God. Whew... what a relief.
So, as you go along this journey with me we'll see what the Lord does. Will I run out of teddy bears, will I run out of money to buy canvases? Even if I did....what would I have lost? Nothing. I have gained treasures in heaven and in my heart that nobody can ever take away from me.
What are you holding onto in hopes of gaining prosperity when prosperity is simply being obedient and watching what the Lord does with it? This probably won't be popular, but I don't care. I want you to experience the freedom and the joy of simply following your heart.
The world is full of needs, the church is full of needs, not for profit ministries are stretching every dollar they can get. I don't want to pull a dime from any of that. I want to give and watch what God does, not only to support me, but to overwhelm others with his greatness. He will. He promised that he would not share his glory with anyone else. I don't want it, do you?
Watch out for my next blog on the price of purpose...
The past few months the Lord has put it on my heart to give things away. I'm not talking about t-shirt with holes in them...lol. Come on, you know you've done it. I'm talking about the creations of my hands and the visions of my soul. The tough stuff.
What's in it for me? I have no idea, yet. The first bear I gave away was to a baby in a coma that woke up! I gave a bear away to a little girl going through chemotherapy....it had a big bow in its hair and promised to hold onto it until the little girl could wear it.
I think I've been looking at everything through lenses that were clouded with false expectations. I expected God to use my talents and my visions and my gifts to make me rich...You know, "The blessings of the Lord make you rich and He adds no sorrow to it." Proverbs 10:22.
I believe that the hand of the diligent is blessed. "...diligent hands bring wealth" (Proverbs 10:4b.
Hmmm. I've been trying to make a way for myself. This is an honorable desire. God honors your work, it's a given that if you work you will eat (unless you're upside down in your house, car, credit cards, etc...) Then if you work you will pay...and pay, and pay...
Anyway, I thought if I launched my business God would bless it, but I don't think I understood what a blessing was.... I thought it was money or "getting my name out there," or something. You know....having a big effect on the world! Charge!!!
However, today I've been blessed beyond measure. (Ephesians 3:20) The blessings of the Lord are overtaking me. (Deuteronomy 28:2). What can't you measure? You can measure success, you can measure wealth, you can measure treasures....what kind of blessing can't you measure?
Have I got some stories to tell you! I've seen pictures in my mind that express deep emotions. I took a chance and sketched them and found someone to actually create them. Why? Lord, am I supposed to sell them? Guess what? He said to give them away. So, I went to the Children's hospital and a counseling center today and gave away two heart felt canvased pictures that I saw in my heart.
I also made a bear for a special young lady that has been fighting a horrible battle...like all the demons in hell had been sent out to destroy her. The reward? I made it and I just knew that I had to take it to her mother today. Why? I had no idea that it's her birthday tomorrow. No idea! But I followed that prompting of the Holy Spirit. "You have to take it today."
The reward for the canvases? Tears in the eyes of those who saw them, hope that will be in the eyes of those who see them. You can't buy that and you can't measure it.
For those of you...you know who you are....that might be tempted to think that this is a bragging session....please let me tell you that there's nothing to brag about, unless obedience gives you bragging rights.
I didn't know that the baby I gave "No Nap" to would wake up. I didn't know the little girl with cancer would hold onto that Teddy Bear as if her life depended on it. I had no idea it was this young warriors birthday! I had no idea! All I had were thoughts and images and I went beyond all my fears and put them out where someone could say, "you made that?" With a snarky attitude. I opened myself up for rejection. I hate rejection. I'm allergic...lol. To some people rejection is a distraction, for me it's been devastating. I could feel rejection in my soul, it was like someone was rejecting all of me, when rejection is really only a difference of opinion. Growth...I think so.
What do you have in your hands right now that God wants to use to bless you beyond measure. I'm not talking about a yard sale or some kind of get rich quick scheme. I'm talking about selfless love and obedience that costs you something. What good is it if you obey and it doesn't cost you anything. "To obey is better than sacrifice."(I Samuel 15:22 ) You see, I thought it was all about money and making provisions for myself and being responsible.... those things are important. I don't want to be a burden on my family or the nation or anyone else. But I've learned that I can not do it! I can not provide enough for myself. It's not the time to run a business, it's not the time to run myself ragged and expect God to meet my needs out of some sense of obligation. He doesn't have to do anything. But then again, neither do I.
Today's society is full of the "you owe me" mentality. I'm just going to say it....who else would try to buy your vote by "paying you" for something their ancestors did to you centuries ago? Who would you owe then?
My gift....is simply the tears that ran down my face when I realized what the Lord was doing.... Did you get that...I can't heal, I can't restore, I can't comfort. I'm a human and although I try to do everything I can to make this world a better place...I am not God. Whew... what a relief.
So, as you go along this journey with me we'll see what the Lord does. Will I run out of teddy bears, will I run out of money to buy canvases? Even if I did....what would I have lost? Nothing. I have gained treasures in heaven and in my heart that nobody can ever take away from me.
What are you holding onto in hopes of gaining prosperity when prosperity is simply being obedient and watching what the Lord does with it? This probably won't be popular, but I don't care. I want you to experience the freedom and the joy of simply following your heart.
The world is full of needs, the church is full of needs, not for profit ministries are stretching every dollar they can get. I don't want to pull a dime from any of that. I want to give and watch what God does, not only to support me, but to overwhelm others with his greatness. He will. He promised that he would not share his glory with anyone else. I don't want it, do you?
Watch out for my next blog on the price of purpose...
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