Tuesday, August 23

Blessed daily by Faye's "FAITH"

I go to Curves, and each day that I go - I am blessed in new ways.  One of the ways is that when I go into the room to change - I see a poster for an Art Show that is being held by Faye Hall (for more details see http://www.fayehall.com/2011/08/turning-my-home-into-a-gallery/ )


If you go to Faye's site, you will see why I am blessed each day that I go into Curves and see her poster on the bulletin board.  I am daily blown away at how God weaves details of our lives together to make an amazing LIFE PICTURE.


Let me share a story that I shared in part, on January 6th of this year (you can see that blog post if you wish).  


I don't always share such intimate details of my walk with God.  However I am going to do that today.  I don't usually share them because I don't always think that HE wants me to.  I also don't always share them because I will be honest ... when I say that God speaks to me, not everyone believes me, and some people think that doesn't happen today.  BUT ... whether you believe me or not, I know that God speaks.  In fact, he speaks alot. (Personally I think more of us would hear him more often if we were less busy, less distracted and more inclined to just sit and listen without talking ourselves!)  Anyhow... I have told my kids that when I die, if they choose to read my journals, that if they see "conversations" ~ that they will know I was writing as I was listening.  It was so refreshing one day when I met with my dear young friend Karen, and she shared how she finds out that she writes conversations in her journal.  I totally understood what she was saying as that was happening to me too.  This has not always been the way things have gone with me.  But definitely during the last 10 years or so.  Personally I think it is because I am just so thirsty for the LORD.  Which is what this post is all about.
(and here comes the details of my conversation with the Lord, on the morning of Jan. 6 of this year, 2011)


That morning, in my QT he had directed me to Isaiah 35:7  "the parched land will become a pool and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land"


When I journalled about the word parched I wrote down these definitions:
parched:  desperate for water; dry to the extreme; dried out by heat or excessive exposure to sunlight; needing or desiring drink - thirsty; archaic thirst; to make dry, hot or thirsty.


the key thought for that day, from my devotional book was "hot sands will become a cool oasis"


From there, I started to journal, and here are my thoughts and my conversation with God, word for word.  


"Good morning Lord.  Thank you for your Word given this morning through Isaiah 35.  The verse that I focused on was verse 7 which talked about the parched land coming to live - with water quenching it - and springing forth!


I have looked up the word parched.  Does this often describe my soul?  Does the dry and barrenness describe my life often?  Lord ~ forgive me.  Sometimes the "heat" in my life just overtakes me and leaves me very dry - very lifeless - very crusty like the soil that has not gotten water in a very long time.


What has made my life dry and cracked - what has made my life parched?  I think perhaps the times when the day gets going and I have not chosen to renew at the well - the springs of living water!! O Lord help me to get into this practice again!


I thirst ... O Lord please fill me.
I see this image/picture you have just given me - of a woman standing under a waterfall with the water streaming down onto her face.  She is standing in all her clothes - and her face is looking into it.  Her eyes are closed - her arms are up as if to catch even more of the living and refreshing water.  There is a serene look on her face - 
O Lord - this is ME!!
Fill me to overflowing
Wash over me with your living water
Please Lord.  Please"


A couple months later (I think it was) I got an email from Faye, in regards to Steve Bell.  As a result of reading that over, I came to see a picture (I think it was tiny and beside her name or something) and it literally took my breath away!  THERE WAS THE PICTURE THAT GOD GAVE TO ME ON JAN 6 OF THIS YEAR!  Honestly I had never seen this picture before, even though she painted it in 2010.  


The reason why I am writing this again, and why I am blessed with going into Curves and seeing Faye's poster is for exactly this reason ..If you go to her post, and see the poster, it will explain itself!  AND HEY ...  she is a very very talented local artist.  Look through her site - read her blog about some of her paintings - and attend her first ever art show!  


God moves in mysterious ways.  And, he has certainly used Faye Hall to bless my life!  AND she didn't even know it when she painted a picture that came as an inspiration to her.


Our God is an awesome God! He never ceases to amaze me at how he brings people together!  Now go - check her website out! www.fayehall.com      Guaranteed you will also be blessed!



1 comment:

ashleymarie said...

so cool! you should have that painting in the retreat house :)