Christmas Morning

     I was challenged this week at Church to look at the gifts God has given me and use them. Seems simple right? I have been walking with the Lord for quite some time and found myself dumfounded at the task of evaluating what the gifts are. I ended up texting my Pastor and he was quite helpful (as usual!)
     My biggest trip up when thinking about gifting is that I forget that God says, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways." (Is. 55:8)
     At Christmas time, well actually we have made a habit of getting Christmas shopping done in October! WHAT! Its so great cause then I can super focus on the teaching stuff God gives me for the kids. Easter and Christmas we kind of have our own little VBS kind of weeks leading up to the big day! ANYWAYS~ When my husband and I are thinking about what to give our kids we think of one kids at a time. We think about what would delight them and be useful. Some gifts are for pure fun and others (like art sets or legos) if used at the child's full potential can bless others. They can use their made in His image-ness to create something from nothing and it will delight others.
     Now as is human nature there are times that our kids will take their eyes off their own gifts and decide if what their siblings got is better or not. I think this would be a good description of where I go wrong with my thinking on spiritual gifts.
     I think God would have us unwrap our gifts and use them in a way that we bless others and never forgetting Who gave them.

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies- in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To Him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:10-11

     The overwhelming theme of that scripture is a God focus and not a self focus.  So if I am going to go off of God's thoughts on the matter of gifts and not my own, I think I will be blogging more. I love to share the truths that God is teaching me. I haven't written in 4 months because I got my eyes of Him. I looked around at other's gifts and decided mine weren't as shiny so I should just put them away. Not at all what God has called us to.

     So here is the challenge to you my friend and reader. Do you know what God has given you? Are you willing to use it fully with out looking at what others got and waisting your heart comparing yours to theirs?

     I am convinced this is a process. Just as children don't wake up Christmas morning blink and have their 500 piece lego set built and on display. We first need to have a heart to receive not thinking ourselves any less loved by God than others. Then unwrap. Then lets serve one another spend ourselves and our gifts to encourage the body. There are so many people hurting and struggling out there, James 1 talks about various trials we go through. That word various is the same word that God uses in 1 Peter 4, talking about various grace! God matches trials with grace and He'd like to use you functioning in your gifts to dispense that grace. Lets not rob one another with childish perspective on spiritual gifts. Let believe scripture and act accordingly.
     Can I get a high five?!

What if I didn't CARE?

     About a month and a half ago I posted how God provided for me to script for FREE! This has been a very exciting development for me with Abide Scripts.
     With the money God gave through my land lord I went out and purchase everything I would need to get going again.

I had run out out of most everything. I had a few orders waiting to be fill so I got to painting right away.
     Something happened for the first time in all my time painting. I COULD NOT SCRIPT! I couldn't write out the scripture pretty or spelled correctly to save my life! The spelling issue has been ever present and God uses it to remind me that this adventure is His to lead. I have gone from extreme embarrassment over it to down right thankful for the constant reminder. Now the not being able to layout the words well or even form each letter properly was new. I would script, mess up, cover over with more background paint and mess up again. Seriously, it was so strange and more so very frustrating. There were many tears and sitting in quiet asking God what in the world was going on.
     One evening I had messed up yet another go at a canvas. I was DONE! The kids were in bed, I got in mine and just stared at the wall. I had gotten to the place that I had asked others to pray for me and knew that there was something going on that was deeper that just messing up. I knew that God had taken away the ability to script for a purpose. When my man got home from work that evening he asked what was up. Cause I'm not really good at pretending things are fine when they aren't. I shared that it was the same thing that it had been. I said, "I am just not able to script." Paul said, "well maybe that is what He wants you to get, that you aren't able to do this with out Him." That sounded right but I honestly didn't think I was trying to do it with out Him. We continued to talk and Paul said lots of other good wise, thought provoking things as he usually does and then went to take his shower. Still on the bed I thought through Paul's challenges of truth and then, what I thought was totally unrelated came to mind. Caring what people think. WHAT!? You see I had also that week exhausted my husband with what other people seemed to think about all kinds of life issues and the anxiety that stired up in my heart as a result. The Holy Spirit whispered you can't care anymore about what other people think. That is not welcome in the new season I AM leading you into with scripting again.
     Let me be clear when I say I am not to care what other's think. This was from God so His command was this: Gal.1:10 For am I now seeking the approval of men or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I am trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
I am not talking about an attitude of rebellion, in not caring but more of a putting my care fulling on Christ and not on peoples opinions. This has been a long time miss the mark for me. Something I have habitually struggle with. I believe God was saying enough is enough.
     So I began to think what if I didn't care what people thought and I was consumed with what God thought? I have an entire bible to check to make sure I know what He thinks AND the Holy Spirit to guide me! I felt like my brain exploded! It was time. Time to make that somewhat scary leap to obey in something that felt like it was apart of my personality. Disobeying God is apart of our fallen nature but not our identity in Christ.
     Shortly after the call to stop caring I had this "revolutionary" thought, what if I didn't care about opinions of others more that God in any area of my life? Boom! Oh how slow I am! I am so thankful for God's gracious patience with me.
     I have begun the hard work of recognizing when I very naturally get obsessed with other's opinions, stopping and turning my focus onto God's truth about the matter. You see, God has not called me to simple paint. I am to script His word and pray for the individuals that the canvas is gong to. I can not multi task. I just can't. My brain can only pray or worry not both. Of course this has affected my whole life not just scripting.
     So is there anything in your life that God is making it clear that it isn't welcome in your next season? I implore you get rid of it!

The fallowing pictures are all canvases God has allowed me to paint with a singular focus on Him and praying for the person whose wall it will adorn.

I tried water color for the first time! I love feathers so there are quite
a few of those going on right now

First try at water color EVER!

   

FREE!!!

     I got the impression from the Holy Spirit that it was time for some change for Abide Scripts. I have been praying and waiting for weeks about what it will be. If you have fallowed along at all you know that Abide Scripts functioned as a small business for about a year. It was profitable but getting paid to paint just wasn't for me. I love painting God's word onto canvas in hopes that it will jump off the wall and into people's hearts and lives. There have been countless testimonies of how God has used His word on these canvases. So many of the request I get are from people who know someone who is suffering. I have heard many hard stories and gotten to pray with many for loved ones as they come to pick up their orders. I know that I am to keep painting! I shut the business down and said I would paint if the one's requesting would purchase supplies. I heard through several resources that people wanted to ask for a canvas and didn't mind paying for the supplies but the having to get it and not knowing just what to get was a real turn off as far as contacting me. This ended up being just fine as I was starting school with our three kids and it hadn't really gone well yet (like at all ever). This school year has been very different and down right great! I have a lot more time on my hands as my man just started a second job to ensure that I can stay home full time with the kids.

     OK that is all the back story and now the cool thing that happened today. I was talking with my land lord as he was picking up his lawn mower up. He loves Jesus and is a pilot for Samaritan's purse. He was telling me that he had an opportunity to hang out with Franklin Graham the other day and how blessed he was to find that Franklin is just one of the guys and so very humble. He mentioned that its amazing how much God has provided for this ministry of taking shoe boxes of gifts to kids all over the world. My land lord shared a story of great provision. I was so blessed and reminded once again that God's provision is not limited. I shared with him that I was encouraged. I said I had a small dream to paint for free. I don't know how God is going to do it but I really believe He is and that his story encouraged me to keep being patient. You will never believe what he said next. "Jess why don't you go ahead and write your rent check for $100 less next month and use that for supplies." I of course broke down and cried right then and there! So it starts. Painting for free. This is still quite the faith walk as $100 will buy about 10 canvas' worth of supplies and I don't know what God will do from there. I can't wait to paint those 10! To celebrate I want to give away this canvas. It is the first of painting completely for free. If anyone would like to have it or get it for a friend just let me know and its yours!

12x16 in.

Back on Social Media

When I deleted my FB account I held it with an open hand. I knew I needed to to obey and it has been great 2 months with out it. I have made an account this week for the soul purpose of painting. You can't have a FB Page with out a personal page so I gave myself the name of Abide Scripts. My purpose in doing this is to reconnect with people wanting scripture painted on canvas. Since shutting down the business of Abide Scripts I haven't painted much. Its been a year of getting my priorities straight. The volume of painting I was doing was not working for the amount of time I truly had to devote to this ministry. It was good to dive into the school year with the kids and not have the added pressure of painting. School is going really well! Thank you Jesus! I have gotten organized and feel it is time and God has lead me to reach out and make my self available to paint again. I am really excited as I have already gotten to paint 2 canvas' and have a request for more. It is a little embarrassing to declare I am deleting my FB only to re-loanch it again in 2 months but I am determined to obey the Lord and I do believe He has lead in this direction. You can pray for me as FB was a major temptation to use as a coping mechanism instead of going to Jesus. I am garden about using it for painting. I am sharing life pictures on Instagram these days but will be keeping my FB strictly for Abide Scripts use. Just wanted to share the heart behind all the back and forth. I hope this post finds you blessed and continuing to dig into God's powerful word daily!

WHY I'M DELETING MY FACE BOOK ACCOUNT

   The shortest answer is, BECAUSE I WANT TO. Seriously! I know its so not the normal. Face book has so many wonderful aspects. I love that I have gotten in contact with people from seasons past. I love the messaging. I love seeing the wonderful things people are doing with their lives. You can log on to so many things easily with your FB account. The list goes on. So why in the word would I purposefully give up something so great. Because, I am easily distracted. It is easy for me to log on and have 30 min. go by just zoning out and not even realize it. I have used it to cope with life. Dangerous. Just like any other (food, spending money, working out, drugs, alcohol, sex) coping mechanism apart from Jesus is dangerous. I struggle with pride on a regular basis. FB is a great outlet for me to show off. Not good.  I have also struggled much with (Though I have had serious victory lately) envy. Wanting what other's have for myself. Easy for me to do when I am seeing snapshots of what others have or get to experience.
     Now I have been asked why not just limit yourself access to it so as to keep those heart issues in check. That is totally one way to go about it and I assume that many people do that. I have in the past.   Over the last month I have been limiting myself and have enjoyed my real life so much more. When I am mindful of what I will post regarding events or moments in mine and my families life I find that I hover over the experience instead of being present in it.
     I DO NOT feel convicted that this is some thing God is calling me to do. I have prayed much about it and believe His answer on this one is, " you pick."  "Either way is OK." So, I pick delete. I want to be free of this particular pull in my life and gather up all those lost minutes. I want to use those minutes to call a friend and connect on a deep heart level. Or maybe play my guitar again. Or read a book! Eh... that probably won't happen but who knows maybe. Also this parenting thing is getting harder. It requires less diapers and carrying babies around but way more heart investment. I want to spend my energy on that instead. I only have so many unscheduled or free minutes in the day Face book is not longer a way that I want to spend them. Let me be clear I am not anti FB. This is just my desire for myself. If you love FB by all means go on loving it! Maybe I will open a new account in the future I don't know but for today, I am choosing delete and I am really excited about it.
     I just wanted to share so that if you were a FB friend and couldn't find me you knew why. Now if you are my FB friend and would like to stay in contact please message me in the next week. Give me your email and number because I would love to stay in contact too.
    Something else that I will just have to trust the Lord with is this blog. I do write in hopes to encourage and build others up. Most of the views for this blog come directly from FB. So if you would like to know when I post please enter in your email over on the right so you can get notifications when I have posted. If I ever write something and it encourages you and you want to pass it on by all means feel free to post it on your FB. Because remember I'm not anti FB :) This blog is for God's glory anyways...its not about how many people read it but I want to obey as He has clearly called me to write. If its only for one person and that person is me...OK!
      So that is it. I hope to interact with you my beloved reader here on this blog or through email or the phone. I may even start writing real letters again! That's could be fun! So this is me signing off FB. Bye <3

I didn't really know what picture to put with this post...ah how
about this one...I love this one! lol