You are a Work of Art AND an Artist at Work

I sincerely believe God has a reason for everything -- including the things that He uses as "attention-getters". At the very least, He wants us to be aware that He is with us and He has another object lesson for us to learn from. This photo is of a man that visited our estate sale and right away I noticed his walking stick/cane that he had laid on our cash-out table. It was a work of art – art that was designed, handcrafted and carved by him. He was so pleased to take the credit for his work of art made out of a diamond willow.

I started thinking about all the uses of a walking stick. Sure it facilitates walking, but this man’s walking stick could be used as a defensive AND offensive weapon. It also conceals a knife in the handle. That walking stick acts as a support when he’s going uphill and a brake when he’s going downhill; as a balance when crossing rough terrain, test puddles for depth, and is personalized with his trademark. I was amazed at this work of art.

I cringe when I hear people say: "I'm not creative. I can't cook. I'm not an artist. I can't sing. I can't sew. I don’t do technology!” The fact is those folks will never have those attributes as long as they are proclaiming what they are NOT!

Here’s the truth of the matter. The CREATOR of the universe made YOU and me in His image.....so we have the goods to do WHATEVER we set our hearts and minds to do. Someone may have convinced you that you are not creative. Someone spoke into your life to make you feel LESS capable than you are. And it's time someone spoke into your life to make you MORE. We are WORKS of ART.....and we are ARTISTS at WORK. Our homes should be like Picasso's attic -- where we are dreaming, imagining and creating. I'm speaking into your life RIGHT NOW and telling you...."Silence the voices. Get out that paint brush.....and start painting!"

"God designed you....to design;
He created you....to create;
He imagined you....to imagine;
God dreamed you....to dream;
When you were born, you were not an ordinary child. Someone made you feel you were ordinary. You are the essence of your Creator. You are the reflection of God, Himself. You are extraordinary. Now it's time to BE the genius He created you to be -- you are both a work of art and an artist at work." -- Erwin Raphel McManus

Yes, our God, the Almighty Creator of EVERYTHING is quite capable of making SOMETHING out of nothing and SOMETHING out of us!

God Makes Something Out of Nothing

Day 164 of Photo Inspirations -- God Makes Something Out of Nothing
I sincerely believe God has a reason for everything -- including the things that He uses as "attention-getters".  At the very least, He wants me to be aware that He is with me and He has another object lesson for me to learn from.

Case in point.  Last week I was first to the restaurant where I would be meeting my BFF.  The only table I could find, was one that had this stick on it.   When my friend arrived, I asked if she could think of a reason why that stick was there. "Is God trying to tell us something?"  Without second guessing, she said, "It reminds me of a stick I found in Fatima, Portugal and brought it back home to see if it could be carved for my Dad.   He was using a cane to walk then, and that carved stick would be a perfect birthday gift for him."   My friend had the stick carved by her friend.  Without ever telling her friend what to carve, she transformed it from "nothing" to something beautiful and of great significance to my friend AND her Dad.

My friend went on to tell me she had written a blog about that Walking Stick Story.  She has been distracted and so busy in the last year, that she hasn't been writing, but lately, has been sensing God urging her to start again.  Because I know her gifts and talents in writing and blogging, I agreed that this stick was another nudge from heaven to begin again.  I urge you to read her Walking Stick Story here (it's beautiful), and even follow her blogs:  http://www.becomingwomenofpeace.com/search?q=stick

Today begins the National Speech & Debate Competitions here at Northwestern University and Payton will present his speech, "The Making of a Leader".  It's an informative speech and in it he explains what God does in making a leader.  To quote him, "God has a knack at creating something out of nothing.  Whether it's the creation of the world out of literally nothing or the making of a King from a simple shepherd boy, God knows how to make something great out of the ordinary."  And the final line of the speech goes:  "If man can take a piece of moldy old bread and make life-saving penicillin out of it, can you just imagine what the God of the universe can make out of you?"  Yes, our God, the Almighty Creator of EVERYTHING is quite capable of making SOMETHING out of nothing and SOMETHING out of us!