Take a flying leap!

    

   When I say Good Morning each day to Abba, Yeshua, and Ruach Hakodesh (Holy Spirit), I picture myself hugging or embracing each part of the Trinity in various ways. i try to let Holy Spirit inspire the images in my mind. Most importantly, I want to express how much I love my ADONAI and how thankful I am that He not only allows me to come to Him each morning, but that He delights in it. 

   This morning a picture of me running to the Father and jumping into His arms came to me. It made me think of how my granddaughters run and jump into their father’s and grandfather’s arms, laughing with delight. I’m not sure who enjoys this ritual more, but I suspect it is the former. Pondering this caused me to remember the Lord’s words:  “Unless you turn and come to Me as little children, you shall not enter the Kingdom.” [Matthew 18: 3].

   In the past I have pictured myself reaching up to my Abba, but not running and jumping into His outstretched arms. The problem for many of us is that our earthly fathers weren’t the best representations of our Heavenly Father. We can’t conceive of ever running and jumping into our father’s arms. From distant to downright cruel, some earthly fathers were a source of emotional and even physical pain, rather than joy. Others of us were blessed with loving, if imperfect, dads. Mine was a wonderful man. However, he was raised by German parents to not express emotion, despite his internal tenderness of heart.  For example, when he fell out of a tree and broke his nose, his father told him “he had better not cry or he would give him something to cry about.” Hugging, for example was not our family way until much later in our lives. Thankfully, we knew he loved us, and he himself was much respected and even beloved to others. However, his earthly father, who died in his 50’s, did not represent our Heavenly Father well when it came to the extravagantly loving aspect of His character.  

   ADONAI Elohim is a prodigal (extravagant) Father, Who loves His children beyond their comprehension. [Luke 15: 11-32] Like my sons, son-in-law, and husband, He takes absolute delight in our taking a running leap into His arms. Give it a try, if you haven’t already done so. You will not only experience abounding joy but also deep healing. Yeshua has paid the cosmic price of Reconciliation* for us. Our sin no longer keeps us out of the Father’s Holy Presence.** Greet Him gratefully each day, knowing He is Absolutely Good. Let go of all your preconceived images of Him keeping His distance from you. But back up a few steps, as my granddaughter does, so you can get some good speed as you take the leap. You won’t be disappointed…and neither will He.

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*Romans 5:10: For if we were reconciled with God through His Son’s death when we were enemies, how much more will we be delivered by His life now that we are reconciled!

**Romans 8: 15: For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to bring you back again into fear; on the contrary, you received the Spirit, who makes us sons and by whose power we cry out, “Abba!” (that is, “Dear Father!”).

Yahweh is near to those whose hearts are humble. He saves those whose spirits are crushed. —Psalm 34:18

No Greater Creativity… no greater desire to express it

   

   The Lord is all about types and patterns. I know this from my study of Scripture. However, I get a kick out of His Rhema word doing the same. If you haven’t read my previous blog post, “No Greater Love…no greater desire to express it,” you might want to read that first.   This morning I was asking Him for guidance, inspiration, and anointing for the art lesson I am giving my granddaughter tomorrow. He has blessed her with an artistic gift, and her mom wants to foster it. So we are having monthly art lessons, despite my lack of formal training. 

   At any rate, He answered my prayer with the following: 

     “A fun prayer to answer. You know how you long to have time to paint? That is my creativity rising up in you. If you long to paint, think how My Creativity rises up within Me! I love having willing children through whom I can express it.” 

I immediately recognized His response contained the same pattern I noted in my previous post, and it made me chuckle. 

   I didn’t begin painting in earnest until I retired from teaching at 66. In fact, I saw myself as totally inept at art. However, I really wanted to try, and decided no one would ever have to see what I created. I could just enjoy the process. I began, as many have, by watching the soothing encourager, Bob Ross. He was right up my alley with his “happy little trees.” At first I just watched him; yet a longing arose to gather some supplies and try along with him. My paintings never came out just like his, but surprisingly, I liked them. Even more surprisingly, others did, too.  Since then I have sold and given away many, along with creating cards, journals, and children’s books. (The sketched art in the books would be designated ‘primitive’…an understatement.) Yet these books, which have touched many, arose out of the pictures I created for the Lord in my daily journaling. He seemed to enjoy them and later prompted me to create the books. From that time in 2019, His creativity has flowed out of me, and He has anointed my creations far beyond their artistic merit. What I’ve discovered is that He loves to pour Himself through us in various creative ways. If you think you have no artistic ability within you, think again. You might be very surprised. Partner with Him and see what comes, even if no other soul ever sees what you create. He Himself will love what you make and probably attach it to His refrigerator. However, you might be astounded at what you make that others will also love. With His hand on yours, everything changes.

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Julie’s website: BearfootArtsfortheShepherd.com

Artists you might enjoy watching and be inspired by on YouTube:

Designer Gemma77

Jay Lee

Bob Ross

Liesl’s Artistic Studio

Emma Jane

Justin Gaffrey (super texture)

Akiane Kramarik’s testimony and interviws

…so many others

No Greater Love…no greater desire to express it

   

 Valentine’s Day 2025 

   As I was pondering the true story of St. Valentine’s martyrdom for his faith in God’s Greatest Gift, it filled me with a desire to express the true heart (pun intended) for this day. I wanted to pour out not only my love and thankfulness to the Father, to Yeshua, and to Holy Spirit, but also to the precious family and friends with whom He has blessed my life.

  I began thinking of little gifts of love to share, tiny mementos symbolizing something so much bigger than I could express in either words or packages of any size.🎁 Knowing each family member so personally, I was filled with joy in scouring my home for tiny finds that would delight them, from small presents I had been storing up for the right occasion to little treats discovered in our pantry. 

   The Lord then spoke to my heart: “You see now how my Nature in you is to pour out Love…to enjoy giving little gifts as well as big ones…to take delight in the choosing of even the smallest. If you carry a tiny fraction of that desire in your heart, think how much I carry…for you, for your family, for My whole family…and even for those outside of it. I long for them to come within My Family circle, ‘under the feathers of My wings’* where I can bless them with the large and the small.”

   Don’t think that the Lord can’t be bothered with ‘the smaller things’. He gets a kick out of delighting His children, just as we do. Take time to notice His little gifts, as well as the more obvious ones. They are not products of ‘luck’ or ‘coincidence’ or ‘fate’ or ‘the universe.’ Recognize them for what they are: personalized expressions of love from your Father’s heart, just for you. There is no one else on the planet, or even in Heaven, just like you. You are a unique treasure to Him, and He wants you to know it.

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*Matthew 23:37; Psalm 91:4