An Artist's Prayer

"When God sends His inspiration, it comes to us with such miraculous power that we are able to "arise from the dead" and do the impossible. The remarkable thing about spiritual initiative is that life and power come after we "get up and get going". God does not give us overcoming life-He gives us life as we overcome."-Oswald Chambers What do i need to practice my art? Courage? Courage comes from trust. If i truly trust in You courage replaces the fear. Right? When the fear comes i should trust You enough to give them to You. Then even if i don't feel artistic or creative i do it anyway in the belief that You are who You say You are and i am who You say i am. You are the God of all creation of which i am a part. To mankind You have given artistic talents and the ability to create. I will choose to believe that and i choose to believe that You have told me i am an artist. Now i must make the choice to practice my art even when i don't see it myself. In the past i have just given up but You have always given me some kind of creative outlet: calligraphy,crafts,writing,photography,cooking,cake decorating...so many outlets but i have been too blind to see them as artistry. Thank You, Father, for keeping the creativity in my life even when i took it for granted. When i am being creative i feel so energized, inspired and now i am seeing that is because being creative is what You have given me to do. However You want me to use it, help me to see. For Your glory Lord, amen.

Facing the Fear

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The old saying goes, "Be careful what you wish for you just might get it." Well, the same can be said for prayer. "Be careful what you pray for you just might get it." This is so true for me right now. My prayer has been that God would help me confront my fears and with His help work through them. Since i have been saying this prayer God has continually been calling me out of my comfort zone. In one of my earlier posts i shared how fear has controlled me for so long. Since sharing that God has showed me just how much control i have given fear in my life. My first reaction is regret, then shame and then anger. With all these emotions building up inside i have turned to another old "frienemy", food. Prayer has become more difficult. Most days all i know to say is, "Help me, God." For awhile i believed God was cleaning His hands of me and turning me over to the sin i want so badly want to be freed of but lack the courage and faith to give over to Him. God is proving me wrong there. Instead, He is showing me how badly He disires my freedom as well. God has never stopped caring. He has never stopped listening and God has never stopped loving me. His love for me has never been based on my love for me or anyone else's love for me. What God is doing is preparing me and allowing me to see just how destructive my sin really is and in the process teaching me to lean on Him. I have tried so hard all my life to be strong on my own and hidden from everyone how insecure and frightened i really am. This has only made me weaker and more vulnerable. Now God is telling me to take down the walls and remove the masks. It isn't easy but He is getting me through. God is working on me. He tells me i am worth the time and He is redeeming the time i have wasted. In just the past couple of days God has called me to share with a close friend and with someone else i am only beginning to know,someone who has reached out to me and shown friendship despite the fact she hardly knows me. For these women i am very thankful and it is God to whom i am most grateful. No, He has not given up on me. And He asks that i do not give up either. Whatever He calls me to do in overcoming my fears it is by His strength i can do it!