These are two paintings that
haven't gotten sold and
I covered them up,
making them entirely new.
I should have taken a picture
before painting over them!
Now I am painting out in the garden.
It is still dark, and 3 cats
are keeping me company.
"I hear the whispers of the crowd,
that frighten me from every side..." Psalm 31:13
that frighten me from every side..." Psalm 31:13
Even a mighty warrior like David had fears.
These are his words! He had enemies conspiring against him,
plotting to take his life.
I think all of us have fears of one kind or another.
These are his words! He had enemies conspiring against him,
plotting to take his life.
I think all of us have fears of one kind or another.
From the man on the street,
to someone well used to walking the
corridors of power in Washington.
to someone well used to walking the
corridors of power in Washington.
I remember the story of Stasi Eldredge.
She was invited to Broadmoor Hotel,
a luxurious, elegant and very expensive resort
with swans floating on the lake at its center.
She dressed as best she could because the people
she was going to have dinner with were
her husband's colleagues at work.
She entered the Penrose room with her husband,
and greetings were exchanged.
As she sat down, the beautiful chair broke under her weight!
Can you imagine the fears this woman has to live with?
She was invited to Broadmoor Hotel,
a luxurious, elegant and very expensive resort
with swans floating on the lake at its center.
She dressed as best she could because the people
she was going to have dinner with were
her husband's colleagues at work.
She entered the Penrose room with her husband,
and greetings were exchanged.
As she sat down, the beautiful chair broke under her weight!
Can you imagine the fears this woman has to live with?
Because of how much she weighs?
Or what Nick Vujicic, the man born with no limbs,
has to go through every day?
Both of them are more than conquerers if you
read their life story!
What I have to go through
is nothing, absolutely nothing!
I love to travel, but yesterday when
someone called me with a VIP invitation to
someone called me with a VIP invitation to
the Hong Kong International Gifts Fair,
complete with airfare and hotel accommodations,
I started panicking.
Should I take advantage of this?
It wasn't the travel that I was afraid of,
it was that there was an opportunity that I should take,
it was that there was an opportunity that I should take,
but I didn't want to.
How crazy is that?
The thing is, there are so many things we fear,
The thing is, there are so many things we fear,
it's absolutely amazing!
Is there a secret to living with courage every single day
that we need not face fear and anxiety attacks?
We can't, but Jesus IN us,
CAN and WILL.
He is the secret.
He can calm the raging storm in us.
He can make the blind and fumbling me, see.
He can make the lame and weak me, walk!
I like what Christopher Robin said to Pooh.
I can imagine Jesus saying it to me!
"Promise me you'll always remember-
you're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem,
you're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem,
and smarter than you think."
Lord, help me remember and believe this!
Joining the lovely Julia Dunnit for a
peek at desks and projects!
I find a lot of inspiration
visiting my friends here:
Mondays @ Soul Survival
Small Wonders, Testimony Tuesday, Titus 2 Tuesdays,
Count Your Blessings, Word Art Wednesday, Wildly Original
Small Wonders, Testimony Tuesday, Titus 2 Tuesdays,
Count Your Blessings, Word Art Wednesday, Wildly Original
Blessings!
Patsy
Morning Patsy. Fear can indeed get the better of us - but we can remember that we are told "Perfect love casts out fear" - and Father God is that perfect love.
ReplyDeleteTake care. God bless.
Margaret #5
Happy WOYWW. Painting outside - in the dark! That sounds wonderful - and warm. Ali x #27
ReplyDeleteOutside painting? I can barely take photos outside my hands are so cold - can't imagine it being warm enough to paint outside though it will be here soon.
ReplyDeleteHappy WOYWW
Sharon K #31
Hi Sharon! I am in the Philippines! It is warm enough to paint outside ALL year round! :^)
DeletePatsy, how fabulous to be so warmly invited to share your Art and Soul with others. As we say - Feel the fear , and do it anyway, it's normal to feel anxiety but it is not healthy to let it prevent you taking chances, serendipity should always be exploited...I have just finished my personal mantra it has taken me 52 years to find it, and the middle part is "LEAP" ( you cannot cross a chasm in two steps) ... I need to take a deep breath and go for it...without each challenge I will not grow. You will have your personal mantra too, and you need to listen to it...it will not misguide you
ReplyDeleteFear can be paralyzing... and looking at our own strength can be defeating... I am so thankful that God can, and will, use us even more than we think we can be used. Thank you for the post. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the reminder of where we get our strength from. Without Him we are nothing and it is always that first step that is the hardest. You go for it Girl!
ReplyDeleteGod bless and keep you
Christine #23
Your portraits are getting so good! I envy you, painting in the garden at night! Glad you have the cats looking after you! Thanks for sharing! Lindart #39
ReplyDeletePainting at night in the garden, what bliss! as for the travel invitation......try to think the power of the third thought. It starts with 'I can't', then after a while it turns into a feeling that 'I could', and then often when it may be too late, you end up believing you can.....
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your decision making!
I'm thinking it must be warmer where you are as there is no way you would paint outside at this time of the year if you lived in the UK and we were in France last week where it snowed so hard for three days that we couldn't ski so you definitely wouldn't be outside there either. Happy belated woyww, Angela x19x
ReplyDeleteYour work and words are so inspiring. Thanks! Dorlene #36
ReplyDeleteA beautiful post...and beautiful work and words...so inspiring.
ReplyDelete