Worship into the Week- By Faith

 Worship into the Week

 Peter Speaks in Solomon's Portico

Acts 3: 11-21

Utterly astounded.

The people couldn't believe 

the healing of the lame beggar.

Peter grabbed this opportunity to speak to the people

 that the power to do this healing was by the name of Jesus.

Solomon's porch, so called from a tradition that it was a relic 

of Solomon's temple left standing after the destruction of Jerusalem 

by the Babylonians. (1 Kings 7:6.)

 The word "porch" is in the New Testament

 the rendering of the Greek word: por'-ti-ko- Stoa, 

meaning a portico or veranda.

When we visit the Temple Mount on our trips to Israel,

we can be close to this area.

This lame beggar was someone they had known for a long time.

Now he stood before them healed.

They were witnesses to this miracle.

Just like the disciples were witnesses of the alive again Jesus.

Peter asks them to repent and turn back 

that their sins would be blotted out.

This would bring a time of refreshment 

from the presence of the Lord.

What have I forgotten that I have been 

eye witness to in my life?

Time to take a bit of inventory 

about what I have seen and heard.

Supplies:

Visual Church Year Printable

vcy-graphics-only-april-2024

Worship into the Week Printable

worship-into-the-week-april-2024

Magazine Cutouts

Distress Ink

Colored Pencils

Resurrection Tulips

 

About 2 months ago I found a large container

of dirt in the carport storage room.

At first I didn't know what it was from,

 and then I remembered a beautiful tulip gift last spring.

Unfortunately, I also remembered that I was going

 to plant the bulbs last fall.

That didn't happen.

So I know that bulbs need a time of cold storage

 or cold in the ground to bloom.

So, I decided to do the experiment of pulling

 them out and setting them in the sun 

and began to water them.

Nothing for a couple of weeks.

  Then I begin to see green sprouts emerging.

I kept watering the container and large buds appeared.

We were gone the first part of this week for a conference

 and came back to these gorgeous large blooms. 

What had seemed dead was certainly alive now.

Such an appropriate story for this Easter season.

I had almost thrown the container out 

since it looked like there was no life.

What a wonderful reminder of what our own life 

looks like when we are separated 

from the life of the Son

 and being feed by Living Water.

Worship into the Week- Great Grace

 

Worship into the Week

Acts 4: 32-35

Great Grace

What a wonderful term- great grace.

Great in abundance.

Great because it is good.

Great in the generosity.

Given to all.

They had everything in common.

There was not a needy person among them.

One heart and soul.

With great power they gave their testimony

 of the Resurrection.

What an amazing time in the world.

Yet, we have that very same Resurrection story.

We too, can share those very same 

life changing words.

We too, have been given that very same

 power in our baptism.

Let us Pray for Boldness to Tell the Story of a 

Risen Savior.

Supplies:

Visual Faith Printable

Worship Graphics

Worship into the Week Printable

worship-into-the-week-april-2024 

Distress Ink

Magazine Cutouts

Colored Pencils

Postage Stamp

Easter Roundup 2024

 

He is Risen!   He is risen Indeed!  Alleluia!

Eastertide Greetings to you!

The Grandloves in a rare photo.

 It took no adults to get them to be together 

 (and still) for a photo.

Think this is a first.

This was a split second later.

This is real life right here.

Only little Lainey stays her sweet self yet.

Some sweet family photos.

We watched the celebration from Virginia this year

 as Papa was healing from a hip replacement.

Gigi sent an Easter Story Bingo game.

It worked perfectly to play while 

daddy Easter Bunny hid eggs outside.

Easter baskets- what fun!

And even Peeps!

Holy Week fun included dying Easter eggs.

They are big enough now to have their 

own ideas about decorating!

And plenty of drama to go with the fun.

A fun part of the week together in Michigan

 included going to a U of Michigan baseball game

 to see Uncle Dan with the team.

Plenty of game time in the week 

and learning new things.

What a blessing to celebrate together 

and know the reason for our hope.

The Resurrection of Jesus changes everything.

We view the whole world through

 that Easter window view.

Prayer of Lament

 

A Prayer of Lament

We have been experimenting with prayers of lament

 in our Visual Faith Community.

Here is the final prayer on a 4 b y 6 blank index card.

We give the direction to write out the beginning of a prayer.

After about 3 minutes we then turn the page

 and begin writing over the prayer.

Three more minutes and then turn the card again.

Then more writing for three minutes.

It is pretty illegible.

We then cover the prayer with magazine cutouts.

( these were made with punches and Sizzix die cuts)

 Purchased die cuts could be used, 

or images from greeting cards.

The writing could also be covered with a colored marker.

 Cutting images from junk mail can work also.

They were added with glue stick adhesive.

The prayer was then "redeemed" 

and finished with words of hope, praise or comfort

 from the book of Psalms.

 This has been a meaningful way to sit 

in a lament posture with the Lord. 

(there are 50 Lament Psalms so he knows about these)

Keeping it on an "O" ring with 

other Visual Prayer resources.

I have blank index cards ready to go

 for another time of Lament with the Lord.

He hears our prayers.

I am so very thankful.

Calendar Journaling- March 2024

 

Calendar Devotional Journaling March 2024

using the Common Book from Visual Faith Ministry.

VFM-books

4 colored pencils.

Devotional is New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp.

Started a Word Log for the month of words 

that are part of

my meditation time.

A few are:

Confidently

Everlasting

Dwell

Steadfast

Ultimate

Glorious.

Always interesting to look how God

 is fitting this in with the other things

 He is up to in a month's time.

He is not hurried.

Lenten Pathway Journey 2024

 

I have been doing a calendar journal 

for Lent since 2011.

I am pretty sure I had not planned on 

this being a lasting practice.

Most of my Visual Faith Journey has been a surprise.

 My track record of "keeping up" or "staying with"

  things was not too good in the past.

Until- I found something or a process that worked for ME.

That has made all the difference.

I downloaded the readings and the calendar from 

Visual Faith Ministry.  Here:

/lenten-pathway-2024

I added it right into my Common Book-

 so that it was in the spot that made sense for me. 

Same principle of 4 colored pencils 

and a devotional reading.

Then a word or a phrase take away added to the calendar.

That became the story of Lent 2024.

Totally doable, grace-filled and reliable as a practice.

 Giving thanks for this tool and resource for the journey.