A Picture of Forgiveness

 

I was sorting this week- 

emptying out folders, 

and came across this lovely drawing.

 I think this may be the story of 10 grandchildren

 in my house and 8 of them rambunctious boys.

There was the finding of a broken bowl last summer

on a visit and a few questions were asked by parents.

It was not reported initially 

and it took some parental help for the story.

There are many things stored in "Gigi's back room",

so that doesn't help in a wild game of hide and seek.

But, the part I love about this drawing 

is that these parents were able to use words 

and a visual image to help two young boys

 tell the story of brokenness.

Words and the images here

helped them come to Gigi- tell the story, 

state remorse, (maybe for being found out),

say- "I'm Sorry" and ask for forgiveness. 

 Then they were covered with the words of absolution- 

"I forgive you. We are good."

That is what we all need to hear 

from our Heavenly Father,

"I forgive you. We are good."

We also all need to remember our brokenness 

and only in Him are we ever whole again.

Perhaps when we need to ask forgiveness 

from another person, or our Heavenly Father,

 it would be helpful to sketch out the brokenness.

Then draw the picture of our renewed "made right."

As long as I am able to wrestle these troops,

 they also have to put up with the "made rightness"

of 14 kisses.

Worship into the Week- A Great Light

Worship into the Week-Isaiah 9:1-4

For Unto Us a Child-

v. 2 "The people who walked in darkness 

have seen a great light;

those who dealt in a land of deep darkness,

 on them has light shone."

Especially in the dark days of January,

 we are looking for LIGHT.

Much of the days are gray and overcast

 so we celebrate when the sun

 breaks through the clouds.

LIGHT is hope and makes everything

 else look different.

 How I give thanks that my days

 have the brilliance of the JOY of knowing Jesus-

the Light of the World.

Supplies:

Visual Faith Printable

vcy-graphics-only-january-2023

Worship into the Week Printable

worship-into-the-week-january-2023-1

Watercolors

Magazine cut-outs

Prismacolor Pencils

Vintage postage stamps

 

Footsteps of Paul- Mars Hill

 

This are the the ancient stairs 

leading to the top of Mars Hill.

The wear and tear is showing on them 

and access to the top is now with a new set of stairs.

Mars Hill is the Roman name 

for a hill in Athens, Greece 

which is called Hill of Ares or Aeropagus.

Ares was the Greek god of war and their myths

 claimed that this was the spot that Ares stood trial

 before the other gods for the murder of Poseidon's son.

The top of the hill is 377 above the land below.

It is close to the Acropolis.

It is close to the Agora (Marketplace) also.

Mars Hill was the meeting place 

for those serving at the Aeropagus Court. 

This court dealt with religious, criminal and civil issues.

Saint Paul brings significance to this site 

with the story in Acts 17:16-34.

In his second missionary journey,

 this was the place for one of his most

 important Gospel messages.

Here he speaks to the Greeks about their idols,

 specifically their "Unknown God." 

Paul gives an excellent example of 

"understanding his audience."

He met them right where they were 

and then continued to lay out the Gospel message

 in a Biblical and logical way.

Christian apologetics at its best.

He started with the false beliefs that they held

 and then moved to a simple presentation 

of the Gospel message.

Paul perfected his missionary methods 

and started out in the synagogues, 

then moved to the marketplaces.

The Epicureans and Stoics he met there heard 

about the resurrected Jesus. 

They "brought him to the Areopagus" 

to hear more about this "new doctrine."

Connie and Lisa Latall
 

John and Connie on a windy day on Mars Hill.

The message of 

St Paul's speech on Mars Hill is an encouragement to us

 to be bold in the proclamation of the Gospel message.

We know this "unknown God."

 There will always be scoffers and searchers, 

and maybe some will claim this Jesus.

We don't have to manage the outcome.

The Holy Spirit waters the planted seeds.

We just need to take the steps.

Worship into the Week- The Messiah's Mission

 

Worship into the Week-

The Servant of the Lord-

 The Messiah's Mission

Isaiah 49:1-7 

This prophecy reveals the LORD 

who commands the coastlines.

The Messiah who was called form the womb.

Called even before He was in Mary's womb.

Gabriel declared the name of Jesus 

before the conception in Mary's womb.

The very words that this Messiah

speaks are with authority and power.

The Lord's mission will be at just the right time.

Verse 6: Here the prophet speaks of a servant of God.

 This promised one will be the Light to Gentiles-

so that God's salvation plan

 can reach the ends of the earth. 

That is the amazing plan that we-

 as followers of Jesus-

 are called to this mission.

Supplies:

Visual Church Year Printable

vcy-graphics-only-january-2023

Worship into the Week Printables

worship-into-the-week-january-2023

Prismacolor Pencils

Die Cuts 

Magazine Cutouts

Word Stickers

Alpha Letters

Washi Tape

Logos 365- Living God's Plan

Starting out on a journey in 2023

 with a word- HENENI.

Hebrew for Here I Am.

Wasn't sure if this Visual Faith® Ministry project

 would be one I engaged with this year.

Always takes some prayerful time to discern what to add, 

and if something else needs to be deleted.

Seeing what there is to learn from Moses and Samuel. 

Learning to better listen for God's call.

So- starting a journal to put together

 the learning in one spot. 

The new thoughts. The revisited ideas.

I have vowed to keep it simple and not overwhelming.

But, I do love some great Gelli prints from my stash.

Word study is always interesting.

  This one is more of a phrase in English.

I wasn't sure about this project or my word.

 In fact, I had been running away from Hineni.

Then last week I grabbed the printed pages

 to join the VFM Day of Prayer Lectio Divina time.

And there it was- 

the verse I had been looking at right there-

 in the study of YAHWEH.

Hineni-

Here I am, Lord.

Direct this path this year.

Maybe you would like to join me?

It is not too late. 

Here is the simple packet to get started.

logos365-faithart

Meteora- Kalambaka, Greece

This is one of the monasteries in 

Meteora, Kalambaka, Greece.

The 1981 James Bond movie- For Your Eyes Only

used this site, making this view even more famous.

This is the Agia Triada Monastery and is one of the the 6 

remaining Monasteries. 

Meteora means "suspended in air, 

lofty or elevated".

They date from the 14th and 15th centuries,

and are perched on top of natural sandstone rock pillars 

on the Thessaly plain.

 

A view as we leave the area.  

They are an engineering feat 

and we tried to imagine 

just getting the supplies up there.

There were originally 24 of the precariously 

built Eastern Orthodox monasteries.

Meteora was added to the 

UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988 

because of the amazing architecture, beauty of the complex,

as well as the religious and artistic significance.

Internet photo

St. Stephan - Agios Stefanos

is the only monestery

 you can reach by bus. 

It is believed to have been built in the 14th century,

 but has a much newer katolikon  

structure built in 1798.

There is a museum, and workrooms for 

paintings embroidery,

 incense-making and needlework.

The frescoes in the church were done about 1545.

The structures were heavily bombed, and raided in WWII,

as they thought the monks were hiding refugees.

It was converted to a nunnery in 1961,

and 28 nuns were living there in 2015.

The entrance to St. Charalambos' Church 

has a bridge that allows access.

St. Charalambos Church

honors this early Christian saint from Magnesia, 

a city in Asia Minor. He was martyred 

during the reign of Septimius Severus in 202 AD.

The art is beautiful and so are the grounds and gardens.

This the stunning view from St. Stephan's 

overlooking the town of Kalabaka.

wikipedia 

There is something mystical about these holy places

 that reach to the sky.

The world is certainly shut out here 

to focus on worship and listening to God.

May all that visit here hear His calling.

May I be reminded to embrace the quiet

 to hear the "still small voice".

Worship into the Week- Arise to the Called

 

Worship into the Week-Epiphany

Isaiah 60:1-6

The Future Glory of Israel-

The Glorious Light of God's Kingdom.

So much of this Chapter is light,

 glory, brightness and radiant.

This is direct contrast to 

what is NOT Kingdom- darkness.

Light helps us to see.

We don't SEE well in the dark.

Lord, help me to walk in the LIGHT.

Help me to give you the Glory 

because your light has come.

 

Worship into the Week-

Isaiah 42:1-9

The Lord's Chosen Servant

This chapter is the Servant's Song 

and here they are talking about Jesus.

Connecting here with the Creator of the Universe 

who has called me in righteousness. 

The Lord has taken my hand and called me.

Even when I feel like I am in the darkness,

I cling to the One who holds my hand.

Supplies:

Visual Faith Printable

january-2023vcy-graphics-only-january-2023

Worship into the Week Printable

worship-into-the-week-january-2023-1

Magazine Cut-outs

Prismacolor Pencils

Christmas Card

Worship into the Week- Law and Promise

 Worship into the Week-

Law and Promise

Galatians 3:23-29

Everything is different now that we are not

 held captive by the law.

The law protected us until Christ came 

and now that faith is ours, we are justified by faith.

"But now that faith has come, 

we are no longer under a guardian, 

for in Christ Jesus you are also sons of God,

 through faith.

For as many of you as were 

baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 

There is neither Jew not Greek, 

there is neither slave nor free, 

there is neither Jew nor Greek, 

there is no male and female,

 for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

We are heirs because of the promise.

Supplies:

Visual Faith Printable

vcy-graphics-only-january-2023

Worship into the Week Printable

worship-into-the-week-january-2023-1

Prismacolor Pencils

Magazine Cutouts

Watercolors

Epiphany Blessings

 

Vintage Epiphany Cards.

This day- January 6 is known as the feast

 that honors the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child,

and the physical manifestation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles.

Sometimes it is called Three King's Day.

It is known as Theophany in the Eastern Christian churches

 as the revelation of God incarnate as Jesus Christ

The Wise Men have found the Christ Child.

Let us also move our hearts to center 

on the manger with the babe- born for each of us.

Thermopylae- Greece

One of the things that was made evident on our 

Footsteps of Paul trip in March 2022

was how much Greek history I had forgotten.

Thermopylae was one of those spots.

Thermopylae means "hot gates", 

referring to the hot sulphur springs in the area.

The entrance to Hades, the underworld of Greek mythology

 was said to be at Thermopylae.

On the right and left 

is the marble figures of Taigetos.

This is the personification of the highest mountain

 in the Pelopolnese and the personified Evrotas-

 which is a river flowing through the whole region of Laconia.

The Memorial in Thermopylae, 

which was erected in 1955, 

was by the sculptor named Vasos Falireas. 

This is the brass statue of Leonides 

with his spear and shield in the center.

Now it is nearly 2500 years since the Battle 

and it is still revered in our Western culture as the ultimate

symbol of heroic perseverance against odds 

that are were deemed insurmountable.

Maybe not a bad idea to remember 

when it is time to give up or it seems 

like there is no win in the game.

Paul would have been very aware 

of this historical event. 

Perhaps it brought him encouragement

 when the odds were overwhelming 

and the world was against him.

Worship into the Week- He is For Us

Worship into the Week-

God's Everlasting Love

He is For Us

Romans 8:31b-39

Contemplating the end of the year is always

 a time for reflection on both the good and the hardships.

It is so very easy to keep our focus on the here

 and now and the challenges of earthly life.

Looking into the new year we must 

cling to this promise and our hope.

""... we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, 

not things present nor things to come, nor powers,

 nor height nor depth, not anything else

 in all creation will be able to separate us

 from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

New Year's Blessings to you in 2023!

Supplies:

Visual Faith Printable

vcy-graphics-only-december-2022

Worship into the Week Printable

worship-into-the-week-december-2022

Gelatos

Washi Tape

Magazine cutouts

Colored Pencils

Vintage Stamps