Friday, June 13, 2025

The Turning Point Suffragist Memorial


The Turning Point Suffragist Memorial
 is located in Occoquan Park in Lorton, Virginia.
 


The Suffragists Picketing the White House in 1917

It took 72 years to pass and ratify the 19thAmendment 
and more than 100 years to fully honor the millions
 who fought for women to have a voice in their government. 


I became aware of the story of the Suffragists 
while working on a Graduate degree
 at Concordia University, Chicago in 2013.
I had never heard about the story.
I live about 5 miles from this Memorial 
and the story that took place at the Lorton Workhouse.

A tribute to Mary Church Terrell

National Association of Colored Women


Purple, Gold and White
The Colors of the Suffragist Movement




This is what the memorial site looks like in Lorton.


There are story boards that tell the story 
and I am including them here. 
You may be able to read the story
 if you can't get to Lorton, Virginia.






































Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Worship into the Week- Pentecost

Worship into the Week-

Genesis 11:1-9- The Tower of Babel

"At one time all the people of the world spoke

 the same language and used the same words.

As the people migrated to the east, 

they found a plain in the land of Babylonia and settled there."

So far so good. Then things turned sideways.

They decided to make a great city, 

with a tower that reached to the sky, 

so they would be famous.

They thought this would keep them together.

 The Lord came down to look at the city

 and the tower the people were building. 

It wasn't pleasing to God. 

They would believe nothing to be impossible for them.

He then confused the people with different languages, 

and they couldn't understand each other.

They scattered all over the world 

and stopped building the city.

"That is why the city was called Babel, 

because that is where the LORD confused the people

 with different languages. 

In this way he scattered them all over the world."

This Old Testament story gets reconnected

 on Pentecost in the New Testament.

When the Holy Spirit came to the believers assembled 

in Jerusalem they began to 

speak many native languages other than their own.

Devout Jews for every nation were living in Jerusalem 

and they quickly came to hear the believers

 speaking in their own native language.

"They were all completely amazed. 'How can this be?'

they exclaimed. "These people are all from Galilee."

 

Pentecost is often seen as the reversal of the curse of Babel. 
Babel scattered humanity and confused languages.
Pentecost united people and enabled communication
despite differences. 
The Holy Spirit brought a way to unite the people and
lessen the confusion and scattering caused by human pride.
The people of Babel wanted to be famous 
and make a name for themselves.
The apostles wanted to proclaim the name of Jesus 
and tell about the gifts from God.
Both times God interacted with humanity 
to move forward His plan.
Pentecost came by God's grace to allow the apostles 
to spread the Gospel message into all of the world.

Supplies: 
Visual Faith® Ministry Graphic Printable
Magazine cutouts
Colored Pencils
Distress Ink

Sunday, June 8, 2025

Worship into the Week- Live Together in Unity

 


Worship into the Week
Psalm 133
Acts 1: 12-26

Psalm 133- a song for pilgrims 
ascending to Jerusalem.
"How wonderful and pleasant it is 
when brothers live together in unity."
Harmony is precious.
Harmony is refreshing.

Harmony will mark the Christian 
as set apart from the world.
When harmony does not live 
among the followers of Jesus-
the world notices this also.

Acts 1:12 -26
Matthias Replaces Judas

The apostles returned to Jerusalem from
 the Mount of Olives after the Ascension of Jesus.
They went to the upstairs room 
of the house where they were staying.
There were then about 120 believers gathered together.
Peter stands to address the believers.
It is time for us to chose a replacement for Judas.
They nominated two men.
Then they prayed,"O Lord, you know every heart. 
show us which of these men you have chosen as an apostle
to replace Judas in this ministry, 
for he has deserted us ad gone where he belongs.
Then they cast lots and Matthias 
was selected to become an apostle with the other eleven."

Prayer. Unity.
Harmony.
Direction for ministry.
God's plan for His Kingdom.

Supplies:
Visual Faith® Ministry Worship Graphic
Magazine cutouts
Stamps and Ink
Distress Ink
Colored Pencils


Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Calendar Journaling- May 2025

 


Calendar Journaling

May 2025
Devotional Book-
 Jesus Reigns in Me!- Sarah Hornsby
4 Colored Pencils and a black Micron Pen.
The story of my devotional life 
and take away Word Log.
What does the Holy Spirit 
want me to see this month?

Gratitude count- 5,192 days of Counting Gifts.

Saturday, May 31, 2025

Worship into the Week- Ascension Day 2025

 


Worship into the Week-
Acts 1:1-11
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
The Ascension of Jesus

The risen Jesus has been doing alot
 of teaching with his chosen apostles.
The Kingdom of God was the major topic 
and he visited with them again and again.
He commanded then not to leave Jerusalem,
 until the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
The disciples were still looking for Jesus 
to free Israel and restore their kingdom.
Jesus tells them that only the Father knows 
and sets those dates and times.
But you will receive power when
 the Holy Spirit comes upon you.
You will tell everyone what you have seen as 
witnesses- in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, 
and to the ends of the earth.
Then he was taken up into a cloud while they watched.
As they tried to see more, suddenly,
 there were two white robed men among them.
"Why are you standing staring into heaven?"
Jesus has been taken from you,
 but someday he will return in the same way.

Supplies:
VFM Worship Graphic
Magazine Cutouts
Distress Ink
Colored pencils


Friday, May 30, 2025

Charlie is Seven!

 


This toothless guy is seven 
and it was time to celebrate.
Especially with chocolate.




We are so happy to see this little guy

 all ready for this next birth year.


God bless you, dear Charlie!

Worship into the Week- Pay Attention

 


Worship into the Week-

Lydia of Philippi Believes in Jesus

Acts 16: 9-15

Paul has the vision of the man 

asking him to come to Macedonia.


He sails into Neopolis, modern day Kavala.

This is from our May 2025 visit there.

He heads to Philippi, a major city of that district

 of Macedonia and a Roman colony.

On the Sabbath he goes a little way outside 

of the city to a riverbank 

hoping to find people there in prayer.


The riverbank outside of Philippi.


The Church- The Baptistry of Lydia

There he met Lydia from Thyatira, 
who was a merchant of expensive purple cloth.
She was a worshiper of God.
She listened, paid attention 
and the Lord opened her heart.
She accepted what Paul was saying.
She and her household were baptized 
and Paul and company stayed as her guests.
This small church stands 
where this story took place by the river.

It is a beautiful church
and it is used especially for baptisms.


As we visited this day in May 2025,
 a huge storm suddenly
 broke loose and we fled to the church for shelter.
Suddenly a massive thunder clap brought us
 to attention and we certainly felt 
the presence of God close by.
As we waited out the storm we thought about
this story and 
how a simple faith can change the world.


This small stream serves as a reminder 
that it doesn't have 
to be majestic gold-gilt 
to catch our heart on a Footsteps of Paul journey.
This remains oe of my favorite spots on our tour.