Speaking Through Art: A Testimony of God's Faithfulness

The beauty of walking with Jesus is that he fills our life with more goodness than we could ever ask or imagine—and whether you’re of the vein that this beauty is ours to behold on this side of eternity or the next—the fact remains: our lives are imbued with the abundance of a Creator who loves us graciously, provides for us amply, and hears us faithfully.

This past week, I was gifted the opportunity to share with a group of women about the beauty of walking with Jesus. Using Isaiah 55:8-13 as a guide, this audience and I walked through a decadent piece of Scripture that describes the supremacy of God’s ways and their power to bring life from barrenness, or better said: to bring forth flowers where thorns used to grow.

I knew no better way to depict this than with an image that has been planted in my heart and mind for years… an image of a flourishing eternal garden soaked in the warmth of the dawn, indicative of God’s faithful care and the loving presence of Jesus, surrounding us both in the present moment and on into eternity.

This is where things get interesting: I finished the painting, but as I was planning my talk, I kept coming up short. No draft "felt right”. I sought the Lord using every tool in my tool belt from solitude to spiritual disciplines to wise mentors, but consistently as I asked the Lord to help me with my talk, I simply had the impression that he would be working on it until the very end.

It was the week of my talk, and I was about eight drafts deep, and still pulled a million different directions. I asked the Lord once more, “Jesus, what do you want to speak to these women?!” That’s when I heard the faintest, sweetest whisper in my heart respond, “I already spoke it through the painting.” Woah. That surprised me.

Time went on, and through the support of loving leadership, I was able to produce a talk I felt good about. But nothing would prepare me for the surprise God had in store for the actual event.

Understanding that this painting was a significant call from the Lord for this event, I asked God the morning of my talk what he wanted me to share about the painting, specifically. “It will speak for itself,” was the whisper I heard in response.

The day of the event came and I gave my talk. I unveiled the painting and a deep, sweeping inhale filled the room. To my surprise, applause ensued. In that moment I knew it was true: God had plans for this painting.

Immediately following my talk, I was approached by a women in tears who said, “I can’t put into words what happened when you unveiled the painting, but God broke through to my heart.” Minutes later, another women came up to me with tears in her eyes as she looked at the painting, and said, “I just can’t describe it… but the moment you unveiled it, God just really spoke to me.”

Yet another woman followed, telling me her entire table was brought to tears when the painting was unveiled. None of them could quite articulate what happened,  just that their hearts were swept up into the image. Nobody seemed to “have the words"… but I think I know what happened for it was exactly what I believe God told me would come to be: He was speaking directly to people’s hearts through the artwork. 

Woman after woman came up to me with individual stories of what God did for them through that painting—describing things I never could have imagined despite being the one who painted it. 

I will never again question God’s ability to speak through artwork, or my calling to make his goodness known through art. I feel deeply honored to be a vessel of the Lord, simply observing his work being accomplished through me.

Prints are available in my shop, along with the original (while available).

But for now, I hope you enjoyed this testimony of God’s faithfulness. I am grateful you’ve decided to come along for the ride, being a part of the email list—as I continue to share creative work that the world may know God is good and grace is real. Praise Him!

—

Note: For more on the actual content of my talk leading up to the painting reveal, visit the link below:

https://www.annalisavsawtell.com/writing/2024/3/1/the-beauty-of-walking-with-jesus-steps-through-isaiah-558-13

A Love-Begotten Love: Transformed Into the Father's Image (1 John)

A true love for others is deeply rooted in the understanding of God’s love and how it played out in the sending of Jesus for us.

The greatest act of love ever displayed: God took a look at us, in all our sin and all of our condemnation-deserving behavior, and chose to send Jesus. Not to condemn us, but to save us from our sin. (John 4:16-17 NIV)

The way we know what true love is, is by looking at Jesus:

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.” 1 John 3:10 NIV

I’d encouraged you to dig out your Bible and flip open to the book of 1 John. Give it a scan and see all the love-language jump off the page at you.

We are spurred along and encouraged in this beautiful book of the Bible to move forward in a love rooted in faith—knowing that deep and true belief comes forth in our actions.

God’s living and active Spirit works inside us—prompting us to move away from sin and towards love. After all, sin and love are antithetical to one another:

Sin is greed, lust, theft, and any other behavior that seeks to take at the expense of another. Sin has no understanding of God; it is idolatry which takes the glory of God and sets it as lesser than the ways of the world.

On the contrary, love is God’s way through-and-through. Love is behavior and mindset that seeks to give for another’s wellbeing, even at the expense of one’s self. To reiterate: living a life of true love is deeply rooted in an understanding of the love God gave to us through the person of Jesus.

As Christians, we seek to walk in love and not in sin. We watch this play out in our lives, and as we embrace our standing as children of God—saved by the selfless atonement of Jesus—we aim to keep God’s commands organically (and also by choice).

We don’t do this because we must, so much as we do it because we believe it’s the way of our loving heavenly Father. We let Gospel truth seep deeply into our souls, as we know that God’s generous ways set us free from the binds of sinful slavery that we so deserved. Keeping his commands helps us walk in the freedom that is ours as children of God. Check this bit out:

“In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world…” 1 John 5:3-4 NIV

As we fully embrace the sacrifice of our savior—and the ultimate love it put on display—we overcome sin and the defiling ways of the world. We move towards the purity that is so fitting for children of the Most High God.

This is why John can so boldly say that “no one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.” 1 John 3:9 NIV

As the truth implants in our hearts, the fruit is love for another in the same manner with which God loved us.

As beautifully displayed as this reality is in the book of 1 John, we see it sprinkled elsewhere throughout the New Testament as well, as we are reminded that life with God isn’t a manner of living in fear, cowering as we keep his commands—but a manner of living enwrapped in His love. It’s a matter of letting God’s love cover us completely—as we are organically formed into his image from the inside out.*

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives our fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:18-19 NIV

Flipping a few pages back to the book of Romans 8, we see a beautiful theology of sonship displayed: As we embrace the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus—as the Spirit of God burrows deeply into our hearts—the result isn’t that we would live in the fear of misstepping according to the law, but on the contrary, that we would, by God’s Spirit, rest in the security of our adoption into God’s family.

We remember God’s way of love: to redeem the sinner and rescue him from his enslavement to death and ungodly practices. We walk in God’s way of love, according to the power of his Spirit at work within us, rooted in the faith of Christ and his sacrifice:

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoptions to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:14-16 NIV

Life with God is about stepping into the light of his presence, confessing our sinfulness and need for a Savior, and in doing so, fully embracing our need for his selfless sacrifice. As we become aware of our dyer need, and his willingness to provide for it, we are prompted forward to love the world in a similar way.

May you be prompted forth in love today, deeply rooted in the faith of your selfless Savior.

—

*A bonus note on “fearing the Lord”: many times throughout the Bible, we are encouraged to fear the Lord, even being told that “fearing the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Proverbs 1:7) At the same time, we are consistently spurred away from a mindset of fear, as we rest in God’s great love and power. How do we reconcile these two notions?

It might seem ironic, but if “fearing God” means revering Him and his ways in the utmost, may we be ever-so-grateful that his ways just so happen to be the ways of selfless love. We “fear” God in that we understand he holds the ultimate powers of both condemnation and salvation, and we revere his power to execute—and yet, as we dig further into our understanding of his character, we find deep rest seeing that he is good, merciful, and sacrificial in nature. The combination of fearing—or greatly revering— him, in conjunction with our understanding of his Loving Ways, leads to our ultimate rest in his power. Furthermore, it spurs us along to love others just like he does.

Grace in the Story of the Prodigal Son: Our Identity as Sons and Daughters

Have you grabbed your freebies yet?

I read a quote on Pinterest the other day that has been ringing in my heart and mind ever since. It said:

“Mercy gave the prodigal son a second chance. Grace gave him a feast.”

And as I was reading through the account of the prodigal son found in Luke 15:11-31, I couldn’t help but see the grace of God pour off the pages, as the father’s compassion and benevolence for his wayward son guided his actions and stirred reflection on the mercy of God for all who heard the parable.

This parable is perfectly nestled amongst a series of illustrations about rejoicing over a sinner’s repentant heart, and over things that are lost being found once more. And as if to turn the illustrations up a notch, the father in the story of the prodigal son proclaims that not only is his son found, but he uses the metaphor of one going from death to life. (See The Parable of the Lost Sheep, The Parable of the Lost Coin)

Returning to the Father after time gone astray is as monumental as a resurrection from the dead. It is the eternal death-to-life transition offered to all who embrace Jesus as their salvation, as he is the way back into the loving arms of the Heavenly Father.

You may have heard the familiar scripture quoted that “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10) In this passage, Jesus describes false teachers who came before him—who didn’t lead God’s “sheep” or beloved people into full life, but rather deceived them into death.

We see a similar thread woven into the story of the Prodigal son: deceived by the allure of the world and things that are not of God, the son ventures outside of the Father’s care and ends up in deprivation. (Luke 15:14)

What the lost son thought would enhance his life, actually ended in his own destruction.

And that’s where grace begins to take center stage: this son, as if to spit on the father’s face, rebels and rejects all the father has for him. But this father—full of love and tenderness for his son—sees him returning home and has compassion on him.

What strikes me about this word “compassion” is that it denotes a sense of heartache for the one who has endured hardship. It’s as if the father knew that nobody could be happy apart from him, and when he saw how sin and deception ravaged the life of this young boy, the father met him with compassion, an enormous hug, and a celebration of his return.

And here’s what may have struck me the deepest: this son returned home with his tail between his legs. And honestly, it seems fitting that he did. He was not deserving of a place in the family—but that’s what makes this unmerited favor handed down from his father just so beautiful.

This son approached his father in shame, hoping to just be able to serve with his head hung low.

But just as the Heavenly Father lifts our heads, and calls us sons and daughter by the grace held out to us in the Lord Jesus Christ, this father treats him not as a shameful servant, but as a resurrected son.

As we walk with God, this story provides us with insight as to how we can view the dynamic between ourselves and our Heavenly Father…

Because you see, while this story comes fitly after parable after parable of the lost being found, it almost seems to serve as a segway into a new series of teachings Jesus offers his listeners: stories that fortify the reality that we are to live our lives on earth wisely, dutifully, and with servant-hearted natures—in view not only of our humble relationship to God (servant), but also in light of our beautiful and undeserved identity of sons and daughters. (Luke 17:10)

You see, while we willingly call ourselves servants, the Father graciously calls us sons and daughters. (Romans 6:15-18)

It’s because of his mercy that we have these new titles. And as believers, we get to live in the balance of humbly remembering that these identities are undeserved and yet fully embracing that—because of God’s grace—they are our new and irrevocable realities.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. 1 Peter 1:3-4 NIV

We get to serve the Father’s kingdom purposes, knowing that we will be made to inherit more than we could ever imagine or deserve. We get the sweet end of the deal. From head to toe, we are lavished in grace.

When we turn from our sin—the beliefs and lifestyles which lead to our own destruction—and turn to God, we are met with compassion for our hurt, celebration for our salvation, and the new title of “sons and daughters”. As sons and daughters of the Most High God, we are gifted with the opportunity to serve him—joyfully, dutifully—as we await our eternal inheritance in his heavenly kingdom.

This life with God begins and ends with his grace.

May you embrace the love of God who sees us turn to him, and literally runs toward us with the warmest of embraces, and gives us a new life, new purposes, and an eternal, imperishable inheritance.

Radiant Hope: Standing Up Against Shame

Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.

—Psalm 34:5

Shame gives me the shivers. It’s vile, dark, dirty, dishonest, and it has the ability to sap a soul’s strength with just a touch of its presence.

Shame could be described as the painful humiliation associated with one’s own guilt or shortcomings. And while there is wisdom in knowing that all humans will inevitably fall short of God’s holy ways, it’s crucial to remember the incredible God we serve and his mighty power to save us from ourselves.

Shame, even in its most menacing ways, stands no chance against the of power God. This is why the verse above is so beautiful and worth singing once again:

Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. Psalm 34:5

What would it look like for you to soak in this truth and unburden yourself from the shame that Jesus sacrificed his very life to take from you?

Let’s begin with this gentle reminder: releasing shame doesn’t mean pretending we are faultless, but rather it means embracing the magnitude of who God is and his loving ability to restore brokenness.

  • Where shame sends our hearts the message that we’re irreparably bad, God’s word proclaims that we are wonderfully made, and that God sent his Son as a sacrifice to provide our ultimate redemption. (Psalm 139:14)

  • Where shame says we have screwed up beyond repair, or that we are too far gone, we can cling to the truth that nothing is beyond God’s ability to restore.

  • Where shame cruelly calls us unlovable, we can remember that even in our darkest hour, God loved us and stopped at nothing to win our wayward souls back. (Romans 5:8)

You see, shame is a liar. Shame lies to the children of God. It tells us a false narrative and tries to hide the truth of the gospel that our sin was once-and-for-all atoned for by Jesus, and that we are now living in restored relationship with the God of the Universe.

Clinging to the hope held out in the gospel is shame’s kryptonite. Remembering who God is, and his ability to work in our lives, renders it powerless in its tracks. Proclaiming who we are in light of God’s redemption leaves it cowering in the corner like the weak and defenseless entity that it is!

By the power of the cross, God’s love has been poured into our hearts. Hope speaks to our redemption and restoration. Hope doesn’t put us to shame. Hope reminds us that there is a hero who enters into our desperate story, and tells us over-and-over-again that this paramount hero is after the whole victory. (Romans 5:5)

Hope offers us a hand and lifts up our head.

But you, Lord, are a shield around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high. Psalm 3:3

In moments where brokenness, sin, and painful circumstances feel like they’re too much to bear, I hope you are able to find comfort in remembering the love and power of God, and the eternal redemption he offers those lovingly called his.

May we enjoy his radiance, and be radiant. May our faces shine with the extravagant love of Christ, and may that light be an invitation to the world around us.

Love and hope to you!

The Spectacular Light of Jesus: Five Ways Our Lord is Like Sunshine

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

—John 1:4

“Jesus, you are my sunshine.”

As a brand-new, baby Christian, stumbling across John 1, this was the note I recorded in the margin of my fresh Bible. I even doodled a little sunburst alongside it.

I was delighted with the idea of Jesus being a light to the world. I didn’t have the language for it yet, but I think somehow I knew this was exactly what had happened when I invited Jesus into my heart: light started to shine.

Let’s consider the nature of sunlight for a moment: a substance that is not only soul-filling, but crucial for daily life. It produces endorphins—those happy little hormones that bring a smile to your face—while fighting off illness, providing necessary nutrients, and ultimately leading to the flourishing of living things.

And Jesus? He is the light of our life.

I’d love to share five ways Jesus is our sunshine:

  1. He is our source of life, both now and forever. (John 10:10)

  2. He provides joy. (James 1:17, Galatians 5:22-23)

  3. He enlightens us with knowledge. (2 Corinthians 4:6)

  4. In him, we get to shine as our truest selves. (John 1:12)

  5. In him, we experience the purifying act of sanctification. (John 3:21)

To begin, may we never forget that Jesus is our entirely crucial Savior. By his atoning sacrifice on the cross, we are gifted with life, both now and eternal, and are given the beloved title of being God’s children—children of the light.

Not only is he the reason for our eternal hope, but Jesus also provides us with a full life in the here-and-now.

…I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

His gifts are abundant; Jesus was with the Father during the creation of the world, and every single thing we enjoy in this world, that is beneficial for us, is the result of his doing. Every good gift comes from him. Let that strike you! Take a moment and consider some of your favorite things: the flavors, smells, sights, people… those are his creations.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights… James 1:17

We have the opportunity to soak in the grace of the Lord Jesus, daily. And when we put our faith in his atoning work on the cross, we are able to invite that light into the very depths of ourselves.

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6

When we look at Jesus, our hearts are enlightened with knowledge about God; we better understand his glorious nature. Just like sunshine cuts through the clouds on a dim and dreary day, the entering in of Jesus allows for the fog of our hearts and minds to be pierced as we embrace the most life-changing truth: that God is really, truly, so very, very good.

And what a splendid gift that we get to invite Christ himself to dwell in our heartsthrough faith. We are able to have him step into all the dark and dusty places deep inside of us—something might sound too good to be true if it weren’t for the help of the Holy Spirit!

Inviting the work of Jesus into our life means letting his light shine on all of it: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

It means stepping into your identity as God’s beloved child, and trusting that you are his handiwork, with life purposes scripted for you by the Author himself.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

Each of us are offered the invitation to bring our truest selves, created by God, into the light. He has gifted and skilled us each so beautifully—and like any good creator, he delights in what he has made.

But whoever did want him, who believed he was who he claimed and would do what he said, He made to be their true selves, their child-of-God selves. John 1:12, The Message

You are his delicately-woven-together masterpiece. Trusting that The Good Creator made you, and that he calls his work good is actually a form of humility. It’s placing yourself under the authority of God—and abiding by what he says is true. (More on that here.)

Trust your creator, and shine your light.

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16

So, we step into the light, in submission to the truth of God regarding ourselves and his purposes for lives. In this way, we are able to live the light-life we were intended for. And this little light of ours? It shines on the world around us, to the glory of God.

Now, it’s worth mentioning that coming into the light is kind of a two-part deal: we get to watch our truest selves shine, which can be a delightful experience, but it also means bringing the not-so-lovely parts of ourselves out into the open as well.

Coming into the light means allowing everything to be exposed… and that includes the sins, the struggles, the wounds, and the heartaches.

…whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. John 3:21

Sometimes, bringing our ugliest parts into the light can feel humiliating, dreadful even. But you can rest in the everlasting grace of God that he who called you into the light intends to heal the hurt places. He is faithful.

After all, we can’t heal what we don’t expose. And remember, the beautiful truth is this: you can allow sanctification to occur, resting in the truth that the fruit of the Holy Spirit’s work in us ultimately leads to greater, truer joy.

So, just like the sunlight shines on our bodies and grants us life and health, may the light of Jesus shine on your soul as you embrace him, bringing you to a fullness of living, and addressing the places that need some extra love and care.

Jesus: the giver of life, provider of joy, and our ultimate invitation to true, full living.

May we celebrate his goodness today!

Annalisa

P.S. - Check out this page for a cute little lock screen to remind your heart of these sweet truths. (password: daisy)

John 1:4 | John 1:2 | James 1:7 | 2 Corinthians 4:6 | Psalm 139:13-14 |Matthew 5:16 | Ephesians 2:10 | Isaiah 61:3 | John 3:19-21 | Galatians 5:22-23 | 1 Thessalonians 5:5

Finding Stillness in the Knowledge of God: Five Truths About God to Rest In

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

—2 Peter 1:2

At the offset of Second Peter, in a little introductory verse that could easily be glossed over and forgotten, the author sneaks in a monumental, elemental truth: growing in our knowledge of God, and of Jesus, can result in an abundance of grace and peace.

Screeeeeeeeeech. That was me slamming my breaks. Did you just say that learning about God can result in an abundance of grace and peace?! I must know more! After all, who isn’t longing for more peace in our fast-paced world?!

Let’s read 2 Peter 1:2 again, just-in-case you missed it the first time…

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 2 Peter 1:2

(Now, just to clear up any confusion: many of us long for more peace, but this isn’t about using God to acquire peace, with peace being the end goal… this is about a stance of honesty and humility, recognizing that if you’re experiencing agitation of the soul, there may be areas God is inviting you to expand your knowledge of who he is.)

So, how exactly does one grow in the knowledge of God?

Practically speaking, I’d begin with prayer. As you recognize your need for an expanded knowledge of God’s character, call on Him to guide each step of the journey. And recall the beautiful truth his Word promises: when we seek Him, we willfind Him.

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:12-13

There are all kinds of avenues God might use; keep your eyes open for community groups, Bible studies, or even the way creation is tugging at your heart. Crack open your Bible and just read—powerful things happen when we receive God’s word. (Read Isaiah 55:9-12 for more on what his Word accomplishes… it’s incredible…)

And as you grow in your knowledge of God, you will be so pleased with what you find: he is gentle. He is humble in heart.

I love this scripture below describing Jesus:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Isn’t he lovely? Engaging with a person like that brings peace. And true rest is exactly what Jesus desires for us when we come to him.

These sweet aspects of his character (gentleness and humility) are just the tip of the iceberg. There is so much more to dig into.

The more we know about Him, the more we can trust him. And the more we trust him, the more our hearts can rest in his sovereign care.

May you find joy in the journey as you deepen your knowledge of who God is and the love he has for you. It’s the endeavor of a lifetime. Below are a few of my favorite truths to reflect on:

(Another great resource is Lauren Ibach’s The Bible in a Year. Each week she highlights a new attribute of God that correlates with the section of scripture being covered. It’s such a helpful tool for those looking to grow in their knowledge of God.)

I pray that as you seek God, and reflect on the knowledge of who he is, that your souls will find true stillness. I pray that 1 Peter 1:2 will become your story, and that your hearts will find rest in the shadow of God’s protective care.

I’ll end with this portion of Psalm 91:

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:1-2

May we know and trust him, friends! Peace to you!

Free to Run and Play: An Invitation to Joyfully Journey with Jesus

“Because you’ve always stood up for me,
I’m free to run and play.
I hold on to you for dear life,
and you hold me steady as a post.”

—a portion of Psalm 63, The Message Version

Walking hand-in-hand with Jesus can often feel like a leisurely, lovely stroll. (Maybe through a garden like this.) It can feel reminiscent of Psalm 23, where the good shepherd is described as one who leads us beside still waters.

And sometimes… it may be a bit more fast-paced than that.

I wonder—in times that we feel like we have too many plates spinning, where life’s requirements feel numerous, where we aren’t sure what to do with all the callings set before us—if Jesus may be inviting us to take our walk and turn it into a run.

What if the invitation is to trust him a little more and step just a little faster? Now, don’t get me wrong—there is a time and a place for slowness. It can revive our soul. But there is also a really wonderful place for running. For playtime. For fun.

What if some of us are in a season where the invitation is to run and play with Jesus, as we trust him to hold all things together (as Colossians 1:17 tells us he will). Running with Jesus, and trusting Jesus like this, requires faith and humility.

Faith, to know God as a refuge—as one who stands up for us and holds us steady, just as we see in the Psalm above.

Humility, to release our grip on people’s judgements of us, as we fix our eyes firmly on Jesus as our guide.

This brings us to what I would like to consider one of the happiest scriptures in the entire Bible. (PS: You may want to click that link for some additional imagery!)

But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. Malachi 4:2

Revering God above man, and trusting him fully, leads to the kind of freedom that has us running and playing our way through life. The imagery of frolicking like a well-fed calf seals the deal for me: that’s the kind of life I’m after.

I want an abundant life spent clinging to the hand of my Savior, seeking him daily, and moving at the pace he sets for me. I’ll end with this passage from Galatians that goes a little further into the idea of letting God set the pace.

This passage comes in chapter five after the apostle Paul has just described the life of one who walks in the Spirit. After listing all the good spiritual fruit that is theirs (love, joy, peace, patience, etc.), he goes on to say one last thing:

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another. Galatians 5:25-26

The idea we see here is that the Spirit has a set pace for each of us. That word, conceited, could also be described as “vain glory”. Or pride. Or being consumed with where you’re at in regards to others… eager for empty glory.

We are advised not to provoke others, or pressure them to be where we are. I think this is especially important in our spiritual lives and personal walks with God.

This scripture adds that we aren’t to envy others, or strive to be doing what they’re doing in their life with God.

We don’t want to hurry others along, or race to be where someone else is. We want to live by the Spirit, in freedom.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Galatians 5:1

I hope today, that you’re encouraged to enjoy your walk with God. I hope you are able to seek his face, and ask the question: “Jesus, what do you have for me today?”

I hope you enjoy strolls through the hills and valleys that he takes you to, and if he is inviting you into a playful run, I hope you’ll feel courageous to accept the invitation.

Psalm 63 | Psalm 23 | Colossians 1:17 | Malachi 4:2 | John 10:10 | Galatians 5

Christmas: The Season of Receiving

The other day, I was talking to my sister-in-law, and I said something—well—weird. I said that while people think of Christmas as the season of giving, it’s actually the season of receiving!

And while it felt really foot-in-mouth (or is it tongue-in-cheek?) at the time, fumbled over and underdeveloped… the message has been ringing true in my heart all the same.

Because you see, we hear giving discussed a lot this time of year. People say,“Oh, that’s the Christmas Spirit!” when good gifts are given, lofty tips are poured out, or charity to fellow man is displayed… but where exactly does this spirit of generosity we hold so dearly at this time of year come from?

In it’s most organic essence, I believe it flows directly from the Spirit of God.

The Spirit who—as referenced in 1 Corinthians 2:12—is the very Spirit who whispers to our hearts all the things freely given to us from God.

The lavish riches of grace, the abundance of benevolence, the overflowing comfort and care--and above all, salvation for all who believe by that very baby-in-the-manger we hear so much about this time of year. (Ephesians 1:3-14)

God’s gifts are extravagant, poured over us. And if we truly want to begin pouring into the lives of others, it must begin with an overflow of grace received from God.

As we come to know him as he truly is, his love abounds in our hearts and minds, and the organic response is to tell the world of this life-changing grace.

I want to tell the whole world! This life of faith is so much more about what God wants for us, then what God wants from us.

Yes, he calls us to give our very lives—but do you know what we receive in exchange? His very life—reverberating through our bones, animating our everyday, changing us from the inside out.

It’s not even close to a fair trade. We receive so much more than we offer.

He’s God. He doesn’t need anything from us!

I love the way Acts 17:25 displays this very idea:

“And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.”

It’s from him that we receive life and breath and everything else.

And what does he require of us? To simply love him, and love those around us. In doing so, we reflect his generous glory to a thousand generations. (Exodus 20:6)

How do we learn to love? That too begins and ends with God:

“We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

It needn’t be a platitude or a cliche; the only way to love from the depth of our being is to have the depth of our being filled up by the love of God.

A gift we receive by the Holy Spirit, as a result of faith in Jesus as our savior.

So you see, it all comes down to this: when we receive the most abundant display of grace—appearing humbly in a manger on a silent winter night, we then are able to give to others—not under compulsion or due to manipulation, coercion, or force—but truly, from the restored DNA of our hearts, reflecting the light and love of our Lord who saved us when we least deserved it. (2 Corinthians 9:7)

So this Christmas, I pray you prepare your hearts to receive.


Receive humbly, receive abundantly. And let that love overflow into the lives of many.

Merry Christmas!

Go, Tell It On the Mountain: Beacons of Light in a Dark World

“A new kingdom is coming! In fact, it’s well underway.”

I picture an old-school newsboy announcing a headline. To a bleak, black-and-white, oppressed civilization, the announcement of a new kingship brings the promise of life, light, and color.

And this imaginative picture isn’t far off from the reality we indwell:

There will come a day when the entirety of the world’s pain and suffering will be entirely swallowed up by the goodness of God.

Where his light will reach into the furthest corners of existence, and sweep away any lingering darkness.

Until then, there exist little beacons of hope—moving, and animating—in the spaces of this world that are desperate for a glimpse of God’s goodness. We, are those beacons.

Like newsboys in an alleyway, we announce the good news of the coming kingdom. And with our smiles, we offer the invitation to participate, even now.

His perfect kingdom is a promise that will be entirely fulfilled, in pristine timing.

For the Lord is not slow in keeping his promises—as some understand slowness. He’s not withholding perfection from us. In fact, God’s benevolence is the reason it hasn’t come in fullness already. For his desire is that even more people might be swept up into his perfect redemption plan for mankind. (2 Peter 3:9)

And when his kingdom does come in fullness, it will endure.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. Psalm 145:13 NIV

A new kingdom is coming! In fact, it’s well underway.

As we—God’s people—enter into each day with a prayer and a heart posture of “Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done”, we are inviting the Kingship of Jesus to permeate this wretched earth we inhabit.

Like the house on the block grilling up a steak dinner, as passerbys bask in the scent, we bring the aroma of Christ’s Kingdom with us wherever we go: offering invitation to all we encounter to step off the street and imbibe—to taste and see the beauty of Jesus.

But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life… 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 NIV

Whether the aroma we carry appeals to people or not, it’s there. It’s not going anywhere. It’s the triumphant aroma of victory—of death conquered and life restored.

Like a city on a hill that gleams with palpable and undeniable light, we exist as God’s children on this earth. Doing the good works of the Father—beaming with his purposes—ushering forth his kingdom as obedient agents of everlasting light.

We carry the good news of the Kingdom with us, wherever we go.

By our words and deeds, we reflect the glory of the Father—the one who gives every good thing, and is consistently filled with light, benevolence, and kindness.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 NIV

It’s by his extravagant mercy that we get to go forth into the world, carrying the authority of sons and daughters of the Most High God. The world might not recognize us as such, but that doesn’t mean we cease to exist in the reality of that to which we are called. I’ll say it again: we are children of the light. Children of the Most High God! May we live in such a way, my friends!

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 1 John 3:1 NIV

People may not recognize, appreciate, or invite the light you carry with you—but that doesn’t mean we are to stop moving forward in love, offering Christ’s mercies to those we encounter.

As we engage this winter season, and as the topic of Christ’s coming permeates the air we breathe, consider the everlasting hope held out in the gift you’ve received. The gift of your own salvation.

As believers, we have passed from death to life.

From darkness to light.

From gloom to joy.

From despair to hope.

We may walk the trenches of this world, but not without eternal victory lighting our way.

This is the Christmas story held out to every hurting heart: the true tale of a victorious, all-powerful, and merciful God who was willing to stop at nothing to make a way…

For an aching world to find healing.

For a tortured world to find deliverance.

For a chaotic world to find peace.

As this season approaches, I pray you will be able to embrace the depth of goodness being celebrated: salvation offered to every single person.

It doesn’t matter how far they’ve fallen—because redemption is offered in the name of Jesus. Restoration is possible. Forgiveness is real. Grace is abundant.

And God loves every person.

It’s a news that we, with the Spirit, are whispered daily—and it’s a news good enough to be shouted from the hilltops! (Romans 8:16)

What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear! Matthew 10:27 NLT

God’s salvation isn’t hiding from anyone. All the more, he put on flesh and blood and walked the earth—came down to our level in the most extravagant act of humility that ever existed—so that any person who calls on the name of the Lord might be saved. (Romans 10:13)

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Romans 10:14-15 NIV

Shout it from the rooftops. Tell it on the mountain.

Salvation by faith is the greatest of gifts.

Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish!… Ephesians 2:7-10 MSG

If you see people around you hurting, in despair, in heartache, in pain—carry your torch; shine your light.

This world is desperate for the real Jesus, for true healing. For the grace their souls were made to long for.

Don’t hold back!