Trumpet the Sound of Royalty!

I have a kind, loving & wise friend who brought me a purple iris yesterday & said that she woke up in the night thinking about me & several other women who get together every week to learn about SOZO, an inner healing ministry. She received a 'word' from God for each of us that was represented in the color of the flower. Mine was purple which stands for 'Royalty' & she said that "God was happy with where I was at now & where I was going & who I was becoming". What a wonderful blessing to speak over me. She had a word for each one of us. Isn't that what friends are for? To encourage us to be all that God created us to be? A quote from my dream book says, "Our lives trumpet the sound of what we really believe". I trumpet the sound of Royalty today!

Hahn's Peak Hidden Beauty

I enjoy the hidden beauty that God offers me for just a few moments in time. The right light, the right place, the right moment. When I pay attention to what is going on around me throughout my day, He presents numerous opportunities for me to behold something special. Whether it be a person, a word I am reading, nature, or even something unseen that comes from within, I can receive His precious gifts to me. "Let it be the inward adorning & beauty of the hidden person of the heart...a gentle, peaceful spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." 1 Peter 3:4

The Entrance of Your Word Gives Light

With the history that surrounds Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, I came to appreciate its natural beauty. The more I walked through the corridors of time, I found art unfolding before me in the architecture. I am enriched by travel & the many opportunities that are presented to me to learn & understand other cultures that are so different than my mountain living. These experiences change me from within as I am moved in my emotions & all my senses are awakened anew. My ability to express myself through art, writing and worship, now has more depth & meaning because of it.
"The entrance and unfolding of Your Words give light; their unfolding gives understanding to the simple." Psalm 119:130

Roaring Deep Calls to Roaring Deep

From the depths of my being I cry out to God & He hears me. He answers me from the depths of His Spirit. This is intimacy. This is knowing God. I am real before Him and He accepts me. "Roaring deep calls to roaring deep at the thunder of Your waterspouts; all Your breakers and Your rolling waves have gone over me. Yet the Lord will command His loving-kindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me, a prayer to the God of my life." Psalm 42:7-8

Selah

Why is there such a feeling of God's Presence when the sun rises or when it goes down? I believe God gave this loving reminder so that during my busy day, I would take a moment to pause & receive His gift to me for that moment. SELAH means to 'pause and calmly think of that'. It is often used in the Psalms when, again, God wants me to really hear what He is speaking to me that deserves His attention. "You are a hiding place for me; You, Lord, preserve me from trouble, You surround me with songs & shouts of deliverance. Selah!" Psalm 32:7

Actions You Take Today

Sometimes I wonder if all my 'busyness' is making a difference. I want my actions to be purposeful & effectual toward my dreams. Part of the 'process' of moving forward with my dreams is seeing the results & learning about myself & the choices I make. To ask myself, "Is what I am doing now, moving me toward my dream? If not, what can I do differently"? The following quote expresses best the result of my actions not only for myself but for my children & grandchildren. The Butterfly Effect: "There are generations yet unborn whose very lives will be shifted & shaped by the moves you make & the actions you take today. And tomorrow...And the next day...And the next..." Andy Andrews

El Elyon, the Most High God

I am so grateful to live in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. There is such grandeur here that refreshes my soul. When I walk this land I feel God's presence & my senses are awakened within me. I connect to God this way. This is when I raise my hands in worship & find such freedom to be myself & feel fully alive. I speak out my desires & prayers & call on El Elyon, the Most High God, & I know that He hears me. I treasure these moments of intimacy. "So I went with Him & when we were climbing the rocky steps up the hillside, my Beloved said...Let Me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet and your face is lovely." Song of Solomon 2:14

Full Moon Rising

Like the light reflected in this full moon over my home on Gore Pass so my life is a reflection of God's light upon me. The more I spend time in His presence, the more I reflect God's light. When Moses asked for God to show him His Glory, the skin of his face shone...that is my prayer, to know God & be a reflection of His glory so that others may know Him. "You will show me the path of Life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore." Psalm 16:11

From the Rising of the Sun to It's going Down

When I am finally still & away from life's distractions, I embellish my soul in the beauty of a sunset over the Caribbean. The joy of my spirit cannot be contained & I cry out in Praise to my God, the Creator of the Universe: "Praise the Lord! Praise O servants of the Lord, Praise the name of the Lord! Blessed be the name of the Lord, From this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun, to it's going down, the Lord's name is to be praised." Psalm 113:3

Arise and Shine

Arise and Shine...to new life, be radiant with the glory of the Lord, for your light has come & the Glory of the Lord has risen upon thee. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth & dense darkness the people, but the Lord shall arise upon you & His Glory shall be seen on you. And nations shall come to your light & kings to the brightness of your rising. Isaiah 60:1-3

Expression Of Light & Color

In my Dream Class, there is an amazing quote in our book by Bill Johnson that says, "The result of a transformed mind is that the impossible becomes logical." Looking at this one white Lupine standing out alone amongst all the blue, it makes me think of how God can make what seems impossible in my life, possible. Here, God orchestrates a beautiful symphony of color & light. In my own life, I too can be an expression of His color & light. My life with God is a garden, filled with His Glory, He is tending to, so lovingly & wisely. "I am my Beloved's {garden} & my Beloved is mine!" Song of Solomon 6:3

Grandchildren Moab 2011

Having my grandchildren reminds me of how I can overcome obstacles. When I see them struggling & wanting to give up, I encourage them that they 'Can do it, and they do it." We all need someone to cheer us on when we feel like giving up. I enjoy watching children's movies that obviously have a big people message in it such as 'A Bugs Life'. When Flick feels like a failure because he thinks outside the box & believes in ideas & doing things differently, he has to go through some pretty disappointing things that don't work, however, there is courage in his heart & he is the only ant who stands up to 'Hopper', the big bully grasshopper. After being laughed at, rejected, shunned, punched, kicked & called 'lower than dirt, a little ant named 'Dot' is the one who believes in him and doesn't give up. Flick rises to the challenge and says the unspeakable, 'Ants are not meant to serve grasshoppers. It's the grasshoppers who need the ants". The other ants hear his courage & courage rises up in them & they too believe. Overcoming is a wonderful thing. We need each other to believe when we cannot & to see things differently. That's what life is all about! Believing, overcoming & living a life that we love & are passionate about. "If you had faith, trust, confidence in God even so small like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots, and be planted in the sea', and it would obey you". Luke 17:6

KCC Stained Glass Window

Kremmling Community Church celebrated it's 100th year birthday last June, 2011. I am privileged to be a part of this family of believers. They welcomed my husband & I, 2 years ago with warm, loving, arms & have embraced us in life's difficulties & in celebration. I am sharing one of many beautiful stained glass windows that I have come to enjoy as I worship here. The presence of God fills the sanctuary & I am filled with His Peace. Here, I am free to express His Glory. Like King David of old, I dance before the Lord with all my heart & I am glad! Psalm 150

Declarations of God's Goodness

Declarations are a powerful way to breathe new life into my day, giving me focus & clarity as I live out my destiny. So in my journal this morning I felt led to declare NEW words into my life. I need this & read recently how I must recover my focus daily. It doesn't just come to me, I must grab hold of it with determination. One of the declarations I made was, "I am in step with God's timing & trust Him to bring the support, ideas & provision I need. Like these sunflowers that trust the farmer for the support & provision they need, I face the SON & rest in His goodness. "The Goodness of God endures Continually..." Psalm 52:1a

On Sunday I could feel a shift in nature. After going to church, my husband & I decided on our way home, that it was a perfectly beautiful day to pack a lunch & go for a drive up on Gore Pass. Two moose had been seen near our home earlier in the week so we were on the search for more moose. On our way up we saw some fresh tracks we were certain were moose. After having our little 'picnic' in the car & enjoying the sunshine, listening to the beautiful & inspiring Rivera's new 'Yearnings' CD, and an eagle soaring overhead, I felt like I was in Heaven! As we headed back, we slowed by the tracks we saw earlier and spotted this moose laying down in the trees! I never seem to tire of nature & God's creation. Thank you Lord for spontaneity, and how my heart is stirred by the freshness of each season. My eyes are filled with renewed hope & I am glad!

I am taking a Dream Class & one of my favorite quotes is by St. Irenaeus, "The Glory of God is a man fully alive." That is my quest. To be fully alive with the Glory of God. I find that I have experienced this full aliveness at times, however, there are often times I don't. I believe it is possible & that I am on the path to get there & that it is a choice that I must make daily. As I spend my time reading, worshiping my Creator, journaling, writing, drawing & spending time in nature, photography & quality time with friends & family & even in lifes many challenges & at work connecting with others. This is where I find I become alive. This is a life that is full & beautiful. This is where I choose to invest my life & as I do, the rewards have been & will continue to be great.

Sometimes, like the Glory of God, no words can be expressed to describe it. As in this 'Morning of Glory' rising upon our mountains, in a fleeting moment it can be captured & in silent awe the beholder stands to receive its copious splendor.

Glory is defined in the Hebrew Language as: Splendor, copiousness, glorious, honourable, magnificence, excellency, majestic, to shine, to be clear, celebrate, sing, be worthy of praise, grandeur, triumph & bravery.
It is then no surprise that when I see a meadow of wildflowers I experience these emotions. Song of Solomon speaks of God's Glory in intimacy & love, "You have called me a garden, Oh I pray that the breath & wind of Your Spirit may blow upon my garden, that it's spices may flow with abundance for you in whom my soul delights".

The Glory of God is seen in His creation. When I worship Him in spirit and in truth He makes Himself known. It is in intimacy with the Living God that I can experience Him and His Glory. I can then go from glory to glory. I praise You O God that You reveal Yourself to me in nature and when I come to You with my whole heart. Like David in the Psalms, I cry out to You & You answer me. "O send out Your Light and Your Truth, let them lead me; let them bring me to Your Holy Hill and to Your Dwelling." Psalm 43:3