Faith Spoken Of: Stay

Faith Spoken Of: Stay: It’s hard to fully express what I felt God working in my heart last night when my husband was reading the Jesus Calling Bible Storybook to our kids.

Visit the link to read the full story.
I will likely be adding new devotional-type posts over at Faith Spoken Of, and keeping this blog to more personal/family posts, and of course DIY and recipe posts.

Have a blessed week!
Nicole

Put your stuff down so I can change you

Put your stuff down so I can change you.

This is what I told to my toddler. He’s always got something he’s carrying around. This week it’s either his cars or a couple of flashlights. Or both. From the moment he wakes up, pretty much until we put him to bed at night, he’s got something in his hands.

This morning was no different. Before breakfast, when I was changing his diaper and preparing to get him dressed, he’d found some treasures to hold.

When it came time for me to change his shirt, however, the items were too big to fit through the arm-holes, and this is what I said,

“Put your stuff down so I can change you.”

And it stopped me cold.

Yesterday at our church, we started the Bible study Breaking Free by Beth Moore. I haven’t even tapped into the homework yet, but I know it’s going to be a life-changer. I have also been going through So Long, Insecurity, also by Beth Moore, and it is already changing my life, and changing how I look at things.

Put your stuff down…

Don’t we all have our ‘stuff’? Our treasures, yes. Our hurts too? Most certainly. And we’ve been called to lay it down. Just let go of it.

Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” NKJV emphasis mine

Repeat after me:

“It’s not worth it!”

If it’s going to keep us from being changed, it’s not worth it. If it’s going to keep us from growing in Christ, it’s not worth it. If it’s going to keep us from living abundant life, the life that He gave His very life to ensure that we could live, it’s not worth it!

Put your stuff down so I can change you.

Ephesians 4:22-24 “22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”

The parallel deepened for me, as I pulled his little chubby arms through the sleeves, and gave him a clean shirt to wear. Clean. New. And it was even the one with the firecrackers on it; the one I bought for him because it was representative of his surprise (quite early!) July birth. “Little Firecracker” it says on the front. And he wears it today.

What are we wearing today? No, I don’t mean which cute shirt are you wearing, or whether you’re in slacks or sweatpants. I mean what is the image – whose image – are we representing?

Are we wearing our hurts?
I am abused.

I am neglected.

I am forgotten.

I am not good enough.

I am ______________?

Or are we wearing Christ?
We are not only called to put off our old self, but also to put on our new nature. Live as one created in righteousness and truth.

Friends, let’s be changed. And let’s let God do the changing.

Put your stuff down so I can change you.

Sabbath

This Sabbath carries little rest

My heart cannot be still

It's breaking full of unbelief

Could this have been His will?

I stare at spices sweet prepared

For the body of my Lord.

His body! Dead. Alive no more

I long for Living Word

How could my Jesus, Son of God

Be gone away from me?

How did this happen? O my soul!

I writhe in agony.

Was it I who sent Him there

To the cruel cross?

Why would He love me - me - so?

All I am is loss.

He wasn't recognizable

His face and body torn

But those eyes, yet filled with blood

Met my gaze alone

They did not cease to love me

E'en in the midst of pain

One look from Jesus and I knew

My guilt and all my shame

I wait, for now, to go to Him

His lifeless body there

One last thing I'll do for Him

One way to show my care

It should be me there in that tomb,

Mangled. Torn apart.

I wait this Sabbath, grieving sore

I cannot feel my heart.

O Sabbath, pass. O sun, please set.

Let me try to sleep

Up before the morning sun

His body I will treat.

But lo, someone has been here

The stone is rolled away

Who are these shining men?

What is that they say?

I cry. I still cannot believe.

This is a cruel trick.

Not understanding, I weep the more

My heart is sinking, sick.

Afraid and bowed, I process words

They said "He is not here",

"Why seek the living with the dead?"

I scarce believe for fear.

"He is risen!" - I hear them now

My Christ, alive, is it true?

My heart dares hope. My Lord's alive?

O Lord, I must see you!

"Why do you weep?" the gardener asks.

"Who are you looking for?"

"His body" is my sad reply.

"The body of my Lord."

Then I heard Him speak my name.

He knows me? my heart cries

I turn, my Jesus standing there!

He reaches, dries my eyes.

I weep for joy, remembering now

His words about third day.

"Go. Don't stay here; tell my friends."

With joy I do obey!

-NR 4/19/14

Choosing Pearls

Today, I’m drawing strength from my Jesus. The journey I’m on right now is learning to trust Him, and love Him, no matter what is going on right now. 

No matter if He’s waiting to answer my prayer.

No matter if I’m hurting.

No matter if I, secretly, deep down, blame Him for my pain.

Gasp. Yes. You read that right. No, you may not be as surprised as I was to realize it. But I did. He helped me realize it. In an ever-so-loving way, He helped me realize that a seeming unanswered prayer that has seemed to go from bad to worse has been standing in the way of my faith. Standing in the way of my love for Him.

I was guarded against my Jesus. I still am, I think, a little. It’s going to be a whole healing process, and we’re just beginning. But Jesus is up for the challenge, and so I will be too. I’m learning a few things along the way.

He does ache for the situation to be better. Not just better – resolved. Healed. Perfect. He aches for it more than I do. More than I can even comprehend.

He aches to reach in and fix it. He has to really restrain Himself from doing just that.

He can fix it. He holds the power to fix it all.

Why is He restraining Himself, then? Why, when He has the power, and wants to fix it, does He not? This was exactly my struggle.

Because He knows better. He knows that the pain is an unfortunate part of the process; of His better plan.

“Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.” Mark 14:36

Not my will but Thine, Father. Abba. Daddy. You know best.

Because He knows that to take it away now, to fix it all without due process, in this situation, is not the best way. It would not foster greater faith in me. There are numerous other effects this might have on the outcome that I could never even realize, none of them best.

Because my Daddy wants the best for me. My Jesus wants nothing less for His Princess. The daughter of the King.

So I wear my pearls today. The pearl is for me a reminder – because God knows I need visuals – that the suffering is worth the wait. That pearls come from discomfort, time, patience, more discomfort, that itch you can’t scratch, pressure, more discomfort and more waiting. The longer you wait, the more valuable your pearl will become. Bigger, more visible and more precious.

I used to not like pearls. And today I realized why. And also why I like them now.

When I didn’t like pearls, I was a little girl, and the only pearls I was acquainted with were on my costume jewelry. I didn’t like them, because the shiny coating would chip off, and I’d be left with a string of ugly off-white plastic beads – and not always even the same color as each other.

Those were false pearls.
Those were not made with the same discomfort as my grown-up pearls.

Real ones.

Real pearls made from real pressure and patience. From pain.

And so many times we look at false pearls and think they’re the real thing, and then wonder why our faith isn’t stronger. Wonder why it seems as if satan worked a little better in a situation than our Jesus did. Wonder why we’re left hurting.

Satan makes false pearls.

But those false pearls may be the very ones that leave us guarding our hearts from the very One who wants to heal it. Protecting our hearts from our Abba. Our Daddy. Our Healer and Protector and Provider.

And then one day the shiny paint chips away and the pearls are ugly and the beads don’t match. And it makes us despair.

But our Abba makes real pearls. They’re irregular and each one is unique, but the paint doesn’t chip away, and they’re worth a whole lot more. They’re stronger than plastic.

Dear Jesus, help me wait for the real pearls. Thank you for making real pearls with my life.

Not my will, but Yours. The pain will one day be worth it.

God's Perfectly Planned Will and New Picture for 2014

I have a word for this year. Not necessarily my 'one word' for 2014, but a reminder I wish to carry with me always.

Boulé
The Greek word used to describe counsel, decision, motives, plan, or purpose is used 12 times in the New Testament.
(Luke 7:30; Luke 23:51; Acts 2:23; Acts 4:28; Acts 5:38; Acts 13:36; Acts 20:27; Acts 27:12; Acts 27:42; 1 Corinthians 4:5; Ephesians 1:11 and Hebrews 6:17)

This word was emphasized in a recent session of Bible study I participated in and I was so blessed.
(It was Beth Moore’s A Woman’s Heart, session 7. Download the video here) 

Here’s an excerpt from the workbook on that day.

“Purpose” — Greek transliteration, boule, “will, project, intention, as the result of reflection; counsel, decree, aim, or estimation, as it denotes deliberation and reflection.” “Boule as the first stage of inward ‘deliberation’ … thought …. Secondly, boule denotes the final result of inward deliberation.”

It carries meaning both of our purpose, God’s will for us; and of deep thought and planning regarding our lives.

I loved the emphasis on God’s purpose always being for our good. He may allow us to go through suffering, but only if it will result in our ultimate good. Better character, lessons learned, empathy gained, or something else Divinely appointed.

Even Christ submitted to God’s purpose, will, and planning for His own life in Luke 22:42:

Luke 22:42 "Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine." NLT

Acts 2:23 “this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.” NASB

God gave me a picture that day, and here it is for each of you to be blessed by as well. May it serve as a reminder that God’s boulé will, His deliberately planned purpose for you is based on His great love for you and He will cause it to result in our ultimate good. Be encouraged that today is only temporary, and one day, we will experience that good that comes of the plan He has for us.

print is available here

Ephesians 1:11 “Also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.” NASB

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”” NLT

His plan is good, amen.

Order the 8x8 print from my shop Nouvelle Mere on Etsy

The Apparent Project

UPDATE January, 2014: I am leaving this post up so that you can see a sample of the beautiful jewelry you can get through the Apparent Project. I did have to send the remainder of items back, however, so I cannot fill any orders from the pictures below. Learn more about how you can still help here.

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To all my sweet readers, you get to help some families this week!

Nouvelle Mere on Etsy is sponsoring an Apparent Project virtual party. The Apparent Project is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit organization that helps families stay together in Haiti. 

Read more about the Apparent Project at their website http://www.apparentproject.org/

Did you know? Most of the orphans in Haiti still have one or both parents living? It's true. But they are orphaned because of poverty; being sent to an orphanage or to other homes because there is not enough income to support the entire family.

Here's where we can help. The Apparent Project has taught Haitians a craft that they can market, and then brings their products up to the US to sell them. And then the money gets sent back to the artisans so they can afford to keep their family together.

I currently have had a box of this beautiful stuff! It is primarily jewelry, and some purses, and Christmas ornaments and decor. I encourage you to please look through the pictures and select something for a last minute gift or something just for yourself.

Apparent Project- Beauty Changes Things from Corrigan Clay on Vimeo.


So let's look at the beautiful stuff!

We'll start with the Christmas decor

and some close-ups of those items, plus prices

You are loved!

The artisans use recycled materials, such as cereal boxes to create all the beautiful items. Do you recognize these? I spy Mountain Dew, Coca Cola and Diet Coke! :)

Some more fun stuff

The mini stockings are a perfect size to hold gift cards, jewelry or many of these beautiful ornaments

And close-ups of those items

More Christmas and some jewelry

close-ups of the earrings

Some of my favorites are the metal art

Up close

And are these angels not just precious?

Being the Nativity junkie that I am, this piece is by far my favorite.

The larger bag with green lining is about the size of a laptop 

These coin purses all have a divided pocket on the inside

Long necklace-bracelet sets

And lots of beautiful bracelets

Don't you just love the precious faces and stories on these tags?

This one sums up our whole project; the love of Christ for Haiti. <3

I will do my best to mark items off as sold as they are purchased.

There are duplicates of some of the ornaments, and I will leave them available until all of that style are sold out. 

Items will be available until Dec 31, 2013

Thank you so much for your help with this ministry, from me and from the precious people in Haiti.

Please share this with your friends. I would love to sell as much of this as I can before I have to send it back.