workers are few

Oh Lord, what is it that you would do with me if I would truly submit all that I am and follow you fully? Fear of the unknown, the uncomfortable, the unpopular, and the lack of control hold me back. It is my prayer that you will help me to push past this apprehension and truly give you my all....

Luke 10:2-11

"The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
5"When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. 7Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
8"When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' 10But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.'

Soar like a 6 year old

I sketched this a few weeks ago and felt lead to create a larger painting. This is my first large piece using water color. When I was about three quarters of the way finished my 6 year old asked if he could help. I love drawing and painting with him as he has no fear. He will jump right in and just start applying color and lines and in this case his contribution helped me to bring out the texture in the sky. I learn a-lot from my kids and that day God impressed on me that he wanted me to soar like a 6 year old. I pray that I can enter each day willing to risk for the kingdom. Rather than planning each moment I pray that I will be willing to jump in and participate in whatever my heavenly Father is doing.

Isaiah 40:25-31
25 "To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One. 26 Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. 27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God"? 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Carried away

Carried away - When I sketched this a few weeks ago I knew that it would eventually turn into a painting. I just could not get the image out of my head of being picked up and carried away by God. I later read about Paul's account of being shipped wrecked. He was on a journey as a prisoner during a very dangerous time of year to be sailing. Throughout the journey he listened and trusted God, eventually swimming to shore after the ship broke into pieces. Acts 27: 22-26 But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.' So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island."

I pray that I will have such faith and strength in God during times of trial

Acts 27: 40-44 and Acts 28: 40Cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach. 41But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf.
42The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. 43But the centurion wanted to spare Paul's life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. 44The rest were to get there on planks or on pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land in safety.

Acts 28: 1-2
1Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.

God is all around us

When I was a kid I used to love to look up at the clouds and find shapes that resembled animals, building, plants, etc... I was always amazed at what I could find hiding in the clouds. The other day I saw what looked like a dove in the clouds and snapped the above photo on my phone. I love to find God in nature and in the brief moment that the dove floated in the clouds I felt like God was smiling down on me.

Isaiah 55 (New International Version)

Isaiah 55

1 "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.

2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

3 Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.

4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the peoples.

5 Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor."

6 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.

Washed Clean

I read the following verse and it really made me reflect on the fact that it is very easy to get caught up in our outward appearance.

Matthew 23:24-26 (NIV)
24You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
25"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

I find that I often make assumptions about people based on what they wear, how they talk, and who they hang out with. This hit me the other day when my wife purchased a couple of peaches at a road side stand. Outwardly they looked and smelled fantastic. When we got home she washed one and cut it open. The outside of the peach looked perfect, but on the inside she found an earwig and mold around the pit. My whole perception of that peach changed instantly. I often wonder how different it would be if people could see what our hearts truly looked like all the time. My prayer is that Christ would wash my heart clean each day and that I would try to see past the bobbles of this world and treat those around me with the love of Christ.

Yielding

Each time I read this I am struck with the fact that God (our creator) loved us so much that he sent his one and only son Jesus to die for our sins. This one act covers all of us. This selfless act carries hope, forgiveness, and salvation for all that acknoledge that Jesus is Lord.

^{Mathew 27: 50-54}

⁵⁰And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

⁵¹At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. ⁵²The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. ⁵³They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

⁵⁴When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"