Anchored (and a winner for the noonday giveaway)

One amazing thing that seems to come from experiencing a little bit of a life squeeze, is often the creativity it inspires in my heart and today I am sharing my newest painting with you but I also wanted to share the back story because it came from somewhere and maybe it can encourage you the way it encouraged me.

I trust that we are good enough friends by now, that I can share what's been happening without you rolling your eyes and saying, "My gosh girl get over it by now... it's just a car breakdown for goodness sake."  Obviously we all have issues that trip us and knock us flat on our face and sometimes it's the seemingly smallish items that can fling us down the hardest.  Two weeks ago, Adrain's car engine blew up.  I won't bore you with any more details other than to say we are still solution-less and trying to figure it out while we drive a loaner car and it still feels really big to us right now- this thing, that is making our story, uniquely designed for us.  In this time I have questioned what I previously felt that I knew of the character of God in so many ways, and I have been challenged harder in my faith (over a measly little car breakdown and all that it is affecting) than ever before.  I could post for a solid week on that journey alone, because it's big and meaty and life changing but we truly would never get to the encouraging part.  I cried and cried last night as I poured my raw feelings out to Adrain and he confessed a few different, yet hard things he has been chewing on to me.  This storm is pulling at us hard, and I have no idea why, other than the idea that it's meant to refine us and change us for the better in the long run.  

The truth is, we will all have to deal with a storm of one kind or another and oftentimes we face one right after another until we've got lungs filled with salt water and our fingers are slipping from the edge of the raft we have been clinging to and we're sure that one more wave is going to be the end of us.  One more... and we will go under permanently.

It's a life truth.  We will have trouble.  But we won't go under permanently.  Time and time again, God promises that He will be our shelter, our refuge, our savior, our rock, our comforter, our strength, etc.  One I especially love is Psalm 46 1:3 "God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him. We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom, courageous in sea storm and earthquake,  Before the rush and roar of oceans, the tremors that shift mountains.  Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, God-of-Angel-Armies protects us."

 
Somehow the storm analogy really struck me. It has felt like a storm and when I read my Girlfriends in God devotional one day last week it encouraged me in this area.  Mary Southerland writes, "An old seaman once said, "In fierce storms we can do but one thing. There is only one way to survive. We must put the ship in a certain position and keep her there." Richard Fuller commented on the old seaman’s words: “This, Christian, is what you must do. Sometimes, like Paul, you can see neither sun nor stars, and no small tempest lies on you. Reason cannot help you. Past experiences give you no light. Only a single course is left. You must stay upon the Lord; and come what may -- winds, waves, cross seas, thunder, lightning, frowning rocks, roaring breakers -- no matter what, you must lash yourself to the helm and hold fast your confidence in God's faithfulness and His everlasting love in Christ Jesus.”

When I finished that devo, I found myself drawn to paper and paint and was inspired to watercolor an anchor with the words, "In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil."  Also side note, I had no idea what "the veil" represented until I did a little bit of research on it.  Come to find out, it represents the veil that separates us from the Holy of Holies- the innermost chamber where God's presence was found in Old Testament days.  Because we live in the New Testament time, there is no longer a veil or a separation between us and God, and God holds us close to His presence by the anchor of His promises- the first being that He cannot lie, and the second being that He will do what He has promised.  And He has promised us so many things in this life and the next. The idea that God anchors us within the veil, right by His side in the midst of every storm that life throws our way, has encouraged my heart like crazy.  I needed to know that.  Needed to know that He was there and holding me close. 

Hebrews 6:18-19 where it says, "God gave these two things that cannot be changed and God cannot lie. We who have turned to Him can have great comfort knowing that He will do what He has promised. 19 This hope is a safe anchor for our souls. It will never move. This hope goes into the Holiest Place of All behind the curtain of heaven."

  Anyway, I made that painting out of the depths of the encouragement God sent my way in hopes that it would help you or anyone you know going through a life storm.  (I also created a fun summer illustrated recipe just because.  Both are sweet and perfect for summer and I hope you love them. You can shop here. )

Also thank you everyone who voted for my buddy Kelsey-  she chose a random winner for her Noonday Giveaway, who is Corrine (Crossnote).  (Congratulations and give me a shout at lemonademakinmama@comcast.net to claim your prize and  I will get in you in contact with Kelsey!)