Promises

I shared my testimony on Easter Sunday, and then the next morning ‘my angel’ Mr. Herring (the gentleman with the CD) called and said he was going to tell his story with StoryCorps and needed an interview partner and he asked me if I would be willing to do the radio interview with him at 4:30pm on Wednesday.
I said,  “Sure!  I would love to hear your story!”, but then as soon as I hung up I started to get nervous. Wednesday arrived, and it was April 23rd and I was still nervous.  I thought wow, it was about a year ago when the song,  “His Eye Is On The Sparrow” really impacted me and I took some bold, brave steps.  I happened to look at old posts to see when and it was exactly a year ago on 4.23.2013 that I posted His Eye is On This Sparrow!  This thought made me smile, and as my daughter and I were walking in the breezeway at UNC that morning, we heard this beauty – singing loud and proud.  I was able to stop and take the picture and was reminded once again, His eye is on the sparrow.  Keep going.

The interview was forty minutes, but time went by really quick.  I actually had a delightful time.  What an experience, and I loved it!  I felt completely at ease in that diner type booth with that large recording microphone capturing our words and expressions.  When it was over I thanked him and I encouraged him to keep going!
Two complete strangers meeting at crosswalk and pausing to hear the gentle whisper from the Lord, “Hey, you matter!  You are important!”  The pause is important.  Everything right now seems to be on demand.  Immediate response required.  Hurry!   Next! Chop Chop!!  Alarms going off!  Speed up! Beep Beep!!  You’ve got mail.  Ringtones.  Ding!  Rush.
Slow down and smell the flowers.  Slow down and listen to the birds.  Slow down and take the picture. Capture the moment.  Let Him guide you.
May we all pause to listen.  He created us for His Glory and eternal purposes.  What are we doing with our time?  What are we doing with our life?  What are we doing with our resources?  What are we doing with our story?  What are we doing for the kingdom?
After the interview, I met a friend to paint.  We were focused for two hours on just painting and it was intense.  This was my first time going to a painting class and I loved it.  I loved how the paint colors on a plate were just paint colors on a plate, but when blended, and applied to a blank canvas, they created a beautiful masterpiece.  When we allow Him to blend in our colors and shade our rough edges, and accentuate us and give us dimension, then we become His beautiful masterpiece.

The name of the painting was Spring Walk…but I added Proverbs 3:6  Seek His will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.  That is a promise, and one of many He gives us in His word.   In Isaiah 58:8 it says, Your godliness will lead you forward and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.  So even as you take steps on your path, whether you face mountains or pretty pink petals – you can know that He has your back!

Seek Him in ALL you do.  He will show you, and protect you all the way.  That’s a promise.  That’s His Promise.

Luke 1:45  Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!

When I saw the writing prompt was “promise” over at Faith Barista , I started humming.  I can remember singing this song when I was young.  I looked it up on YouTube and listened and smiled wishing I could remember the children’s worker at church who may have taught it to me so I could thank her.  (For any of you who spend any amount of time with children teaching them about Jesus – thank you.  You are planting seeds and pouring His Love into their very tender hearts and minds.  It matters!)

“I am a promise.

I am a possibility.

I am a promise with a capital “P”!

I am a great big bundle of potentiality.

And I am learning to hear God’s voice

and I am trying to make the right choices.

I am a promise to be anything God wants me to be.”

~ I am a Promise by The Gaither Vocal Band~

 

What are God’s promises to you?   Are you hearing His voice whisper to your heart?