hands and feet

Jesus promises that when we step out to be the hands and feet, he will go with us.

I am stepping.
I leave in a few rapidly-approaching hours for a short trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Not the PV Americans visit on summer vacation trips with family.
Not PV of beaches and surf and sand.
I leave for PV of poverty~
of native villages and groups of women waking each day, the only desire in their heart that of one to feed their children's empty bellies.

So out of my element.
And, so necessary and desired~
to be thrust into the unknown and faithfully continue stepping into whatever it brings....
to be the hands and feet.

I may return unchanged~
unaffected by the lifestyle I have a front row seat to~
the daily living so desperately contrary to that of the American way, even the American impoverished....

But I will have touched someone.
I will have stepped into one life.
I will have been the 'just what I needed right now' hands and feet for at least one woman.

And, this is why I go.
Despite fears.
Despite lack of....(insert any number of 'thing' here)
Despite not knowing enough....(saa...)

Jesus calls faithful believers to listen to his voice.
And, to go to those in need.
And, to be his hands and feet.

If nothing else I am obeying.
And in this, I am blessed.
And, its' not even about me!~
I get the selfish blessing nonetheless.
What a wonderful way God works his world....
in love. I depart. trish

just like a lion

There's a popular story that's circulated over the years about a young boy visiting a sculptures studio and marveling at how very life-like he was able to render the image of a lion in stone.
The sculptor explained to the boy that it was an easy process; he simply chipped away at everything that wasn't the lion.

And so are we.
the stone.

God works on us daily, chipping away at the willing and righteous heart, to come to look, act and be more  like Jesus.
Painful? Sometimes unexpectedly revealing? Always an adventure?
You bet!
I say it with a bit of excitement and even anticipation....

To want pain?!
To want unexpected?!
To want adventure?! (Okay, that one's more believable...)

Yes; I want, with excitement and anticipation, all those things.

Because you see, it's not the pain of injury or heartbreak or devastation,
but the pain of growth, pushing boundaries and taking the road less traveled.

But there's a key; not just any road less traveled-the one designed exclusively, with all the road signs and directional maps labeled and scripted in your own name by the one who designed the best course, the optimal path, the perfect travel plan-just for you.

And, one just right for me.
And, for the next door neighbor.
And the best friend.
Everyone, actually.
For each, a most perfect plan.
Hand designed and sculpted from the great designer himself.

I know, you want to scoff: Don't go yet though.

You see, I used to be you.
A scoffer.
I believed, but I didn't follow.
And I didn't trust.
And I certainly didn't make any decisions other than my own.
And I was miserable.
Lost.
Insecure.
Completely lacking in confidence, direction and purpose.
I bet you can see me clearly.....

Oh I looked okay.
A book contract. An up and coming teaching schedule. The start of a great career and four beautiful teenage boys.
But I was a mess on the inside.
You know, the preverbial 'broken' place.
I was there.

And I found out it wasn't the end. The bottom. the 'all there is'~
It was the beginning.
The starting block.
The sculptor's worktable.

And I began to be formed.
Sculpted if you will.
Parts of me were salvageable; the teaching, the writing, the inspiring.
But there was more to be done.

And I asked for it~

That's another key; a willing heart.
You have to say 'Okay! I'm all in!'
Or, as I did,
' Take me and make me! I am here!'
Daily.

It's so much fun.
Don't believe me?!
Then I dare you.
You don't know till you try.....

You can always change your mind and turn around~
If its too hard.
Or too scary.

And, honestly, it will be.
But its a good hard.
And a really, really good scary.
Truly.
I don't lie.
I find it impossible to do so.
wow.
Don't you want to say that?!
Don't you want to be here?!
Don't you want to see how far you can go, how many you can touch, and just how full your life can be?
It's yours; the one for which you were designed.

Let Him start chipping.
It's amazing.

And, if you ask, I'll tell you morewww.pbsartist.com.
You can come pick up each shard, chip and rock that has fallen from my form and ask me about it.
I am anxious to tell.
Their ugly has made me beautiful :)
pbsartist@aol.com 360-239-8081
in love. trish

brilliance~

sharing from my EncaustiCamp blog....
"our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. " marianne williamson

How terrifying: To have this reality of the female heart revealed so blatantly. Perhaps the reality of the human heart.
What if we were to release our sense of the inadequate, realize it truly is a deeply impassioned desire to embrace a power that stirs in us and fully trust in this? What would happen? Where would we be taken on such a faith filled, passionate ride? Who would be impacted by our resolute determination to grab-hold of such a glory and move beyond that first unction to shine brilliantly? Not in and of ourselves, but with a light we cannot control; one that burns through us and grows exponentially, pulling in all who are near to embrace and enlighten and empower?
What if just one of us started?
What if just one of us believed?
What if just one of us trusted in our God given brilliance and awoke each morning to simply let it shine where it may? Just one of us~
in love. trish
shared from my EncaustiCamp site :)