TO BELIEVE

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:3

Joshua prayed for snow all day after hearing the weatherman say there was a “slight chance.”
He was talking to his Grandmother, who was so excited as she was having quite a bit of snow.

After he hung up, he looked so sad. He looked at me and said, “Dad, I’m never going to see snow until I move away. Then I’ll be too old to enjoy it.” It broke my heart because I knew how he felt. I was once a little boy praying for snow in Florida. I’m thankful God gave me something to say to him at that moment.

I told him that I saw a post earlier of a young girl struggling to live who has never stood before. But, that day she stood tall at a window for over 2 minutes watching it snow outside. It was a miracle!

I told him that when his Grandma was out walking in the snow that she ran into her neighbors from Russia. They told her that it reminded them of “home” so long ago. Maybe they needed to recall a time before things “got complicated.”

I asked him how he was praying? And he said: “To see snow of course”! I told him that maybe I prayed for it the wrong way too. I would say it like that too. For “me” to see snow. Like I needed proof of God’s existence, and of course, I was disappointed time and again. Which led me to stop believing as I grew older.  I told him that maybe we should pray for the people who need to see it. So they’ll believe again. Then just maybe they’ll forget their worries for a moment and feel as innocent and free as a child. And to possibly help them remember what it felt like to truly believe in miracles. Then, of course, the adult in me added, “It’s a tall order to pray for snow in Florida anyway.” Well, it wasn’t a tall order!! It started snowing at 12am and didn’t stop until 3:33! I have a feeling that Joshua may have added his Dad into that prayer. Because for a moment today, I didn’t believe. I watched and played in falling snow tonight, and found myself giggling like a child :) I’m still outside walking in inches of snow. I’m so excited to wake everyone up when the sun rises to see all this white before it melts. I need to believe you Father, like a child believed his Dad today.

(originally posted on December 9, 2017 on divinecrosses.com)

Wisdom is a Tree of Life

Proverbs 3:18 New Living Translation (NLT)

Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her; happy are those who hold her tightly.

I went back to the original shape of the Tree of Life Cross that I made for my Great-Grandmother over 20 years ago for this one. What inspired the Holding On design was a Sweet Gum Tree. I went to a nursery I worked at back in college to pick out some trees to plant around the barn. We need some trees here :) I was looking for Sweet Gum trees since they actually have leaf color change or fall foliage this deep in the South. Fall is my favorite time of year by the way.

These Sweet Gum trees were in small pots and wee growing skinny and tall because they were wedged in under larger trees. They were doing their best by growing straight up looking for the sunlight. We brought them home before a Tropical Storm hit and planted them right after. We planted them in full sun. It was a very hot start to autumn with temperatures in the mid-90’s daily. Right away the trees went into shock and shed nearly all their leaves. The trees were now holding on to a handful of leaves. As we nursed them daily, new buds began to appear. Everyday I went out to water them I knew they had a chance to make it if they were still holding on to those few little leaves.

God placed a wisdom In those trees beyond our understanding. Those trees knew to shed most of their leaves and concentrate on root development. They held on to those few little leaves to gather what sunlight they could but not over stress themselves as they did this.

How much is this like our lives with God! When we go into shock, it’s a chance for us to obtain growth and Wisdom. We shed the things that are outwardly seen as beautiful or pleasing in other peoples eyes (like those leaves) and concentrate on growing our roots into Him. When we do this we may lose others in our lives who see us changing too. They may give up on us at first. But, this is our opportunity to show them how to survive with God’s nourishment . They’ll see us holding on to the Wisdom God has engrained in us and they’ll see us not giving up. Just like the Sweet Gum didn’t give up. We can Witness through this Wisdom. Hold on to it!

God is Our Daily Bread

I’ve been trying to understand the feelings and why I was having them while working on this cross. They are feelings of nostalgia. They are warming and from my heart. 
They are feelings from the Holidays when we celebrated together as a family with more food than we could eat at three sittings. They are feelings of love that came from the hard work that went into growing the crops and the time it took to prepare the food selflessly for others. 
Then I remembered something.. I have forgotten to say the blessing before I eat for over a year now.. I have taken for granted that we have food ready to eat in our home. 
There are people that don’t have that luxury... There are people who have never celebrated with more food than they can eat. 
Lord, I’ve never known hunger like that and I pray that I.. No sir, I pray no one will. 
What a huge thing I’ve taken for granted and I’m upset that I have. 
Lord, give everyone this day, their daily bread. Please give to the ones first who need it the most. The ones who worry where their next meal will come from. 
Lord, I am sorry that I have neglected to thank you for your daily bread. 
You are our Daily Bread and thank you Lord, for reminding me with this cross. 
#ourdailybread #givethanks #theblessing #divinecrosses

Live in Peace with Everyone

Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,“I will take revenge; I will pay them back,”says the Lord. Romans 12:18-19

It can begin with one act of revenge for something we couldn’t let go. Even generations later! Once the revenge is enacted and the fight begins, one of the hardest things to do as humans is surrender. Sometimes it drags on to the point that we don’t remember why we are fighting. Yet, in the bible it says there is so much honor in surrendering. And it’s our own pride that won’t let us.

We are always living in a time of being attacked. History shows that. Sometimes we aren’t suppose to fire that cannon back. Before you light that fuse to fire back ask yourself if this is a way to peace. Remember this, sometimes God doesn’t send us in to win it; he sends us in to end it.

I took this photo in Shiloh two years ago with my family. The cannons sit scattered throughout the battlefields and are a huge daunting presence lined up pointing in one direction. Yet, they are so peaceful sitting there alone not being fired.

Peace be with everyone this Tuesday.

(originally posted on 9-1-2015 on divinecrosses.com)

Experience God's Peace Tonight, Friends

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

How about a little Sunday evening fellowship? I have to share what a young lady Jennifer sent me in the messages today! It’s so amazing and goes directly with that verse above!! And after that, let’s hear some more in the comments of anyone who’s had the peace that passes understanding!! We all could use a little witnessing. :)

Here’s what she wrote:

I have shared the picture of your beautiful cross. I would also like to share with you a testament of God’s goodness.

My husband has been in the hospital for a week now. We arrived on Wednesday morning at 3:30am. He could not breathe. While in the ER we found he had Pneumonia in both lungs and a lot of fluid from outside his right lung. After draining the fluid from outside his lung his symptoms became worse. Doctors have been stumped as to what is causing the fluid to return and with a vengeance. We were told they found 3 masses in his lungs. I was floored. I prayed, and prayed. I sent out prayer request after prayer request. Then I walked outside the hospital and there sat a man in a wheelchair. He smiled at me with the most heart felt smile. He told me it was too cold inside so he came outside to sit in the sun. I agreed with him and smiled back. We talked for a minute about the weather and then the man looked at me with the most sincere eyes I have ever seen. He told me, “You know things will be okay.” I told him, “yes, I know because I believe.” He then told me to tell my children he said hello.

Now before this moment I had never met this man. I had never seen nor spoken with him. As I sat down in my car I was overwhelmed with peace. I knew that this man carried a message from my Saviour. He was sent to that spot to let me know my husband would be okay, and my family. Appreciate the little things and look for those small messages because he sends them to us often, but we don’t have our eyes and ears open to them. Believe and have faith that God is walking with you always. I know I do now! Angels are all around us, but we have to believe.

Experience God’s peace tonight, friends.

(originally posted on 8-9-2015 on divinecrosses.com)

For I Know the Plans I have for You

Wanted to share something for a moment then I’ll get back to working on your crosses. :) I made about 20 of these benches for a beach wedding 5 years ago for only cost, and I was hoping to rent them out later to make the money back. Well, that didn’t happen no matter how much I advertised it. I then tried to sell them for as little as 50 dollars and even tried to give them away! They have sat here for 5 years.

After the Tree of Life cross orders starting coming in I called my local cypress lumber mill and they don’t have any of the boards I use! Due to our wet spring and no access to the areas where they grow they haven’t harvested any and their supply is low. 

I turned and looked at the benches and kinda giggled. Then I realized the Lord didn’t allow these to leave this shop because today I’m taking off the tops to use to make the Tree of Life crosses! That was his doing! He had a plan I didn’t know about apparently for these crosses 5 years ago. Just wanted to share that. :)

Wonder what he has in mind for the bases of them now?! Lol! Have a blessed day everyone!

P.S. Just saw this verse: 

‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for well-being and not for trouble, to give you a future and a hope.’  Jeremiah 29:11

(originally posted 7-15-2015 on divine crosses.com)