That was about 5 years ago, but it wasn't art that restored me. It wasn't art that fueled my "becoming"...it was worship.
The Bible says that ..."By faith Jacob...worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff. "
Jacob felt it before I ever did. He felt the pain of his own jacked-up-edness (that is a word in my house), he felt the misery of his own inability...and he glimpsed something of the grace of God when he saw that ladder that connected earth to heaven and heaven to earth.
And He worshiped, leaning on his staff, favoring that hip put out of joint after his long wrestling in a black night of the soul. Jacob wrestled for his identity, and I remember wrestling for mine.
See, I never expected to have not one, but two prodigal sons.
(And yes...they are fine with me telling my story, and their part in it - past, present, and future. We have good relationships, my boys and me and their dad. I think the reason why they don't mind me telling you any of this is that - first of all, they still believe. Not one of them has denied a solid belief in a supernatural God; both would fight you over the truth of the deity of Jesus Christ...perhaps physically. Ahem.
I also think my young men know that their days in the pig pen are numbered.)
So I ended up with prodigal times two. And it broke my heart, and it broke my identity as "The Homeschooling Preacher's Wife To Whom Such Things Should Never Happen."
I was going to write a book on child training. Then, I had teenaged boys. Then, they grew up. Then, I needed therapy. (Which I never got...)
Worship has fueled my becoming, from the time I was a little girl who wet the bed every night, through my early-married years when I gave birth to identical honeymoon twins (two beautiful daughters, who are mine and the Preacher's right arms today), and it fueled my becoming when middle age came calling...it fuels me at this moment, as a grandmother.
I am that "older woman", now, to whom the Great Apostle gave the admonition to "teach the younger women".
Teach them to love. That's the gist of what Paul told the older women to teach the younger women....teach them to love.
With all my own becoming, it still "doth not yet appear what I shall be". I believe - with all my heart - that my best days are right in front.
Having said all that, I am so thrilled to share with you that I have been invited by Jeanne Oliver to take part in an online course entitled, "Becoming - The Unfolding of You":
This course is FREE. There is no cost to join Jeanne's creative community, and there is NO COST to join the 8 week course, "Becoming - The Unfolding of You".
Here is the trailer:
Here is the link to join the study directly.
Here is the course description, and instructions about how to join:
Course description:
This January join 20 women for an 8 week study all about finding your true identity in Christ. Each week you will hear unfolding stories from the women in this study. We will be sharing truths about who the Lord says we are and our personal journeys to accepting those truths.
We will also have fun creative videos that follow the study where the women will share one of their gifts. Think guitar playing, bread making, painting, entertaining and more. You know I can't have a course without sharing how the Lord uses our creativity! My hope is that the study will give you fresh eyes for the Lord and yourself. When we know who we are in Christ it changes everything and opens our paths and gifts in incredible new ways.
Some of us are carrying around "truths" about ourselves that are flat out lies and it time to lay them down
This study will be open and honest, real, Bible based and a bit of creativity too. We hope you will join us January 6, 2015 for this free online study!
Directions to register:To join this free study you just need to be registered at jeanneoliver.ning.com (registering is free).
Once you are on the site you will find this study, free videos (business and art), my Creativity Takes Courage series and new online courses along the left hand side of the page.
You will find all of our courses/videos under the COURSES heading.
To register for Becoming | The Unfolding of You
1) Go to COURSES along the left hand side of the page
2) Go to the bottom of the course and click “view all” to find Becoming | The Unfolding of You
4) Click on Becoming | The Unfolding of You
3) Click the +join button on the upper right hand side
4) All of the details are on the page and you are all set for the study to begin on January 6, 2015
I cannot WAIT to see you in class. Please tell your friends...share this blog post...help me spread the love and the good news of the grace of God, in the face of Jesus Christ...
