(Week 33) Belmont Blessings

Story behind the Painting:

My husband and I are in a couples small group.  One of the mammas from this group asked me to paint a little something for her daughter’s soon-to-be new dorm and home, while I prayed over her college years.  It was an easy YES and a beautiful blessing to do so.

Her daughter will be a freshman at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. I too went to college in Nashville, but somehow missed the beauty of Belmont right around the corner from Vanderbilt, my alma mater. I can say “beauty” with the utmost sincerity and first hand experience because I recently traveled to the Music City for a Beth Moore Conference.  I got lost pulling into Nashville, but I was so “not” lost in God’s plan.  As I took a street that ran parallel to the interstate,  I arrived smack dab in the middle of Belmont’s campus.  I saw some of the most gorgeous architecture and magnificent edifices I had ever laid eyes on.  It is hard to believe that I missed this mosaic of artistic design in my back yard while studying at Vanderbilt; however, I did not miss it this time.

God’s timing is perfect.  He allowed me to stumble upon Belmont in order to give me an up-close-and-personal visual. God placed me on the literal soil I would be praying circles around.  A colorful, textured, magnificent sanctuary emerged on the blank canvas to accompany another “Katie” about to spread her wings and fly in Nashville.

Acrylic textured church

Take-away Treasure:

When I left for college in 1988, I was so far from knowing who I was in Christ.  I was a gazillion miles away from knowing God and HIS goodness or HIS extravagant, immeasurable love for me.  If I had had a glimpse of myself through HIS grace-laced lenses, I have no doubt I would have walked a more selfless, pure and lovely road.

Below is a photo I arranged and shot to accompany the painting and Katie, as they were BELMONT BOUND!  Knowing Whose we are and who we are in Christ gives us confidence to walk with our heads held high.  We are fashioned in the image of the Almighty God; therefore, we are HIS beauty marks!  Knowing our value enables us to leave beauty marks in our wake.  (Since Katie and I share a name, it was a no-brainer to pull out my http://sweetashoneycards.com  )

I pray you will insert your own name into the cards above.  This is just a tiny view of how wonderful God thinks you are!

May I close with this:

I recently attended the Global Leadership Summit and this quote stuck with me:

“There are no do-overs, but there are make-overs.”

What does this mean?

We have the ability to look at the legacy we are currently leaving and make changes, if we do not like what we see.

Whereas we cannot change the past, we can make amends where possible, learn from our mistakes and successes and share those lessons every chance we get.

We can make-over our legacy in an instant!

Look at the thief on the cross.  He ended his life on earth paying for the sins he committed on a cross, but in an instant, he saw Christ for the sinless Savior of the world that HE is, repented and left a very different legacy:

“…We deserve this, but not him—he did nothing to deserve this.”

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom.”

He said, “Don’t worry, I will. Today you will join me in paradise.” (Luke 23:41-43 MSG)

All this to say,

whether we are entering college, kindergarten, assisted living or a season of terminal illness, knowing Whose and who we are changes everything, past, present and future!

Are we leaving beauty marks in our wake?

If not,

why not start now!