Good morning. I might be a bit long winded this morning so grab a cup of coffee and sit with me. Can I just be totally open and honest with you? You guys BLOW my mind. The faith radiating from this group astounds me. I have been at a conference this weekend called the Influence Conference, and it is a Christian conference that focuses on how we are using our influence in our online communities and I have to tell you, so many people came up to be and talked to me about the WORK you guys are doing in here. Tina came up to me and shared with me how this is changing her walk with God, and her husband’s thoughts on it, I really could not have said it better so I wanted to share a blurb from his blog
“When a translator converts the Bible into a new language, it opens the Bible to a new group of people and that’s amazing. There are very few Christ followers who would complain about that because it expands the influence of Christianity.
Have you ever thought that a translation isn’t the only way to expand the influence of God’s Word? There are so many more ways to expand the influence of God’s Word using creativity.”
I keep going back and reading it over and over again because it is exactly how I feel and he said it so beautifully! Thank you for sharing that with me Tina!
My thoughts and prayers were with this group all weekend. One thing that really sat on my heart was that GOD wants us SIMPLY as we are. He doesn’t need us to make things PRETTY or wait to start until we have mastered hand lettering, or until the perfect stamp comes. He wants you to come ALIVE TODAY. Don’t wait to be “pretty” for God, he wants us right where are at, HOT MESS and all. If you feel like this process is pulling you closer to the word and your relationship with God just DIVE in, don’t wait. There was a time that I would not have even brought my bible with me, but during this trip I couldn’t get to my bible QUICK enough! That has never happened before… EVER and I don’t think God was thinking “oh my that washi really wasn’t what I was going for” . … your love letter to God is beautiful just the way it is.
With all that being said I needed to ask myself what I was holding back until it was “pretty enough” “good enough” “ready” and so I wanted to share that with you today. I am starting a website dedicated to this, so we can all have a central place use as a resource. It is still in the baby stage but why am I holding this back from you when you guys are my partners in all this, and can lift it up in prayer. I am sure you have seen me tagging things with #illustratedfaith and now you know why!
So this Sunday I want us to just peel back what we are HOLDING back. Let’s share our authentic place, put it out there! Get vulnerable, get honest, get WEIRD! Wherever you are with God TODAY is exactly the place to start! Trust HIM, go with HIM, BE with HIM. The dreams you have for yourself have no comparison to what he has in store for you so let it go to HIM!
Love you guys and thank you for all you do! xox
Verses: Ephesians 2:4-5: 1 Peter 5:6-7: Psalm 86:15
go.be.inspired.
Shanna
So lovely our own website is what we need Yay!! Please let me know if I can help in any way. I really mean that.
Thank you Bonita!
…with the love of Jesus in my heart for the first time in a long time… I thank you friend!! #illustratedfaith has changed the way I approach my relationship with Christ- and I am so excited to find his voice!!!
I am so excited for you Helga!
YES and AMEN Shanna!!
thank you!
So fun! A whole site! Can’t wait!
Thank you for your support Meg!
WOW, Shanna! Can’t wait to see more…
Thank you Noel!
God is using so many things to get my attention and bring my focus back to HIm. First was your blog and then the Facebook group sharing their Bible pages, their faith and their lives. I am back in a group Bible study for the first time in two years and I feel much as I did almost 20 years ago when I accepted Christ. Thanks for allowing God to use you to work with Him to get so many of us in to the Word.
So happy you are here Robin, I look forward to seeing what God does,.. .he has BIG plans!!