expect flowers

It takes incredible faith to keep believing for flowers when you are walking through a desert. But flowers are promised. Keep believing!!!!!

I am a believer

"By the grace of God, I am what I am." 2Co 15:10

I am a believer. 

I believe in God’s leading. I believe God’s word speaks directly to me as I walk this life. I believe He is using my everyday circumstances to speak to me – and teach me, guide me, and mold me as I study His word daily.


I believe life isn’t always easy. I believe it takes hard times to grow in faith.  Just as God took the Israelites through the wilderness, but continued to provide for them and guard them as they traveled --  I believe He is providing for me and guarding me as I walk. 

I am a believer.

fly away and rest

Wishing you all a restful Labor Day weekend!!!

hope anchors the soul

thank goodness i have my Anchor in Jesus. if i didn't -- i would be adrift with worry.

a sunday morning prayer

dear Lord,
This morning I woke up with a tightness in my heart -- fears filled my thoughts.  I wanted to pull the covers over my head and hide.  But I got up.  I got ready.  And You were waiting for me at church.  You wanted me to hear ...

"You will weep no more.
When He hears you, He will answer you.
When you turn to the right or left,
you will hear a voice behind you saying,
This is the way,
Walk in it."

Isaiah 30:19-21

Thank You, Lord for using challenges in my life to direct me straight to You -- my Rock, my shield, my fortress.  Thank You for Your promise ... "You grant a treasure of common sense to the honest. You are a shield to those who walk with integrity.  You guard the paths of the just and protect those who are faithful to You." (Prov 2:7-8).  Thank You for being my one constant -- my one place of safety and peace where I can breath and just sit at your feet and give to You all that troubles me.  You are my rock and my fortress.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

dear child,
The world cannot give you the peace you need.  There is no rest to be found.  You heart will be heavy until you turn off the world and look to Me.  Open your eyes.  Open your heart.  I will lighten the load -- and you will SOAR.  Pray to me, and I will answer you. I will show you great and hidden things that you do not know.  Jeremiah 33:3

bow my head and fly

{find art block here}

the ground i walk on

may be filled 

with weeds.

the sky i see 

may be

cloudy.

the rain 

may never
stop.
nevertheless,

if what i see

with my eyes

looks to be

without

hope,

i can close 

my eyes,

bow

my head,

and

FLY.

"Those who hope in the Lord shall renew their strength. They will soar."

hope for oklahoma

The tornado that ripped through Oklahoma was more than devastating.  And I know many of you join me in wondering -- how can I help?  And how can I know that when I do help, it goes to those in need.

Join me in bidding on items in an online auction that will take place on Facebook: Hope for Oklahoma.  The auction begins this evening, May 27, at 7pm and will end on May 31 at 7pm.  All proceeds will go directly to those who lost everything!  The organizer of this wonderful auction, Heather Ales, lives about 3 hours south of Moore, Oklahoma.  She is going to personally drive to Moore to distribute the funds directly to those in need.  She is working to partner with friends who live in the Oklahoma City area, and will know of friends and loved ones who are directly in need.  Additionally, she will take photos so that we can all see precisely where the funds raised were distributed!

Don't miss out on a chance to purchase some awesome art, and help the victims of the Moore, OK.

Below are photos of the items I have donated.

live by faith

what we see lasts only a short time, but what we cannot see lasts forever #liveByFaith

Above is what I put on Facebook and Twitter today.  I have been quietly praying for those in Oklahoma. Events like that always bring me to my knees.  So often fear takes over my heart.  I put myself there -- I hurt for them, cry, and pray.  It takes God's words to heal my heart and help me to move on after tragedies -- both tragedies that I read about and tragedies in my own life.  

His hope always shines through.

i'm at homemakers!!!

I'm new to this art licensing world....but can anyone ever get tired of walking into a store and seeing their artwork displayed so beautifully?  This is me, thrilled to my toes, at a local furniture store.

cast all your care on Him

so you've probably noticed -- my last few posts were about being yourself.  there is a reason for that.  you see, my youngest daughter is struggling.  there are aspects of herself that she does not like.  and those aspects that she doesn't like -- she sees what she wants be like in her big sister.  and that has made for some behavior problems --- fighting among my girls that i was not used to.

just as when they were babies -- when there was crying, there was a reason.  tired? hungry? gas?  as school-age kids -- when there are behavior problems, there is a reason.  sometimes it is as simple as being tired or hungry.  but as the winter months stretched on, i knew it had to be something else.

my youngest daughter is stubborn -- and proud.  she is also quiet and reserved -- and tough.  i've always said, her stubbornness and toughness is a great complement to her shyness.  honestly, no one is going to push her around.  but it is her shyness that she hates in herself.  she sees her older sister with friends galore.  her older sister is not shy, to say the least.  she is always able to talk to anyone.  and my youngest sees that, gets upset -- and finally opened up with how she wishes she was more like her sister.

so while talking with my youngest about how she is made exactly for the race ahead of her - reminding her that God does not make mistakes - I find out why she has been so irritable and sad lately.  you see, at second recess, she has no one to play with.  no one.  and that -- breaks. my. heart.  (first recess she has her good friends, thankfully).

i can relate to my youngest.  i've been there.  i've been at the work parties when everyone is paired up talking, and i'm walking around trying to look interested in the food on my plate. i know this anxiety.  i'll admit it -- i have social anxiety.  it shows up at things like recess (i always hated recess), parties that you go to alone, and yes -- even church.

this last week i've gone to the school to be with her at second recess.  i can only do so much for her--but hoping that at least walking around with someone instead of alone would help ease the pain.  and it seems it has.  i think the very thought that she has an anchor in me to help her as she feels lost with this huge problem has helped ease her little mind.

and thank goodness i have my Anchor in Jesus.  if i didn't -- i would be adrift with worry.

"cast all your care on Him, for He cares about you." 1 peter 5:7

good Friday

 The Cross is the point where God and sinful man merge with a crash and the way to life is opened – but the crash is on the heart of God. Oswald Chambers

be YOU

it breaks my heart when i hear my youngest say ... "i'm shy, i don't like being shy." i remind her what i have to continually remind myself -- we are designed precisely for the race laid out in front of us. each facet of our design was created and put in us for a reason. we may not see the "why" right now, but we will!!

I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize… Philippians 3:13

be you

be true to you

and the God

who made

you.

you are you for a reason.

love that.

life is not perfect.

don't try so hard to make it perfect!

trust Jesus.

lean on Him.

smile.

love others.

love you.

laugh.

listen to music.

sing.

hope and faith are my wings

hope and faith

are my

wings.

flying above

fear.

above

doubts.

above the

weariness.

in a sky

full of

wonder,

healing love,
strong belief.

into the arms

of

never-ending

gentle strength.

enjoy the journey

you can find this hat in my etsy shop:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/126112219/inspirational-art-hope-shines-through 

So here's a little unknown fact about me -- in high school I didn't create art so much as I did write.   I wrote so much poetry, it was crazy.  And then I went on a song lyric kick -- even had a record producer in Nashville review my songs and offer very helpful critiques for many months.  I didn't follow through on the songwriter dream ... life happened.  Or maybe it was more that this Iowa girl was not bold enough to take a leap of faith and move to Nashville.

And where did those song lyrics go and the critiques?  Lost in a move.  Also lost in a move is a tub full of sweaters I still miss.  :(

But one thing IS true throughout all of it -- I have enjoyed the journey.  My creative path has not been a straight line.  I am always open to where my heart leads me.  And I am so happy it lead me to Scripture art -- where I feel so much at home.  That being said -- I hope to pick up the pen and start writing more of my prayerful poetry.  The challenge -- my life is loud, in fast forward and albeit an amazing adventure -- I need to find that quiet time once again.  Something I am praying for.

Here is a prayerful poem I wrote many years ago that is TBD (to be designed).



Life has many roads open to each and every one,
I have chosen the narrow road.
It is my only way Home.
On this road, there will be mountains to climb,
and mountains to dance on.
There will be valleys to rest,
and trenches to dig out of.
But I will be content wherever I am.
For I have one destination -- Heaven.
I will find some treasures along the way,
and I will lose some.
I will not worry about my next step.
If need be, I know God will carry me.
I will not dwell on my past steps,
they have been taken.
It is not my responsibility to scoff at those on this same road,
I know God walks with each person at a different pace.
My only responsibility is to remain open to God's teachings,
and along the way, help out others.
No matter what comes my way or what I have to leave behind,
nothing matters but the fact that I have been given the gift --
Grace.
And I will remain on the narrow road and live each day
step-by-step
as God leads me along life's narrow way.
                                         - by Amylee Weeks

back to the basics

Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent -- reminding us that we are only dust and we will return to dust.  It calls us back to God, back to the basics, back to the spiritual REALITIES of life.  And with that -- back to the JOY and PEACE that comes from living our new life born out of death.

walk by faith

“We are not made for the mountains, for sunrises, or for the other beautiful attractions in life - those are simply intended to be moments of inspiration. We are made for the valley and the ordinary things of life and that is where we have to prove our stamina and strength.” Oswald Chambers

shirts, bags, hats -- oh my!

I am absolutely in LOVE with the products that Midwest CBK is producing using my artwork.  Here's a peak at the catalog that showcases the shirts, bags and hats.  Swoon!!!!

listen to God

“At times God puts us through the discipline of darkness to teach us to heed Him. Song birds are taught to sing in the dark, and we are put into the shadow of God's hand until we learn to hear Him...Watch where God puts you into darkness, and when you are there keep your mouth shut. Are you in the dark just now in your circumstances, or in your life with God? Then remain quiet...When you are in the dark, listen, and God will give you a very precious message for someone else when you get into the light.” 
― Oswald Chambers

patience

“Patience is more than endurance. A saint's life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, and He stretches and strains, and every now and again the saint says--'I cannot stand anymore.' God does not heed, He goes on stretching till His purpose is in sight, then He lets fly. Trust yourself in God's hands. Maintain your relationship to Jesus Christ by the patience of faith. 'Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” 
― Oswald Chambers

trust - He is merciful and mighty

dear Lord,
I took a leap of faith.  I stepped out of the boat, onto the waves, and only Your presence can ease my anxious heart.  The minute I stop, look around, listen to the news, I start to sink deep in these waters that surround me.  The only thing that keeps me afloat is Your word, standing in Your presence, and remembering Your promises.  And if the world gets to be too much for  me, You show me a tiny miracle here and there.  Thank you for constantly providing, always reassuring my heart.  The more steps I take in this life of faith, the more I see Your hand guiding, providing always -- and never letting go.  I thank you Lord and praise Your name.

my dearest child,
Your words are music to Me.  Continue to trust Me. Hold onto My hand.  I will not let you fall. Please try to remember, your heart makes plans -- but I direct your steps.  So this step in faith, it is right along with My plans for you -- or I would've shown You, whispered to Your heart before you stepped out.  And although some steps may not be easy at times, you are being purified, tested, shaped.   And you are right, the more steps you take in faith, the more you will see My hand guiding, providing always -- and never letting go.  

Matthew 14: 27 - 32  |  Proverbs 16:9 | 1 Peter 1:7 |  Psalm 50:15  |  Isaiah 41:13 | Psalm 7:9-10

chaos!!!

I have a confession to make ...

my. house. is. a. mess.

It is CRAZY in here!  Since September, when my busy season started but my life didn't stop, a lot of tasks had to be put on hold. Add to that 2 little girls, a dog and a busy husband -- things just aren't where they are supposed to be.  

So now, I have a list of "to do's" to get my house back to where I want it to be.  I'll try to keep this blog updated as we check things off to keep me accountable. Plus - a lot of the items can be fun.  I'm most excited about the first item.

1. Girl cave creation

2. Weight room re-established

3. Girls' room organized (new shelves!!)

4. Find a dresser, paint it blue -- put clothes in it

5. New curtains for sliding glass door (dog chewed the other ones)

6. New dining room table project

7. Craft closet

8. Storage room overhaul

Oh and the other "not-so-fun" tasks that continues to haunt me ...

1. Laundry (need to seriously catch up)

2. Sock baskets (now I have 3 sock baskets ... full of socks that need to be matched up)

3. Junk drawer rubbermaids (I have about 5 rubbermaids full of "stuff" that I didn't want to sort through)

This weekend is "let's begin projects" weekend.  The first one, GIRL CAVE, has been started.  So I hope to finish it up this weekend.  And with that -- update the girls' room and establish the weight room.  I'll add some before and after pics later.  

Now I've got to go walk the dog.

the atlanta gift mart starts today!!

Today is the day the Atlanta Gift Mart starts.  As a licensed artist, it is a BIG day.  And this year, it is for 2 reasons.  First -- my gift line through Midwest CBK is being debuted.  And then second, my agents will be walking the market -- talking to more manufacturers about my designs.

Here are a few pics of some of the products from my new line available through Midwest CBK.  I couldn't be more in love with the products -- and the company and everyone that works there.

prayer is rest for my soul

dear Lord,

I lay at your feet all my daily worries.  You know, the ones that creep up in my mind when I am enjoying a moment of silence.  Or maybe some fear that takes over my heart when I am just busy living.  I lay all those at your feet right now, Lord.  Guide me to my tomorrow.  Show me how to handle these tasks to best glorify You.

dear child,

remember ...I will teach you and show you in the way you should go; I will whisper to your heart and watch over you.  Do not worry about tomorrow.  I do what is right.  I know your thoughts and feelings.  I will protect you like a shield; I save those whose hearts are right.  And I will keep you in perfect peace as long as you keep thinking of Me and trusting in Me.  So my dear child, continue to be joyful in this hope I promise you, patient in any troubles, and continue to be faithful in prayer. 

Ps 34:8, Mt 6:34, Ps 7:9-10, Isaiah 26:3, Romans 12:12